Live-Blogging Republicans (Tues.)

Political party conventions are like a sporting event. Everyone gets to cheer their team and trash-talk the opponents. The funny part is that each team takes the field on their own to run up the score for a few days then the other team gets their chance. It's hard to keep score that way.

Just FYI, I'm sticking with Nate Silver's 538 for score keeping even if I've surpassed my ten free views for the month on the NY Times website. They let you get on the main page and only sometimes when you click to read more of a particular posting will the notice pop up to invite you to pay. It's as if the NY Times thinks they built the internet by themselves or something.

Anyway, keep on clicking. I'll have a few updates through the evening. Or I might just give up with all my grouchiness and annoyances.

Newt's Check Bounced

Yes, Santorum is out. Ron Paul is as irrelevant as ever. And Romney is the default Republican nominee for President. What of the newt? You may well ask. According to KSL, the newt campaign bounced its check to pay the filing fee for the Utah Primary, proving once and for all that his candidacy is as big a joke as most of the other also-rans in the Republican race.

I will try to stay positive as this race goes forward with the Governor versus the President. That's going to be really hard because they won't. And now, most of the really entertaining candidates are out.

Romney Can't Lose for Winning

Still the inevitable Republican nominee. Still the best of the Republican field. Still the most electable against President Obama. And it will be a tough and dirty general election. We can expect Romney's money machine to go all out against the President just as it has been carpet-bombing the newt and Rick. He's been outspending them by the bucketful. And a win is a win. I'm talking total delegates - not the states chalked up. With proportional delegates in many states, Romney has more delegates than all the others put together.

The media wants a horse race. Romney and the Republican powers-that-be would love to be going after President Obama right now. The disturbing personalities of the other candidates won't let them. The Republican base won't let them. The Republican base will not desert the party, they just want to vent against Romney. He's not their kind of guy - but he's not Obama! The vote may be depressed and the President could still lose this if the economic recovery falters or other world events or unforeseen disasters go badly.

A Wall of Separation Is Needed between Santorum/Gingrich/Romney and US

Santorum, Gingrich, and yes, even Romney are reminding us why our First Amendment is so important. We are all free to worship, or not, according to the dictates of our own conscience and the government should not in any way establish our religion. The Wall of Separation is a sacred principle to me.

A Newt Is Cheerful

Maybe it was just me, but it didn't seem like there was much to that Republican Debate last night. The newt got in the best line in response to a silly question from John King to describe themselves in one word, the newt looked rather annoyed as each tried to outdo the other on steadfastness and conservative cred. As the last the answer, the newt with his evil grin said, "Cheerful." I'm just glad Romney didn't say, "Severe."

And then there was the first question of the night from the audience by Gilbert from Gilbert. And I was just hoping for someone to say, "Well, Gilbert from Gilbert . . . ." But they didn't.

Bishop Romney? Or Father Rick?

Some pundits have pontificated that Santorum may try to use his late surge to end up as Romney's VP choice. Others say that Romney will need a solid social conservative like Santorum to shore up his base (remember how well that worked for McCain?) But the latest I see is that it may be the other way around. Maybe Romney wants to ingratiate himself to surging Santorum on the culture wars. Or what is Mitt thinking trying to bash the President on the religion issue?

KSL.com had this headline, "Romney says Obama has fought against religion"  And it raises the question, what religion is the President fighting against? Romney's? Or Santorum's? I don't think they're exactly the same, and based on some of the other rhetoric among the Republicans and their religious supporters, there seems to be a bit of a difference of opinion on religious legitimacy.

Romney Is Still Inevitable (Well, for the Nomination)

Don't worry, my friends. Colorado, Minnesota, and Missouri in the Santorum sweep are non-binding primaries. Romney still has every advantage in money, delegates, money, endorsements, money, etc. What he is facing is the inevitable self-destruction of his party trying to figure out who they are. Is it a socially conservative last stand in the culture wars? A lot of that is coming up with all the challenging issues before us out of the 9th Circuit and Health Care reform requirements on women's reproductive choices.

Mitt: Please, Please, Be Your Real Self--More Like Your Dad!

I really wish Mitt Romney could be his true self and more like his dad, George Romney. It bothers me so much that he seems to want to be something he isn't. He is or at least was a perfectly good, moderate and sincere guy. His dad wasn't perfect. There was the famous "brainwashing" comment and the apparently genetic "woodenness," but George Romney was a heroic moderate/liberal in his own way, particularly on Civil Rights. He walked out of the '64 Republican convention over the Goldwater plank opposing the Civil Rights Act.

