Its the Great Pumpkin, Tom Tancredo

This piece was originally produced for Huffington Post's Off the Bus project.

Keene, NH -

A storm blew through New Hampshire on Friday, pouring rain and gusting warm winds through wet trees and knocking down millions of leaves onto forest floors, front lawns and city sidewalks. When the sun came out on Saturday, the combination of the orange and red leaf-strewn ground with the bright blue sky made for New England autumn at its finest. Toss in Keene's wide, plaza-like main street with tens of thousands of jack-o-lanterns, seventy-odd thousand people, and the constant aroma of pumpkin pie, sausage, and cider donuts, and you get the annual Keene Pumpkin Festival in idyllic Hollywood conditions.

Thank God for those smells, too. Not only were they mouthwatering but they masked the rotten, earthy stench of those same brilliant leaves that filled my nose throughout the mile long walk from my car to the festival. It was a perfect setting for a scene of 50,000 plus jammed into a small town--a bunch of gritty people hidden behind perfume and costumes, and whether they knew it or not they were about to be confronted by one of the eight remaining Republican Presidential candidates.

So it was that I finished my walk toward Main Street, with the real smells of the season giving way to the false smells of seasoned meat, when I happened upon what I was looking for: a pickup truck with billboards attached to either side, each sporting a huge picture of Rep. Tom Tancredo on one half, and his platform written on the other.

*End Illegal Immigration
*Secure Our Borders
*No Amnesty
*Pro-Life & Second Amendment.

Critics maintain that Tancredo is a one issue candidate. But judging from the billboard, he is actually a three issue candidate, with guns and abortion crammed into the last bullet point. But most importantly, the sign maintains:

It's Your Country, Take It Back.

I met up with the candidate next to that truck, accompanied by two staffers and two supporters clad in Tancredo for President t-shirts whose motto, inscribed on the back in military-style stencil font, said I'm a member of Tom's Army against amnesty.

Within minutes a few more supporters had gathered around, one of whom was a member of the Minutemen who had driven up from Massachusetts to pay his regards and trade stories with the Congressman about the shameful state of our Southern border. Likewise in response, a gentleman strode halfway across the street to berate him about the true causes of immigration troubles, which he believed to be poverty. Tancredo ignored the man, and was consoled by a woman who called the protester a coward, and then wished Tancredo well as he headed out to campaign.

"Secure that border!" she called out as we all walked away, a look of great pride spread across her face as she paused before turning and walking to her car.

One liners like that, but with a slightly different spin, wound up dominating the day as we walked through the crowd. Passersby had the following things to say about Tancredo: I've never heard of that one; I hate political crap; Never heard of his name. The last one uttered by a guy wearing a t-shirt with a picture of Mickey Mouse flipping the bird.

The clincher came toward the end: "So you're bringing the racists to Keene. Great, great." That from a guy who kind of looked like Paul Simon (the singer, not the Senator), and wore a Viking helmet for his Halloween costume.

Fear not, conservatives, it wasn't all negative. One of the first stores we entered was a combination cigar and picture frame shop that happened to offer home made cannolis and free coffee. Tancredo savored his cannoli as three or four people timidly walked up to him to express their awe.

"Oh my God, look who's here! Tom Tancredo!"

After pressing the flesh a little bit and enjoying the support of the cigar store customers, the Congressman grabbed a cup of coffee and forged back into the streets, which were lined with kids dressed as black cats, vampires, and Gimlis, while adults were going as the King, a slutty witch, a voodoo shaman, and all the Hillary supporters were decked out in orange pumpkin garbage bags with holes cut out for their head and arms.

Upon leaving the cigar store, we all gathered in the middle of the street to meet up with a supporter who had just arrived. The staffers all began chatting with each other, while Rep. Tancredo finished a conversation with a well-wisher. After he was done he slowly wandered down the busy street, thoughtfully looking around at the vendors and smiling at the little kinds eating cotton candy. What didn't dawn on him was that all of his people were still a hundred yards behind him.

I wanted to tell him to turn around, but he seemed to be enjoying himself too much. I didn't want to ruin the moment. He eventually caught on, as he spun on a dime and shot me a puzzled look.

