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Wow .

On Hardball last night , Chris Matthews had this interesting exchange with Rick Hertzberg (senior editor and staff writer for the “New Yorker"): MATTHEWS: What do you make of Tom Ridge‘s statement that he‘s going to be looking into this. Quote—here‘s what Tom Ridge said today in a late statement. “So let‘s begin the discussion of ideas, with a respectful contest, as Pennsylvania and the nation continue to work collectively through these challenging times.” The very popular two-term governor of this state—Rick Hertzberg, get in on this. This guy‘s pro-choice. He‘s been tough on things like the MX, military waste. He‘s been very independent with people like Dick Cheney. Can he bring back the Rockefeller Republican party? HERTZBERG: Somebody is going to have to eventually. I mean, the Club for Growth is not universally popular in the Republican party. I mean, do you know what Huckabee said about the Club for Growth? This is a year ago December. I interviewed him. He called it the Cl...

Before I get into some of the local stories, let me say that I love voting. It's the only chance average Americans get to have their voices heard without having to donate money or time to vitural strangers. I had a chance to change my political affiliation but decided against it. I really wish Maryland allowed you to vote for anyone in the primaries (just once, of course) because I think with that option, you'd get a real sense of whether or not voters are crossing political lines. Of course, there's always the chance undesirables will try to muck things up, but you don't get anywhere without some risk. This rule is one reason I am not voting Republican. Another is the atrocious candidates. Mike Huckabee says nice things during debates, but in his stump speeches he acts like a guy who wants to convert everyone to his own brand of Christianity. I don't believe people who aren't Christians or aren't religious should be forced to adopt Christianity; this isn...

What better way to re-enter after my hiatus then with comments on the Iowa presidential wannabe results? First things first: Biden and Dodd are out ; even though they have their own share of pluses and minuses, they ran good campaigns. Sadly, it wasn't enough. Over at Crooks and Liars, they have a pretty good breakdown of each candidate, and whether the fans or critics were right . Unfortunately, the spin has already started, because Mitt Romney is implying that Americans want change in "Washington" (read: Congress) more so than in the White House. Which is just about the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Congress changed in the fall of 2006, when the Republican-lead Congress that couldn't care less about preforming their checks and balances gave way to the Democrats. Of course, the Democrats haven't addressed the biggest concerns of their base, but I don't see how Iowa choosing Obama (or Huckabee, for that matter) translates into frustration with Congress (...

Wow. More on Mike Huckabee. After seeing his " Vote for Me If You Love Jesus "ad (and Ron Paul's hilarious response ), I have to say that a Huckabee Administration would no doubt merge Church and State in a way unheard of during the George W. Bush Administration. And to give you an ever clearer picture of how, PERRspectives has not one , but two "Top Ten" lists on Huckabee's more extreme views/quotes, including: Huckabee Enables the Politically-Motivated Parole of Repeat Rapist/Murderer Huckabee Offers Faith-Based Pardons Huckabee Proclaims His Theology Degree a Unique Qualification to Fight Terrorism Huckabee Vows to Take Nation Back for Christ Huckabee Declares Culture War in 1998 Book Huckabee Declares Women Should Graciously Submit to Their Husbands Huckabee Predicts Victory over Islam at the End of Times Huckabee Boasts About Theology Degree He Doesn't Have Huckabee Destroys His State Computer Records - and Church Sermons Huckabee Offers Clemency t...

I don't exactly believe in a person being punished for the actions or another family member, but you have to question Mike Huckabee's parenting skills when you hear stories like this . Now what does this say about Huckabee as a potential president? Well, in regards to his son's actions, not much...but if Huckabee did go to great lengths to cover up Junior's trespasses, who's to say he wouldn't do that if he fucks up during his first term in office? One quick call to the FBI, CIA or Justice Department and...viola! Problem ignored and averted! Things like this are what some people call "Red Flags."

Eugene Robinson asks if Oprah is enough to help Obama win the presidency , and wonders whether today's America is ready for a black president. Oliver Willis calls Dana Perino on her stupidity so I don't have to. Jurassicpork: "For the CIA, the decision to resort to torture is " like flipping a switch ." How convenient. How easy. How utterly monstrous." Glenn Greenwald tells us what some don't want to hear but need to: that there are Democrats in Congress who are essentially enabling the President's more questionable (and borderline illegal) actions. Think Progress provides another reason not to vote for Fred Thompson or Mike Huckabee: their denial of the danger posed by global warming . daveawayfromhome wonders why we can't choose our presidents like in the old days.

The "enemy" would be Mitt Romney. The "enemy of my enemy" and "friend" would be Mike Huckabee/Rudy Giuliani. Crooks and Liars has the goods .

I thought that in politics, when you're the front runner, you should only be paying attention to #2. That the mid-tier guys are pretty much negligible. Well, no one told Mitt Romney that : Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney blasted a rising challenger in the Iowa caucuses Monday, painting former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as a tax-raising, illegal immigrant-coddling liberal and defending his own commitment to conservative causes. "He may be conservative on social issues, but when it comes to economic issues like immigration, he's a liberal on immigration. He fought for tuition breaks for illegal aliens. He raised taxes time and time again as governor of Arkansas," Romney told CNN. Oh no! A Republican candidate that isn't conservative across the board? What will the GOP do? Seriously; is this the best Romney can do? I mean, look at George W. Bush: as president he failed to get an amendment on Gay Marriage like he promised (to the "values voters"...

Meet super villians so lame the Power Pack wouldn't bother with them. Rudy 9 iu 11 ani , via Think Progress. Jurassicpork on Mike Huckabee , the Republican preacher who can't get a prominent conservative religious group to back him, so he has to enlist the aid of Chuck Norris. Read that sentence again. Gilbert Arenas talks about the his new nickname, Sport Guy's recent story , and Starbury.