Prepping for Surgery

Outgoing Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) is getting back to his roots as a surgeon after choosing not to participate in the 2008 Presidential Primary. This is a smart move in my opinion, because he did not have a clear constituency in the primary, and he was already loathed by many following a fairly poor performance as Majority Leader. The move was also widely expected, so this does not shake up the field too much at all. Frist is closing the book on life as an elected official as well, but did not say who he will be supporting in the primary.
I have to quickly comment on Mitt Romney, because the hip thing to do in GOP circles right now is to destroy the guy on whatever grounds available. The leading salvo is that he belongs to a "cult", something the Mormon religion is most definitely not. Everyone thinks of Mormons as teetotaling polygamists, and while they abstain from alcohol and caffeine, polygamy is not something endorsed by the Mormon Church. In fact, polygamy is condemned by the Mormon Church. The other thing haunting Mitt is governing like a liberal during his term at the helm in Massachusetts; this one will be harder to shake.

Ohio Political Roundup

-My Congressman, Deborah Pryce, has (almost) officially won her bid for re-election, but due to the close margin of victory, another automatic recount will be taking place. Ever the optimist (or opportunist, you pick one), Mary Jo Kilroy is waiting to concede until after the recount is complete. I would post the still frame of her press conference in the Dispatch today, but it sent me in search of Pepto Bismol after a just a quick glance so I will spare you that misfortune. By the way, their 'recount strategy' is to make sure every vote counts, even the fraudulent ones. How dare Deb Pryce and the GOP disenfranchise fraudulent voters!

-Ohio Senate Democrats have filled two vacant seats left by Charlie Wilson's election to the US House and Marc Dann's election to Attorney General. It really showed that they searched high and low, near and far, for the best and brightest candidates to fill the posts; their commitment to cleaning up corruption and qualified politicians shines through brightly. Failed Congressional candidate Capri Cafaro is finishing up Dann's term, and Jason Wilson, who happens to be Charlie's son, will serve out his time. If Cafaro decides to become a media whore a la Marc Dann, at least she will look good on camera. Besides that, she will be a great fundraiser, and I will go ahead and guarantee that all of the cash will come on the up and up. I am sure that the donor gave it freely after being knee-capped and fitted for concrete shoes. The junior Wilson will also prove to be a great asset to petition drives taking place in neighboring districts; he did great work while coming up short on 50 valid signatures for his dad's last campaign (after which he was fired). He is a true scholar.

-The Ohio GOP Headquarters building on South Fifth Street in downtown Columbus has been vandalized no less than five times in the past month; it is clearly not politically motivated. Evidently, the latest in Democratic campaign strategy (or what qualifies for strategy) is to bankrupt the GOP by forcing them to make repeated costly repairs to their facilities. ORP spokesman, John McClelland, claims that they caught the culprit on video camera, which is not surprising because of the plethora of surveillance cameras on site there. My theory is that Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman is still perturbed at the GOP for running out of coffee at March's St. Patrick's Day Parade. He was told that there was Irish coffee available, but apparently his wife is the only one who likes it Irish.

-Look for a better sense of where the next General Assembly will be headed after session begins in January. The budget will be on the table (dripping with pork, to be sure), term limits will likely be addressed, and redistricting and campaign contribution reform will likely be broached by springtime as well. In order to get anything accomplished, there will have to be some cooperation due to the divided government coming into power.

Holocaust? What Holocaust?

By now it is a well-known fact that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad thinks that the Holocaust was a publicity stunt pulled in order to provide backing for the creation of Israel after World War II. Granted, he also has vowed to wipe Israel off of the map, but, hey, he is pretty impartial in the whole matter. Last year during the flap in Denmark over the cartoons of Muhammed being published (and the subsequent murder of the cartoonist), the Iranian government sponsored a Holocaust cartoon laughing contest. High comedy at its best, really. Reminds me of Al Franken-era Saturday Night Live. No, seriously it does.
Now, to show how fair and impartial they truly are, Iran is hosting a conference on the Holocaust next month. In a true effort to be non-prejudiced, the conference will feature research, commentary, and opinion from both those who believe the Holocaust occurred (the sane and rational among us) and those who believe it was an elaborate hoax, one of the really funny "I gotcha" hoaxes complete with gas chambers, starvation, and furnaces. Kudos to President Tom for showing his soft side; it is great to see him moderate himself so.
In addition to this great accomplishment, Mahmoud has been recently committing himself to solving the problem in Iraq. Evidently, the al-Qaeda fighters there are only murdering other Iraqis because the US military is still there. Really? That is kind of strange to me, since most of the fighters are not native to Iraq (mostly Iranians) and Iranians never really got along with Iraqis. Besides that, if they do not want us there, would they not be trying to kill just our troops instead of civilians? Logic is not their strong suit apparently. Incredible.

Shopping Spree

As this extremely poor class of free agents in Major League Baseball gets overpaid by a hungry group of teams looking to do anything to compete, the Cleveland Indians have been fairly conservative. No big deals to bolster the starting pitching, not a fat contract to shore up the back end of the bullpen, and no superstar to boost the Tribe into the playoffs. Evidently, GM Mark Shapiro and the rest of the Indians braintrust seems to think they have what they need already. And wouldn't you know it, I think they may just be right.
Now, do not get me wrong here, Cleveland has not been a bystander this offseason, not by any stretch of the imagination. Sky is the limit prospect Kevin Kouzmanoff, who looked downright incredible at Akron and Buffalo last summer before his September callup (which was equally impressive), was shipped out to San Diego for a young second baseman, Josh Barfield. This deal signified two things to Tribe fans. First, Andy Marte is being counted on as the future at third base after coming around in late September. Secondly, hustle guy Joe Inglett is going to see significantly less time on the field. Now, Shapiro is probably right about Marte; his potential is downright scary. I am not quite sold on Barfield, at least until I see him take the field, but anything he can do with the bat will be a huge plus over seeing Hector Luna swing at air. I just hope to see Inglett make the club as the utility man come Spring Training; he made the games last summer fun to watch, even after they were out of contention.
Earlier today, David Dellucci signed a three-year deal to be the starter in left field, alongside rising star CF Grady Sizemore and, most likely, Shin Soo Choo in right. He will be getting about $3.5 million a year for the next three years, and his signing pushes last year's starter in left, Jason Michaels, to either a platoon with Choo, or full-fledged fourth outfielder status. Michaels is great and all, but it will be nice to see a little more production at the plate from left field.
Barring an Eric Gagne signing, I do not expect much more movement in the free agent market from Cleveland, but do not be surprised to see more trades in an effort to upgrade the bullpen. The pitching overall is solid, but the 8th and 9th innings were quite the adventure after not resigning Bobby Howry and trading Bob Wickman. There is some depth in the minor leagues for the Tribe to dip into in order to improve at the big league level, but even given this, I don't foresee anything earth shaking. There simply are not that many good options available out there.
So, as it sits now, here is what the Opening Day roster should look like:
C-Victor Martinez (backup: Kelly Shoppach)
1B-Ryan Garko/Casey Blake platoon (Garko will be starting outright by summer)
2B-Josh Barfield
SS-Jhonny Peralta (Joe Inglett will see time at both middle infield spots, as will Hector Luna)
3B-Andy Marte (Blake can slide over to give Marte a day off here and there)
LF-David Dellucci
CF-Grady Sizemore
RF-Shin Soo Choo/Jason Michaels (Choo will gradually force Michaels to duty as a full time sub)
DH-Travis Hafner

Starters:
C.C. Sabathia, Cliff Lee, Jeremy Sowers, Jake Westbrook, Paul Byrd
-This group should be (barring injury) one of the top staffs in baseball, as it was in the second half of 2006, and Sabathia and Lee will be Cy Young contenders.

