TheDailyBanter.com

Who won the Republican debate, and who cares?

By Peter Bauer
Contributing Editor

Last week, the Republicans squared off in yet another round of televised debates. Hosted by CNN and Youtube, it was operated in a format very similar to the last CNN sponsored Democratic Debate.

After watching both parties, it seems there are two types of candidates:  Those tired of the status quo, and those who will be monetarily compelled to continue it.  Aside from outsider candidates Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich, it would be interesting to put candidates into brackets and have them battle all the way to an ultimate face-off, much like a school wide arm wrestling tournament or the movie “Over the Top.” In addition to their debate portion of the broadcast, candidates could showcase a talent, and a winner could be selected at the audience’s discretion via text message.

Anyhow, the debate progressed as follows.

The first seven minutes of the debate allowed “front runners” Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney to square off against each other in a battle of wits over immigration. Nearly seven minutes into the debate Fred Thompson, the Republican’s John Edwards,  got a chance to respond to an immigration question.  Unlike Edwards, who was stationed at the end of the stage in the last debate, Thompson was front and center, to the right of Giuliani.  This kept the big three Media Stars at the center of attention.

Ten minutes into the debate, a fourth candidate got a chance to speak. John McCain was brought into the debate, also answering a question about immigration.  This seems to be the Republican’s version of health care- an issue that the voting base cares about, and one that will likely sway undecided votes.

Giuliani's campaign woes

Keith Olbermann cataloging Guliani's multiple campaign woes. So comforting to see:

Keith Olbermann rips into fascist Giuliani

Rudy Guiliani is about as close to a fascist as possible in the mainstream political spectrum. The former Mayor of New York has tied himself to George Bushes' policy on torture, foreign policy, and economics in a desperate attempt to woo the ultra right. He is positioning himself as more militant than the insane neo cons in office, and sacrificing any credibility he may have had before the election. It will be a sad day if Giuliani wins the presidential election, and the end of American democracy as we know it. Check out the brilliant Keith Olbermann dissecting Giuliani's ridiculous positions on 'Count Down', the only news show in America worth watching.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcYbiCMOxqI&rel=1]

Guliani to Obama: ‘You’re not Ronald Reagan’

By Ben Cohen
Editor in Chief

White Republican males fawn over Ronald Reagan like teenage boys do over Britney Spears. The poster President of 'image over substance' politics, Reagan is credited by his minions for restoring hope to America, ending the cold war and bringing massive peace and prosperity to the world. To everyone grounded in reality, Reagan was actually responsible for destroying the working poor in the U.S, funding terrorism in Latin America while illegally selling weapons to Iran. Contrary to revisionist history, Reagan also had nothing to do with ending the Soviet Union (it collapsed upon itself after years of mismanagement). However, all of this is irrelevant to todays Republican nominees for President, and they are all clamouring to associate themselves with 'Gipper' as he is fondly remembered. And that includes insulting other politicians by telling them that they are 'no Ronald Reagan'...
This particular line became famous when American Democratic vice presidential candidate Lloyd Bentsen said to Senator Dan Quayle 'Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy" in the vice presidential elections in 1988. Seeking to stake his own territory in political put downs, Rudolph Giuliani recently used the quip to disparage Barack Obama.

When addressing the Republican Jewish Coalition, Giuliani referenced Obama's offer to speak with the leaders of Venezuela, Cuba, Iran and North Korea:

"Then he went on to explain that Ronald Reagan negotiated with the communists," said the former Mayor of New York. "I say this most respectfully: You're not Ronald Reagan, you know?"

Obama's camp was quick to respond citing Giuliani's law firm, the Houston-based Bracewell & Giuliani that represents an American subsidiary of an oil company controlled by Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez.

"Given the hefty fee that Hugo Chavez's oil company paid Rudy Giuliani's firm, he apparently thinks we shouldn't talk to Chavez, but it's fine to take his money" said a spokes person.

Giuliani will have to do better than this. Running off his record of one good speech and an association with a dead President, the former Mayor is clearly running out of gimmicks. Having contributed absolutely nothing to the political dialogue, Giuliani seems to have his heart set on continuing Bushes failed agenda, and harking back to a President who was only marginally better than the one in office today.

Obama is no Ronald Reagan, and he is certainly no Rudolph Giuliani. And this is something he should be distinctly proud of.

John Edwards on Guiliani: He’ll never be elected as President

John Edward's spells out why the war mongering Rudolph Guiliani will never be elected as President.


[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2rsPN1Gdmo]

Shut up Giuliani

By Ben Cohen

Former mayor of New York Rudolph Giuliani has just announced his presidential proposal for Health care. Rejecting universal coverage for Americans, Giuliani has offered a free market system based on people having more control over their plans.

"Government cannot take care of you. You've got to take care of yourself," he said. "As more of us do that, the cheaper it will become and the higher in quality it becomes."

So apparently, the idea is that as more people buy insurance, insurance companies lower their prices. This would be possible by giving families a $15,000 tax break to pay for it.

The plan is so ridiculous it is hardly worth discussing. Given the fact that 20% of the population make under $18,500 and 10%, (that's 30 million people) make under $10,500, the tax break means absolutely nothing to those who need it most.

Has Giuliani not been paying attention to the disastrous effects of the free market on the health care system? For the past 30 years, U.S health care has fallen to pieces under market 'liberalization', thanks to the notion that health is a privilege, not a right.

There is no need to go in to the shocking statistics about the U.S system, as most ordinary Americans already know it from their day to day experiences.

Along with his gung ho foreign policy rhetoric, Giuliani is truly out of touch with where most people stand on the issues. In essence, Giuliani is offering a more dangerous alternative to the Bush Administration, given the fact he can actually formulate sentences. If he thinks the U.S is on the right course, that it's health care system is just fine and dandy, and more war is the answer to peace in the Middle East, he will have a rude awakening when faced with an increasingly aware electorate.

Running for President off one good speech delivered after 9/11, Giuliani is about as redundant a politician as you are likely to find. He has nothing new to say, nothing new to offer, and nothing worth listening to.

So, Rudolph, it's time to change your political philosophy or just shut up. END

Pardon’s Make Strange Bedfellows…

I'm not saying there's anything sinister going on, but this article makes me wonder:

(from MCCLATCHY WASHINGTON BUREAU)

Commutation links diverse cast
By William Douglas

WASHINGTON -- Call it "Six Degrees of Political Separation" or "the Kevin Bacon Game Goes to Washington."

President Bush's commutation of Lewis "Scooter" Libby's prison sentence highlights some interesting connections between Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff, a former fugitive from justice, an ex-president and two leading 2008 White House hopefuls.

Before entering government, Libby was a private attorney who represented billionaire international commodities trader Marc Rich.

Rich was indicted in 1983 by then-U.S. Attorney Rudy Giuliani on charges of tax evasion and illegal dealing with Iran during the American hostage crisis.

Rich fled to Switzerland. He also occupied a spot on the FBI's Most Wanted List for many years.

Read full article here