"Where did they all go?"

"Uh, they're still back there, sir."

Suddenly it was awkward, and time for the Congressman to make small talk. He asked me if I had heard that they used to have the world record for the most pumpkins here in Keene, but Boston topped them a couple of years ago. I acknowledged that I had read it, but couldn't remember what the exact record was.

He told me that it didn't seem right that Boston could compete against Keene for the pumpkin record. "It just isn't fair."

I almost mentioned how that sounded a lot like socialism, but I held my tongue. "You're right," I laughed. "They should pick on someone their own size."

Shortly after we returned to the entourage, Tancredo's right hand man revealed that it was almost time to go. We had to turn around immediately and head back to the car. The supporters, who were all wistfully aware that the end was nigh for this particular Tancredo fix, started to vocalize their passion more and more.

"He gets the big picture. Its not about me, its not about you, its about the heritage," they said to one another.

As it became clear that Tancredo himself, in spite of being the only candidate with the gumption to show up to Pumpkin Fest in person, wasn't going to go out of his way to introduce himself to the voters, the supporters called out to the crowd.

"Come on and meet him! Come on and meet him! He's a great guy, very personable," they called to little effect.

But still, the people did not come. Something about pumpkins and fresh food took precedent over politics.

After all, the Keene Pumpkin Festival is all about lighting up Jack-o-lanterns, so it makes sense that any candidate visit would be incomplete without its own pumpkin. Sure enough, Tancredo's supporters had carved a pumpkin for him, and it was a beauty. It said Tancredo '08, and had the American flag on it. It took the artist two hours to make, and they were two hours well spent.

So they, along with the other 25,000 carvers represented in Keene, had to find a place to put the Tancredo pumpkin. This particular gourd was huge, and the poor guy carrying it around was struggling from step one. I noticed this and immediately pointed him toward the booth where people registered their pumpkins for the official Jack-o-lantern count before placing the pumpkins one of the many racks set up in town.

There were three-shelved racks lining the entire Main Street of Keene, each one filled with pumpkins, as well as a major tower at either end of the street standing some seventy feet high and full of jack-o-lanterns. Around this tower was a two-tiered border, a fence if you will, of pumpkin shelves almost entirely full of the carved orange goodies.

Directly in front of the pumpkin tower, in prime real estate, was an eight-inch patch of empty plywood just screaming for a big pumpkin to fill the void. The only problem was that it sat horrifyingly just out of reach. There it was--the promised land, a perfect parcel to kick-start one's destiny--in clear vision, but still a painfully tantalizing four feet away.

To make matters worse, the barrier that kept Tancredo from setting his pumpkin where it seemed to belong was annoyingly small. They eyeballed, reached out in vain, and finally realized that the only way to get their prize was to take matters into their own hands and cross the fence.

So, with the wink of an eye, one of Tancredo's men walked about ten yards to the right, around the side of the shelf where the fence was a weakened strip of yellow caution tape. He looked left and right, ducked underneath, and casually placed the Jack-o-lantern front and center where it would live to make its own way in the Keene Pumpkin Festival, and maybe even to earn a living wage and to give its own pumpkin children a chance at a good education.

But Will It Play in Skaneateles?

Snow Pond, NH -

Or for that matter, Punxsutawney.

For this Sunday's must-read column we're taking a break from Frank Rich and heading south to the Washington Post. They have a great feature this week on the Hillary Clinton upstate New York theory, and its potential flaws. Whenever I have seen the Clintons on the stump, Bill has always talked about Hillary's overwhelming victories in Republican-leaning Upstate New York. Taken at face value, it is a pretty convincing argument that Hillary moved from a 3-point deficit in 2000 to at 61% take of the Upstate vote in her re-election bid.

What the campaign doesn't say is that Gore outpolled her Upstate in 2000 before she was able to pork barrel her way into their favor, and both Chuck Schumer (72%) and Elliot Spitzer (69%) have won their recent statewide elections with more votes than Hillary (67%).

