The Glenn Beck Program, on CNN Headline News, is easily one of my favorite shows of any genre, and definitely the best option for news and political discourse on the airwaves today. Tonight, Glenn talked to the Round Mound of Sound (formerly Rebound), Sir Charles Barkley. Barkley, who has previously tossed around the idea of making a run at Governor in his native Alabama, seems to really get it. Barkley agrees with Beck on the notion that voters should "Vote American", instead of voting for an elephant or a donkey, and I, for one, am planning on doing this. For the first time, I will not be voting the straight (R) ticket. Anyhow, Barkley had a couple of great quotes, the first coming when he addressed illegal immigration:
"If you want to address illegal immigration, all you have to do is find the rich people they work for. They aren't working for any poor people."
Barkley also spoke on corruption in elected officials with this gem:
"How do I know they're corrupt? Because they are spending $20 million to win an office that pays a couple of hundred thousand."
Good stuff, and I would like to see Sir Charles get a little more involved in the political process. He really does get it, and he is not about right and left, but rather right and wrong.
Something else worth noting about Glenn Beck is a video clip that I missed last week, but have since found on YouTube, showing both sides of the news from Iraq. This shows some of the good things that go on there, the things that we never see or hear about.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Flavor Flav on BET
So, yes, I watch BET on occasion, and being sick of pre-MNF coverage for the moment, I flipped over to 106 & Park, BET's version of Total Request Live (terrible show by the way). What do I see, but Flavor Flav, of Public Enemy, Surreal Life, and Flavor of Love fame (or infamy, depending on how you look at things). Apparently, he has an album coming out tomorrow, full of his own rapping and singing; we will see how that is, seeing as all he did for Public Enemy was wear a clock around his neck. Anyhow, he is wearing a NASCAR leather jacket emblazoned with Mark Martin's #6 logo and sponsors, most prominently Viagra. On the unintentional comedy scale, this is huge.
College Republicans abuzz with election fever
So far as I know, those involved in College Republicans nationwide are still focused on the general elections next Tuesday, but there is another election coming up that is of great interest to College Republicans. The College Republican National Committee holds elections in every odd-numbered year for the Executive Board, and this coming June is the next such election. Potential candidates are (and have been) jockeying for position for the better part of a year, but within the past week there have been several developments (all of which I am late in getting to).
First of all, and probably most importantly there are two proposed amendments to the CRNC Constitution that will be voted upon at the next National Board meeting, to be held in Denver this December. I will have more analysis in the coming weeks, as I study the language more closely and get an idea of where the various state chairs (who actually get a vote on this) stand on the issues. Accompanying the amendments is a cover letter signed by College Republican Federation of Alabama Chairman Blake Harris, in which he asks the addressees to wait until after November 7 to study them. Briefly, though, the first amendment, titled the "Fair Elections Amendment", is co-sponsored by Colorado's Charlie Smith, Michigan's Dan Carlson, Nebraska's Scott Strain, and Ohio's Brian Siler, and would change the language in parts of Article 9, Dispute Resolution. Most notably, the amendment provides for a dispute process following elections, so long as 20 sitting state chairmen support filing of a dispute, and this would also throw the arbitration to the American Arbitration Association. The second amendment is the "True Membership" proposal, which would amend sections 4 and 6 of Article 5, and is sponsored by CRNC Co-Chair Jess Beeson, New Jersey's Frank Luna, Utah's Zachary Howell, and Massachusetts's Mike Miltenberger. Essentially, it would change the process of determining membership for the purposes of assigning electoral votes to each state during the credentialing process. On the surface, I like the True Membership initiative, but I am very undecided about the Fair Elections proposal as of yet. More on this soon.
CR circles are buzzing with news of CRNC Treasurer Tom Robins sending the state chairmen an e-mail prior to Nov. 7 elections. It is your standard rally the troops, congratulatory pat on the back letter, so I will not re-publish it here. If you would like to see it in full, please go check it out on the CR Blog over at CRNC Grindstone. They do a good job over there, so you should check it out regardless. Anyhow, Robins last made CR news with the rumors that he would be making a run to succeed current Chairman H. Paul Gourley. He was also supposedly making calls on behalf of Pennsylvania, but this was never substantiated. The latest, though, is that Robins will not be running; I am sure people will start to think otherwise after this e-mail, though.
Finally, here in Ohio, there was a stir last week when someone created a "Draft Siler for CRNC Chair" Facebook group. First, let me say that I probably would have joined had I received an invite or had the group not been removed within hours. I have no clue who did join up, but I bet that it was mostly Ohio CRs at this point, and I seriously doubt that Siler himself created the group. Despite what some say, he doesn't have that big of an ego (or I could be blind to it). I would normally follow with what the group had to say on Facebook, but it is no longer there. Whoever did this, send me an invite!
In closing, the next few months should be rather interesting, but I would hope that CRs keep an open ear and open mind in the upcoming elections. For now, keep knocking on doors, dialing the phones, and pounding the pavement for your local slate; we need all of the help we can get this year!
First of all, and probably most importantly there are two proposed amendments to the CRNC Constitution that will be voted upon at the next National Board meeting, to be held in Denver this December. I will have more analysis in the coming weeks, as I study the language more closely and get an idea of where the various state chairs (who actually get a vote on this) stand on the issues. Accompanying the amendments is a cover letter signed by College Republican Federation of Alabama Chairman Blake Harris, in which he asks the addressees to wait until after November 7 to study them. Briefly, though, the first amendment, titled the "Fair Elections Amendment", is co-sponsored by Colorado's Charlie Smith, Michigan's Dan Carlson, Nebraska's Scott Strain, and Ohio's Brian Siler, and would change the language in parts of Article 9, Dispute Resolution. Most notably, the amendment provides for a dispute process following elections, so long as 20 sitting state chairmen support filing of a dispute, and this would also throw the arbitration to the American Arbitration Association. The second amendment is the "True Membership" proposal, which would amend sections 4 and 6 of Article 5, and is sponsored by CRNC Co-Chair Jess Beeson, New Jersey's Frank Luna, Utah's Zachary Howell, and Massachusetts's Mike Miltenberger. Essentially, it would change the process of determining membership for the purposes of assigning electoral votes to each state during the credentialing process. On the surface, I like the True Membership initiative, but I am very undecided about the Fair Elections proposal as of yet. More on this soon.
CR circles are buzzing with news of CRNC Treasurer Tom Robins sending the state chairmen an e-mail prior to Nov. 7 elections. It is your standard rally the troops, congratulatory pat on the back letter, so I will not re-publish it here. If you would like to see it in full, please go check it out on the CR Blog over at CRNC Grindstone. They do a good job over there, so you should check it out regardless. Anyhow, Robins last made CR news with the rumors that he would be making a run to succeed current Chairman H. Paul Gourley. He was also supposedly making calls on behalf of Pennsylvania, but this was never substantiated. The latest, though, is that Robins will not be running; I am sure people will start to think otherwise after this e-mail, though.
Finally, here in Ohio, there was a stir last week when someone created a "Draft Siler for CRNC Chair" Facebook group. First, let me say that I probably would have joined had I received an invite or had the group not been removed within hours. I have no clue who did join up, but I bet that it was mostly Ohio CRs at this point, and I seriously doubt that Siler himself created the group. Despite what some say, he doesn't have that big of an ego (or I could be blind to it). I would normally follow with what the group had to say on Facebook, but it is no longer there. Whoever did this, send me an invite!
In closing, the next few months should be rather interesting, but I would hope that CRs keep an open ear and open mind in the upcoming elections. For now, keep knocking on doors, dialing the phones, and pounding the pavement for your local slate; we need all of the help we can get this year!
Hometown Handicapping
So my hometown Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum has been, starting last week, throwing around the considerable weight of their election endorsements. Since that is my home territory, I will probably be throwing out my picks by week's end, as well as who I like in the district I actually vote in, while at school. And just so no one is surprised when it happens, I will not be endorsing in the 15th Congressional District, because I don't like any of the candidates (more on this later).
Anyhow, back we go to the T-F (now with extra grammar and spelling errors!). Today, they are endorsing Senator Mike DeWine in his re-election bid. Here are a couple of highlights from their endorsement:
"Their differences are almost as sharp as night and day, especially on trade, the Patriot Act, tax policy, Medicare prescription drug coverage and virtually every other key issue of the day."
"He is a proven, capable senator willing to stick his neck out to get critical tasks done."
In the race for Attorney-General, former Attorney-General (and current Auditor of State) Betty Montgomery is pitted against current State Senator Marc "Is the camera getting this?" Dann. I will editorialize more later in the week and elaborate on this race, but I really am not a fan of Dann. The T-F is not either, and they are going to back Betty:
"If there's one slam dunk race in Ohio this year, it's clearly the race for attorney general between veteran Republican Betty Montgomery and upstart Democrat Marc Dann."
"Montgomery's qualifications far surpass Dann's, and she understands work needs to be done to fix mistakes...he's [Dann] done nothing to show he's capable of transforming himself from a critic to a leader and manager of one of Ohio's most complex and important offices. Even worse, he's been publicly reprimanded by the Ohio Supreme Court for mishandling a client's case, a distinction that seems improper for Ohio's top attorney."
In the two Ohio Supreme Court spots on the ballot next week, incumbent Justice Terrence O'Donnell (R) is again facing Democrat William O'Neill, and Judge Bob Cupp (R) faces Ben Espy (D). The T-F is endorsing O'Donnell for re-election and Ben Espy for election to the high court, and here are the highlights:
O'Donnell vs. O'Neill:
"O'Donnell's approach to the law largely mirrors Cupp, and has proven to be on the wise side of many decisions, including the rejection of imminent domain solely for economic development purposes. He's helped improve the court's performance in recent years."
"You may recall O'Neill got himself in trouble two years ago when he openly stated his positions on a few key issues...it's still clear he's running with an agenda. That's just not appropriate for this race."
Cupp vs. Espy:
"Cupp thinks the court should avoid making new laws, especially when they can have a negative impact on the state's economy. Cupp has a slight edge based on his current appellate court experience..."
"Espy would preserve Resnick's voice of dissent when needed. It is important to have all perspectives represented on the state's highest court. Thus, we support Espy."
That was somewhat odd to me, because they agreed that Cupp was more qualified, (and in another part of the piece, that O'Donnell was a voice of reason) but endorsed Espy for the sake of having a Dem on the court. Less than a ringing endorsement, in my opinion.
Finally, (they will be endorsing in the other races later this week) the T-F has picked Democratic candidate for Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner over Republican Greg Hartmann. This one was mildly surprising to me, but here are the highlights of it:
"Hartmann, currently Hamilton County Clerk of Courts, has a bit more management experience. He likely would bring organization and efficiency to the job, both notable assets."
"We’ve had claims of election fraud and voters feeling disenfranchised the past two elections. While Brunner alone can not fix this problem, she certainly can create an atmosphere where voters believe with certainty that the process is free of corruption and political pandering. We think Brunner offers voters the better choice, due largely to her experience in the courts system and her pledge that this job is not a stepping stone."
A bit of my opinion here, before I follow with full analysis later this week. They picked a candidate with admittedly less management experience based on the sense that she will not use the office as a springboard or soapbox. That would be excusable, but Jennifer Brunner has already taken money from potential 2008 candidates for the Democratic nomination for President, and her experience in the courts should really bring no bearing on the Secretary of State's office. Greg Hartmann is not perfect, either, but I would not tout Brunner's judicial experience or impartiality as advantages, because they simply are not such. It will be interesting to see how the Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum sits on the rest of the races; I will be sure to let you know how I feel about it!
Anyhow, back we go to the T-F (now with extra grammar and spelling errors!). Today, they are endorsing Senator Mike DeWine in his re-election bid. Here are a couple of highlights from their endorsement:
"Their differences are almost as sharp as night and day, especially on trade, the Patriot Act, tax policy, Medicare prescription drug coverage and virtually every other key issue of the day."
"He is a proven, capable senator willing to stick his neck out to get critical tasks done."
In the race for Attorney-General, former Attorney-General (and current Auditor of State) Betty Montgomery is pitted against current State Senator Marc "Is the camera getting this?" Dann. I will editorialize more later in the week and elaborate on this race, but I really am not a fan of Dann. The T-F is not either, and they are going to back Betty:
"If there's one slam dunk race in Ohio this year, it's clearly the race for attorney general between veteran Republican Betty Montgomery and upstart Democrat Marc Dann."
"Montgomery's qualifications far surpass Dann's, and she understands work needs to be done to fix mistakes...he's [Dann] done nothing to show he's capable of transforming himself from a critic to a leader and manager of one of Ohio's most complex and important offices. Even worse, he's been publicly reprimanded by the Ohio Supreme Court for mishandling a client's case, a distinction that seems improper for Ohio's top attorney."
In the two Ohio Supreme Court spots on the ballot next week, incumbent Justice Terrence O'Donnell (R) is again facing Democrat William O'Neill, and Judge Bob Cupp (R) faces Ben Espy (D). The T-F is endorsing O'Donnell for re-election and Ben Espy for election to the high court, and here are the highlights:
O'Donnell vs. O'Neill:
"O'Donnell's approach to the law largely mirrors Cupp, and has proven to be on the wise side of many decisions, including the rejection of imminent domain solely for economic development purposes. He's helped improve the court's performance in recent years."
"You may recall O'Neill got himself in trouble two years ago when he openly stated his positions on a few key issues...it's still clear he's running with an agenda. That's just not appropriate for this race."
Cupp vs. Espy:
"Cupp thinks the court should avoid making new laws, especially when they can have a negative impact on the state's economy. Cupp has a slight edge based on his current appellate court experience..."
"Espy would preserve Resnick's voice of dissent when needed. It is important to have all perspectives represented on the state's highest court. Thus, we support Espy."
That was somewhat odd to me, because they agreed that Cupp was more qualified, (and in another part of the piece, that O'Donnell was a voice of reason) but endorsed Espy for the sake of having a Dem on the court. Less than a ringing endorsement, in my opinion.
Finally, (they will be endorsing in the other races later this week) the T-F has picked Democratic candidate for Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner over Republican Greg Hartmann. This one was mildly surprising to me, but here are the highlights of it:
"Hartmann, currently Hamilton County Clerk of Courts, has a bit more management experience. He likely would bring organization and efficiency to the job, both notable assets."
"We’ve had claims of election fraud and voters feeling disenfranchised the past two elections. While Brunner alone can not fix this problem, she certainly can create an atmosphere where voters believe with certainty that the process is free of corruption and political pandering. We think Brunner offers voters the better choice, due largely to her experience in the courts system and her pledge that this job is not a stepping stone."