Bullpen:
Anyone's guess, to be honest. Tom Mastny, Jason Davis, and Edwin Mujica should be a part of whatever corps they throw together, but no one really won a role last year. The closer will most likely come from those three though. Brian Sikorski pitched well enough after being picked up off waivers, and Juan Lara and Fernando Cabrera will be in the mix, as will the venerable Fausto Carmona. Unless a trade is made or some of them have seriously developed in the offseason, this crew will continue to be a source of headaches for Eric Wedge.

A lot can indeed happen between now and April, and then during a 162-game schedule, but the future is bright in Cleveland. The two keys will be continuous improvement from their young position players and developing even a decent bullpen. If Ryan Garko, Josh Barfield, Andy Marte, and Shin Soo Choo can build on their debuts in 2006 and stay away from sophomore slumps, it will go a long way towards keeping the Indians in the playoff hunt. Grady Sizemore, Victor Martinez, and Travis Hafner are all proven players, so if the young guns step up to it, this will again be a team that scores plenty of runs. With Sizemore, Choo, Barfield, and Marte, look for a little more speed on the basepaths as well. The starting pitching will have the occasional bad outing during a long season, but they are top notch. All of the scoring and oppressive starting pitching will allow the Tribe a shot at the postseason, but all will be naught without a much better bullpen. The AL Central is far too good to let bad hurling in relief slide by and win the division. So, until then, I, for one, will be praying that Wedge and Shapiro learn how to catch lightning in a bottle before Opening Day.

Because I like being right...

As I predicted last night, Ohio State is now ranked #1 in both football and men's basketball (the women aren't far behind). The ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll gave the Buckeyes eleven first place nods and six more points overall than #2 UCLA. Wednesday will be a big test for a very young OSU squad when they travel to Chapel Hill in their Big Ten-ACC Showdown matchup with #6 North Carolina. Thad Matta and Roy Williams are two top-echelon coaches, and both teams are stacked with young talent. Look for the key matchup to be Tarheels sophomore F Tyler Hansbrough, a Naismith Award candidate, going toe to toe with Buckeyes junior F Othello Hunter, who has filled in very well in the absence of Greg Oden. The Buckeyes backcourt will also be key to a winning effort, with junior G Jamar Butler and freshman G Mike Conley, Jr., teaming up to run the offense against super Carolina freshmen guards Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington. Check it out, Wednesday on ESPN at 9; it will be a dandy!

Thank You for Smoking

As I sit in a state that has just passed a no-tolerance policy on smoking, I had to smile a bit at the US Supreme Court upholding a lower court decision to throw out a $10.1 million judgment against Phillip Morris regarding their "light" cigarettes. They have another case on the upcoming docket involving a similar finding of nearly $80 million to the widow of a smoker. What kills me is the reluctance of people today to accept blame and responsibility. Phillip Morris did not force anyone to smoke their cigarettes, and it is a commonly accepted fact that smoking is harmful for your health. If you still wish to use their product, you do so at your own peril. This is akin to the people who sue McDonald's after spilling hot coffee on themselves, because McDonald's is responsible for the coffee being hot and thus burning them. You know going in that the coffee is hot and the cigarettes are bad for you, so you use the respective products at your own risk. Good to see the Supreme Court is starting to get it once again, and I hope to see the pending judgment thrown out as well. This simply highlights the absolute need for tort reform at all levels of the judiciary.

Weekend Sports Roundup

A few quick things on the weekend in sports:
-Barring a USC loss to UCLA next Saturday, Ohio State will face the Trojans in the inaugural BCS Championship Game on January 8 in Glendale, Arizona.
-While the Buckeyes are undefeated and #1 in the football polls, the basketball team could soon be joining them. Ranked #3 last week behind #1 Florida and #2 North Carolina, OSU easily rolled through the week to remain unbeaten, while the Gators and Tarheels both lost games. Unless another team leapfrogs them, the Buckeyes should be #1 going into Wednesday night's showdown at North Carolina, when stud Greg Oden is rumored to be making his on-court debut. They play at Florida next month.
-Mediocrity is the way to go in the NFL of late, as consistent winners are few and far between this season. The NFC continues to be terrible, and is getting dominated in head-to-head games with the AFC. For those who care, Drew Brees is putting up MVP-type numbers for the Saints, Tony Romo is nothing short of sensational since coming off the bench in Dallas, and Joey Harrington has experience a rebirth in South Beach.
-Word on the street is that Michigan State will be hiring former OSU assistant and current Cincinnati Bearcat Head Coach Mark Dantonio to coach their floundering football program. Dantonio left Ohio State one year after their last Natl. Championship and has put together the makings of a good program in the Queen City, but it will be interesting to see how he does on his own in the Big Ten. Michigan State will not be his last stop, though, and you can put money on that one.

The Mile High Club

Coming up on Saturday is the moment we have all been waiting months now for. Oh, you don't actually care about the petty politics in College Republicans? Well, don't feel alone; there are plenty who would just like to get some damn Republicans elected. But, if it is backstabbing, smack-talking, and chicanery that you enjoy, I would recommend a trip to lovely Denver this weekend. There are the two amendments on the table, one regarding "Fair Elections" and one regarding "True Membership", and as I see it now, both will pass. The initiative dealing with membership and credentialing for CRNC Elections should slide through without trouble, but the "Fair Elections" piece of work is not so much of a sure thing. The votes are there at this point, but word on the street is that a couple of states are looking to amend this one from the floor. It is a close cousin to the failed amendment at the 2005 CRNC Winter Board Meeting in Houston, but there are many new State Chairmen sitting at the table and some of the folks who opposed it last year have crossed the aisle. Look for an in-depth summary of both amendments and my personal thoughts on them later this week, but just know that both should be on the books by Sunday.
Speaking of the amendments, do not look for anyone to actually make use of the elections appeal in 2007. From what I have been told, all potential candidates have agreed to lay off of it this time. This is obviously a verbal/e-mail accord, so it is by no means set in stone, but in the absence of obvious nefarious activities it should hold.
And, since I just spoke of candidates, a quick update on the ever-changing field is necessary. TRUTH CAUCUS held a poll last week to see who was the preferred candidate for CRNC Chairman in 2007, and Charlie Smith of Colorado squeaked by Ohio's Brian Siler, both of whom were ahead of Washington's Brent Ludeman. So that you are not surprised, even though I have said this before many times, Charlie Smith will be announcing his campaign this weekend, most likely at the Colorado CR-sponsored event that evening. Ludeman has been rumored as following suit, but I would imagine he will want more supporters in hand before making anything formal. Make no mistake, there will be many a smoke-filled back room (good thing the meeting isn't in Ohio; we just shamefully banned smoking).
Two of the men that will surely be working behind the scenes are Nevada's George Higgins and Illinois' John Donnelly, who each are fringe candidates at this point. Higgins has been testing the waters for some time now, but has found them to be rather chilly. This has not dissuaded him from continuous pushes to raise Nevada's profile, but he will need to work some miracles to get an entry to the Big Dance. Donnelly has gone so far as to make a campaign video, and he surely has operatives working the blog circuit in his favor. He is, and has been, a Davidson holdover, but he certainly is not garnering much support from anywhere yet. That could change if he can get some 1-on-1 sit-downs in Denver.
To this point, no platforms have emerged, so one can only speculate what the race will be run on. So long as it is not solely based on 2005 and flag pins, I will be a happy man. We need more than rhetoric; we must have reform. It is in this spirit that I would like to propose a simple platform in the hopes that someone will pick it up and run with it. I will be posting something with details later in the week, but here are the bare bones for now:
-Financial reform
-Transparency is the catchphrase, but better accountability is needed here.
-Fundraising reform
-Give back where you get it from
-Better returns for FR dollars, i.e,-Don't spend $3 million to raise $1 million
-Send State Chairs copies of direct mail letters
-Full disclosure and honesty to state feds about funds pulled from their state
-Field Program reform
-eliminate middle managers and communicate directly with state feds whenever possible
-more thoroughly prepared chapter boxes
-better results, period
-Fresh public face
-continued image reform; high priority on honesty in all dealings
-a decent website
-revamped/improved Op. Big Trunk
-work to be more vocal in the public arena (appearing on network programs, print media, etc.)

