Liberal, Irreverent

Saturday, March 29, 2008

CNN: Bush gives out wrong hotline number — again

Always the same pattern. Republicans always have problems when come to help the middle class and the poor. I am sure none of them had "problems with numbers" when came to bail out the rich.

LeMonton

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http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/03/28/bush-gives-out-wrong-hotline-number-again/

March 28, 2008
Bush gives out wrong hotline number — again
Posted: 04:00 PM ET

(CNN) – When it comes to a government hotline number for homeowners seeking mortgage relief, President Bush just can't get the digits right.

After a housing roundtable in New Jersey, Bush twice gave out the wrong number in a public statement, saying the relief line was 1-88-995-HOPE – leaving off the third 8 in the area code of the correct number: 1-888-995-HOPE.

At the end of his statement, the president was quietly informed of his mistake and issued a correction.

Bush had trouble with the same number in December when it was first unveiled. Then the president incorrectly said the number was 1-800-995-HOPE.

Anyone who dialed 1-800-995-HOPE did not reach the mortgage hotline, but instead contacted the Freedom Christian Academy — a Texas-based group that provides Christian education home schooling material.

CNN’s Jack Cafferty: Age a bigger factor in election than race, gender?

http://caffertyfile.blogs.cnn.com/2008/03/28/age-a-bigger-factor-in-election-than-race-gender/

March 28, 2008
Age a bigger factor in election than race, gender?
Posted: 06:52 PM ET

FROM CNN’s Jack Cafferty:

While the Democrats sweat it out over how voters perceive race and gender in this election, maybe it’s time for the Republicans to take a look at how Americans feel about electing a 71-year-old man.

If John McCain wins, he will be the oldest person ever to serve a first term as president. And a new survey out suggests that the public might have more doubts about voting for someone of McCain’s age for president than they would for an African-American or a woman.

The NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll shows 72% of those surveyed say voters are ready to elect a qualified black candidate, 18% say they’re not. Meanwhile, 71% say Americans are ready to vote for a woman, 20% say they’re not. But only 61% say the voters are prepared to vote for a person over 70, while 29% say they’re not. Not exactly encouraging numbers for McCain and the Republicans.

Besides his age, McCain has had his share of health issues. He survived 5½ years as a POW in Vietnam, where he was badly mistreated. He’s also been treated for melanoma – a potentially deadly form of skin cancer – four times in the last 15 years. But the Arizona senator is active and keeps up as tough a work schedule as any of the candidates out on the campaign trail.

Doctors say there’s no reason McCain wouldn’t be able to serve as president, although they point out that certain health risks – like heart disease and cancer – a can become bigger factors for people in their 70s.

McCain’s campaign plans to release details of his medical history next month.

Here’s my question to you: When it comes to electability, is John McCain’s age a bigger factor than the Democratic candidates’ race or gender?

Interested to know which ones made it on air

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LeMonton comment: And my favorite from the comments featured by Jack is:
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Raghu writes:
Q. What is John McCain’s Social Security Number?
A. 3
Q. Who are 1 and 2?
A. Adam and Eve

Thursday, March 27, 2008

The media has to stop parroting FOX

It is shameful how low the media is willing to fall for ratings. No wonder thay are losing credibiliuty by tons everyday.


Saturday, March 8, 2008

McCain's Immigration Dilemma

http://www.rightwingwatch.org/2008/02/mccains_immigra.html

February 28, 2008
McCain's Immigration Dilemma

Some GOP strategists are hoping that a John McCain nomination will bolster the party’s appeal to Hispanics after many Republicans jumped on the anti-immigrant bandwagon over the last few years. From the Washington Times:

Two years ago, Republicans fought over immigration and hemorrhaged Hispanic voters. Now they are poised to nominate the one man who can rebuild the Hispanic voter coalition that pushed President Bush twice to victory, the architects of that coalition say.

"I think the only candidate that Republicans have running for president who could retain those votes is in fact Senator McCain," said the Rev. Luis Cortes Jr., president of Esperanza USA, founder of the National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast and a key player in helping Mr. Bush connect with Hispanic voters during his two runs for office.

While McCain did push for comprehensive immigration reform, in his quest to win over the right-wing base he largely abandoned his principled position, as even Cortes admitted. His new “image,” as the AP reports, is enforcement-only:

"He's focusing on enforcement, and in this community, enforcement means deportation, and that means separating more families, and more racial profiling and more of the incredible hardship that is affecting not just immigrants, but native-born Latinos," said Cecilia Munoz of the National Council of La Raza.

It appears McCain plans on walking a tightrope through November, with immigrants and the Hispanic community on one side and the Minuteman wing on the other. His own party may not be too helpful: while the GOP primary-caucus election in Texas on Tuesday may be pro forma, McCain will share the ballot with two anti-immigrant resolutions:

The first measure asks if local, state and federal officials should be required to enforce U.S. immigration laws "to secure our borders." Given the ongoing uproar over illegal immigration, the outcome seems pretty clear.

"I would be shocked if it didn't pass," said Kathy Ward, chairwoman of the Collin County Republican Party.

The second referendum, also related to illegal immigration, calls for legislation to require voters to show photo identification.

The measures won’t become law just yet; rather, they’re a way for the Republican Party to drum up support for anti-immigrant legislation later on:

"We generally look at things we believe the base of the party holds pretty dear," [Mary] Tschoepe [of the State Republican Executive Committee] said. "It gives us a big stick to take to the Legislature. We can say, 'Ninety-two percent of Republican primary voters think a voter ID in order to vote is an important issue. Let's get it done.' " …

Texas legislators are now studying an Oklahoma illegal immigration law that's considered the nation's toughest. People who shelter or conceal undocumented immigrants can be charged with a felony under the law passed last year.

Posted by Ezra at 5:52 PM