A bit of my opinion here, before I follow with full analysis later this week. They picked a candidate with admittedly less management experience based on the sense that she will not use the office as a springboard or soapbox. That would be excusable, but Jennifer Brunner has already taken money from potential 2008 candidates for the Democratic nomination for President, and her experience in the courts should really bring no bearing on the Secretary of State's office. Greg Hartmann is not perfect, either, but I would not tout Brunner's judicial experience or impartiality as advantages, because they simply are not such. It will be interesting to see how the Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum sits on the rest of the races; I will be sure to let you know how I feel about it!
NFL/NCAA Wrapup
So, I only ended up 6-4 with my college picks on Saturday (yes, I am counting OSU and Michigan, even though I didn't analyze their games). I am really glad that USC lost, though, but I didn't go with the option of picking all of the easy games. I went for the good matchups, so 6-4 is something I can be happy with. But I will not stop until I achieve perfection, so I will be back on Thursday afternoon with my picks for the ten top matchups this weekend in order to get in ahead of the big West Virginia at Louisville matchup. This game will be huge, and I will definitely be tuning in for it.
In the NFL yesterday, I was looking for redemption, but the Browns went out and blocked for once, the Steelers failed to put in Charlie Batch, and Tony Romo is evidently a PTPer (Prime-time Player). Couple that with David Carr getting benched and the Bengals not playing enough D (as usual), and I can clearly do better. As it stands now, I need the Patriots to win over the Vikes to split at 7-7. If they go down, then the record sits at 6-8, and I will probably find a bridge to jump off of. By the way, I am now thinking that New England wins even bigger tonight, 24-13, because of the Minnesota injuries, Tom Brady dominating under a dome, and Lawrence Maroney coming back to his college home field. It starts over on The Worldwide Leader at 8:30; you had better be there!
In the NFL yesterday, I was looking for redemption, but the Browns went out and blocked for once, the Steelers failed to put in Charlie Batch, and Tony Romo is evidently a PTPer (Prime-time Player). Couple that with David Carr getting benched and the Bengals not playing enough D (as usual), and I can clearly do better. As it stands now, I need the Patriots to win over the Vikes to split at 7-7. If they go down, then the record sits at 6-8, and I will probably find a bridge to jump off of. By the way, I am now thinking that New England wins even bigger tonight, 24-13, because of the Minnesota injuries, Tom Brady dominating under a dome, and Lawrence Maroney coming back to his college home field. It starts over on The Worldwide Leader at 8:30; you had better be there!
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Red Auerbach, 1917-2006
Basketball lost one of the greatest men to ever be involved in the game, and Boston lost one of their landmarks yesterday, when Arnold "Red" Auerbach passed away following an apparent heart attack. ESPN has a couple of great articles on Auerbach, and what he meant to the game. His Boston Celtics won a total of 16 titles while he was with the organization; the first nine rings came as a coach, and seven more came during his stint as GM. More importantly, he was a great character, and an even better man; he will be missed.
Predicting the NCAA Football Poll...
After a day that actually saw more upsets than the first two months of the season combined, the polls should move considerably. So long as Tennessee holds on at South Carolina and Texas finishes off Texas Tech, here is what it should look like tomorrow, approximately. USC, Clemson, Nebraska, and Missouri will drop with losses; Texas and Wisconsin should fall with less than convincing victories.
Week 10 Rankings:
1. Ohio State (9-0) Next: at Illinois (Big showdown in Columbus vs. the Wolverines; Woody would be proud)
2. Michigan (9-0) vs. Ball State (Had trouble with the Wildcats, but should mop up with Ball State)
3. West Virginia (7-0) at Louisville (Biggest game in the history of Big East on Thursday?)
4. Louisville (7-0) vs. West Virginia (Gets the home-field advantage, but will Brohm be rusty?)
5. Auburn (8-1) vs. Arkansas State (With USC loss, BCS title hopes stoked)
6. Tennessee (7-1) vs. LSU (Ainge appears unstoppable; gets to face tough LSU D at home)
7. Texas (8-1) vs. Oklahoma State ('Horns have looked like mere mortals of late)
8. USC (6-1) at Stanford (Should bounce back nicely, but will more losses follow?)
9. Florida (7-1) at Vanderbilt (Gators get a week to get it back together)
10. Notre Dame (7-1) vs. North Carolina (Why even play this one? First-team goes to Myrtle Beach, 2nd team will play two quarters, and band finishes it off)
11. California (7-1) vs. UCLA (UCLA yet another test for Golden Bears; are they the class of the PAC-10?)
12. Arkansas (7-1) at South Carolina (Will be a good matchup in Columbia, but a loss doesn't derail Razorback's SEC title hopes)
13. Clemson (7-2) vs. Maryland (Look for the Tigers to get it going again after dropping dead in Blacksburg)
14. LSU (6-2) at Tennessee (Tigers will need to bring the A-game; a win would definitely be an upset.)
15. Boise State (8-0) vs. Fresno State (Can the Broncos make it to a BCS berth?)
16. Rutgers (8-0) Bye Week (Schiano is Coach of the Year; Scarlet Knights control their own destiny)
17. Boston College (7-1) at Wake Forest (How good is Boston College?)
18. Oklahoma (6-2) at Texas A&M (Kyle Field is always a tough crowd, but can Peterson-less Sooners keep it up?)
19. Georgia Tech (6-2) at North Carolina State (Jackets only need one win in next 3 to play for ACC title)
20. Wisconsin (8-1) vs. Penn State (PJ Hill is alright, Badger fans can breathe a little easier)
21. Texas A&M (8-1) vs. Oklahoma (Home field advantage, but Sooners are much better than Baylor)
22. Wake Forest (7-1) vs. Boston College (How good is Wake Forest?)
23. Oregon (6-2) vs. Washington (Ducks roll over I-AA foes, but will they get back on PAC-10 roll?)
24. Virginia Tech (6-2) at Miami (FL) (Hokies own the 'Canes of late, but who would win in a bareknuckle bout?)
25. Tulsa (8-1) at Houston (Cruising in C-USA, but Kevin Kolb will put up a fight at home)
The Top Unranked:
26. Missouri (7-2) at Nebraska (Can they rebound from a tough stretch to have shot at Big XII?)
27. Nebraska (6-3) vs. Missouri (Huskers need to get over loss to Texas that lingers on)
28. Iowa (6-3) vs. Northwestern (2 losses are to the #1 & #2 teams; Tate may return)
29. Washington State (6-3) vs. Arizona (Cougars are on the rise, but cannot look past anyone)
30. Maryland (6-2) at Clemson (Terps can steal one on the road, but have to play near-perfectly)
Others:
-Brigham Young, Pittsburgh, Georgia, Penn State, South Carolina, Houston, and Hawaii.
The NOT Top 10 (plus a few):
The REST of the ACC (Florida State, Miami (FL), North Carolina, Duke), Colorado, Northwestern, Temple, Memphis, UNLV, Buffalo, Miami (OH), Eastern Michigan, Stanford, Florida Intl., and Utah State.
Coaches on the hot seat:
1. Larry Coker (Last spotted post-game bailing Miami President Donna Shalala out of jail)
2. Bobby Bowden (Should just quit trying for field goals)
3. Dirk Koetter (Must pick it up after botching Sam Keller situation)
4. John L. Smith (Back on it after losing to the Hoosiers)
5. Sylvester Croom (Miss. State is just the worst team in a very good conference)
6. Mike Stoops (Needs to start winning the close ones at some point)
7. Greg Robinson (A defensive coach with the 109th ranked D)
8. Chuck Amato (The sunglasses can go, as the mood in Wolfpack Country less than sunny)
9. John Bunting (already canned; bidding war for his services starting off slow)
10. Joe Paterno (just for being old, and the fact the Lion fans are impatient)
Week 10 Rankings:
1. Ohio State (9-0) Next: at Illinois (Big showdown in Columbus vs. the Wolverines; Woody would be proud)
2. Michigan (9-0) vs. Ball State (Had trouble with the Wildcats, but should mop up with Ball State)
3. West Virginia (7-0) at Louisville (Biggest game in the history of Big East on Thursday?)
4. Louisville (7-0) vs. West Virginia (Gets the home-field advantage, but will Brohm be rusty?)
5. Auburn (8-1) vs. Arkansas State (With USC loss, BCS title hopes stoked)
6. Tennessee (7-1) vs. LSU (Ainge appears unstoppable; gets to face tough LSU D at home)
7. Texas (8-1) vs. Oklahoma State ('Horns have looked like mere mortals of late)
8. USC (6-1) at Stanford (Should bounce back nicely, but will more losses follow?)
9. Florida (7-1) at Vanderbilt (Gators get a week to get it back together)
10. Notre Dame (7-1) vs. North Carolina (Why even play this one? First-team goes to Myrtle Beach, 2nd team will play two quarters, and band finishes it off)
11. California (7-1) vs. UCLA (UCLA yet another test for Golden Bears; are they the class of the PAC-10?)
12. Arkansas (7-1) at South Carolina (Will be a good matchup in Columbia, but a loss doesn't derail Razorback's SEC title hopes)
13. Clemson (7-2) vs. Maryland (Look for the Tigers to get it going again after dropping dead in Blacksburg)
14. LSU (6-2) at Tennessee (Tigers will need to bring the A-game; a win would definitely be an upset.)
15. Boise State (8-0) vs. Fresno State (Can the Broncos make it to a BCS berth?)
16. Rutgers (8-0) Bye Week (Schiano is Coach of the Year; Scarlet Knights control their own destiny)
17. Boston College (7-1) at Wake Forest (How good is Boston College?)
18. Oklahoma (6-2) at Texas A&M (Kyle Field is always a tough crowd, but can Peterson-less Sooners keep it up?)
19. Georgia Tech (6-2) at North Carolina State (Jackets only need one win in next 3 to play for ACC title)
20. Wisconsin (8-1) vs. Penn State (PJ Hill is alright, Badger fans can breathe a little easier)
21. Texas A&M (8-1) vs. Oklahoma (Home field advantage, but Sooners are much better than Baylor)
22. Wake Forest (7-1) vs. Boston College (How good is Wake Forest?)
23. Oregon (6-2) vs. Washington (Ducks roll over I-AA foes, but will they get back on PAC-10 roll?)
24. Virginia Tech (6-2) at Miami (FL) (Hokies own the 'Canes of late, but who would win in a bareknuckle bout?)
25. Tulsa (8-1) at Houston (Cruising in C-USA, but Kevin Kolb will put up a fight at home)
The Top Unranked:
26. Missouri (7-2) at Nebraska (Can they rebound from a tough stretch to have shot at Big XII?)
27. Nebraska (6-3) vs. Missouri (Huskers need to get over loss to Texas that lingers on)
28. Iowa (6-3) vs. Northwestern (2 losses are to the #1 & #2 teams; Tate may return)
29. Washington State (6-3) vs. Arizona (Cougars are on the rise, but cannot look past anyone)
30. Maryland (6-2) at Clemson (Terps can steal one on the road, but have to play near-perfectly)
Others:
-Brigham Young, Pittsburgh, Georgia, Penn State, South Carolina, Houston, and Hawaii.
The NOT Top 10 (plus a few):
The REST of the ACC (Florida State, Miami (FL), North Carolina, Duke), Colorado, Northwestern, Temple, Memphis, UNLV, Buffalo, Miami (OH), Eastern Michigan, Stanford, Florida Intl., and Utah State.
Coaches on the hot seat:
1. Larry Coker (Last spotted post-game bailing Miami President Donna Shalala out of jail)
2. Bobby Bowden (Should just quit trying for field goals)
3. Dirk Koetter (Must pick it up after botching Sam Keller situation)
4. John L. Smith (Back on it after losing to the Hoosiers)
5. Sylvester Croom (Miss. State is just the worst team in a very good conference)
6. Mike Stoops (Needs to start winning the close ones at some point)
7. Greg Robinson (A defensive coach with the 109th ranked D)
8. Chuck Amato (The sunglasses can go, as the mood in Wolfpack Country less than sunny)
9. John Bunting (already canned; bidding war for his services starting off slow)
10. Joe Paterno (just for being old, and the fact the Lion fans are impatient)
Editorial: CRNC Elections, Ohio, and Brian Siler
First of all, allow me to say that none of this really matters until at least November 8. Actual elections, especially here in Ohio are much more important than anything else at this point. Secondly, I think that I have been clear about this by now, but I think that the CRNC does need a serious makeover. Just to name a few of things off of my wishlist of changes, I would like to see better accountability with fundraising and donors, a full audit of the organization from an external firm, and continuous improvement in the field program, which is an absolute necessity. I do not know who would support these things at this point (along with several other personal sticking points), but whoever represents my views the best is who I would support in the 2007 CRNC Elections. I think that we have made progress in the past two years, but there also is much to be done.
Let me be straight about this, too: this blog is not run by Brian Siler, and I am fairly certain that he does not even know it exists. I did start this blog due, in part, to the current situation within College Republicans nationwide, a state where no one seems to desire cooperation and real change, but everyone jumps to question the other side's sexuality or criticize every move, regardless of whether it is a good decision. There really has been no one representing common sense in this fight (although I have seen the "College Republican No Bullshit Caucus" group on Facebook and commend that). Now, by no means does that suggest selling out what one stands for; no, quite the opposite of that. Fight for your principles, but do not fight blindly for them. This is why, even though I seek changes and transformation, I am willing to put in writing my compliments for Chairman Gourley and his staff taking pay cuts in order to further the field program. I will also staunchly defend those who work for selfless change, which is why, to this point, I have voiced support for Chairman Siler here in Ohio. The man is not perfect, nor is he the savior for the CRNC, but I do think he brings a lot to the table. Now, if he begins to waver and waffle, I will be the first to let him hear about it. So far, though, he has largely stood for CRs, not towing the party line, and done his job. When this changes, believe me, this blog will say so.
For now, and in the future, I will continue to stand for what is right, because in the end, we are all Republicans, and most of us are conservative, at that. We are in this together, and there is no reason why there should not be room for another viewpoint and another new set of ideas and ideals.