I will flesh this out and have more in a few days. One final thought on the upcoming election: if California, Michigan, Ohio, and Missouri are all supporting the same candidate (and credentialing goes as expected), the other 46 states hold far less influence. Barring too many surprises from the Credentials Committee, far fewer than half of the states could elect the next Chairman.

Facts and Logic Dead

Today in the world of College Republican politics, we mourn the passing of Facts and Logic, both of which passed away sometime late last evening. It is not sure entirely what the cause of their deaths were, but the leading theory is that they could not withstand continuous assault from acquaintances such as Insults, Lies, and Nonsense. The three had been observed on the offensive against Facts, Logic, and Common Sense in the past years of CR infighting; now only Common Sense remains, albeit upon life support. Facts and Logic were preceded by their good friends Truth and Freedom of Differing Opinion; they passed sometime during the Spring of 2005. Donations may be made to the College Republican No-Bullshit Caucus in their honor. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Nonsense, Lies, and Insults is asked to contact local law enforcement. The three are believed to be on the run, but were last spotted leaving 600 Pennsylvania Ave. SE , Suite 215 in Washington, D.C.. They have also been spotted as far west as Oklahoma and Washington, and even here in Ohio at times, so be on the lookout in your area.

Busted!

Yes, this is Brian's mom blogging about him. Right.

UPDATED: 11.25.06

Yes, this is also my cry for help and adulation. I so desperately want people to like me that I will do or say anything to win approval.

That Bird is Cooked!

Yes, I am talking about Thanksgiving, not about the higher ambitions of certain CR State Chairmen. Anyhow, we here at RSR will get back to normal posting after the holiday, as I am heading out of Columbus later this afternoon for the first of a few Thanksgiving celebrations. As corny as it may be, one thing my father's side of the family has always done, ever since I can remember, is to go around the table and have everyone tell of at least one thing they were thankful for in the past year. Now, there is more to my life than politics (sometimes), but this year, I think the thing I am most thankful for is the great folks involved in CRs that do so much hard work, but most importantly provide us who follow it with oh so much comical relief. And by comic relief, I mean the constant missteps by the bigwigs, plus the sweet events brought to you by CR chapters nationwide, like Rhode Island's Ryan Bilodeau and their brilliant events of last week (see below for more). You just have to laugh, because you would go insane otherwise.

BSB's Back...Alright!

The venerable Buckeye State Blog, self-appointed pamphleteers of the revolution, never fails to amaze me. Aside from their "prank" aimed at infiltrating Republican GOTV back in late October and repeated personal attacks on conservative bloggers, they are amused at the prospect of 40,000 Americans being exposed to nuclear radiation. You really have to appreciate someone who would laugh at his fellow citizens being nuked, because that right there is high comedy.
Just yesterday, Russell was feeling his oats as a comedic presence, a la Michael Richards (Kramer from Seinfeld), when he let loose with this gem about John Boehner (say Bay-ner). Here is a quote from the post that I found particularly ridiculous (and if made by a conservative would land them in hot water, I might add):

• Vote for rule changing the title of Minority Leader to "Caucasian Leader."
• Introduce bill to torture gay, flag-burning Mexicans with ties to Hugo Chavez.
• Amend torture bill to include blacks who vote.
• Amend the resolution again to match Caucasian Whip Lott's newly introduced Senate version which exempts frozen blastocyst-American who are excessively pigmented.

Great stuff, really. Well, at least as good as the writing on an Al Franken-era Saturday Night Live.

On another note, there is much hubbub about a couple of likely shakeups in the Ohio Senate. In Attorney-General elect Marc Dann's District 32, failed Democratic candidate for Congress (and daughter of a notorious mafia family) Capri Cafaro is the rumored replacement. This would be very ironic, because it appears that Dann is supporting Cafaro, who has shady ties to say the least. Adding even more irony is the fact that Dann just wrapped up a campaign bashing Republicans for political patronage.
Up in Sen. District 24, Republican Bob Spada is term-limited in 2008, so by all appearances that seat would pose an open race in two years. The rumor mill says otherwise, though, as the hot speculation is that Spada will be moving to the Cuyahoga County BOE and be replaced by either outgoing State Rep. Jim Trakas or incoming State Rep. Josh Mandel. I do not see Mandel as being a possibility, seeing as how he has a job lined up and is a freshman in Columbus. Trakas is an intriguing storyline, because he is certainly owed something after stepping out of the Secretary of State primary in favor of eventual loser Greg Hartmann (who ran an abysmal campaign). From what I have heard, Trakas bowed out after gaining future concessions (although we all know how the ORP can flop around on those promises). This would make sense, as Trakas would gain incumbency, the GOP would get to keep a solid lawmaker, and it could even serve to springboard him higher yet (Congress or LG is what I hear).
One final rumor has to do with the term-limited Sen. Larry Mumper in the 26th District. From what I hear, Mumper would run for the House seat held by Tony Core presently, while Core, who has been seeking to move up, would make a push to replace Mumper. What could throw a wrench into those plans would be a primary bid against Core by fellow State Rep. Steve Reinhard. Reinhard seems to be very popular in his district after cruising to re-election, and with only token opposition, was able to build up somewhat of a warchest for the future (numbers will be posted once all of the finance reports are in). Rep. Reinhard was also out and about in Mumper's 26th, campaigning for fellow Republicans and raising his profile this fall. This one could be interesting; I only hope it does not get as bitter as this May's Jim Hoops showdown with now Senator-elect Steve Buehrer.
It is clear, as well, that Rob Portman and John Kasich are admired and well-thought of in Ohio political circles, and Portman has gotten quite a bit of coverage in local media since the elections. I really would like to see one or both come back to Ohio and get involved as candidates, because they would be much better choices than Mike DeWine or Betty Montgomery, who have each expressed interest in running once again in 2010.

