If it's a good idea, go ahead and do it.
It is much easier to apologize than it is to get permission.
Admiral Grace Hopper
Political Potpourri
Romney is beginning to close the deal. This is the eve of the Louisiana primary, and I haven't seen a recent poll where Santorum is winning by less than a dozen points. But, and I think this is a critical point, it looks that Romney has swung to an over 10-point lead in Wisconsin according to Rasmussen. More importantly, in the Gallup tracking poll, Romney, in the aftermath of his strong Illinois win, has reached the 40% level for the first time and a whopping 14-points over Santorum.
I truly believe that Santorum has lost his mind. His personal attacks on Romney have gotten to the point of irrationality, suggesting no difference between voting for Obama and Romney. You really can't put that genie back in the bottle; I saw a Dick Morris email float by specifying dozens of differences between Romney and Obama.
I have not been happy with the Romney campaign, but strategist Eric Fehrnstrom's Etch-a-Sketch gaffe goes beyond stupidity. Romney has been fighting the populist conservatives for over a year over whether his conservative beliefs are legitimate. I understand what Eric Fehrnstrom was thinking of: Romney has been forced to defend his conservative bona fides, not unlike McCain had to mollify the right wing by stressing his pro-Bush voting record. The problem is that Bush had very little appeal to independents and moderates, and a Bush endorsement in the general campaign was the kiss of death. So Fehrnstrom was trying to send a message to the independents and moderates that Romney is not going to run a right-wing campaign. But when Romney hasn't fully closed the deal, talking about the fall campaign is presumptuous and audacious--and simply reinforces Gingrich's and Santorum's attacks on the alleged unprincipled nature of Romney's conservatism.
Obama's Reaction to the Zimmerman/Martin Shooting
Controversy: An Alternate Opinion
I suppose that Obama was going to speak sooner or later on the controversial, racially-charged incident involving a neighborhood watch Latino man shooting and killing an allegedly unarmed black teenage boy. I heard that Zimmerman was specifically told by the emergency dispatcher not to go after Martin; Zimmerman is reportedly asserting that he shot Martin in self-defense. It seems implausible that a person going after a teenage boy despite explicit warning was shooting in self-defense.
But when Obama ends up coming down squarely in Martin's favor and even suggests that Martin looks like the son he never had, I have a problem with that. Obama is supposed to be safeguarding the Constitution. Mr. Zimmerman is entitled to a fair trial. Obama, in my judgment, was hardly "eloquent" (using the Press Secretary's language): he was irresponsibly personalizing and prejudging the situation and fanning the flames. The Chief Executive should be calming the situation, not inserting himself into it; he should be stressing due process and express confidence in our legal system to address substantiated cases of wrongdoing.
Mr. Zimmerman was already facing serious issues before Martin became known as Obama's virtual son. Obama should know better.
I LOVE Ron Paul's Ads....
Political Humor
An original:
- Well, in the traditional toy department, we know that Romney has his Etch-a-Sketch, Santorum has lost all his marbles, Newt is launching his toy rocket ship to the moon, Ron Paul brought all his toy soldiers home, and Barack Obama thinks his Lionel train set is just super.
Musical Interlude: My Favorite Groups
Little River Band, "Reminiscing"