Let me be straight about this, too: this blog is not run by Brian Siler, and I am fairly certain that he does not even know it exists. I did start this blog due, in part, to the current situation within College Republicans nationwide, a state where no one seems to desire cooperation and real change, but everyone jumps to question the other side's sexuality or criticize every move, regardless of whether it is a good decision. There really has been no one representing common sense in this fight (although I have seen the "College Republican No Bullshit Caucus" group on Facebook and commend that). Now, by no means does that suggest selling out what one stands for; no, quite the opposite of that. Fight for your principles, but do not fight blindly for them. This is why, even though I seek changes and transformation, I am willing to put in writing my compliments for Chairman Gourley and his staff taking pay cuts in order to further the field program. I will also staunchly defend those who work for selfless change, which is why, to this point, I have voiced support for Chairman Siler here in Ohio. The man is not perfect, nor is he the savior for the CRNC, but I do think he brings a lot to the table. Now, if he begins to waver and waffle, I will be the first to let him hear about it. So far, though, he has largely stood for CRs, not towing the party line, and done his job. When this changes, believe me, this blog will say so.
For now, and in the future, I will continue to stand for what is right, because in the end, we are all Republicans, and most of us are conservative, at that. We are in this together, and there is no reason why there should not be room for another viewpoint and another new set of ideas and ideals.
NFL Picks for Week 8
Tomorrow has both Ohio teams back in action at home, with the Browns hosting the New York Jets and the Bengals hosting the Atlanta Falcons. As I caught up on scores, I am happy to see that USC was beaten in a shootout with Oregon State, even though I had picked USC to be victorious in that one. Overall, with the Tennessee at South Carolina game yet to be finished (it is 14-10 Volunteers in the 2nd quarter), I am sitting at 3-4. If I decide to be cheap, and say that I picked OSU and Michigan (I did, just without scores), then I am 5-4. Iowa was able to contain Garrett Wolfe, something I thought improbable and Jake Christensen played well in getting the nod at QB. Drew Stanton continued to be inconsistent, and the Spartan D gave up 46 unanswered points at one point in the game against Indiana. Mizzou QB Chase Daniel played well enough, but they were unable to punch it in, going down at home to the Sooners. The other three games that I picked (Notre Dame at Navy, Florida at Georgia, Miami (FL) at Georgia Tech) all were winners, even though Georgia came close to knocking off the Gators. After those wins, Georgia Tech and Florida are on cruise control of sorts towards their conference championship games in the ACC and SEC, respectively.
Anyhow, let's get to the NFL slate for tomorrow, without too much analysis:
San Francisco at Chicago (1:00 on FOX)
The Bears should cruise in this one, and the defense will get back on track against a young QB (Alex Smith) who is missing a favorite target (TE Vernon Davis). Look for Chicago to remain undefeated by a score of about 27-10.
Atlanta at Cincinnati (1:00 on FOX)
Cincinnati is destroying NFC competition so far this season, and I don't see any reason why this will be any different against the Falcons. QB Michael Vick is always worse on the road, and I see Bengals WR Chad Johnson to come up big tomorrow with a couple of TD grabs. There will be a lot of points in Cincy, but the Bengals come up on the winning end, 31-24.
Seattle at Kansas City (1:00 on FOX)
That Arrowhead Stadium is a tough place to visit is a commonly accepted fact; that it is a tough place to play without your starting QB (Matt Hasselbeck), RB (Shaun Alexander), and WR (Bobby Engram) is a certainty. The Chiefs will be starting rookie QB Brodie Croyle, but he has all of his weapons around him, whereas Seahawks QB Seneca Wallace does not. I don't see this being a defensive game, but with inexperience at key positions on both sides, there won't be too many points on the board. Look for Chiefs RB Larry Johnson to have a solid performance in a Chiefs victory, 20-13.
Houston at Tennessee (1:00 on CBS)
Both of these teams have struggled this season, but Texans QB David Carr is finally finding his stride behind the best O-line he has had as a pro. The Titans have thrown rookie QB Vince Young into the mix, and he has done alright thus far, but he will be missing WR David Givens tomorrow. I see Carr having another good game, and connecting with WR Andre Johnson, who is quietly becoming a top wideout, all day long against a banged up Titans secondary. The Texans pick up another win here, 34-13.
Arizona at Green Bay (1:00 on FOX)
The Cardinals are officially in tailspin mode after blowing it on MNF against Chicago, but Coach Dennis Green knows Green Bay well after spending eight seasons as the head man with the Vikings. Rookie QB Matt Leinart will get plenty of opportunities to air it out against the Packers, who have a very flammable secondary. Brett Favre will be Brett Favre, and should have a very good showing at home in front of the Lambeau faithful; I think the home field advantage will bode well for them. Packers win one against the reeling Cards, 23-21.
Tampa Bay at New York Giants (1:00 on FOX)
The Bucs have showed improvement over the last two weeks, and are on a winning streak to boot after knocking off the Eagles last week. Rookie QB Bruce Gradkowski has played well, but he gets to face the best defense he has seen so far in the Giants. The Giants dominated every aspect of the game against the Cowboys last Monday, and Eli Manning is coming into fine form. Tampa Bay could make it a game by striking early on a banged-up New York defense, but I just don't see it. Manning and the G-Men keep it going, 34-13.
Jacksonville at Philadelphia (1:00 on CBS)
David Garrard gets the call at QB for the Jags, who have had an up and down year. Philly went down to New Orleans last week, but I see them getting back on track as WR Donte Stallworth comes back from injury. Donovan McNabb will continue to put up MVP-type numbers for the Eagles, and even with Garrard stepping in for Byron Leftwich, I don't think Jacksonville has the firepower to keep up. Philly should put this one away with ease, as they win 30-17.
Baltimore at New Orleans (1:00 on CBS)
Playing at the Superdome has been nothing short of magical for the Saints this season. RB Deuce McAllister has been banged up, but I think he comes back to pair with RB Reggie Bush and put up solid numbers. The Ravens are in flux at QB, with Steve McNair still questionable from a concussion; if Kyle Boller plays, advantage Saints. Baltimore's offense has struggled all year, and I don't see that changing against an underrated New Orleans D. The Saints should win, but it will be a fight, 20-12.
St. Louis at San Diego (4:05 on FOX)
The Rams have not lost a step on offense, even though it is more of a running attack these days. San Diego seems to be here one week, gone the next. Shawne Merriman will be on the field for the Chargers while he awaits his steriods appeal, which definitely helps their cause. I doubt that there will be too much defense played, though, as the Chargers are still banged up and the Rams never really did play any D. Look for St. Louis QB Marc Bulger and San Diego QB Philip Rivers to have big days, and I think the Chargers hold a slim edge due to being at home. San Diego is my pick here, 34-28, over the Rams.
Pittsburgh at Oakland (4:15 on CBS)
Oakland got a gift from Arizona last week, but they are still the clear favorite to win the sweepstakes for the #1 draft pick. Andrew Walters will have a rough day against the Steel Curtain D, which will be getting Joey Porter back. Even with all the hubbub around Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger, it is really a non-issue, because Charlie Batch has played just as well (even better, in cases) in relief duty. Oakland is probably without RB Lamont Jordan as well, even though he has had a terrible year. Art Shell continues on the path to unenployment, and the Steelers stay in the playoff hunt, 27-6.
Indianapolis at Denver (4:15 on CBS)
The Broncos are often overlooked when the top defensive teams in the league are debated, but the fact is that they have dominated. They simply don't give up touchdowns, and they don't allow opponents much room on the ground, either. Problem is, the offense has been downright ugly, and QB Jake Plummer is under growing pressure to shape up or ship out. Tony Dungy brings his Colts to town following a bye week, and their undefeated record is on the line. Even without Edgerrin James toting the ball this season, the high-octane Indy offense has lit up the scoreboard and statbook. WR Brandon Stokley will not play, but that only means that Peyton Manning will have to throw more to Reggie Kelly and Marvin Harrison, never a bad thing. It will be a close one, so definitely make time to watch, but the Colts march on, 23-16.
New York Jets at Cleveland (4:15 on CBS)
It pains me to say this, but the Browns are simply terrible this season on offense, yet again. They have some semblance of a passing game, and a young team, but they just cannot run the football. Without a ground game, you cannot win consistently in the NFL. The Jets are not a great football team, but they have playoffs in sight. New York also specializes in beating up on bad teams, and the Browns definitely hold that distinction. Charlie Frye will have a decent game, and the Browns D should keep it within reach, as they have all year. However, Eric Mangini's J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets will pick up another victory over the hapless Brownies, 17-13.
Dallas at Carolina (8:15 on NBC)
QB Tony Romo will be getting his first pro start this week for the Cowboys against a great Carolina defensive squad. Dallas has talent around Romo, and look for him to have a solid start and not lose them the game. What will lose the Cowboys this game is the lack of a consistent defense and utter lack of a rushing attack. WRs Steve Smith and Keyshawn Johnson should have big days, and the Panthers will capitalize on this to carry them to a win. Carolina over Dallas, 24-21.
New England at Minnesota (Monday at 8:30 on ESPN)
QB Tom Brady and the Patriots are on a roll and are off to their best start since 1998, impressive for a franchise rich in recent success. They will miss DE Richard Seymour, and Minnesota should be able to have success running the ball. The problem for the Vikings, though, is that their entire receiving corps seems to be on the sideline right now, as three of their top wideouts are injured. New England won't dominate the game, but they should win on Monday night. I see the Pats picking up the W in the Metrodome, 19-12.
Anyhow, let's get to the NFL slate for tomorrow, without too much analysis:
San Francisco at Chicago (1:00 on FOX)
The Bears should cruise in this one, and the defense will get back on track against a young QB (Alex Smith) who is missing a favorite target (TE Vernon Davis). Look for Chicago to remain undefeated by a score of about 27-10.
Atlanta at Cincinnati (1:00 on FOX)
Cincinnati is destroying NFC competition so far this season, and I don't see any reason why this will be any different against the Falcons. QB Michael Vick is always worse on the road, and I see Bengals WR Chad Johnson to come up big tomorrow with a couple of TD grabs. There will be a lot of points in Cincy, but the Bengals come up on the winning end, 31-24.
Seattle at Kansas City (1:00 on FOX)
That Arrowhead Stadium is a tough place to visit is a commonly accepted fact; that it is a tough place to play without your starting QB (Matt Hasselbeck), RB (Shaun Alexander), and WR (Bobby Engram) is a certainty. The Chiefs will be starting rookie QB Brodie Croyle, but he has all of his weapons around him, whereas Seahawks QB Seneca Wallace does not. I don't see this being a defensive game, but with inexperience at key positions on both sides, there won't be too many points on the board. Look for Chiefs RB Larry Johnson to have a solid performance in a Chiefs victory, 20-13.
Houston at Tennessee (1:00 on CBS)
Both of these teams have struggled this season, but Texans QB David Carr is finally finding his stride behind the best O-line he has had as a pro. The Titans have thrown rookie QB Vince Young into the mix, and he has done alright thus far, but he will be missing WR David Givens tomorrow. I see Carr having another good game, and connecting with WR Andre Johnson, who is quietly becoming a top wideout, all day long against a banged up Titans secondary. The Texans pick up another win here, 34-13.
Arizona at Green Bay (1:00 on FOX)
The Cardinals are officially in tailspin mode after blowing it on MNF against Chicago, but Coach Dennis Green knows Green Bay well after spending eight seasons as the head man with the Vikings. Rookie QB Matt Leinart will get plenty of opportunities to air it out against the Packers, who have a very flammable secondary. Brett Favre will be Brett Favre, and should have a very good showing at home in front of the Lambeau faithful; I think the home field advantage will bode well for them. Packers win one against the reeling Cards, 23-21.
Tampa Bay at New York Giants (1:00 on FOX)
The Bucs have showed improvement over the last two weeks, and are on a winning streak to boot after knocking off the Eagles last week. Rookie QB Bruce Gradkowski has played well, but he gets to face the best defense he has seen so far in the Giants. The Giants dominated every aspect of the game against the Cowboys last Monday, and Eli Manning is coming into fine form. Tampa Bay could make it a game by striking early on a banged-up New York defense, but I just don't see it. Manning and the G-Men keep it going, 34-13.
Jacksonville at Philadelphia (1:00 on CBS)
David Garrard gets the call at QB for the Jags, who have had an up and down year. Philly went down to New Orleans last week, but I see them getting back on track as WR Donte Stallworth comes back from injury. Donovan McNabb will continue to put up MVP-type numbers for the Eagles, and even with Garrard stepping in for Byron Leftwich, I don't think Jacksonville has the firepower to keep up. Philly should put this one away with ease, as they win 30-17.
Baltimore at New Orleans (1:00 on CBS)
Playing at the Superdome has been nothing short of magical for the Saints this season. RB Deuce McAllister has been banged up, but I think he comes back to pair with RB Reggie Bush and put up solid numbers. The Ravens are in flux at QB, with Steve McNair still questionable from a concussion; if Kyle Boller plays, advantage Saints. Baltimore's offense has struggled all year, and I don't see that changing against an underrated New Orleans D. The Saints should win, but it will be a fight, 20-12.
St. Louis at San Diego (4:05 on FOX)
The Rams have not lost a step on offense, even though it is more of a running attack these days. San Diego seems to be here one week, gone the next. Shawne Merriman will be on the field for the Chargers while he awaits his steriods appeal, which definitely helps their cause. I doubt that there will be too much defense played, though, as the Chargers are still banged up and the Rams never really did play any D. Look for St. Louis QB Marc Bulger and San Diego QB Philip Rivers to have big days, and I think the Chargers hold a slim edge due to being at home. San Diego is my pick here, 34-28, over the Rams.
Pittsburgh at Oakland (4:15 on CBS)
Oakland got a gift from Arizona last week, but they are still the clear favorite to win the sweepstakes for the #1 draft pick. Andrew Walters will have a rough day against the Steel Curtain D, which will be getting Joey Porter back. Even with all the hubbub around Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger, it is really a non-issue, because Charlie Batch has played just as well (even better, in cases) in relief duty. Oakland is probably without RB Lamont Jordan as well, even though he has had a terrible year. Art Shell continues on the path to unenployment, and the Steelers stay in the playoff hunt, 27-6.
Indianapolis at Denver (4:15 on CBS)
The Broncos are often overlooked when the top defensive teams in the league are debated, but the fact is that they have dominated. They simply don't give up touchdowns, and they don't allow opponents much room on the ground, either. Problem is, the offense has been downright ugly, and QB Jake Plummer is under growing pressure to shape up or ship out. Tony Dungy brings his Colts to town following a bye week, and their undefeated record is on the line. Even without Edgerrin James toting the ball this season, the high-octane Indy offense has lit up the scoreboard and statbook. WR Brandon Stokley will not play, but that only means that Peyton Manning will have to throw more to Reggie Kelly and Marvin Harrison, never a bad thing. It will be a close one, so definitely make time to watch, but the Colts march on, 23-16.