Presidential Material

Republican candidates for President are taking the plunge left and right; it appears that this primary will be a long, bloody one. Mitt Romney is now pledging to make a decision by mid-December, and it appears that Newt Gingrich will be waiting for a draft movement to come along and sweep him to the White House. Sam Brownback is also planning an early 2007 announcement, so far as I can tell, and there will assuredly be others getting in line soon.
John McCain has been buying up College Republican support in the early primary states like South Carolina, Alabama, and Michigan; he is making inroads elsewhere and bringing the checkbook along for the ride. Several states, most notably Michigan, have seen the beginnings of proxy battles between McCain and Romney supporters. For the record, Michigan GOP Chairman Saul Anuzis is now without rival in his bid for another term at the helm after Dave DiShaw bowed out of the race. McCain has also come under fire from Romney for his lack of "true conservatism", which is somewhat ironic given some of Romney's stances in Massachusetts. Mitt cannot be happy, on the other hand, with a hit-job of a poll that found 43% of Americans would never vote for a Mormon. I honestly do not see why in the hell this matters, even though I am not a big fan of Romney at this point.
Newt has pledged to be out on the stump, "winning the future" with his bold ideas and policy proposals, so much so that Americans will beg him to run. We will be watching to see how that shakes out; there is nary a politician on air more often than Gingrich. Sam Brownback is at least hiring staffers at this point, and he is bringing on an Ohio CR to coordinate the youth efforts when/if he declares. Rudy is the one who has been most quiet, save filing an exploratory committee the day after McCain. I have yet to hear of any field operatives being dispatched by America's Mayor, but it cannot be too far off. The one thing all of the above did during the election season was to hit the stump hard for GOP candidates, but I do not see this bearing much fruit after so many of those candidates were trounced at the polls. No matter though, as this is shaping up to be a most intriguing contest.

Points to Ponder

By now, everyone knows about the current (sad) state of finances over at the CRNC. I do have to ask, though, are you surprised? If you are surprised, you are indeed naive. Some big donors have pulled the plug on funding them, instead looking to other youth organizations or a more local GOP group to support. Besides the lack of funds incoming, they hired a record number of field reps for this fall (46 by my count in August) and raised the housing allowance 25% to $500. Even if you give yourselves in the office a pay cut for the election season, you are still going to have problems.
Enough of that, though, because no one should be shocked or taken aback at the news. The common sense solution here is to do a better job of fundraising while being as fiscally conservative as possible. If that meant hiring a few less field reps initially to stay in the black, then that is what has to be done. Everyone should understand having a few less reps for the sake of keeping away from Chapter 13. We want to do as much as possible to win elections, but I would like to think that CRs would prefer to still exist as an organization for the next election. Speaking of financial matters, I have been informed that the field program run in Ohio by the OCRF came in well under budget, by at least $35,000 when all is said and done (probably will be higher than this).
It is pretty clear that anyone running around with "compromise" tickets for the upcoming elections (or circus, which I prefer to call it) is just plain wrong. Now, for those who have followed the CR scene for some time, you will remember that Nick Miccarelli's name was floated in the summer by some folks as a consensus draft candidate. Being that he is not interested in running, the people still running around talking him up are wasting their time. Anyone who says Brent Ludeman is a consensus candidate should probably check themselves into the nearest asylum; Charlie Smith is sailing in the same boat. Sure, the two are in the race, but latest word has them announcing at the December in Denver grand gala. Seeing that this race normally shakes out in late winter/CPAC time, this is extremely too early. Besides that, I cannot see them garnering widespread support outside of the Western Caucus (and this I doubt as well).
One more final thought on the CRNC Field Program (for now), and the results it produced this fall. Though there are many stories waiting to be told in the coming weeks and months, I still see the field program as a very good thing with enormous upside and potential. Even with the lack of production of some reps and the underhanded, deceitful dealings with some state federations and individual chapters, new CRs were still recruited and CRs nationwide put in long hours and did the grunt work for numerous campaigns and issues. This program continues to set our organization apart from our counterparts, the College Democrats. However, we must not rest on our laurels and think that it is perfect by any measure; there is always room for innovation and improvement. This absolutely must be a key plank in any winning CRNC candidate's platform in 2007.

CRNC Weekend Roundup

A couple of days ago we reported on a few developments in the CRNC landscape, and one of the biggest pieces of news since then comes to us from Michigan. It has already been reported that Michigan State College Republicans Secretary Steve Japinga will be running for MFCR Chairman, but now, it appears the reign of Dan Carlson is coming to an end. Carlson's handpicked successor is his current Executive Director, Justin Zatkoff. If you find yourself asking why you remember Zatkoff's name, well, he received quite a bit of attention for taking a beating during the summer that pulverized his face (I will spare the pictures, because they are rather unsightly). Allegedly, the beating was at the hands of BAMN, a civil rights organization with a penchant for violence. Now, I never heard the resolution of the investigation, so whether BAMN was behind the curtain or not, I do not know.
Anyhow, it appears that Japinga and Zatkoff will go the full 10 rounds (too soon?) in the bout to be Carlson's successor, as there is apparently some unrest and disagreement over the direction of the state fed. This came to the forefront in the wake of former CRNC Field Rep. Morgan Wilkins' controversial events back in September. Certain chapters supported her, and certain others did not.
After two terms as MFCR Chairman, Dan Carlson is seeking not only passage of his amendment on Elections Appeals at next month's Denver meeting, but apparently higher office. Whether this will be a campaign for the highest office in the land is uncertain, but it is not a secret to anyone that Carlson wishes to be a national player (he ran for re-election as MFCR Chairman with national ambitions as a platform plank).
And now, for the first installment of our new feature, "Insert witty name for an actual segment here":
-In Colorado, Charlie Smith's website has gone off-air after being linked on this and other blogs.
-In Nevada, George Higgins is pondering his stock as a national candidate, and apparently liking what he sees.
-In Virginia, the race to succeed Andrew Lamar as State Chairman is heating up (more on this front soon).
-Inside the Beltway, Morton Blackwell has a birthday bash and serves alcohol (apparently this constitutes a scandal to some). Personally, I think the drinking age should be 18, but to be surprised at an open bar at a D.C. political event is simply naive.
-In Washington state, rumors of a "consensus" national ticket have emerged, and I call bullcrap on this again. I posted this the other day, but here it is again:
Brent Ludeman, Chairman
Lindsay Moffett, Co-Chairman
Nick Miccarelli, 1st Vice Chairman
Mike Miltenberger, 2nd Vice Chairman

Before I head off to watch the Buckeyes, kudos once again to Glenn Beck for an insightful week of the Glenn Beck Program, both on radio and television. Last night, I caught bits and pieces of his full hour with former (and future) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and it was simply brilliant and eye-opening. Netanyahu pulled very few punches for being a politician, and was very forthcoming with his beliefs about the Iranian nuclear program (someone has to take it out). Netanyahu is a visionary in my opinion, and he will be making a comeback soon over there (as will Rick Santorum in PA). Of course, on Wednesday, there was the special on Islamic media and propaganda, which actually showed the real story. Good stuff!