In other words, she's hardly the rural juggernaut her campaign is making her out to be, especially since her 2006 opponent was, in the words of Dick Vitale, cupcake city, baby! Dennis Kucinich probably could have been elected Senator in New York in '06 if he was facing John Spencer.

In fact, the article quotes same backyard Upstaters that Clinton has so cheerily adopted have the same concerns about her character that everyone else has.

"I don't like her. I don't think she's honest," said Jim Morelli, a construction equipment salesman.

"I'm not a fan at all. She shifts a lot of her policies depending on what the question is," said Wendy Leffler, a development officer with a hospice care agency. "I don't feel her values are consistent."

Wait, do you mean shifting policies like voting for Kyl-Liebermann one day, and then latching on to Jim Webb to water it down the next?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying she's unelectable. I think she can do it if she makes the general. But it won't be by winning over kindly dairy farmers and GOP-leaning rural business leaders. She'll win it by doing things like raising nearly five times more from military contractors than any other Democrat, and almost double any Republican.

But its not just her, they've given more to Dems this time than to GOPers. And if there is one thing we know about the Military-Industrial complex, it is that they like to win. And if there is another thing we know about them, it is that they resemble Borat's sister in they both a-like to make MONEY!

I understand that people who work for weapons makers and lobbyists are "real people" who have the right to make political donations, but if I was a Democrat I would do my darnedest to make sure that my candidates would actually be able to distinguish themselves from the "real people" who pull the purse strings in Washington to the "real people" in the rural swing states who make the decisions to put the candidates in office.

Week 7 NFL Picks

Here are the week 7 picks

HOUSTON over Tennessee
Baltimore over BUFFALO
DETROIT over Tampa Bay
WASHINGTON over Arizona
NY GIANTS over San Francisco
NEW ORLEANS over Atlanta
New England over MIAMI
OAKLAND over Kansas City
CINCINNATI over NY Jets
DALLAS over Minnesota
PHILADELPHIA over Chicago
SEATTLE over St. Louis (God, I hope so)
Pittsburgh over DENVER
Indianapolis over JACKSONVILLE


Last Week: 7-6
Year to Date: 17-10

Pimpin' All Over the World Wide Web

Snow Pond, NH -

We are expanding our audience here at 3Q!

Starting today, you will begin to see some of my work at Huffington Post Off the Bus. I plan on writing one or two articles each week for them, so be sure to check me out on the big stage and tell your friends! Right now they are featuring my latest post on the climate convention from last weekend.

I have also recently collaborated with one of today's most brilliant satirical minds, Noah Berkowitz, to produce a piece about Ron Paul for his Noah Lot More blog. Please check it out, and spread the word! The link to the article is here: Ron Paul Event Leaves Thousands of College Students Confused.


You know how we do, with the fancy cars, the women and the caviar.


All over the Granite State,
BTB

Notes from Conference Call with Bill Richardson

Concord, NH -

I just sat in on a media conference call with Governor Bill Richardson to discuss 4 major threats of the 21st century. I missed bits and pieces, but here are my notes. I gotta run off to work. Back to blog more later.

P.S. I asked the third question. Woo hoo!

----------------
4 major threats of the 21st century
refugees, climate change, endemic diseases and ______
(global poverty?)
Marshall Plan includes....
reform UN


How has Iraq changed people's opinions on internationalism?
"I believe it has heightened the American public's interest in postive engagement"

Exert public leadership on climate change.
They want to see America do the right things.
Resources waste on Iraq an issue
soured on iraq but not international relations

How does this plan set you apart from your rivlas?
Lays out specificity on what you would do
not only do I lay out a broad agenda but I would do more

What about Iraqi refugees? Would you allow more into US, would you seek to urge our allies to do the same?
yes, I would definitely increase and facilitate
its a nightmare, huge senseless blockages of red tape
I would also urge other countries besides Jordan
I would have an aggressive policy

NY Times

You're on notice!

For the second day in a row The Caucus, the Times' political blog, has published a grievous error. For the second day in a row, I have called them on it.

Yesterday they called Howard Dean "John Dean" and today they mistakenly regurgitated the "news" that Marc Ambinder reported Jeb Bush endorsing Giuliani. In fact, it was Jeb Bush, JUNIOR.