New York Jets at Cleveland (4:15 on CBS)
It pains me to say this, but the Browns are simply terrible this season on offense, yet again. They have some semblance of a passing game, and a young team, but they just cannot run the football. Without a ground game, you cannot win consistently in the NFL. The Jets are not a great football team, but they have playoffs in sight. New York also specializes in beating up on bad teams, and the Browns definitely hold that distinction. Charlie Frye will have a decent game, and the Browns D should keep it within reach, as they have all year. However, Eric Mangini's J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets will pick up another victory over the hapless Brownies, 17-13.
Dallas at Carolina (8:15 on NBC)
QB Tony Romo will be getting his first pro start this week for the Cowboys against a great Carolina defensive squad. Dallas has talent around Romo, and look for him to have a solid start and not lose them the game. What will lose the Cowboys this game is the lack of a consistent defense and utter lack of a rushing attack. WRs Steve Smith and Keyshawn Johnson should have big days, and the Panthers will capitalize on this to carry them to a win. Carolina over Dallas, 24-21.
New England at Minnesota (Monday at 8:30 on ESPN)
QB Tom Brady and the Patriots are on a roll and are off to their best start since 1998, impressive for a franchise rich in recent success. They will miss DE Richard Seymour, and Minnesota should be able to have success running the ball. The problem for the Vikings, though, is that their entire receiving corps seems to be on the sideline right now, as three of their top wideouts are injured. New England won't dominate the game, but they should win on Monday night. I see the Pats picking up the W in the Metrodome, 19-12.
Friday, October 27, 2006
NCAA Picks for the weekend
So, Virginia Tech is not dead and buried after all, as they beat up on #10 Clemson last night in Blacksburg. Evidently Hokie fans are less than sportsmanlike because Tiger Coach Tommy Bowden was struck in the back of the head with a glass bottle. Hey, you have to get rid of your emtpies somehow, right? Anyhow, there are plenty of big games tomorrow, including two big rivalries, Florida vs. Georgia (or the Game Formlerly known as The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party) and Notre Dame vs. Navy (Navy has lost 42 games in a row to the Fighting Irish). #1 Ohio State and #2 Michigan should both roll to fairly easy victories over conference opponents Minnesota and Northwestern, respectively, en route to their already much-hyped matchup next month in Columbus. Minnesota nearly lost to I-AA North Dakota State last week, and Northwestern was on the wrong side of a 35-point second half Michigan State comeback last Saturday. Here are a few games worth watching this weekend, and my predictions for them:
Michigan State at Indiana (Noon on ESPN Plus)
Both of these teams need to pick up two more wins in the last month of the season to become bowl-eligible, so this game is meaningful for the first time in a few years. Michigan State would be the clear favorite any other year, but these Hoosiers are respectable. Aside from a steamrolling in Columbus at the hands of the Buckeyes, the past month has been a good one for them. , beating Iowa and Illinois. The Spartans have been downright awful, until the record-breaking comeback against Northwestern last week. QB Drew Stanton seemed to get himself back on track, and he should be getting WR Matt Trannon back into his arsenal tomorrow. Defense is not their strongpoint, however, and redshirt frosh QB Kellen Lewis will try to get the Hoosiers on the scoreboard early and often. Lewis has been a shot of life for the Hoosiers, and he is a dual-threat QB, something Michigan State has had problems defending. There won't be much defense in this one, and barring a torrential downpour, it should be an aerial shootout. Michigan State will pull it off, something like 35-27, as they have the edge in experience and leadership at this point.
Northern Illinois at Iowa (12:03 on ESPN U)
Iowa has done nothing to validate expectations of being players on the national scene this fall, as they have lost convincingly to Ohio State, Michigan, and were even knocked by Indiana in Iowa City a few weeks back. QB Drew Tate is out again this weekend, and the last time the Hawkeyes missed Tate, at Syracuse earlier this season, the offense struggled. Look for 5th-year senior Jason Manson to get the start, but if he struggles like he did with the Orangemen, Coach Kirk Ferentz will take to opportunity to get next year's starter Jake Christensen some experience. The Hawkeyes have had problems with motivation and defense so far this season, and Northern Illinois will come to town hoping to take advantage of this. Between Heisman candidate RB Garrett Wolfe, who has shredded his opponents for 1413 yards and 13 TDs this season, and QB Phil Horvath, who has completed 61% of his passes for 1541 yards and 9 TDs, the Huskies have the ability to light up the scoreboard. Wolfe has seen success against everyone this season, even #1 OSU, so expect for him to put up big numbers on the ground as usual. The key will to pulling the upset off will be the Huskie D stopping Iowa from getting into a rhythm early on. The Hawkeyes have been vulnerable to the upset so far, with near-misses against Iowa State and Syracuse, and the Indiana stunner two weeks back. I see Wolfe getting close to 200 yards and striking early, which will propel the Huskies to beat Iowa 31-17.
#8 Tennessee at South Carolina (7:45 on CBS)
The big storyline that everyone is talking about here is Steve Spurrier, who is hosting the Volunteers for the first time as head man of the Gamecocks. Spurrier did beat Tennessee in Knoxville last fall, and he is personally 8-2 in his last 10 tries against them. Tennessee is missing leading rusher LaMarcus Coker this week, and while South Carolina will not blow anyone away on offense, their defense has been stout this season. Converted WR Syvelle Newton is back this year at QB for Spurrier, and he can do it all, but not all of the time. If Newton continues to show a better grasp of the offense, it would bode well for their chances. The Vols' hopes will rest on the shoulders of Erik Ainge, who has been very capable in his second season as the starter at QB and has a great group of targets. This should be a relatively low-scoring contest, and would seem to be a bigger game for the other USC, as it would show just how far they have come under the Ole' Ball Coach. A loss by the Vols would seriously hamper their shot at making it to the SEC title game, while giving the Gamecocks the inside track to win the East. This Tennessee team is much improved over the one that lost last year, but Spurrier being on the sidelines (and being at home) will keep it close. This game could go to OT, and would be a lot different if Coker were healthy, but I still see Tennessee winning a close one on the road, 20-17. (Cue Rocky Top here.)
Georgia at #9 Florida (3:30 on CBS)
While school administrators have dropped promotion of this rivalry as, "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" to curb underage drinking (dropping a name is not going to stop college kids from pre-gaming), these two schools are bitter rivals still. Georgia has had somewhat of a tough year, and there is mounting pressure on Coach Mark Richt. The defense had been the strongpoint for a team rebuilding on offense, but then they were torched by Tennessee for 51 points and have yet to recover in losing to Vanderbilt and barely beating Mississippi State. Having to prepare for two very good Gator quarterbacks in senior Chris Leak and freshman Tim Tebow, who have alternated beautifully for Coach Urban Meyer, does not help the Bulldogs in trying to get back on track. While Richt finally has a clear starter at his own QB spot in Matthew Stafford, the fact that he is a freshman facing a very good Gator D also does not help the Georgia case. This game will be a lot closer next season once Stafford is a little more experienced, and the rest of the team has grown up around him. For now, though, look for the Gators to win handily, something to the tune of 38-10, but if you are in the neighborhood, stop in for the tailgates, some of the best in the SEC all season. A win will also keep Florida in the hunt for an SEC title, and an outside shot at a BCS championship.
#11 Notre Dame at Navy (Noon on CBS)
#3 USC at Oregon State (3:30 on ABC?)
Neither USC nor Notre Dame have been consistently impressive this year so far, and it feels every week like this will be the week they lose, but I cannot see it happening this week. Navy lost their QB, Brian Hampton, two weeks ago against Rutgers, and the Beavers are waiting to see if RB Yvenson Bernard will play. For these two teams that rely heavily on the run, collectively losing leading rushers does not help their chances. Both of them are at home, which helps, but USC is healthy, and Notre Dame has one of the nation's best passing attacks. I see USC having the tougher fight but will still win to the tune of about 28-14, and the Irish will roll 31-17.
Miami (FL) at #21 Georgia Tech (3:30 on ABC)
Sitting at 5-2 would be great for most teams (Georgia Tech, for example), but for Miami, who had National Title hopes and has been a premier program for years, it has Coach Larry Coker on the hotseat. Miami has even struggled in their 5 wins, barely beating Houston and Duke, and the much talked about brawl with Florida International two weeks ago. The 'Canes do return 13 players that were suspended last week, but the return of key WR Ryan Moore from indefinite suspension is up in the air. Moore has yet to play this season, but was reinstated this week, and is eligible to play, even while facing possible felony charges. The Yellow Jackets were blitzed at Clemson last week, and barely lost to Notre Dame in the opener, but they are sitting atop the ACC's Coastal Division, which is weak this year. Clemson was able to run roughshod over them last Saturday night, but the Hurricanes do not have that sort of dominant ground game, which helps out Tech. Reggie Ball, who has been around forever, has been reliable this season, and it helps to have future NFLer Calvin Johnson to throw to. Miami needs a huge game from QB Kyle Wright to have a chance, with their lack of a consistent rusher and unproven receiving corps. If Miami loses, they will fall to 2-2 in the division; if the Yellow Jackets win, they should be able to cruise to a berth in the ACC title game. Look for it to stay fairly close for all four quarters, but a more talented group of receivers and a better running game for Georgia Tech will be the difference. I see the Yellow Jackets winning 24-17 over the 'Canes.
#19 Oklahoma at #23 Missouri (Noon on ABC)
A few weeks back, this looked to be a huge matchup in the Big XII, but it has lost some luster after a Missouri loss at Texas A&M and Oklahoma dropping to Texas. The Sooners also are without star RB Adrian Peterson until their bowl game, and the Tigers lost senior sackmaster DE Brian Smith last week. These two are NFL-caliber talents, and will be playing on Sundays soon, but for now, their teams have to go on without them. Missouri's sophomore QB Chase Daniels has been lighting up opposing defenses, passing for 2003 total yards and 19 TDs while rushing for 247 more yards and 3 TDs. Oklahoma brings the Big XII's top defense to Columbia on Saturday; they are 11th nationally. Missouri is no slouch on that side of the ball, but have struggled against Big XII teams, falling from 1st nationally to 21st, which is still not too shabby. Oklahoma will need to get another good effort from Peterson's fill-in at RB, Allen Patrick, and QB Paul Thompson must not lose the game. Patrick gets to face a sagging run defense, so count on another 100 yard effort behind a solid offensive line, but I think that Daniels will be the difference here at home. With the run game shutdown by the Sooners, Daniels will get plenty of opportunities to air it out. Look for Missouri to win this one by at least 10 points, 31-21, over the Sooners. If Missouri hops ahead early, this could turn into a blowout.
I think that the national trend of ranked teams seeing great success against their unranked counterparts will continue, with the best chance for upsets coming in the Big XII, where #22 Texas A&M goes to Baylor and #20 Nebraska travels to Oklahoma State. Next week will see even more great matchups, especially this coming Thursday, when #4 West Virginia faces #6 Louisville, at Louisville. LSU also visits Tennessee, Oklahoma travels to Texas A&M, and Missouri goes on the road to Nebraska. UCLA plays Cal, South Carolina faces Arkansas, and Wake Forest plays Boston College. Also, congratulations to the St. Louis Cardinals, who went from a less-than-stellar second-half effort to win the World Series in five games tonight. Which also means that the off-season is here, and Spring Training begins in just under four months. NASCAR is coming down the home stretch this Sunday at 3:30 on ABC at Atlanta Motor Speedway with Matt Kenseth leading the Chase field towards his second Nextel Cup. Depending on how long the fifth consecutive Super Saturday here in Ohio goes tomorrow, I will have NFL picks to post.
Michigan State at Indiana (Noon on ESPN Plus)
Both of these teams need to pick up two more wins in the last month of the season to become bowl-eligible, so this game is meaningful for the first time in a few years. Michigan State would be the clear favorite any other year, but these Hoosiers are respectable. Aside from a steamrolling in Columbus at the hands of the Buckeyes, the past month has been a good one for them. , beating Iowa and Illinois. The Spartans have been downright awful, until the record-breaking comeback against Northwestern last week. QB Drew Stanton seemed to get himself back on track, and he should be getting WR Matt Trannon back into his arsenal tomorrow. Defense is not their strongpoint, however, and redshirt frosh QB Kellen Lewis will try to get the Hoosiers on the scoreboard early and often. Lewis has been a shot of life for the Hoosiers, and he is a dual-threat QB, something Michigan State has had problems defending. There won't be much defense in this one, and barring a torrential downpour, it should be an aerial shootout. Michigan State will pull it off, something like 35-27, as they have the edge in experience and leadership at this point.
Northern Illinois at Iowa (12:03 on ESPN U)
Iowa has done nothing to validate expectations of being players on the national scene this fall, as they have lost convincingly to Ohio State, Michigan, and were even knocked by Indiana in Iowa City a few weeks back. QB Drew Tate is out again this weekend, and the last time the Hawkeyes missed Tate, at Syracuse earlier this season, the offense struggled. Look for 5th-year senior Jason Manson to get the start, but if he struggles like he did with the Orangemen, Coach Kirk Ferentz will take to opportunity to get next year's starter Jake Christensen some experience. The Hawkeyes have had problems with motivation and defense so far this season, and Northern Illinois will come to town hoping to take advantage of this. Between Heisman candidate RB Garrett Wolfe, who has shredded his opponents for 1413 yards and 13 TDs this season, and QB Phil Horvath, who has completed 61% of his passes for 1541 yards and 9 TDs, the Huskies have the ability to light up the scoreboard. Wolfe has seen success against everyone this season, even #1 OSU, so expect for him to put up big numbers on the ground as usual. The key will to pulling the upset off will be the Huskie D stopping Iowa from getting into a rhythm early on. The Hawkeyes have been vulnerable to the upset so far, with near-misses against Iowa State and Syracuse, and the Indiana stunner two weeks back. I see Wolfe getting close to 200 yards and striking early, which will propel the Huskies to beat Iowa 31-17.