Hail to the Would-Be Chiefs

In my continuing efforts to keep everyone updated on the rapidly-crowding field for the GOP Presidential nomination, here is an update:

Already filed Exploratory Committee:
John McCain (Senator, Arizona)
Rudy Giuliani (former Mayor, New York City)
Duncan Hunter (US Rep., California)

Expected to file soon:
Mitt Romney (outgoing Governor, Massachusetts)
Tommy Thompson (former HHS Secretary, Bush Administration & former Wisconsin Governor)

Expressed interest in the race:
Mike Huckabee (Governor, Arkansas)
Newt Gingrich (former Speaker of the House, Georgia)
Bill Frist (outgoing Senator, Tennessee)

Boehner re-elected to post as GOP Leader

In an unsurprising move this morning, current Majority Leader John Boehner, (R-OH) was re-elected with 168 votes of the GOP caucus, defeating Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), who obtained 27 votes. Texas Rep. Joe Barton, who had dropped out of the race yesterday, still received 1 vote. Next up are elections for Minority Whip, GOP Conference Chair, and NRCC Chairman, with a handful of other less useful posts to be voted upon as well. Judging by Boehner's wide margin, Missouri's Roy Blunt will likely stay on as Whip, albeit in the Minority side this time, but the other races appear to be a toss-up. I would like to see Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) become the Conference Chair, and, in the other races, I don't have a preference one way or another.
I would like to think that Pence's loss will mean more of the same from the House GOP, especially since he was beaten badly, but we shall see. I hope that I am wrong! Finally, a shout-out to the fine folks at Save The GOP! who linked to my CRNC Elections post (more on this forthcoming as several key developments have come down in recent days; stay tuned).

CRNC Race Update

Just a quick update on the candidate field for CRNC Chairman, because a few things of note have happened in the past couple of days. First and foremost, everyone knows that Charlie Smith has been trying to woo supporters since at least mid-summer (more like late spring, but hey, who's counting?). I am not going to name names, but he has had in-depth conversations with several key State Fed. Chairmen, and some have even made the journey to the heart of the Rockies to hash things over with Chairman Charlie. Last night, there was a conference call held for state chairmen and supporters, in an attempt to get everyone else on board with Team Charlie, which was at least the second call. Next month, when the CRNC Board Meeting is held in Denver, all focus will be on Smith and the bash that Colorado CRs are hosting (which serve serve as a platform for a campaign kickoff).
There was also an anonymous post on a blog yesterday of a supposed "Opposition" ticket, but given that it was a blog, and I have heard much differently, I highly doubt the validity here. For your information, here is the alleged ticket:
Chairman-Brent Ludeman
Co-Chairman-Lindsay Moffett
1st Vice-Nick Miccarelli
2nd Vice-Mike Miltenberger
Right. I would(n't) consider voting for that ticket. Anyhow, from what I hear, this is completely ridiculous, and it was probably just a Washington CR promoting his state chair (not that I fault him completely, because I do mention my chair, Brian Siler, quite often. But, yeah, I do not believe that one for a second.
Finally in the potential candidates realm, there is supposedly another candidate not named John Donnelly entering the race soon, and I will go ahead and break this one before it happens. Nevada's George Higgins has been trying to raise his (and Nevada's) profile for the better part of the summer and fall, so do not be surprised when you hear talk of his candidacy very soon. Now there is a very small possibility that this may not hatch, but from where I am at, I hear lots about his unhappiness with the current options. So, says Higgins, why not me? I honestly do not know too much about Nevada CRs, or Higgins personally, so I cannot comment further. Just don't be alarmed when you hear it.
Before I go, here are three websites from either state chairman campaigns or caucus campaigns that are conspicuously still live on the Internet:
Dan Carlson (for Michigan Chairman)
Brent Ludeman (for Western Caucus Chairman)
Charlie Smith (for Western Caucus Chairman)

Taking Stock of the Field

Just to update on where the field of candidates for CRNC Chairman sits now (as far as I know, that is) :

The Incumbent: Chairman H. Paul Gourley

Actively seeking supporters:
Brent Ludeman, Washington
Charlie Smith, Colorado

Draft Movements? Afoot:
John Donnelly, Illinois
Brian Siler, Ohio

The Rumored:
Frank Luna, New Jersey
George Higgins, Nevada

Haven't stated that they are sitting it out:
Mason Harrison, California
Nate Walton, Maine
Andrew Lamar, Virginia
Hugh Derek Hall, Kentucky
Dan Carlson, Michigan

Say they aren't running:
Tom Robins, CRNC Treasurer, Utah
Nick Miccarelli, Pennsylvania

If you know of any others, please enlighten me. There are a few others I have heard about, but did not take them as serious candidates/contenders, as it smelled like self-promotion (not that some of the ones on this list aren't self-promoters, too).

Glenn Beck Program Special TONIGHT!

Glenn Beck is airing a special tonight on his CNN Headline News show about the threat America (and the West) faces from extremist Islam, and just how pervasive these views are in Middle Eastern Muslim culture and media. It will be shocking, to be sure, and you will not see this anywhere else! Check out CNN Headline News tonight at 7, 9, and midnight (all times Eastern).

Sports and Politics: A Death Mix

So apparently, Floyd Landis got the shaft following his Tour de France win, because the laboratory that handled his abnormally high testosterone test evidently "made an administrative error" with his samples. Landis was absolutely destroyed in the media, both stateside and abroad (especially in France, where the Tour is held), and I doubt that this admission of error will do anything to restore his shattered reputation. Landis, who battled a hip injury so severe that he could not walk under his own power throughout July's Tour, captured the hearts of Americans with his small-town heritage and career of constant struggle and strife in cycling. Landis' win extended the streak of American victories in the French event to eight years running, something that was the subject of great disdain to Frenchmen. After trying unsuccessfully to bring down fellow American Lance Armstrong during his run of seven consecutive Tour de France wins on the same charges of doping, maybe they thought Landis could be an easy target. Shame on you World Anti-Doping Association, Dick Pound, and everyone else involved in this despicable smear campaign. The sad part is, Landis will never return to his place of high esteem after this.
This has been in the news for awhile, but now that politicians, specifically San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and California US Sen. Dianne Feinstein, have jumped into the fray, the San Francisco 49ers proposed move is under heavy fire. Feinstein is reportedly looking into the possibilities of passing legislation that would not allow the 49ers to keep both their nickname and "San Francisco" in their team name if they follow through on plans to move a scant 35 miles up the road to Santa Clara. Mayor Newsom is also threatening to pull supporting police officers and use of city transportation on game days. All of this could have been avoided if San Francisco had simply worked harder on joint plans to build a new stadium for the 49ers. Now, in order to gain some political capital, we see these two fine politicians grandstanding on the issue. I love this, because professional sports are clearly the top priority for Feinstein in the US Senate. Issues like Iraq, terrorism, Social Security, Medicare, and tax reform are not nearly as important.
Sen. Feinstein is not the only Senator doing a solid job of grandstanding and smiling for the cameras, though, because the beloved Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania is holding hearings on the NFL Network. To be clear, the NFL Network, a joint venture of the NFL and its owners, is a cable network that will begin to air select NFL games starting on Thanksgiving Day, and running through the end of the regular season. The NFL is the only pro sports league to televise every single game played, and every game is available in that team's home market as well. When ESPN took over Monday Night Football this fall, the same sort of situation the NFL Network games poses, the games were also put on over-air TV broadcasts in the local markets. The NFL Network's games will work the same way, so if your home team is playing on NFL Network, you will still receive it on free local broadcast. Evidently, Sen. Specter is worried that this would violate Anti-Trust laws (it clearly does not), and wants to capitalize on possible hero status, because his state is home to two NFL franchises. All that he accomplished, however, was to look like a pompous prick.
Unless you are the President throwing out a first pitch to a baseball game, or a Congressmen returning to play in your Alumni Marching Band (Pat Tiberi), or two Governors making wagers on big college football games, politics should not mix with sports. Please take heart and learn this!