I know it can be tough dealing with political dynasty families since they lack the creativity in their pride-stuffed brains to do anything but name their children after themselves, but you're the New York f'in Times. Don't be an idiot. Seriously. Its not even like they simply misconstrued the name. They went out of their way to call him the former FL governor. As if Jeb would do that right now. It boggles my mind.

I'm on a Bush league computer so I don't know if the links are working, but here it is. They may have changed it by now.
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/18/the-early-read-dubious-campaign-donations/

Clean Air Cool Planet Conference Part I

Manchester, NH -

The Clean Air Cool Planet Conference met this weekend at the Manchester Radisson. In addition to providing a forum for discussions on environmental policy, renewable energy options, and the effects of climate on wildlife, the CACPC gave the current slate of presidential candidates an opportunity to speak to the 550 registered guests whose work is at the forefront of today’s environmental frontier. The motto of the group the put on the conference is, “Clean Air-Cool Planet creates partnerships in the Northeast to implement solutions to climate change and build constituencies for effective climate policies and actions.” In other words, these were a mixture of leading academics, sustainable entrepreneurs, environmental non-profit workers and concerned citizens.

Furthermore, the list of non-candidate speakers was impressive. It included author Bill McKibben, former EPA administrator Christine Todd Whitman, and Stonyfield Yogurt CEO Gary Hirshberg. Not only that, but invitations to speak were sent to all seventeen of the Democratic and Republican Presidential candidates. The organizers were certainly looking to make the $550 price tag of the conference worth the money, if nothing else. Yet of the seventeen invited, only four accepted. They were Democrats Bill Richardson and Dennis Kucinich, and Republicans John McCain and Mike Huckabee.

Richardson spoke Friday afternoon to a packed house, immediately following a rollicking session on the direction of state and federal environmental policy. If the conference estimated attendance at 550, I can tell you they were all there in the heart of the Friday program. I had to cherry-pick a seat during the brief recess before Richardson came on, when everyone got up to use the bathroom, grab a cookie and sneak one more peak at the vendors set up along the wall.

So down I sat, at a table near the back, making sure to spread my pointy elbows, flaunt my makeshift press pass, and glance around in a manner both menacing and harried. This was Bill Richardson speaking, and I needed a wide berth. Finally comfortable enough to half relax after a minute or two, I peered around the room, which was elegantly decorated with white holiday lights dangling from the girders of an old brick armory building, which doubles as a conference center here at the Radisson.

As Richardson was being introduced, I couldn’t help but notice that the acoustics are terrible. I actually felt like Bill Richardson at the debates, struggling to hear the moderator. Only in my case I was supposed to have a multi-speaker sound system blaring the words from six different angles with thousands of carbon-emitting watts powering the noise. Instead, I concentrated hard and hoped that the applause would be light.

No sooner than I had braced myself for a quiet riot, I was jolted out of my stupor when Richardson came up to the podium with Buster Poindexter’s “Hot Hot Hot” blaring from the speakers.

“Pretty wild, huh?” Richardson said with a laugh. The song seemed to legitimately catch him by surprise. He then went into his classic starter joke as the crowd applauded his arrival, with some taking to their feet to do so.

“Thank you for standing,” Richardson quipped with his unique, full-faced smile. “I thought you were leaving.”

He began his remarks by saying that conferences like this were the ones he enjoyed most, because “these are where real solutions are coming from.” Richardson went on to talk about the do-nothing culture of congress, most notably in the field of energy.

Referring to the bill Congress proposed this spring requiring a CAFE standard of 35mpg, Richardson said, “you know what that is? That’s pathetic. It should be 50. Minimum.”

Richardson then used platform to cite his performance as a governor, which has been a hallmark of his campaign strategy so far. He said that he was the first governor to call for his state to follow Kyoto standards, even if Bush wouldn’t. He evoked bipartisan cooperation with Arnold Schwarzenegger as he joked that “The Governor of California and I like to compete as to who is the energy state. But in person I always tell him that he is because he’s bigger than me.”