#8 Tennessee at South Carolina (7:45 on CBS)
The big storyline that everyone is talking about here is Steve Spurrier, who is hosting the Volunteers for the first time as head man of the Gamecocks. Spurrier did beat Tennessee in Knoxville last fall, and he is personally 8-2 in his last 10 tries against them. Tennessee is missing leading rusher LaMarcus Coker this week, and while South Carolina will not blow anyone away on offense, their defense has been stout this season. Converted WR Syvelle Newton is back this year at QB for Spurrier, and he can do it all, but not all of the time. If Newton continues to show a better grasp of the offense, it would bode well for their chances. The Vols' hopes will rest on the shoulders of Erik Ainge, who has been very capable in his second season as the starter at QB and has a great group of targets. This should be a relatively low-scoring contest, and would seem to be a bigger game for the other USC, as it would show just how far they have come under the Ole' Ball Coach. A loss by the Vols would seriously hamper their shot at making it to the SEC title game, while giving the Gamecocks the inside track to win the East. This Tennessee team is much improved over the one that lost last year, but Spurrier being on the sidelines (and being at home) will keep it close. This game could go to OT, and would be a lot different if Coker were healthy, but I still see Tennessee winning a close one on the road, 20-17. (Cue Rocky Top here.)
Georgia at #9 Florida (3:30 on CBS)
While school administrators have dropped promotion of this rivalry as, "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" to curb underage drinking (dropping a name is not going to stop college kids from pre-gaming), these two schools are bitter rivals still. Georgia has had somewhat of a tough year, and there is mounting pressure on Coach Mark Richt. The defense had been the strongpoint for a team rebuilding on offense, but then they were torched by Tennessee for 51 points and have yet to recover in losing to Vanderbilt and barely beating Mississippi State. Having to prepare for two very good Gator quarterbacks in senior Chris Leak and freshman Tim Tebow, who have alternated beautifully for Coach Urban Meyer, does not help the Bulldogs in trying to get back on track. While Richt finally has a clear starter at his own QB spot in Matthew Stafford, the fact that he is a freshman facing a very good Gator D also does not help the Georgia case. This game will be a lot closer next season once Stafford is a little more experienced, and the rest of the team has grown up around him. For now, though, look for the Gators to win handily, something to the tune of 38-10, but if you are in the neighborhood, stop in for the tailgates, some of the best in the SEC all season. A win will also keep Florida in the hunt for an SEC title, and an outside shot at a BCS championship.
#11 Notre Dame at Navy (Noon on CBS)
#3 USC at Oregon State (3:30 on ABC?)
Neither USC nor Notre Dame have been consistently impressive this year so far, and it feels every week like this will be the week they lose, but I cannot see it happening this week. Navy lost their QB, Brian Hampton, two weeks ago against Rutgers, and the Beavers are waiting to see if RB Yvenson Bernard will play. For these two teams that rely heavily on the run, collectively losing leading rushers does not help their chances. Both of them are at home, which helps, but USC is healthy, and Notre Dame has one of the nation's best passing attacks. I see USC having the tougher fight but will still win to the tune of about 28-14, and the Irish will roll 31-17.
Miami (FL) at #21 Georgia Tech (3:30 on ABC)
Sitting at 5-2 would be great for most teams (Georgia Tech, for example), but for Miami, who had National Title hopes and has been a premier program for years, it has Coach Larry Coker on the hotseat. Miami has even struggled in their 5 wins, barely beating Houston and Duke, and the much talked about brawl with Florida International two weeks ago. The 'Canes do return 13 players that were suspended last week, but the return of key WR Ryan Moore from indefinite suspension is up in the air. Moore has yet to play this season, but was reinstated this week, and is eligible to play, even while facing possible felony charges. The Yellow Jackets were blitzed at Clemson last week, and barely lost to Notre Dame in the opener, but they are sitting atop the ACC's Coastal Division, which is weak this year. Clemson was able to run roughshod over them last Saturday night, but the Hurricanes do not have that sort of dominant ground game, which helps out Tech. Reggie Ball, who has been around forever, has been reliable this season, and it helps to have future NFLer Calvin Johnson to throw to. Miami needs a huge game from QB Kyle Wright to have a chance, with their lack of a consistent rusher and unproven receiving corps. If Miami loses, they will fall to 2-2 in the division; if the Yellow Jackets win, they should be able to cruise to a berth in the ACC title game. Look for it to stay fairly close for all four quarters, but a more talented group of receivers and a better running game for Georgia Tech will be the difference. I see the Yellow Jackets winning 24-17 over the 'Canes.
#19 Oklahoma at #23 Missouri (Noon on ABC)
A few weeks back, this looked to be a huge matchup in the Big XII, but it has lost some luster after a Missouri loss at Texas A&M and Oklahoma dropping to Texas. The Sooners also are without star RB Adrian Peterson until their bowl game, and the Tigers lost senior sackmaster DE Brian Smith last week. These two are NFL-caliber talents, and will be playing on Sundays soon, but for now, their teams have to go on without them. Missouri's sophomore QB Chase Daniels has been lighting up opposing defenses, passing for 2003 total yards and 19 TDs while rushing for 247 more yards and 3 TDs. Oklahoma brings the Big XII's top defense to Columbia on Saturday; they are 11th nationally. Missouri is no slouch on that side of the ball, but have struggled against Big XII teams, falling from 1st nationally to 21st, which is still not too shabby. Oklahoma will need to get another good effort from Peterson's fill-in at RB, Allen Patrick, and QB Paul Thompson must not lose the game. Patrick gets to face a sagging run defense, so count on another 100 yard effort behind a solid offensive line, but I think that Daniels will be the difference here at home. With the run game shutdown by the Sooners, Daniels will get plenty of opportunities to air it out. Look for Missouri to win this one by at least 10 points, 31-21, over the Sooners. If Missouri hops ahead early, this could turn into a blowout.
I think that the national trend of ranked teams seeing great success against their unranked counterparts will continue, with the best chance for upsets coming in the Big XII, where #22 Texas A&M goes to Baylor and #20 Nebraska travels to Oklahoma State. Next week will see even more great matchups, especially this coming Thursday, when #4 West Virginia faces #6 Louisville, at Louisville. LSU also visits Tennessee, Oklahoma travels to Texas A&M, and Missouri goes on the road to Nebraska. UCLA plays Cal, South Carolina faces Arkansas, and Wake Forest plays Boston College. Also, congratulations to the St. Louis Cardinals, who went from a less-than-stellar second-half effort to win the World Series in five games tonight. Which also means that the off-season is here, and Spring Training begins in just under four months. NASCAR is coming down the home stretch this Sunday at 3:30 on ABC at Atlanta Motor Speedway with Matt Kenseth leading the Chase field towards his second Nextel Cup. Depending on how long the fifth consecutive Super Saturday here in Ohio goes tomorrow, I will have NFL picks to post.
Webb's Weird World
In a campaign that has been nothing but a continuous personal attack on Sen. George Allen (R-VA) by Jim Webb (D-VA) and his surrogates, the tables have been turned. Turns out that Mr. Webb has penned several fictional novels about war, which would be completely fine, had they not included erotic passages involving incest, pedophilia, and other publicly taboo topics. I will spare you the actual passages quoted in the Allen campaign's press release, but you can find them at the Drudge Report. Anyhow, Mr. Webb is outraged that Mr. Allen has apparently made attacks of a, "baseless, personal," nature, when that has been the basis for Mr. Webb's entire campaign. His response was essentially to call it a, "Karl Rove campaign," and accuse Mr. Allen of, "having no record to run on." Right, because I usually call years of public service and achievement having no record. He also, in turn, attacked Lynne Cheney's literary work; last time I checked she was not running for any office, especially a Senate seat from Virginia. I would suggest that Mr. Webb should not be indignant against such attacks, or upset about the campaign for the US Senate seat moving away from real issues, when he has done nothing to run a campaign based on issues. It is despicable, further, to say, in effect, that my personal life and work are off-limits, but that Mr. Allen's should be my daily fodder. Furthermore, Mr. Allen is by no means going out of bounds in using literary work of his opponent. If everyone will remember, Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) was castigated for passages included in his recent works. Secondly, if you write and publish it, I would say that constitutes fair game. Mr. Webb also objected to the informing of voters about his own racially insensitive remarks by Mr. Allen, after the Webb campaign spending weeks on Allen's own past remarks. Virginians, and on the larger scale, should not put up with this attitude of, "Do as I say, not as I do." Sen. Allen looks to be in position to win re-election at this point, although the muddy nature of the campaign will probably have severe implications for any 2008 run at the Presidency.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Coming through on a promise
So, first, let me be clear: I think we need a change at the top of the CRNC. You know that much by now. However, I have promised no bullshit, and so it is in that spirit that I must commend the efforts of the CRNC's field program this fall, so far as to say that it deserves mentioning that staffers are sacrificing to put the 49 reps on payroll currently out into the field. Although I am not sure of the verity of this, I have heard that Chairman Gourley has not taken a salary over the past few months, and if this is true, he deserves to be applauded for his sacrifice. I may not agree with a lot of his policies, but I will stand to recognize this sacrifice for the greater good this fall. Don't e-mail me or comment on the individual reps and their effectiveness; the facts are that they are in field and attempting to carry out the field plans given them. Hats off to you, Mr. Chairman.
24: Season 6 Preview
So, we can all agree that Jack Bauer is quite possibly the best character on TV, ever. This guy would torture his own mother if he thought she was withholding information about terrorists. Anyhow, from the first week of June each year, until the first weekend of January, fans of the show wait impatiently and watch inferior TV. Last night, during the World Series game on FOX, the producers of 24 gave fans a hit of the addictive drug that is 24. The Season 6 trailer, at least this first version, looks incredible, and it appears that 24 will top its prior season, yet again. Jack Bauer is back, and he looks about like Jesus Christ with full-grown beard and Ron Jeremy-style mullet. Evidently playing on the Jesus theme, Jack Bauer is asked to sacrifice himself for the country. Rumor has it Wayne Palmer will make a play for the White House, and it appears that Chloe, Curtis, and Bill are all back as well. The terrorists even appear to be Middle Eastern, for the first time in a while; we will see if that holds up throughout the season. Not only can I not wait for 24, but I cannot wait to get back to the 24 drinking game. Any way that you can find to drink on a Monday is a good thing!
And this is why The Killers rock...
Remember American Idiot, the Green Day song off of their last album? Well, it is evidently ticked off Killers frontman, Brandon Flowers, who gives a short interview to NME Magazine about how offended he was with Green Day for the song. He said, in a nutshell, that America is the greatest place on earth, and that musicians shouldn't be so negative about America or Americans. And this is why The Killers are so good. Great music, and a level head behind it, to boot. By the way, their new album is out, Sam's Town, and it is phenomenal.
Buckeye Brownbackers?
Sen. Sam Brownback spoke at the Franciscan University of Steubenville last evening, and Truth Caucus put the crowd at 400, which is about 20% of the student population. Anyhow, Brownback will likely consider a run for President in '08, as there is not a clear social conservative candidate at this point. Brownback, along with McCain and others, endorsed the Republican Gubernatorial candidate Ken Blackwell back before the primary, so this is not the first move he has made in Ohio. He was evidently impressive as well, because a Facebook group has popped up-FUS Students for Brownback 2008, started by FUS College Republican Chairman Billy Valentine, all-around great guy. It has 63 members as of this post, and more are coming, to be sure. This begs the question, though, of who the rest of Ohio will join forces with? More on this as it happens...
Democrat Faith Healers back in business
If everyone will take a trip in the way back machine to the fall of 2004, you will see the origins of the "Democratic Faith Healer". (If anyone watches Freak Show on Comedy Central, first stop watching because the show is terrible, but secondly email a suggestion to the writers that they include this character.) Now, John Kerry never had a public healing on stage, but that is just because he could not allow his powers to get out before we elected him. But you can be damn sure that had we indeed elected him, there would have been multiple miracles commissioned by JFK, starting with Christopher Reeve. I can see it now: while the nation looks on at the Inauguration, Kerry calls on Reeve (conveniently sitting in the front row) to, "rise up and walk, my child!" And every other person plagued with any malady under the sun would be healed, too. The DNC would start marketing prayer cloths (they double as a tablecloth, too!) and holy water (Ted Kennedy has been drinking this stuff for years!), and the American public would have no more sickness or problems of any sort. Had we elected John Kerry, we wouldn't even need hospitals anymore, just go down to 1600 Pennsylvania, have faith, and be healed.
Now, flash forward to this week. Ads, featuring actor Michael J. Fox (he is a damn good actor regardless) have appeared, first in Missouri, and now in Maryland, for US Senate candidates Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and Ben Cardin (D-MD). The ads (which I will not link to, because evidently linking to the ads mean you hope Michael J. dies and burns, no questions asked) regard stem cell research and how terrible Senator Jim Talent (R-MO) and Michael Steele (R-MD) are, and how much they want you to keep suffering. The ads show Fox, who does suffer from Parkinson's disease, shaking violently (did anyone else find it odd that while shaking uncontrollably, his voice inflection was steady and firm?) and touting the miraculous benefits of stem cell research. Apparently, too, if you have been the victim of something (here, Parkinson's Disease) you are infallible, and no one may question your statements or actions. Right.
Rush Limbaugh tackled the issue straight on, and he made comments on air about Fox's 2002 book, Lucky Man, where Fox details going off of his medicine before appearing before Congress, because he thought it was necessary to make the desired effect on people. And it is a heinous crime to question whether he did the same thing this year? Come on! It is despicable to promise health and cures to everyone each October, just to get their vote. But obviously, we Republicans are all evil, and enjoy people suffering from disease (I know that I love seeing two of my family suffer from cancer, don't you?).
Aside from the fact that the Missouri ballot issue is focused on cloning, not stem cells, has anyone considered the fact that, if stem cells were such a great resource and potential for profit, the private industry would be stepping to the plate to fund it? I guess not, when the answer to every problem is to make the government throw money at it. Jim Talent is responding in Missouri with this ad, featuring several celebrity figures, including Jim Caviezel, Kurt Warner, Jeff Suppan (go Cardinals!), Patricia Heaton, and Mike Sweeney. The best is the quote from Kurt Warner, "Why does it cost $28 million to convince Missourians that an amendment to the Constitution is good for them? Maybe because it is not." Priceless.
Now, flash forward to this week. Ads, featuring actor Michael J. Fox (he is a damn good actor regardless) have appeared, first in Missouri, and now in Maryland, for US Senate candidates Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and Ben Cardin (D-MD). The ads (which I will not link to, because evidently linking to the ads mean you hope Michael J. dies and burns, no questions asked) regard stem cell research and how terrible Senator Jim Talent (R-MO) and Michael Steele (R-MD) are, and how much they want you to keep suffering. The ads show Fox, who does suffer from Parkinson's disease, shaking violently (did anyone else find it odd that while shaking uncontrollably, his voice inflection was steady and firm?) and touting the miraculous benefits of stem cell research. Apparently, too, if you have been the victim of something (here, Parkinson's Disease) you are infallible, and no one may question your statements or actions. Right.