Housekeeping: E-mail

I have gotten a couple of requests about email, and my email should be available on the Blogger Profile page. For anyone too lazy to click there, you can reach me at redstaterampage@gmail.com

CR News and Notes

First up is this YouTube Video put together (and obstensibly paid for) by the Committee to Draft Donnelly for CRNC Chairman 2007:



Secondly, it appears that Michigan State's Steve Japinga will be challenging current Michigan CR Chairman Dan Carlson, previously of Kalamazoo College. This could be interesting to see develop, because there seems to be a lot of turmoil in Michigan since the election (and in the runup to it) over who is supporting who in the Presidential Primary. Mitt Romney is a Michigan native, but many CR leaders, including Carlson and MFCR Executive Director Justin Zatkoff have jumped on board with Straight Talk America PAC, which is John McCain's Leadership PAC. I am not sure if Japinga's candidacy is motivated by this, but there is a similiar effort to unseat Michigan GOP Chairman Saul Anuzis afoot, under the pretense of lost elections, but from all I have seen, it is 2008 motivated. This would actually be the reverse of Anuzis' situation, though, because he has not joined on with any of the primary candidates as of yet. Other possible motivations would be new leadership, as Carlson has been around since deposing former MFCR Chairman Ryan Cassin during the 2005 CRNC Elections, or a desire for change after lost elections.
As far as the Draft Donnelly video, I think it is well done, but I am very much unsold on Donnelly as a candidate. I would need to see a very solid platform on his behalf in order to consider backing him. I also, admittedly, do not know all that much about the current state of College Republicans in Illinois, and have many misgivings about this being a true "draft" effort. All things I have heard point to Donnelly wishing to carry on Michael Davidson's 2005 fight, which is all fine and dandy, but I think it is time to move past '05 and focus on the future. Many tenets of that campaign live on, as evidenced by the proposed amendments for December's CRNC Board Meeting in Denver and the continued fight for transparency, but we need to get over the fact that Davidson lost, as unfortunate as it may be. Focusing on the past is folly, as one cannot go back to change it. Things are starting to heat up, though, no doubt about it!

Hats off to Univ. of Rhode Island CRs!

I have to throw this up here now, instead of waiting for the later post I am working on. The University of Rhode Island College Republicans are hosting a couple of great events tomorrow and Friday. If I lived even remotely close to URI, I would be there yesterday for these! First up is a fundraiser tomorrow to "Buy a Gun for an Underprivileged Woman", followed by Friday's "White Heterosexual American Male Scholarship", where Ryan Bilodeau's phenomenal CR chapter will be actually giving away a $100 scholarship. Great stuff; solid innovative ideas like this should be applauded and encouraged!

Swimming in the Candidate Pool: CRNC Elections excerpt

This is taken verbatim from the much longer post below.
Next on the list of candidate pools is the June 2007 election for CRNC Chairman. Everyone knows who I like here, but who knows if he will run. This election has only about 60 or so possible candidates, as to my knowledge, only members of the CRNC Executive Board or State Fed. Chairmen/Natl. Committeemen can run. Until he states otherwise, one has to assume that current Chairman H. Paul Gourley will be gunning for re-election. It has been widely reported that CRNC Treasurer Tom Robins of Utah will not be running (obviously not if Gourley runs again), but I am still not sold on this one.
Colorado's Charlie Smith has been attempting to woo supporters for months now, but apparently is having trouble on this front. Same goes for Washington's Brent Ludeman, who has come under much fire on other blogs for failing to come through on promises made in his successful campaign for Western Caucus Chairman. Evidently, Illinois' John Donnelly is being floated around as well, with a recent YouTube video making waves. Kentucky's Hugh Derek Hall should be coming back into play after successfully managing a Congressional race this fall (one of the few!), and he was talked about quite a bit last spring. He didn't keep his spot as National Committeeman for nothing, after all. The kid is very likable, and damn impressive to be sure. The jury is out on Michigan's Dan Carlson as well, who is getting pub (good and a lot of bad) with regards to the proposed CRNC amendments.
If we are going by the states who experienced success last week, there are really only two or three, and only two that have been mentioned as Chairman candidates. California's Mason Harrison was obviously a winner due to Arnold's landslide (bad term for California, I admit) re-election. This is not Mason's only upside, but there are certainly some who would not vote for another kid from Cali (though I am not quite sure why). Tennessee saw Bob Corker keep hold of Frist's Senate seat, but Lindsay Moffett is probably not going to be Chairman. Maine's Nate Walton is one to watch, as he apparently had quite a bit to do with gains made in their State Senate. I don't see him running if Gourley or Robins are in the race, but he would definitely make a ticket.
Others who have been mentioned are Nevada's George Higgins (reportedly is waiting to be asked; he will probably be waiting for awhile, not that that makes him a bad candidate), New Mexico's Scott Darnell (probably not happening), Virginia's outgoing Andrew Lamar, and Nebraska's Scott Strain. Pennsylvania's Nick Miccarelli is always a name bantered about, but I don't see that one as much as a few months back, even though he has garnered much media attention outside of CRs.
As both sides fight it out to see who is going to be 'their guy', most of these names are going to have to settle (or be bought off with) lower ticket spots. This would be a good place to put some of the Chairs who have been around since my high-school days, the careerists, and the just plain power-hungry (only because you cannot just throw them off of a cliff). It is going to be interesting indeed to see how this shakes out. Some chairs just have their own state (or themselves) talking them up, others are being slandered and castigated on blogs because of a perception that they may run, and others are sitting around waiting for someone to ask them to the proverbial dance. The December Board Meeting looms ahead, and there will be no shortage of politicking in Denver.

Swimming in the Candidate Pool...