Even in Mitt's past church service, he was a good guy. He did pretty well under some challenging circumstances. [Full disclosure: I also served as a missionary in a foreign country and as a Mormon Bishop. I have not been Stake President--for which I and many are relieved.] The positive nature of his church service is even acknowledged by serious-minded non-Mormons as evidenced by a fair-minded report from NPR via, the Atlantic Blogger, Ta-Nehisi Coates.

No Surprise New Hampshire

Basingstoke is in old Hampshire. It's kind of a famous boring place as a running gag from Shakespeare through Gilbert & Sullivan to Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Monty Python. I've actually been to Basingstoke in Hampshire (not the one in Westphalia) and driven through a couple of roundabouts. It wasn't that exciting. I've never been to our own New Hampshire. But I've seen it on TV.

Tonight, the New Hampshire Primary came out kind of boring. Romney has a solid win with a third two fifths of the voters furthering his inevitability. Paul had a solid second place furthering his irrelevancy. Huntsman had a disappointing third furthering his demise, at least until 2016. Huntsman is trying to put a good face on it. He did get a very mild spurt, but Cajun James Carville had the best line that 20 points behind Romney is as bad as LSU's loss to Alabama last night. Huntsman was hoping to do much better. But he's not giving up yet! Maybe he thinks his spurt has not yet peaked. But I can't imagine it going well for him in South Carolina.

Iowa Scorecard

Well, Romney was only eight votes from getting Rick-rolled. (Sorry. Couldn't resist. Don't say I didn't warn you!). And I heard some punditry that Romney actually lost against his 2008 Iowa vote total by an even less whopping six votes! That does not bode well for the Republican Party to take back the White House.

The best part about being an unpaid pundit is that I can't get fired. Actually, I didn't do that badly with my predictions. I aced Bachmann quitting. And Perry is next, he just hasn't figured it out yet. And I said the winner would win it by a squeaker, I just had the top three all jumbled.

Santorum, Romney & Paul Win Iowa for Obama

This vote count is going slowly tonight because the top three guys are so close. I won't be able to check my predictions of last week for a while, but I'll be pretty close. I even fell asleep for a minute, and my son changed the channel to the Michigan--Virginia Tech game, which was pretty exciting when I woke up at the end of the second quarter.

Earlier, I had this exchange with my fourteen-year-old trying to convince him to watch CNN with me (and before I dozed off for him to switch the channel). We were watching the projections based on those entering the caucuses:

Son: "So, who do you want to win?"

Me: "Huntsman."

Son (thoughtfully watching the screen): "Dad, he's not going to win."

You Really Ought to Give Iowa a Try

My predictions are:

Ron Paul will squeak out a win in the Iowa Caucus creating all kinds of headlines. Romney will come in second which is still a win. Iowa is not his crowd and Paul can't win the nomination. But Paul's supporters are more motivated than Romney's. Gingrich (again, finally and deservedly) will be soggy toast even if he stays in until South Carolina. Santorum will "surge" just enough to think he can keep going and crash in the next contest. Bachmann and Perry will end their campaigns. Huntsman will come in dead last but not quit because he's got the cash to go to New Hampshire.

Not Beating a Dead Horse Republican Debate

Sorry. Not live-blogging tonight as my wife and I are working on Christmas Cards and watching Home Alone movies. There is some live-blogging that's pretty good over at Andrew Sullivan. Apparently so far, Bachmann scored a point referring to "Newt Romney" [she means both of them] as being just too liberal for her party. Gingrich is maintaining his front-runner arrogance saying the only reason Romney is not a career politician is because he lost to Ted Kennedy. Romney is a little flustered. Santorum says we need allies in our challenges against the Soviet Union. (Hunh?)

LIVE Republican Values Blogging ("Christian" Edition)

Don't know if there's enough Diet Coke in the world to keep be going through these two hours. Even Romney is passing on this Iowa Values Debate. But we'll give it a try. It's not on TV either, but there is a live webcast here. This is in a church. It is purposely a "Christian" test of the Republican candidates (in spite of Art. VI)

Ron Paul challenged on "so help me God." His oath is to the Constitution and Rule of Law - before God. Cain needs God. Bachmann on Washington kissing the Bible. "Without His Hand" we won't get back on track. She got baptized in Iowa (that's both political and religious pandering). She was a sinner and needed Jesus.