Rush Limbaugh tackled the issue straight on, and he made comments on air about Fox's 2002 book, Lucky Man, where Fox details going off of his medicine before appearing before Congress, because he thought it was necessary to make the desired effect on people. And it is a heinous crime to question whether he did the same thing this year? Come on! It is despicable to promise health and cures to everyone each October, just to get their vote. But obviously, we Republicans are all evil, and enjoy people suffering from disease (I know that I love seeing two of my family suffer from cancer, don't you?).
Aside from the fact that the Missouri ballot issue is focused on cloning, not stem cells, has anyone considered the fact that, if stem cells were such a great resource and potential for profit, the private industry would be stepping to the plate to fund it? I guess not, when the answer to every problem is to make the government throw money at it. Jim Talent is responding in Missouri with this ad, featuring several celebrity figures, including Jim Caviezel, Kurt Warner, Jeff Suppan (go Cardinals!), Patricia Heaton, and Mike Sweeney. The best is the quote from Kurt Warner, "Why does it cost $28 million to convince Missourians that an amendment to the Constitution is good for them? Maybe because it is not." Priceless.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Commenting Now On!
For whatever reason, I forgot to turn on commenting when I set this up; it is now turned on and unmoderated.
Al Gore: Fighting ManBearPig so we don't have to
This is a couple of days old by now, but still worth a glance. Remember when Al Gore was at the Cannes Film Festival to promote his film An Inconvenient Truth, and he drove the 200 yards from his hotel in a full motorcade of four SUVs? Well, his attempt at starting a new genre of film, the unfactual documentary, tanked, and the staunch defender of the environment is doing his best to stop global warming still. To his credit, he did himself ride in a Prius, even if his caravan was guzzling gas like water. Not sure about you, but I like to call that hypocrisy. No word on whether he hugged the trees waiting in line to meet him.
CR Power Rankings (someone has to, right?)
Since everyone in CR politics gets off on Power Rankings (it is pretend politics, remember?), and seeing that no other CR blog has been posting any new ones for awhile, let's give it a go!
1. H. Paul Gourley- What can I say, he is Our Dear Leader for another nine months, regardless of whether people listen or not.
2. Truth Caucus- Like it or not, everyone reads it, checks it 20 times a day, and goes off the deep end if they don't agree.
3. Amanda Hydro-Still running the show...
4. Morgan Wilkins-14:57, 14:58, 14:59...now with LI (you decide whether that is an upgrade or not.)
5. Nick Miccarelli-Who isn't tossing his name around for a Nat'l run? But is it for real?
6. Blake Harris/Justin Smith-Answering plenty of calls asking for support, but who will they back?
7. Nate Walton-Raised funds for more field reps, also according to latest press release, "Woke up and had McDonald's for breakfast today."
8. Charlie Smith-Nat'l Board is in Denver after all, but is he Opposition or Establishment? No one seems to know.
9. Tom Robins-Got a lot of attention few weeks back for rumored run, but someone cracked the whip and said no.
10. Brian Siler-Staying out the national affairs as much as possible, but is getting things done in Ohio, no doubt.
11. Dan Carlson-Has plenty of races in Michigan to work on, and that is without BAMN getting militant on his CRs. Oh, BAMN already was militant? Shocking...
12. Brent Ludeman-President of his own fan club; still could be a national candidate if the cards fall right.
13. Mason Harrison-California is always strong, and Arnold is cruising. He will be on a ticket, but how high?
14. Frank Luna-Hard work in the Garden State could just save the Senate; his support is coveted by both sides.
15. Lindsay Moffett-Volunteer CRs have a tough race with Bob Corker, but she is landing on a ticket regardless.
16. Dan Schuberth-Why is he on the list again? (Full disclosure: We here in Ohio loved his training session at our state convention. Very insightful.)
17. Derek Hall-Off working in real politics for the time being, but will he return to the scene?
18. Grover Norquist/Morton Blackwell-How involved are they these days? Putting out an APB...
19. (Insert CR blog here)-Take your pick; nothing new from them in months.
20. (Insert unlisted Caucus Chair here)-Really a pointless position; credentials are what matters. Does look good on a resume, I suppose.
21. Jess Beeson-Again, putting out an APB.
22. Ashley Rogers-Great former field rep, now knocking heads for the Speaker
23. Brian Dayton-Young WV Chair doing great work; his state fed on the rise
24. John McCain-Anyone who is tossing around money is bound to have some authority
25. Josiah Prendergast-UC Berkeley Chair is raising his profile; tough work at the uncontested most liberal school where you simply walk outdoors and get instant contact buzz.
Others receiving votes-Eric Bussis, Nat Harding, Erin McTiernan, Louie Gannon, Andrew Lamar, and Lindy Dinklage.
Top 5 Potential CRNC Chairmen (in no particular order):
-Charlie Smith
-Brent Ludeman
-Brian Siler
-Mason Harrison
-Nick Miccarelli
Top 5 to watch in coming months:
1. Morgan Wilkins-Can she get the other CRNC field reps to talk? And will she run in Kentucky?
2. Blake Harris/Justin Smith-Opposition fighting for them to manage campaigns; will they agree on someone or go their separate ways?
3. Paul Gourley-Will he decide to make another go at it? And how bad will it get this time? (I sit by my phone for a threatening call from my Congressman.)
4. Frank Luna-Which side will he take? And who will make the sweeter deal?
5. Brian Siler-Will he run? And, if so, can he translate state success into a national plan?
Top 5 State Feds. this year:
1. Ohio (I am biased here, but they have done a hell of a job.)
2. California (No surprises here.)
3. Michigan (That is a big compliment, coming from Ohio.)
4. Maine (Their state party has much faith in them.)
5. New Jersey (Getting Kean this close is quite an accomplishment.)
1. H. Paul Gourley- What can I say, he is Our Dear Leader for another nine months, regardless of whether people listen or not.
2. Truth Caucus- Like it or not, everyone reads it, checks it 20 times a day, and goes off the deep end if they don't agree.
3. Amanda Hydro-Still running the show...
4. Morgan Wilkins-14:57, 14:58, 14:59...now with LI (you decide whether that is an upgrade or not.)
5. Nick Miccarelli-Who isn't tossing his name around for a Nat'l run? But is it for real?
6. Blake Harris/Justin Smith-Answering plenty of calls asking for support, but who will they back?
7. Nate Walton-Raised funds for more field reps, also according to latest press release, "Woke up and had McDonald's for breakfast today."
8. Charlie Smith-Nat'l Board is in Denver after all, but is he Opposition or Establishment? No one seems to know.
9. Tom Robins-Got a lot of attention few weeks back for rumored run, but someone cracked the whip and said no.
10. Brian Siler-Staying out the national affairs as much as possible, but is getting things done in Ohio, no doubt.
11. Dan Carlson-Has plenty of races in Michigan to work on, and that is without BAMN getting militant on his CRs. Oh, BAMN already was militant? Shocking...
12. Brent Ludeman-President of his own fan club; still could be a national candidate if the cards fall right.
13. Mason Harrison-California is always strong, and Arnold is cruising. He will be on a ticket, but how high?
14. Frank Luna-Hard work in the Garden State could just save the Senate; his support is coveted by both sides.
15. Lindsay Moffett-Volunteer CRs have a tough race with Bob Corker, but she is landing on a ticket regardless.
16. Dan Schuberth-Why is he on the list again? (Full disclosure: We here in Ohio loved his training session at our state convention. Very insightful.)
17. Derek Hall-Off working in real politics for the time being, but will he return to the scene?
18. Grover Norquist/Morton Blackwell-How involved are they these days? Putting out an APB...
19. (Insert CR blog here)-Take your pick; nothing new from them in months.
20. (Insert unlisted Caucus Chair here)-Really a pointless position; credentials are what matters. Does look good on a resume, I suppose.
21. Jess Beeson-Again, putting out an APB.
22. Ashley Rogers-Great former field rep, now knocking heads for the Speaker
23. Brian Dayton-Young WV Chair doing great work; his state fed on the rise
24. John McCain-Anyone who is tossing around money is bound to have some authority
25. Josiah Prendergast-UC Berkeley Chair is raising his profile; tough work at the uncontested most liberal school where you simply walk outdoors and get instant contact buzz.
Others receiving votes-Eric Bussis, Nat Harding, Erin McTiernan, Louie Gannon, Andrew Lamar, and Lindy Dinklage.
Top 5 Potential CRNC Chairmen (in no particular order):
-Charlie Smith
-Brent Ludeman
-Brian Siler
-Mason Harrison
-Nick Miccarelli
Top 5 to watch in coming months:
1. Morgan Wilkins-Can she get the other CRNC field reps to talk? And will she run in Kentucky?
2. Blake Harris/Justin Smith-Opposition fighting for them to manage campaigns; will they agree on someone or go their separate ways?
3. Paul Gourley-Will he decide to make another go at it? And how bad will it get this time? (I sit by my phone for a threatening call from my Congressman.)
4. Frank Luna-Which side will he take? And who will make the sweeter deal?
5. Brian Siler-Will he run? And, if so, can he translate state success into a national plan?
Top 5 State Feds. this year:
1. Ohio (I am biased here, but they have done a hell of a job.)
2. California (No surprises here.)
3. Michigan (That is a big compliment, coming from Ohio.)
4. Maine (Their state party has much faith in them.)
5. New Jersey (Getting Kean this close is quite an accomplishment.)
McCain Bandwagon Stops in Michigan
As you know by now, John McCain is running for President in 2008, and has been for at least the last ten months (closer to two years now, actually). Lately, College Republicans in South Carolina and Alabama have hopped onto the bandwagon; today 27 "Michigan Republican young leaders" joined on with Straight Talk America, McCain's Leadership PAC. Michigan State CR Chairman Dan Carlson headlined the group, but it also included several of his state board and many chapter chairs. This isn't quite saying, "I support John McCain for President in 2008," but it is the next closest thing. In South Carolina, there were checks involved; I have heard of money being tossed around in other states, as well, not that there is anything wrong with that. I have no problem with people endorsing someone and putting their good name behind a candidate, but I also do think that a primary is desperately needed to refocus, and even to reestablish, debate on the important issues (immigration, spending, foreign policy, energy independency) that we have collectively skirted as a party over the past few years. I would hope that these young GOPers who have joined up with McCain lately will exercise some ethical sense in not forcing their CR chapters to volunteer for just McCain and let them make their own decision. We will see how this unfolds, as more of the early primary states will be following with similiar announcements, to be sure. It will also be interesting to see if other potential candidates (Romney, Giuliani, Allen, Gingrich) unveil supporters some time soon, too. It will also be interesting to see how other potential candidates for CRNC Chairman handle the issue of joining up with a horse in the Presidential race. Of the three state chairman who have joined Straight Talk, Dan Carlson is the only one whom I have heard tossed around as a potential CRNC chair; Blake Harris is definitely a key player in the Opposition side of things, but not someone I have heard as a top-of-the-ticket name. We will see in the coming weeks how the chairs from Washington, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Maine, California, and our own Chairman here in Ohio, Brian Siler, handle the situation. In my personal opinion, I see it as a bad move for someone running to lead CRs nationwide picking a candidate, at least publicly. Impartiality would become a big issue, and we certainly do not need to add that to the laundry list of problems currently with the CRNC.
On a side note, let me plug former Speaker Newt Gingrich's new book, Rediscovering God in America, upon which you can actually take a guided tour of Washington, D.C., with. The audio version is forthcoming; I plan to take it around the Capital City on my iPod this coming March during CPAC downtime. Newt knows his stuff, to say the least, and I think that his previous work, Winning the Future, would be a great starting point for the next GOP platform. Anyhow, go read the new book; it is eye-opening to see just how integral God was to our Founders.
On a side note, let me plug former Speaker Newt Gingrich's new book, Rediscovering God in America, upon which you can actually take a guided tour of Washington, D.C., with. The audio version is forthcoming; I plan to take it around the Capital City on my iPod this coming March during CPAC downtime. Newt knows his stuff, to say the least, and I think that his previous work, Winning the Future, would be a great starting point for the next GOP platform. Anyhow, go read the new book; it is eye-opening to see just how integral God was to our Founders.
Monday, October 23, 2006
What You Might Have Missed: The Weekend Wrap-up
While there were not any nuclear tests or sex scandals breaking into the public purview this weekend, campaign season is really heating up as the general public starts to care, two weeks out. In fifteen more days, the nation will collectively decide in 435 separate votes who will lead the House next January. After reading a couple of articles regarding Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) this weekend, I had to laugh. The first is actually a short video, taken from a CBS piece, has her pledging not to impeach either Bush or Cheney. Whether this will hold true or not is debatable, but she said it nonetheless. In an LA Times piece, of all newspapers, would-be Speaker Pelosi is asked about her approach to proposing alternative plans to the GOP propositions. To quote the article,
"Week after week impatient Democrats asked, "When can we propose a plan?" and week after week she intoned, "Never."
After picking myself up off of the floor, I continued my troll through the news, the non-stories, and the straight-up BS. In New York, Senator Hillary Clinton (D) is running for re-election to her seat as the junior Senator; her sacrificial lamb of an opponent, former Yonkers Mayor John Spencer, has apparently alleged that Hillary has had plastic surgery. Can he not just stick to the fact that she has remained married to Bill even after multiple indiscretions and desecrations of their marriage bed? Now this is a big dispute and to-do, in a campaign that was really over the moment Rudy Guiliani did not enter it. To Spencer's credit though, he denied saying any of the above to a reporter. Which brings us to lesson number one for today, and that is to never tell a reporter anything you do not want the world to know. For the record, the above link does have a picture of Hillary while a Wellesley student, and it is not of her good side.
In Connecticut, Senator Joe Lieberman (D, although he is an independent in this race) was taken out in the Democratic primary in August by challenger Ned Lamont. Lieberman is now up nearly 20 points in polls taken for the general election, so Lamont is grasping for straws by essentially accusing Lieberman of paying his workers. Amazing.
In Montana, which most Americans forgot existed, the RNC is trying to save face about rumors that incumbent Senator Conrad Burns (R) is finished in his race against Montana State Senate President Jon Tester (D). Let's be clear about it: this only a close race because of Burns being tied to the lovely Jack Abramoff AND the Dems deciding to dump millions into Tester's campaign. Even if the RNC and RSCC pull out funding, Burns has three times the amount of cash on hand ($1.7 million) than that of Tester, and he is still getting around 100 volunteers flown in during the last week of the campaign. Advertising is cheap in Montana; losing a couple of big backers this late does nothing to add to his problems.