First things first, I have been just plain lazy with regards to updates on RSR since the elections last Tuesday. Part of this has been due to fatigue, but a lot has been due to a much-needed catching up with life in general, something put by the wayside during election season. A few friends counted me for dead, family had not seen me in months, and the girlfriend was on the verge of quitting that post, so I needed to get back to being a human being again. Anyhow, I have done much thinking and deliberation about the election itself and the ramifications of it, the upcoming CRNC elections, board meeting, and amendments, and, finally, the various upcoming state and national races. Before I get to that, I have also been in discussions with my hometown newspaper, for which I formerly authored a column until the editor left for greener pastures. Since then, I have not had time to write anything for them further, or to even contact the new guy about submitting new work. I have done so over the past week, and I think that the tentative working arrangement is that there is a strong possibility of me penning several upcoming guest columns for possible publication, and we will see where it goes from there. Anyhow, I will keep news of this coming as it develops, and if/when it happens, I will be sure to link to the pieces on this blog. And now, back to regularly scheduled programming.
Since I last wrote, Ken Mehlman (RNC Chairman) has stepped down from his post and has already been replaced by freshman Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL), who will be supplemented by someone else running the day-to-day. Many blogs and pundits have speculated that Mehlman stepped down in the wake of his outing as a homosexual on Larry King Live, but I don't think that was the case. No one was talking about that at all, and even if Mehlman is gay, it should not matter one iota. I would have liked to see someone like Maryland's Michael Steele get the nod for the post, but the Bush team rewards loyalty, and Martinez possesses this as a former Bush Admin. Secretary of HUD. We will see how this plays out (and in Peoria), as the jury in my mind is still out.
Also, the Dept. of Defense has (awaiting confirmation) a new Secretary, Robert Gates, as well, after Donald Rumsfeld stepped down last Wednesday. I both like this and dislike it, as I think his resignation takes away a punching bag and gives the Democrats a chance of developing a bad case of bloodlust. Rumsfeld has done a very good job in terms of transforming the military into a leaner, more agile fighting force, but he has been a pinata of sorts for everything gone wrong in Iraq (Generals with good strategy would be nice! We need a Patton or Sherman badly.). As a friend of mine once said, "If you take yourself down, they cannot keep swinging at you." (Originally spoken about the great Ohioan Brad Hicks, whom I dearly love.) It will also be intriguing to see this one play out, as Gates is an alumnus of Bush 41 (Dir. CIA), and more of HW's staffers and cabinet are coming back into play (James Baker, Brent Scowcroft, etc.) . Rumsfeld will reportedly be indicted in Germany by two enterprising NYC attorneys on war crimes charges (this is a complete joke).
Finally, for now at least, I want to jump cannonball-style into the murky waters we like to call the candidate pool, for several different races. Most prominently, now that the RNC is locked up, is the GOP primary field for the Presidency in '08. It is effectively only a few months until serious campaigning will begin (the past few months of stumping for GOP candidates is what we call "building up a list of favors"), and in a little over a year, primary season kicks off. Already, on our side of the aisle, we have seen several big guns decline interest, including outgoing Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, outgoing Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, Vice-Pres. Dick Cheney, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, and many other Governors. I would think that outgoing Virginia Sen. George Allen is essentially dead in the water as well, and I cannot see Sec. of State Condoleeza Rice entering the fray. We already know that California's US Rep. Duncan Hunter is running (I can't see him being a serious contender), and former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Arizona Sen. John McCain will be running, a la their forming of Exploratory Cmtes. Mitt Romney will be following suit soon, to be sure, and I would expect former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson to do so as well. The only one seeming to talk about Thompson is himself however, so I cannot see him catching on with too many supporters outside Wisconsin. I will be extremely surprised if outgoing New York Gov. George Pataki, outgoing Tennessee Sen. Bill Frist, and Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo do not at least file exploratory committees, as well, and I fully expect Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to take the plunge. Pataki is not one that I see resonating with many voters, and Frist really does not have a very wide appeal (or name recognition, even after time as Majority Leader). Tancredo may gain support, but his campaign will largely be a one-issue run on immigration. Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback, former Speaker Newt Gingrich, and Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel will also test the waters, with Gingrich being the most unlikely, but most viable of the three (and probably the best chance outside of McCain, Romney, and Giuliani to win the thing). Brownback has a clear constituency with Religious Right voters, and Hagel can take the few anti-war GOPers that McCain doesn't get to first, but neither will achieve broad support unless something drastic happens. As always there will be wildcards, but none have availed themselves at this point. Possibilities here would be those no one has even mentioned to this point, folks like Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Indiana Rep. Mike Pence, or Missouri Rep. Roy Blunt.
As it stacks up now, I see only five having a serious shot at the nomination. First, the current anointed frontrunner, John McCain, simply because everyone seems to know him, and he is the closest thing we have to someone all Americans listen to. Secondly, Rudy Giuliani, because he is at least as well-known, and is very respected (especially in blue-state NY). Next up would be Mitt Romney, simply because there is a seat at the table for him in the debate and his near-constant campaigning in the past year. The final two are big possibilities, even if they do run. Newt Gingrich would add so much to the race, and he has much to offer in terms of policy and the like. I love the guy, but I don't think he can actually win a nomination. Finally, even though I don't see them achieving broad-based support, Brownback and Huckabee tie for 5th in my mind. Both would fill a void in the field, but both start way back in name recognition and fundraising (at least initially). We will see how this develops.
Next on the list of candidate pools is the June 2007 election for CRNC Chairman. Everyone knows who I like here, but who knows if he will run. This election has only about 60 or so possible candidates, as to my knowledge, only members of the CRNC Executive Board or State Fed. Chairmen/Natl. Committeemen can run. Until he states otherwise, one has to assume that current Chairman H. Paul Gourley will be gunning for re-election. It has been widely reported that CRNC Treasurer Tom Robins of Utah will not be running (obviously not if Gourley runs again), but I am still not sold on this one.
Colorado's Charlie Smith has been attempting to woo supporters for months now, but apparently is having trouble on this front. Same goes for Washington's Brent Ludeman, who has come under much fire on other blogs for failing to come through on promises made in his successful campaign for Western Caucus Chairman. Evidently, Illinois' John Donnelly is being floated around as well, with a recent YouTube video making waves. Kentucky's Hugh Derek Hall should be coming back into play after successfully managing a Congressional race this fall (one of the few!), and he was talked about quite a bit last spring. He didn't keep his spot as National Committeeman for nothing, after all. The kid is very likable, and damn impressive to be sure. The jury is out on Michigan's Dan Carlson as well, who is getting pub (good and a lot of bad) with regards to the proposed CRNC amendments.
If we are going by the states who experienced success last week, there are really only two or three, and only two that have been mentioned as Chairman candidates. California's Mason Harrison was obviously a winner due to Arnold's landslide (bad term for California, I admit) re-election. This is not Mason's only upside, but there are certainly some who would not vote for another kid from Cali (though I am not quite sure why). Tennessee saw Bob Corker keep hold of Frist's Senate seat, but Lindsay Moffett is probably not going to be Chairman. Maine's Nate Walton is one to watch, as he apparently had quite a bit to do with gains made in their State Senate. I don't see him running if Gourley or Robins are in the race, but he would definitely make a ticket.
Others who have been mentioned are Nevada's George Higgins (reportedly is waiting to be asked; he will probably be waiting for awhile, not that that makes him a bad candidate), New Mexico's Scott Darnell (probably not happening), Virginia's outgoing Andrew Lamar, and Nebraska's Scott Strain. Pennsylvania's Nick Miccarelli is always a name bantered about, but I don't see that one as much as a few months back, even though he has garnered much media attention outside of CRs.
As both sides fight it out to see who is going to be 'their guy', most of these names are going to have to settle (or be bought off with) lower ticket spots. This would be a good place to put some of the Chairs who have been around since my high-school days, the careerists, and the just plain power-hungry (only because you cannot just throw them off of a cliff). It is going to be interesting indeed to see how this shakes out. Some chairs just have their own state (or themselves) talking them up, others are being slandered and castigated on blogs because of a perception that they may run, and others are sitting around waiting for someone to ask them to the proverbial dance. The December Board Meeting looms ahead, and there will be no shortage of politicking in Denver.
The final candidate pool I will wade into for now is the one already emerging for Ohio's 2010 elections. Mike DeWine and Betty Montgomery have both spoken of unfinished business and continued public service, and I doubt either is finished. The sky is most certainly the limit for Auditor-elect Mary Taylor, and I hope that Tom Raga finds his way back somewhere (the man is simply brilliant). Just like Raga, I hope that Jim Trakas is not finished (could he knock off Kucinich?), and his replacement in the Ohio House, Josh Mandel seems a quickly-rising star. John Kasich will always be in the discussion, but no one is ultimately sure of his return. Some say that Jim Petro and Ken Blackwell are not done yet, but I see differently. Petro could run for Senate, but I hear he is looking to retire. As great as Ken is, and as much I agree with his views, I do not see him returning either after the scorched earth of this fall. Rob Portman, now running the Budget Office for Bush, could also make a return to the state scene at some point, too. I would not be too opposed to outgoing LG Bruce Johnson or ex-Gov. Nancy Hollister coming back, either. We shall see...

