May 2, 2007 12:05 AM
California Dreaming
The first big Republican test is coming Thursday night at the Reagan Library, where the presidential candidates will debate.
The question for all 10 of them: Can they measure up? And in 30 seconds each?
Not against each other. But against, say, Ronald Reagan, who has dominated debates before. There are office pools on how often Reagan's name will be mentioned during the 90 minutes. The over-under is 33.
But also, and maybe even more important, can they measure up against Arnold Schwarzenegger? As if debates weren't tough enough, the Governator will apparently be on hand Thursday (says the L.A. Times) to provide the evening with real star power. He'll be the guest of Nancy Reagan, and she won't be the only one staring approvingly at him. So will the candidates. So will the TV cameras.
There are 10 candidates debating, and don't put away your calculator yet. Everyone is waiting for Fred Thompson and maybe Newt Gingrich to join in. The Constitution is keeping Schwarzenegger out, but as Peter Nicholas writes in the Times, he's still in.
The race is to see which candidate Arnold supports. The guess is none, which is what makes it so much fun. Everyone likes to see grown candidates beg. (Mitt Romney visited Schwarzenegger Tuesday, taking his turn.) In the Times article, former state senator Jim Brulte, an Arnold intimate, says he could go any way: "In terms of policy, he's probably closer to Giuliani. In terms of wealth, he's probably closer to Romney. And Fred Thompson is in the same profession he used to be in — acting,"
He likes John McCain. He likes Michael Bloomberg, the Republican New York mayor who has hinted at running as an independent, which qualifies for Republicans as a potential horror flick. I wonder if he knows who Ron Paul is. Or Tom Tancredo.
The Times articles notes that people who have worked for the governor are showing up everywhere. Maybe the most interesting appearance, though, was by his chief of staff, Susan Kennedy, who happens to be a Democrat.
According to the Times: Kennedy, called Schwarzenegger's "most influential aide," attended a Hillary Clinton fund-raiser in San Francisco. And that her domestic parnter, Vicki Martin, contributed $4,600 to the Clinton campaign.
May 10, 2007
7:30 AM
RAM2500 writes:
Intersting, the poor illegals that Nitwin supports, who are here just to better their lives and try to earn a living are the same ones bringing down the wages so 1 in 5 families now struggle to make ends meet (in today's Rocky). jjtarheel, its people like you who talk smack about Tancredo having illegals do work on his house, yet you support the illegal aliens, so which is it?
May 3, 2007
10:36 AM
gary writes:
James,
It appears you and LIttwin can not handle the truth. Illegal immigration is a national concern that the likes of you and Littwin liike to dismiss by calling Tom a crazy. Yes, crazy like a fox. Then jjtarheel likes to condem him since it was "illegals" that work on his house. Then say it is ok for millions of them to be here illegally and work for major corporations, resturants, landscaping etc.
McCain served the military better than you probably did. A lefty using s"whoremonger" is that politically correct for your group. You need to be fired like Imus was. HO HO!
May 3, 2007
10:19 AM
jjtarheel writes:
The Reagan Library will play host to the largest gathering of GOP whoremongers and Vietnam War draft dodgers, of the likes that I have never been seen before. I have two questions for this distingushed bunch of prez wannabes.
Mitt: Do you owe us 3 years in prison? You cut and ran from Vietnam for your Mormon mission because you daddy, Nixon cabinet member, got you a sweetheart racist deal. Elijah Muhammad, and his son Wallace D. Muhammad, sought religious conscientious objector deferments, and both of them served 3 years in federal prison for draft-evasion. If you are elected, will you pay fincancila restitution to the Muhammad clan?
Tom "nuke'em till they glow" Tancredo: I going to blow off the fact your hired criminal illegal Mexicans to perform construction on your home. You did this so you could increase your property's value using pimped and exploited Mexicans. However, you simultaneously, illegally, displaced qualified American workers. Tom, you also violated our national security laws because these criminal illegals had unfettered access to your congressional personal computer. I asked you to assist me in getting my VA and social security (Vietnam) disability pay. For years you have blown me off. However, you did jump through hoops for Duane "Dog" Chapman (draft-dodger, convicted felon, and resident of Honolulu, HI), whe he was facing deportation charges to Mexico for criminal kidnapping. Can I expect to hear from you in the future?
Your favorite,
LCDR, USN, REt.
May 3, 2007
9:55 AM
Corky writes:
Tancredo is an idiot. He has no chance at all. He avoided Vietnam due to "mental health" issues. What makes anyone think he has overcome those problems? Waste of space.
May 3, 2007
9:54 AM
James M. Holmes writes:
Littwin,
Pay no attention to the kool-aid drinkiers like "gary" here. They can't handle the truth. I love your columns and I am a fan. Basically Littwin is the reason I keep the Rocky Mountain News. It sure isn't Carroll's "living in la-la land" opinions...
May 3, 2007
9:04 AM
gary writes:
Well Mike, the Nittwin or Nitwit..
Remember when you said Tom Tancredo had a non-issue (illegal immigration)?? Can you admit you were wrong?? Doubt it!! Just proves how left leaning you are. Your headline is correct...UNBALANCED YES!!
FAIR....NO WAY... we might as well call you Obama Clinton. Too bad you can not report equally and fairly on all candidates..