Over at the Huffington Post today, they are making a huge deal about Google hiring three GOP lobbyists and donating $3,000 total to three separate GOP candidates (one of them is here in Ohio, Rep. Deborah Pryce). Evidently hiring Republicans should not be allowed, and for some perspective, they have donated much more in the past to Democrats. Back in New York, in the race to replace a retiring Representative, Sherwood Boehlert, there is an ad attacking Democrat nominee Michael Arcuri about a call he made to a phone sex hotline. This is probably a bunch of crap, because on the phone records, it was only a minute long call, and it was followed by a call to a NY legal hotline sharing the last seven digits of the number (Arcuri was an attorney).
Newsweek has Rep. Harold Ford, Jr. (D-Memphis) on the cover this week, along with a good feature article on him. Ford is running for US Senate, the seat that Bill Frist (R) is vacating. Frist's GOP would-be successor, former Chatanooga Mayor Bob Corker, is a great candidate, but Ford is a likable guy who is by no means a liberal politician. Both have done well in debates, and the race is close. To be honest, I am glad I do not vote in the Volunteer State this fall, because I sincerely support things both men say. Ford has been a big advocate of bucking one's party line, and has earned the ire of Dem leadership. I like that.
As with any election, talking heads and people who think they are important are rushing to get their predictions on the victors in early. Democratic Rep. John "Jack" Murtha (PA) was at home stumping for himself and other Dem candidates when he stated that Iraq was a failed policy. Why him saying so is news, I am not sure, as he states this just about every single day. Funny thing about Jack, though. The fine folks at CREW (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a fine pretense for a group) who brought you the Mark Foley scandal after two years, have ranked Murtha on their dishonorable mention list for corrupt Congressmen at their new site, BeyondDelay.org (they missed Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) on their list; I am sure this was an oversight!).
Bush 41 weighed in as well last week, saying that he hates to think of what life would be like for his son, Bush 43, if Democrats win. Evidently, the fact that Dems don't like the current President is newsworthy. Journalists have been speculating about a possible rift between father and son, mostly due to comments made in Bob Woodward's newest "journalistic revelation" State of Denial. About Woodward: why he has gotten a free pass on not breaking any major story since Watergate, I do not know. His diatribes and punditry continue to pass for 'real reporting' and it is almost sickening.
Former Sen. Tom Daschle (D-SD), who was beaten by Republican John Thune in 2004, is predicting Democratic takeover. He is saying that Dems will pick up 7 seats in the Senate and 25 in the House (I just don't see that at all, even here in Ohio). Daschle has apparently not made a decision about running for President in 2008, but I guess someone forgot to tell him that the citizens of South Dakota made that decision for him two years ago. Let's be clear, you don't lose your seat, or even retire after a single term or have a tough time defending it and become the favorite to win the White House. This is why Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney (R) and Senator George Allen (R-VA) will have an extremely tough time in '08, even as much as I like the both of them.
Evidently Democrats are becoming optimistic again; I had Democratic optimism dead and buried back in 1994. Looks like we will have to exhume that one, but there is no word on whether resuscitation of that will be possible. And in the same piece, more proof that the scariest thing you can be at a Democrat costume party is a Karl Rove. Again, being in Ohio, we have already prepared the suite from which he will operate his vote-stealing supercomputer in. It seems that in '04, we forgot the little hors d'oeuvres he so adores (that person has since been executed). We have even invited Stephanie Tubbs-Jones and C.J. Prentiss to take a tour of the place, so they can see how we do it. While they are out gloating and declaring victory in advance, us GOPers will be knocking on doors, making phone calls, and being sure that we get out to vote on November 7.
As stated above, Nancy Pelosi does not want to investigate every little thing that the Republicans have done in the past years, but move on. The problem is that Democrats are salivating about the prospects of them "getting theirs", which means one thing: she will have a fight on her hands for the Speakership if the Dems do, in fact, win. They are also unveiling their "Six for '06" in the current Newsweek, the response to the Contract with America (twelve years late). If this is a large, unified issue proposal, I have yet to hear about it (until that article), which means they are terrible about getting a message out to Americans. I read the news and follow events in politics like it is my job, and if I have not heard of this, I can say for sure that the average newswatching American does not know about it (and that does not even take into account the apathetic ones who don't follow news). They also talk about the lack of a 'coherent' approach to foreign policy, and admit this is due to the fact that they do not have a plan for Iraq.
Another Newsweek article this week details how Congress has failed to do anything. Amazing, really, considering how we have had tax cuts, action on fighting terrorism within the States, Medicare Reform, education reform, and a comprehensive bill on immigration. Now it is not going far enough on many fronts, but that is still what I like to call progress. By the way, the current Newsweek is not too much more than a campaign ad for Democrats; they must be saving the GOP issue for next week.
More proof that we have become way too uptight and politically incorrect is that politicians are not going on Comedy Central's The Colbert Report for fear of being made fun of or looking bad. Seriously, can politicians make a joke anymore without being publicly sacrificed for it? Incredible. Whatever happened to sarcasm and irony? We here in Ohio can appreciate both; America should follow the lead.
Finally, over the past few weeks, College Republicans in South Carolina and Alabama (read: early primary states) have been joining on with Straight Talk America, Arizona Senator John McCain's PAC. More may be in the works in the weeks to come as McCain is clearly laying the groundwork for his Presidential campaign upcoming. There were also checks for some South Carolina CR chapters involved, but no one has said if there were any commitments made with those donations. My guess is, as they were rumored to be around $1,000, larger chapters would not have committed much for it, while smaller chapters may have made bigger promises to secure the funding. More on this, and how it affects the upcoming CRNC elections forthcoming, but for now, you can count Alabama CR Chairman Blake Harris and South Carolina CR Chairman Vic Bailey as McCain guys.
"Week after week impatient Democrats asked, "When can we propose a plan?" and week after week she intoned, "Never."
After picking myself up off of the floor, I continued my troll through the news, the non-stories, and the straight-up BS. In New York, Senator Hillary Clinton (D) is running for re-election to her seat as the junior Senator; her sacrificial lamb of an opponent, former Yonkers Mayor John Spencer, has apparently alleged that Hillary has had plastic surgery. Can he not just stick to the fact that she has remained married to Bill even after multiple indiscretions and desecrations of their marriage bed? Now this is a big dispute and to-do, in a campaign that was really over the moment Rudy Guiliani did not enter it. To Spencer's credit though, he denied saying any of the above to a reporter. Which brings us to lesson number one for today, and that is to never tell a reporter anything you do not want the world to know. For the record, the above link does have a picture of Hillary while a Wellesley student, and it is not of her good side.
In Connecticut, Senator Joe Lieberman (D, although he is an independent in this race) was taken out in the Democratic primary in August by challenger Ned Lamont. Lieberman is now up nearly 20 points in polls taken for the general election, so Lamont is grasping for straws by essentially accusing Lieberman of paying his workers. Amazing.
In Montana, which most Americans forgot existed, the RNC is trying to save face about rumors that incumbent Senator Conrad Burns (R) is finished in his race against Montana State Senate President Jon Tester (D). Let's be clear about it: this only a close race because of Burns being tied to the lovely Jack Abramoff AND the Dems deciding to dump millions into Tester's campaign. Even if the RNC and RSCC pull out funding, Burns has three times the amount of cash on hand ($1.7 million) than that of Tester, and he is still getting around 100 volunteers flown in during the last week of the campaign. Advertising is cheap in Montana; losing a couple of big backers this late does nothing to add to his problems.
Over at the Huffington Post today, they are making a huge deal about Google hiring three GOP lobbyists and donating $3,000 total to three separate GOP candidates (one of them is here in Ohio, Rep. Deborah Pryce). Evidently hiring Republicans should not be allowed, and for some perspective, they have donated much more in the past to Democrats. Back in New York, in the race to replace a retiring Representative, Sherwood Boehlert, there is an ad attacking Democrat nominee Michael Arcuri about a call he made to a phone sex hotline. This is probably a bunch of crap, because on the phone records, it was only a minute long call, and it was followed by a call to a NY legal hotline sharing the last seven digits of the number (Arcuri was an attorney).
Newsweek has Rep. Harold Ford, Jr. (D-Memphis) on the cover this week, along with a good feature article on him. Ford is running for US Senate, the seat that Bill Frist (R) is vacating. Frist's GOP would-be successor, former Chatanooga Mayor Bob Corker, is a great candidate, but Ford is a likable guy who is by no means a liberal politician. Both have done well in debates, and the race is close. To be honest, I am glad I do not vote in the Volunteer State this fall, because I sincerely support things both men say. Ford has been a big advocate of bucking one's party line, and has earned the ire of Dem leadership. I like that.
As with any election, talking heads and people who think they are important are rushing to get their predictions on the victors in early. Democratic Rep. John "Jack" Murtha (PA) was at home stumping for himself and other Dem candidates when he stated that Iraq was a failed policy. Why him saying so is news, I am not sure, as he states this just about every single day. Funny thing about Jack, though. The fine folks at CREW (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a fine pretense for a group) who brought you the Mark Foley scandal after two years, have ranked Murtha on their dishonorable mention list for corrupt Congressmen at their new site, BeyondDelay.org (they missed Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) on their list; I am sure this was an oversight!).
Bush 41 weighed in as well last week, saying that he hates to think of what life would be like for his son, Bush 43, if Democrats win. Evidently, the fact that Dems don't like the current President is newsworthy. Journalists have been speculating about a possible rift between father and son, mostly due to comments made in Bob Woodward's newest "journalistic revelation" State of Denial. About Woodward: why he has gotten a free pass on not breaking any major story since Watergate, I do not know. His diatribes and punditry continue to pass for 'real reporting' and it is almost sickening.
Former Sen. Tom Daschle (D-SD), who was beaten by Republican John Thune in 2004, is predicting Democratic takeover. He is saying that Dems will pick up 7 seats in the Senate and 25 in the House (I just don't see that at all, even here in Ohio). Daschle has apparently not made a decision about running for President in 2008, but I guess someone forgot to tell him that the citizens of South Dakota made that decision for him two years ago. Let's be clear, you don't lose your seat, or even retire after a single term or have a tough time defending it and become the favorite to win the White House. This is why Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney (R) and Senator George Allen (R-VA) will have an extremely tough time in '08, even as much as I like the both of them.
Evidently Democrats are becoming optimistic again; I had Democratic optimism dead and buried back in 1994. Looks like we will have to exhume that one, but there is no word on whether resuscitation of that will be possible. And in the same piece, more proof that the scariest thing you can be at a Democrat costume party is a Karl Rove. Again, being in Ohio, we have already prepared the suite from which he will operate his vote-stealing supercomputer in. It seems that in '04, we forgot the little hors d'oeuvres he so adores (that person has since been executed). We have even invited Stephanie Tubbs-Jones and C.J. Prentiss to take a tour of the place, so they can see how we do it. While they are out gloating and declaring victory in advance, us GOPers will be knocking on doors, making phone calls, and being sure that we get out to vote on November 7.
As stated above, Nancy Pelosi does not want to investigate every little thing that the Republicans have done in the past years, but move on. The problem is that Democrats are salivating about the prospects of them "getting theirs", which means one thing: she will have a fight on her hands for the Speakership if the Dems do, in fact, win. They are also unveiling their "Six for '06" in the current Newsweek, the response to the Contract with America (twelve years late). If this is a large, unified issue proposal, I have yet to hear about it (until that article), which means they are terrible about getting a message out to Americans. I read the news and follow events in politics like it is my job, and if I have not heard of this, I can say for sure that the average newswatching American does not know about it (and that does not even take into account the apathetic ones who don't follow news). They also talk about the lack of a 'coherent' approach to foreign policy, and admit this is due to the fact that they do not have a plan for Iraq.
Another Newsweek article this week details how Congress has failed to do anything. Amazing, really, considering how we have had tax cuts, action on fighting terrorism within the States, Medicare Reform, education reform, and a comprehensive bill on immigration. Now it is not going far enough on many fronts, but that is still what I like to call progress. By the way, the current Newsweek is not too much more than a campaign ad for Democrats; they must be saving the GOP issue for next week.
More proof that we have become way too uptight and politically incorrect is that politicians are not going on Comedy Central's The Colbert Report for fear of being made fun of or looking bad. Seriously, can politicians make a joke anymore without being publicly sacrificed for it? Incredible. Whatever happened to sarcasm and irony? We here in Ohio can appreciate both; America should follow the lead.
Finally, over the past few weeks, College Republicans in South Carolina and Alabama (read: early primary states) have been joining on with Straight Talk America, Arizona Senator John McCain's PAC. More may be in the works in the weeks to come as McCain is clearly laying the groundwork for his Presidential campaign upcoming. There were also checks for some South Carolina CR chapters involved, but no one has said if there were any commitments made with those donations. My guess is, as they were rumored to be around $1,000, larger chapters would not have committed much for it, while smaller chapters may have made bigger promises to secure the funding. More on this, and how it affects the upcoming CRNC elections forthcoming, but for now, you can count Alabama CR Chairman Blake Harris and South Carolina CR Chairman Vic Bailey as McCain guys.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Mr. Strickland, your credentials please?
For anyone in Ohio who has been following the current gubernatorial race between Secretary of State and former Cincinnati Mayor Ken Blackwell and current 6th District US Representative Ted Strickland, you know that the choice is clear. Mr. Blackwell has laid out a very specific plan, laid out the funding for that plan, has the qualifications, and has the gumption most lack to see it through. On the other hand, Mr. Strickland has a vague, reaching plan, has avoided telling Ohioans how he will fund his TurnAround Ohio plan, is lacking leadership, and has no real qualifications for the job. During the first three Gubernatorial Debates, Strickland has repeatedly asked Ohioans to wait until he is elected to hear the details. He seems to be relying on his party affiliation and his name not being Bob Taft to get elected.
Ken Blackwell does not even need to create attacking statements, as Ted has done that for him. Despite being in the US Congress for twelve years, Strickland, by his own admission has siad he may not have left the deepest of footprints in Washington. And also in spite of his lengthy service, Strickland has failed to get even one piece of legislation passed. This is not surprising though, considering that a nonpartisan survey ranked him as the 402nd least effective member of the House, behind even the nonvoting members from Puerto Rico and American Samoa. When questioned about his positions, he stated that his voting record is in line with Sherrod Brown, Dennis Kucinich, and other liberals in Congress. During the first debate, when asked why voters should trust him to turn around Ohio when he cannot turn around his own district, he plead that the 6th district was that way when he got there. Twelve years and you can't improve it at all? That is what I like to call "leadership" right there.