Moving on...

I will be posting some more in-depth thoughts and reflections on the election later this evening, but for now there are a few quick thoughts to get out there. We must remember, as both conservatives and Republicans, that Democrats succeeded in winning without real strategy, and this should give you hope. As conservatives, we must remember to get back to fighting for what we believe in (ideas) instead of certain Republican candidates (party reputation). I have heard rumblings of GOP cleansings that will be taking place in the coming months, especially here in state, and it is surely needed. This loss cannot really be pinned on just one factor; there are multiple elements at work here that I will discuss later this evening. Here in Ohio, we were at least able to stop the bleeding in our US House delegation, although I am not sure if that was an entirely good thing yet. Citizens of Franklin County and Crawford County lost great Commissioners and great men on Tuesday evening, in Dewey Stokes and Ron Hoeft, respectively. Finally, for now, Tuesday's results will undoubtedly have an impact on the CRNC elections, but I think it has a different impact than everyone is thinking. Hardly a state in the Union went untouched by losses in the GOP ranks, so disqulaifying CRNC candidates based upon that would disqualify almost every State Chair, save a few. I think that it will point out the absolute necessity for change and progress within our organization, because the youth vote turned out in droves for the Democrats. It should be an interesting couple of weeks, to be sure. One last piece of news: after talking with numerous campaigns and party officials over the last couple of days, not one questioned the contributions of Ohio's College Republicans. To a man, they each were more than happy with our work, and for that, I am both grateful that our work was noticed and hopeful for the future of our state fed.

Worshipping at the First Church of Siler...

So, as I sit here waiting for polls to open and last-minute GOTV efforts to get underway in Ohio, I had to check out the witty, academic banter that is the Comments section on CRNC Chatter. Evidently, with all that has been going on over the weekend, people can still find time to trash their favorite College Republicans. Evidently, I am now Brian Siler, even though the last time I checked, my driver's license said something completely different. Evidently, I worship Brian Siler and would enjoy nothing more than an exclusive relationship with him, which was news to my girlfriend to be sure. The worship thing was also news to me, since I actively campaigned against the kid during April's OCRF elections. Evidently correcting false statements and outright slanderous lies about someone is no longer the right thing to do; it is actually looked down upon in CR circles. Evidently, if someone is a "newbie" in the game, a supposed lightweight, you must spend days and days discounting them and their presence. And in absence of a logical argument, why not just call everyone a homosexual? Makes quite a bit of sense, right? I have seen better and more comprehensive arguments from a second grade debate squad (or the Democratic Party). Because if you don't agree 100% with Chairman Gourley, or whoever the leading Opposition figure is that day, you are a subversive scoundrel who just wants to bring down the CRNC. Right. And why attach your name to slanderous posts when you can bask in the anonymity that Al Gore's Internet offers us? That is what I like to call courage and bravery.
What really gets me though, beyond all of the lies and muckraking, is the complete intellectual bankruptcy of these kids. When you don't have any competitive new ideas, slander is the second best option these days. Because where did ideas and innovation ever get Americans or Republicans? Obviously this little rant is not a shining example of good composition, as I am working on very limited sleep at this point in the 72-hour period, but I am truly irked by it all. I have to ask though, how in the heck did anyone have time to post during the PM hours this past weekend? You anonymous kids make claims that Ohio is a terrible state fed. and that Brian Siler is a worthless hack (to parapahrase just about every comment made about him), but why are you not out making phone calls and knocking on doors? If you want to see proof of hard work being done by Ohio's CRs, look no further than the Steve Chabot re-election campaign in OH-1. Bowling Green, Toledo, Bluffton, Heidelberg, and Owens CC loaded up a bus full of their CRs on Sunday, drove 3 and a half hours to Cincinnati, and walked precincts totaling over 7,000 targeted voters. The actual figures of doors knocked are much higher yet, because these CRs went above and beyond and knocked on EVERY SINGLE DOOR IN THESE PRECINCTS! And the list can go on and on and on, with the achievements of great CR chapters at Miami, Ohio State, Xavier, Akron, Franciscan Univ. of Steubenville, Cincinnati, Capital, Columbus State, Dayton, Cedarville, Wright State, Ohio U., and countless others. This is not to say other states aren't pulling their weight, or that Ohio is better than others, but simply to point out that there are more important things to be doing come 3:47 PM on the Saturday before a national election. But hey, you all obviously have your priorities in line.

Terrible day in the NFL

Not really sure what happened in the games today, because I have just seen scores, but I had a second straight week of less than mediocre picks. This is simply inexcusable, and I will do better. After Sunday's games, I am at 7-6 for the day, and 14-13 for the past two weeks. That will probably be 14-14 after the MNF game tomorrow, because I don't see the Raiders winning three in a row, even if the Seahawks have half of the team on the IR. I have no faith in that pick at this point.

Busy Weekend

The Buckeyes got a scare yesterday, which I didn't actually find out about until much later in the evening due to being out knocking on doors and making phone calls for the election. My picks went 8-4 yesterday in the NCAA; we will see how today's NFL schedule turns out. I wanted to pick Maryland for the upset at Clemson after watching them play Florida State last week and taking into account the shellacking that Virginia Tech put on the Tigers, but I just couldn't do it. Missouri burned me for a second week in a row, which means I will probably stay away from them next week, but I think that they are a young team who will just get better. LSU came back on the Volunteers, which doesn't surprise me too much, but I had to pick someone in that game. And South Carolina choked in the first half for the second week in a row at home; again the second burn in a row for me. Come on Syvelle Newton! Anyhow, I will try to throw something on later in the day (read: after 11 PM), but it is just too busy to seriously comment on anything right now. Look for predictions on the election here in Ohio coming possibly tonight or tomorrow, and election wrapup on Wednesday. I will be addressing several pressing local and College Republican issues after Tuesday as well, and I may be getting back to column-writing soon.

NCAA & NFL Picks for the Weekend

I am actually glad that I didn't make it in with these picks before last night, because I thought that West Virginia was going to win that one. Anyhow, the Cardinals have a tough trip ahead to Rutgers next week, but I would hope they get BCS title game considerations if they win out. Anyhow on to the picks (it is pre-Election weekend, and I am infinitely busy):

NCAA Games
#17 Wisconsin over Penn State, 27-17
#19 Clemson over Maryland, 27-23
Missouri over Nebraska, 33-21
#8 Tennessee over #13 LSU, 31-17
#24 Oregon over Washington, 34-27
Houston over Tulsa, 24-20
#4 Texas over Oklahoma State, 27-13
#22 Wake Forest over #16 Boston College, 38-34
South Carolina over #12 Arkansas, 27-24
#10 Cal over UCLA, 35-17
#18 Oklahoma over #21 Texas A&M, 20-13
#23 Virginia Tech over Miami(FL), 23-21
(Last week, 6-4)

NFL Games
Rams over Chiefs, 30-27
Giants over Texans, 34-20
Jaguars over Titans, 24-17
Saints over Buccaneers, 27-16
Cowboys over Redskins, 31-25
Bears over Dolphins, 38-13
Packers over Bills, 20-19
Bengals over Ravens, 27-24
Falcons over Lions, 34-17
49ers over Vikings, 24-16
Broncos over Steelers, 23-19
Chargers over Browns, 31-20
Colts over Patriots, 30-27
Raiders over Seahawks, 19-16
(Last week, 7-7)