From there he launched into the bigger picture, saying that America has had an energy problem for thirty-five years, and a change would have to come from the American people, and not just from incremental bills in the Congress. He touted the various regional energy strengths of our nation, with biomass and coal in the Midwest, wind and solar in the Southwest, and wave energy on the coasts. Richardson also touched on the major principles of his energy policies.

He is big into points. There is a four-point philosophy for his energy policy which must:
1) Fight global warming (at this point he toasted Al Gore with his water glass, and joked that he hoped he didn‘t enter the race)
2) Wean us off of oil
3) Support and help people, industry and small businesses who are hurt by high prices today
4) Set clear regulatory standards and let market react

Then there was the Five Point Plan to break oil addiction, strengthen security and create jobs.
1) By 2020 reduce oil consumption to 10 million barrels per day with plug-in cars, efficient utilities, renewable energy and commuter rail.
2) Create new efficiencies in electric energy sector by mandating utilities to use renewables
3) Reduce greenhouse gas emissions 20% by 2020, and 80% by 2040
4) Improve math, science and engineering in our education policy
5) Become the leader of new the energy future

Yet Richardson’s politics aren’t all caught up in bullet points. He also takes the stand of what might best be called the pragmatic progressive. By that I mean that he both acknowledged that our foreign policy is dominated by the Exxons and Halliburtons of the world, and yet was still willing to say, “I want to invite oil companies to become energy companies.”

Richardson, for better or worse, seems to be one of the few candidates willing to ride the line of condemning the status quo while inviting it along for a better ride into the future. Regarding our energy policy he said, “we need to change fast or sink slowly.”

But perhaps my favorite part of the entire speech was when Richardson rhetorically asked, “What is more important to the country and the world than quality of life?”

Because quality of life, in a nutshell, is the political arm of the environmental movement, if not contemporary politics in general. Better yet, I had never head a Presidential candidate address that issue before. Scientists may implore that we save species for their own sake, but voters across America do it because they like to be able to see salamanders, badgers, red foxes and ospreys when they hike and hunt and drive. Voters in New Hampshire like to know that they will still be able to have maple syrup from the farm down the road in another ten years, and skiing in the winter.

Bill Richardson speaks to these things. He makes it clear that he proposes what some say is the strongest energy policy, while at the same time acknowledging a respect for market forces and the boon of tax incentives. He talks of economic growth and ecological sustainability. But most importantly, as I said, he brought up quality of life. After all, no matter how much money we make or how much energy we save, what is it all worth if we can’t enjoy the natural world around us? For all the time he spent on the former, it is really the latter that made the most difference in his speech.


More to come...

Mea Culpa Manifesto

Snow Pond, NH -

I will be the first to admit I have become a hack. Yes, that spineless breed of dime-a-dozen wannabes who call themselves journalists while they wear their fancy suits and spit out the same old bullshit day in and day out. I haven't written anything live in weeks, and have been relying on news analysis to keep the blog afloat. Next time you see me feel free to slap me. This is not what I came to do.

Excuses abound. These past two weeks have brought a change in the blog life, and not just on account of the coming of the red leaves. I have begun working a couple of day jobs to keep the bills in the blue, and as a result both writing and candidate time have been drastically slashed. The buck stops here, though. I was spending like whatever drunken sailors had been at the helm of the McCain campaign last spring while only bringing it in like Chris Dodd. 7,000 miles on the Sentra's odometer and 350 IPAs from Granite State watering holes later and a shakeup was needed. Hell, I even needed to postpone my bar review column until I could afford to better investigate my subjects.

Enter today's confession as I sit here on the ground floor of the barn with the computer on my lap and the last drops of my bottle of Elijah Craig filling a glass next to me. And so I make a renewed commitment to excellence, such a commitment not made since May Day of 2002, when I beat the odds to run my first ever sub-10 minute beer mile in a then-blistering 8:09. By God I will not be a mom's basement blogger. By God I will be on the campaign trail, witnessing the speeches, watching the crowds, working the word processors and seeking truth for all you non-Granite Staters, and even a few of you lucky enough to be here.

Let's do this. Let's Regulate.