Time after time during the debates, Strickland has stammered and stuttered when asked to name specifics, and frankly, spent more time in the most recent debate acting insulted and hurt by Blackwell "calling him names". If a man cannot go on simply because someone questions him or labels him a tax-and-spender, how in the heck can that man lead an entire state? I would suggest to you that he cannot lead it at all.
Ted Strickland wants you to think that Ken Blackwell is going to continue the policies of Bob Taft and maintain the status quo in Ohio; this is remarkable to me as Blackwell has been anything but that during his career in public service. Blackwell lead a ballot initiative against a sales tax increase that was successful in repealing the tax. Blackwell has been outspoken in criticizing the establishment within Ohio politics. He was so far removed from his fellow Republican office-holders, that it is absolutely hilarious to hear Ted refer to things such as "Taft-Blackwell policies". Ted is more similiar to Bob Taft that Ken will ever be. Ken Blackwell is a conservative Republican who will bring change to Ohio, and he is not ashamed to let everyone know it.
Ted Strickland wants you to think that he is the only choice to get Ohio back on track and that this race is all but over. And make no mistake about it, Ted Strickland is wrong. Even the Rasmussen poll, which has had Ken Blackwell trailing by twenty-plus points all spring and summer long, has Ken surging back into a single digit deficit. Zogby has the race at five and a half points, and I see it only getting closer as election day draws near. Ohioans are smarter than Strickland gives them credit for; they will not have the wool pulled over their eyes this November.
The choice is clear: if you like the current situation in Ohio, vote for Ted Strickland. He will assuredly do nothing to rock the boat and claim in four years when campaigning for re-election that it was this way when he arrived on the scene. Ted Strickland kept asking the 6th district for more time; he just needed a few more years. It is time for Ohioans to tell Ted Strickland that his time is up! I will be casting my ballot for Ken Blackwell, a proven leader with the ideas and vision it will take to get Ohio back on track. I would encourage you to do the same.
Ken Blackwell does not even need to create attacking statements, as Ted has done that for him. Despite being in the US Congress for twelve years, Strickland, by his own admission has siad he may not have left the deepest of footprints in Washington. And also in spite of his lengthy service, Strickland has failed to get even one piece of legislation passed. This is not surprising though, considering that a nonpartisan survey ranked him as the 402nd least effective member of the House, behind even the nonvoting members from Puerto Rico and American Samoa. When questioned about his positions, he stated that his voting record is in line with Sherrod Brown, Dennis Kucinich, and other liberals in Congress. During the first debate, when asked why voters should trust him to turn around Ohio when he cannot turn around his own district, he plead that the 6th district was that way when he got there. Twelve years and you can't improve it at all? That is what I like to call "leadership" right there.
Time after time during the debates, Strickland has stammered and stuttered when asked to name specifics, and frankly, spent more time in the most recent debate acting insulted and hurt by Blackwell "calling him names". If a man cannot go on simply because someone questions him or labels him a tax-and-spender, how in the heck can that man lead an entire state? I would suggest to you that he cannot lead it at all.
Ted Strickland wants you to think that Ken Blackwell is going to continue the policies of Bob Taft and maintain the status quo in Ohio; this is remarkable to me as Blackwell has been anything but that during his career in public service. Blackwell lead a ballot initiative against a sales tax increase that was successful in repealing the tax. Blackwell has been outspoken in criticizing the establishment within Ohio politics. He was so far removed from his fellow Republican office-holders, that it is absolutely hilarious to hear Ted refer to things such as "Taft-Blackwell policies". Ted is more similiar to Bob Taft that Ken will ever be. Ken Blackwell is a conservative Republican who will bring change to Ohio, and he is not ashamed to let everyone know it.
Ted Strickland wants you to think that he is the only choice to get Ohio back on track and that this race is all but over. And make no mistake about it, Ted Strickland is wrong. Even the Rasmussen poll, which has had Ken Blackwell trailing by twenty-plus points all spring and summer long, has Ken surging back into a single digit deficit. Zogby has the race at five and a half points, and I see it only getting closer as election day draws near. Ohioans are smarter than Strickland gives them credit for; they will not have the wool pulled over their eyes this November.
The choice is clear: if you like the current situation in Ohio, vote for Ted Strickland. He will assuredly do nothing to rock the boat and claim in four years when campaigning for re-election that it was this way when he arrived on the scene. Ted Strickland kept asking the 6th district for more time; he just needed a few more years. It is time for Ohioans to tell Ted Strickland that his time is up! I will be casting my ballot for Ken Blackwell, a proven leader with the ideas and vision it will take to get Ohio back on track. I would encourage you to do the same.
What you might have missed: A wrapup of the Weekend
If you had better things to do this past weekend than watch the news, which I hope you did, then you missed the Dear Leader in North Korea throwing the world an underground fireworks show. And everyone who grew up after the 80s and without the Soviet Union brooding over everyone with their own nukes, you can be excited about the fact that there is again a very sane man with his finger on the doomsday button. By very sane man, I mean complete freaking nutjob. For those of you who have never seen or heard of Kim Jong Il until now, please consult Team America and Mad TV's The Kim Jong Il Show. For comedic parodies, they are surprisingly accurate.
Glenn Beck, host of radio and television's The Glenn Beck Program posited an interesting theory on tonight's CNN Headline News edition. Beck reminded viewers that the last time North Korea fired off missiles, it was a mere matter of days before Hezbollah and Israel came to blows; he thinks that we should all not take our attention too far away from the Middle East this time. Let us not forget that Iran and North Korea are on cordial terms at worst and completely in cahoots at worst (Iranian diplomats attended the July 4 tests of the Tapodong missiles). Kudos to Beck for keeping an eye on the Middle East for all of us, because it seems radical Islam is a topic no other news outlet is willing to touch these days. Just because it is not on the news does not mean it is not happening or it went away!
Speaking of radical Islam and keeping us informed about it, check out the trailer for the new movie Obsession at their website. The material is simply fascinating and will not be seen on any major media outlets, unfortunately. It looks as if the creators have done their homework and put together a stellar piece on the true motive of radical Muslims: destruction of the West.
On Friday, in a ridiculous excuse for an interview, Bill Maher, on his show Real Time, pitched batting practice to John Kerry. Nothing new there, as Maher has always pretended to be an impartial figure who we all know stumps for the left. This segment was a new low though, as Kerry made a classless reference to killing George Bush. Assassination is not something to take lightly, but I gues since Kerry was on HBO, no one cares. Last time I checked, speaking about killing our President qualified as a criminal offense. Kerry also spent quite a bit of time making revisionist statements regarding his failed run for the White House in 2004, some that would make anyone alive during that campaign raise an eyebrow. Make no mistake, Kerry wants to run againin 2008. And let me save you a lot of heartbreak and letdown, John, and break the news to you: There may be a lot of voters suffering buyers remorse over Dubya, but they already had the opportunity to pick you and chose not to. Get over it, move on with your life, and go build houses with Jimmy Carte
Glenn Beck, host of radio and television's The Glenn Beck Program posited an interesting theory on tonight's CNN Headline News edition. Beck reminded viewers that the last time North Korea fired off missiles, it was a mere matter of days before Hezbollah and Israel came to blows; he thinks that we should all not take our attention too far away from the Middle East this time. Let us not forget that Iran and North Korea are on cordial terms at worst and completely in cahoots at worst (Iranian diplomats attended the July 4 tests of the Tapodong missiles). Kudos to Beck for keeping an eye on the Middle East for all of us, because it seems radical Islam is a topic no other news outlet is willing to touch these days. Just because it is not on the news does not mean it is not happening or it went away!
Speaking of radical Islam and keeping us informed about it, check out the trailer for the new movie Obsession at their website. The material is simply fascinating and will not be seen on any major media outlets, unfortunately. It looks as if the creators have done their homework and put together a stellar piece on the true motive of radical Muslims: destruction of the West.
On Friday, in a ridiculous excuse for an interview, Bill Maher, on his show Real Time, pitched batting practice to John Kerry. Nothing new there, as Maher has always pretended to be an impartial figure who we all know stumps for the left. This segment was a new low though, as Kerry made a classless reference to killing George Bush. Assassination is not something to take lightly, but I gues since Kerry was on HBO, no one cares. Last time I checked, speaking about killing our President qualified as a criminal offense. Kerry also spent quite a bit of time making revisionist statements regarding his failed run for the White House in 2004, some that would make anyone alive during that campaign raise an eyebrow. Make no mistake, Kerry wants to run againin 2008. And let me save you a lot of heartbreak and letdown, John, and break the news to you: There may be a lot of voters suffering buyers remorse over Dubya, but they already had the opportunity to pick you and chose not to. Get over it, move on with your life, and go build houses with Jimmy Carte
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
College Republicans: Pretend Politics with Real Consequences
What exactly is a College Republican? Generally speaking, a College Republican is a fairly conservative student who is ticked off about being in the minority on campus and wants to do something about it. In a perfect world, these College Republicans would be the biggest source of volunteers for campaigns, oppose the liberal agenda on campus, and grow up to become real Republicans without forgetting that real Republicans only get elected because of volunteer efforts from groups like College Republicans. Some College Republicans accomplish this, but all over the country, there are large numbers of them who do nothing of the sort. The problem is that these College Republicans, instead of spending time doing real work and getting real results for candidates they believe in, spend their time fighting with one another over essentially pointless topics. More on this in the future. Some CRs also try to destroy the liberal presence on their campus and out in the world, and this is futile. You will never destroy it completely; it will not just go away. What should happen is for CRs to provide a conservative, common sense alternative to the liberal presence, because, when it comes down to a battle of ideas, we win. And whenever possible, debate those liberals, because the difference comes through even clearer when both schools of thought are placed side by side. Finally, when CRs grow up to become members of the GOP, they ought not to so quickly forget the fact that volunteers who give their free time are the ones who will carry them to victory at the polls. Yelling on a cell phone, treating volunteers like human fecal matter, or threatening college students never won anything. More on this topic forthcoming...
Today's Great American: Mark Foley
So by now everyone has heard about the great American Mark Foley. And make no mistake, by "Great American" we mean terrible man. While we are busy by declaring him guilty at the least and fileting him over an open fire at the most, one has to think, why exactly are we acting so shocked? Have we forgotten Rep. Foley's esteemed colleagues such as Barney Frank, Gary Condit, Jerry Studds, and Mel Reynolds? Those are just the sex scandals; that does not include corrupt members of Congress Duke Cunningham, Bob Ney, Tom Delay, William Jefferson, Conrad Burns, Jack Murtha, Harry Reid or the addicts like Patrick Kennedy, Ted Kennedy, and Porter Goss. How is it possible that this would shock us? After all, the nation collectively shrugged off President Bill Clinton's Oval Office shenanigans. Is it because it is a young boy involved this time? Well, if that shocked the populace, then Jerry Studds would have resigned in shame as well (he did not). If it shocked us, then the media outlets and members of Congress who knew about this matter with Mr. Foley would not have shrugged off the story last year. Anyone truly surprised by this development is merely naive. Yes you should be appalled; surprised, no.
The telling thing here is that Democratic politicians are accusing everyone left and right of being involved, keeping knowledge of it to themselves, and being essentially complicit in the entire matter. And, to be honest, whoever knew the full extent of the situation and did not immediately break the story is not fit to serve and should resign. That includes everyone who knew, regardless of party affiliation. If this means the House returns in January with 435 new members, then so be it. There is no place in America for those who would sit on this story until 40 days out from an election, just to make political gains either. As we are now finding out, Rep. Foley's philandering was just about common knowledge, so I put very little stock in the supposed outrage by most Democrats about this. If they were truly pissed off, then they would have come forward long ago. After all, the alleged incidents occurred last year.
Make no mistake, Mark Foley screwed up. What is really screwed up, though, is that we are caught by surprise and that it took almost a year for anyone to speak up.
The telling thing here is that Democratic politicians are accusing everyone left and right of being involved, keeping knowledge of it to themselves, and being essentially complicit in the entire matter. And, to be honest, whoever knew the full extent of the situation and did not immediately break the story is not fit to serve and should resign. That includes everyone who knew, regardless of party affiliation. If this means the House returns in January with 435 new members, then so be it. There is no place in America for those who would sit on this story until 40 days out from an election, just to make political gains either. As we are now finding out, Rep. Foley's philandering was just about common knowledge, so I put very little stock in the supposed outrage by most Democrats about this. If they were truly pissed off, then they would have come forward long ago. After all, the alleged incidents occurred last year.
Make no mistake, Mark Foley screwed up. What is really screwed up, though, is that we are caught by surprise and that it took almost a year for anyone to speak up.
On the Warpath
Make no mistake about it; conservatives in these great United States today have been betrayed. Not just by a president who has not followed through on promises of fiscal restraint, or by a Congress who collectively will not really tackle the tough issues of immigration and Social Security, but by the nearly entire Republican Party. Party leaders have chosen upholding a collective reputation rather than real leadership in the form of, "I am going this way, and you all can follow or be left behind." Conservatism as an idea, and as a movement, has generally held the correct thesis and position on most every important issue, but now we are at a crossroads. We are being told now that the candidates in the upcoming midterms might not be very likable to us, but they are certainly better than the alternatives. Since when did the attitude of, "well our guy might be bad, but theirs is even worse," become acceptable to we conservatives? Seriously now, we have been the base of support for the Grand Ole Party time and time again, but we are being fed a line of crap, especially this year. Do-nothing politicians, spineless politicians, and unqualified politicians are being put on the ballot as (R)'s this year, and we are left without a choice. It is high time for conservatives to stand up and demand better. And if the Republicans won't do it, then we as a group must do it ourselves!
This blog will serve as a forum of ideas, opinions, and pontification on the entire political spectrum, but will focus on Republican politics, policies, and politicians at all levels, as well as the conservatives within America. Alas, life is not all politics, and so this will not be just politics, but rather a larger commentary on life in general and providing a common sense take on whatever is gripping the nation any particular day. But, make no mistake, we are on the warpath, and we take no prisoners.
This blog will serve as a forum of ideas, opinions, and pontification on the entire political spectrum, but will focus on Republican politics, policies, and politicians at all levels, as well as the conservatives within America. Alas, life is not all politics, and so this will not be just politics, but rather a larger commentary on life in general and providing a common sense take on whatever is gripping the nation any particular day. But, make no mistake, we are on the warpath, and we take no prisoners.
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