Stay Tuned: LIVE Republican Blogging Tonight! 11-12-11 Spanish Inquisition Edition

The last one proved so entertaining and popular, even if I did miss the best part live (you get three guesses- well at least two). We're looking forward to 8 p.m. Eastern tonight for the next Republican Presidential Debate. I finally found a schedule of all the debates. Of course they could let me down by ending up boring again. Yet with the newt now climbing in the polls and attention focused on him, besides all the fall-out from last Wednesday, it really can't help but be entertaining.

So, I'll try to be here live-blogging. Tune in elsewhere to watch or on the internet link above. And keep clicking here for live commentary updates later tonight. (I'll try to get my work done in time - both the laundry and case preparation).

Bloomberg Republican Debate LIVE-BLOGGING

Well, we'll give it a try. My wife is using my netbook because she needs two screens to do her homework to re-certify as a substitute teacher. She already has a few gigs lined up as they still have a shortage of science teachers. With federal pay frozen, tuition, dental, and medical expenses spiking in the family budget, she is going back into the work force. So, Republicans- What are you going to do for us? Oh yeah, cut taxes, cut aid to schools, cut social services, kill health care reform, maybe some more wars. Yeah, we get all that.

Anyway, I'm using my boy's hand-me-down MacBook because our antiquated desktop PC is too darn slow. This keyboard is kinda funky though.  I think I did find the Bloomberg channel - not one I watch much (if ever).

Republicans & Airplanes: LIVE Blogging (attempted)

From the odd venue of the airplane hanger at the Reagan Library. (If they don't believe in Science, well, except for Huntsman and maybe Mitt, how do they explain mechanical flight?)

What a coup that MSNBC snatched Michael Steele. He reminds me of that guy from our freshman dorm we parodied (very kindly) in the end-of-year skits. He had so much fun with it, he joined right in!

Peggy Noonan is good to have - solid Reagan Republican who has it out for the tea party.

Republican Debate June 13, 2011: Live Blog (attempted)

Here we are giving this a try again. John King with CNN is excited. Santorum is peppy in his intro ending abruptly with his 7 children. Bachman also lists 5 children and 23 fosters (nobody will beat that). Gingrich invoking the "Obama Depression."Romney also has kids and kids-in-law but why the self-deprecation about getting it right? Oops Paul just beat Bachman having delivered THOUSANDS of babies. Pawlenty is married and then he sort of lost me (cuz he's kinda boring). Cain- it's about his grandkids too because he's a problem solver.

NH old guy gets to ask a question about jobs. Hispanic guy apparently. Republicans don't have plans for jobs. What are those plans? Mr. Cain? get the economy "boosted" government has put all the money in the caboose. Put the right fuel in the engine which is the private sector.

Boring Republicans for 2012

I heard Chris Matthews of MSNBC say a while back, "Perhaps it's God's will that Obama not have a reasonable opponent out there." The weakness of the Republican field was demonstrated last night with the first candidates debate. While President Obama, newly perceived as cool, tough and decisive (for obvious reasons), was congratulating Special Operations Forces, five of the Republican candidates met in South Carolina for the first debate of this upcoming campaign. Did anybody watch?

Political junkie that I am, I had it on for a while, but it was so boooooring. I did hear Pawlenty's masterfully practiced line on Romneycare, "Well, Governor Romney isn't here to defend himself . . ." and went on with essentially trashing him anyway. Herman Cain was there, the right's favorite African-American, at least since Michael Steele. They were joined by Libertarian hero Ron Paul (apparently, he's not abdicating in favor of his heir this round), culture warrior Santorum, and a competing Republiterian, Gary Johnson, former Governor of New Mexico, pot-smoker, and my one-time dinner companion.

There's a Birther Born Every Minute!

Donald Trump. Come on, people! You have to know he is in this for the self-promotion. There never was a greater huckster since P.T. Barnum himself! I mean no disrespect, but it does tend to link the Birthers and the targets of Barnum's hucksterism. The donald sure knows his audience, though. What is it? Over 50% of Republicans who are Birthers or have doubts? ("If only Obama would just prove he wasn't born in Kenya, Indonesia and every other square foot of the planet, then we might believe he was actually born in Hawaii!")

The donald isn't the only one, either. It always is an odd collection of characters when a party's nomination for president is wide open. But never (that I can think of) has there been such a menagerie of craziness. And not just the donald is using the presidential field for self-boosterism.