Ahoy,
BTB

More Terrorist Hate

Snow Pond, NH -

I have a theory. Rudy Giuliani is using this primary election to bolster his chances at becoming the next POTUS by increasing the chances of a terrorist attack, while simultaneously casting himself as the terrorist fighter. The Post reported yesterday on Rudy's hotel room spending, which included a two grand stay in West Virginia, a four grand stay outside of San Diego, and a FIVE grand stay in San Francisco. Five thousand dollars...for a NIGHT. I'm sorry, but the sex with Judy can't possibly be worth that much.

"I don't give a damn whether he's staying at Motel 6 or Ritz Carlton," said one Giuliani bundler. "What I care about is where he is in the polls."

You're a bundler. Of course you think that.

If news of this were to ever reach a desperately poor Iraqi whose family had just been killed by a bomb and was wavering about whether or not to become a terrorist, I bet dollars to donuts that this would tip him over the edge.

So there you have it. More gratuitous behavior from Giuliani. More terrorists. More fear. More Giuliani. Hey, its a strategy.

Then on the other side we have....Bernie!

Robert Frank, a Wall Street Journal reporter, has detailed the lives of the rich and famous in the book Richistan. He writes that households with a net worth of between $100 million and $1 billion last year spent an average of $182,000 on watches. Meanwhile, in the real world, 400,000 qualified students were unable to go to college because they lacked the funds.

Eat the rich.

Just When You Thought It Was Safe...

Tilton, NH -

Hate to be such a media regurgitator, but I am working on a couple of longer pieces here at 3Q that just seem to be never ending. In the meantime, what I post is what I think ought to be heard.

So just when you thought it was safe to put all your lockbox jokes in a...lockbox, check this out: Al Gore has posted three brief videos on his Current TV addressing the issues of health care, troop removal and the abuse of executive power.

But wait, we are all so convinced that he isn't running, right?

Could it be that he is just trying to impact the race from the sidelines by scaring the Democratic frontrunners into taking more legitimate positions on the issues, and start doing a better job of leading on the things that more and more Americans care about - single payer health care, abolishing the Patriot Act and removing the troops and ending the war?

Or is he preparing for a blind side right when the media and primary scrutiny on Hillary hits it's apex?

Either way, Democrats, when Goracle speaks it is wise to listen.

Ol' Al Gore, as they say down at Red State, sure seems to have his finger on the "current" of America's heart beat.


Credit is due to the Peace Czar for alerting me to the Current links.

Felons and Filings

Tilton, NH -

The shit hit the fan today, as the official filing period began for candidates wishing to have their names placed on the New Hampshire ballot. The first to show up, not surprisingly, was Robert Haines, the now four-time candidate who can be seen frequently on the streets of Manchester. In addition to Haines, another Republican filed today, Jack Shepard, who happens to be a fugitive from the law. It just goes to show that in the world of Presidential politics, we are never too far removed from Richard Nixon and Lyndon LaRouche. Ahh, La Rouche, such fond memories.

Straw Poll Paul

Snow Pond, NH -

Reports are in that Ron Paul has won yet another straw poll, this time at Nevada's Conservative Leadership Conference.

Paul - 32%
McCain - 17%
Hunter - 15%

Not only does this lend credence to the Ron Paul relevance theory, as evidenced by his straw poll dominance, but it carries some importance because it is one of the first times that Duncan Hunter has scored above the margin of error. He obviously has no shot at the nomination, but will a 10%+ showing in the Western states play a spoiler role in a divided primary?

Moreover, I want to weigh in on the screed caused by Romney's "Republican wing of the Republican party" comment. CNN stole my thunder when they juxtaposed that story with the one about Leo and Clooney set to work on a Howard Dean movie. Let's be honest, can you honestly tell me that Hollywood Mitt wasn't having visions of Matt Damon playing him in a high profile 2012 movie about an early front-running candidate who represents the ____ wing of the ____ party? Seriously. Mitt would love to be President, but I bet he would be content with the consolation prize of a movie about his life and candidacy, maybe called Blowin' in the Wind or something like that.

Peace Vigil(ant) Sunday

Plymouth, NH -

Full disclosure: I am going to ride Frank Rich all they way into oblivion if I have to, as long as he keeps writing about the war. I once again urge you to read this week's piece in the Times. Regrettably, we still need to be reminded of this on a weekly basis. Congress, tear down this war!

In addition to calling the alarm on the folly of military contractors and the callous immorality of the Bush Administration's puppeteering of American military politics, he closes with this:

Our humanity has been compromised by those who use Gestapo tactics in our war. The longer we stand idly by while they do so, the more we resemble those “good Germans” who professed ignorance of their own Gestapo. It’s up to us to wake up our somnambulant Congress to challenge administration policy every day. Let the war’s last supporters filibuster all night if they want to. There is nothing left to lose except whatever remains of our country’s good name.

Think about it.

Lucky me, I headed north this morning for a breath of mountain air and maybe a long-ish run through a forest somewhere in the White Mountain National Forest. Likewise I'm sure all you, dear readers, will find some similar lazy Sunday pursuit to soothe your jangled nerves before the return of the work week. But remember as you mow your lawn and leaf peep and watch your favorite NFL team, that when you have people patrolling the streets with machine guns and extended sections of your city without power, watching tv and taking leisurely walks aren't all that easy to do.



Plus, that shit's expensive. And there's no dancing.

Climate Conference

I spent some time Friday and today in Manchester at the Clean Air Cool Planet conference on energy and climate change. I should have a longer piece up about it tomorrow. The combination of traffic in Netwon, MA and a long Friday night kept me from McCain, but I was able to hear from Richardson, Kucinich and Huckabee. The Trifecta, if you will.

See you on the trail,
BTB

Gravel Hits the Concord Big Time

Concord, NH -

Chris Dodd's not the only one hyping Red Sox baseball, and Draft Gore's not the only one taking out full page ads these days. On page B3 of today's Concord Monitor, a Mike Gravel supporter has purchased the entire page to tout the candidacy of the former Alaska Senator.

At the top of the ad it says this:

"The Red Sox and Patriots used to be underdogs, too"

Then at the bottom is says, "Root for" and shows a waving pennant with the words "Mike Gravel" written upon it.

The fine print at the bottom encourages people to e-mail or telephone a man named Gregory to receive their free Gravel yard sign.

This advertisement comes as the Senator begins his first New Hampshire trip in ages. He will be in the Granite State for a few events this weekend tied to climate change and independent voters. So there you have it, folks, Gravel isn't just in it to embarrass the frontunners at the debates. He's in it to win it!

Gore Got It!

Concord, NH -

Flipped on the internets this morning and what do I see?

"The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded today to Al Gore, the former American vice president, and to the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for their work to alert the world to the threat of global warming."

Well, Draft Gore, it's now or never. Speaking of which, I will be heading to the Clean Air-Cool Planet conference this weekend, which includes some powwow time with the DG visibility group, as well as Richardson, Huckabee, Kooch, McCain and allegedly Gravel. Can't wait.

Peace through procurement of calamitous carbon?

They're callin' it!

NFL Picks Week 6

Week 6 Picks

CHICAGO over Minnesota
CLEVELAND over Miami
GREEN BAY over Washington
Cincinnati over KANSAS CITY
Tennessee over TAMPA BAY
BALTIMORE over St. Louis
JACKSONVILLE over Houston
Philadelphia over NY JETS
ARIZONA over Carolina
SAN DIEGO over Oakland
New England over DALLAS
SEATTLE over New Orleans
ATLANTA over NY Giants

Season to date: 10-4

Sal Paolantonio had a good piece this week at espn.com, arguing for the career of Deion Sanders and against that of Barry Sanders (no relation). I was always a big Neon Deion fan from his days as a Falcon alongside Andre "Bad Moon" Rison, and was heartbroken when he took the big money with the 49ers. Back in the mid-90s, I truly believed that any team that had Deion would have the upper hand at winning the Super Bowl, and was proven correct when he jumped ship from SF to Dallas, and in doing so tipped the Lombardi balance in one season. Prime Time, baby.

Back to School

I enjoyed this brief from Richardson's school stop in Manchester today, notably the following passage:

His plan for healthcare may have got lost in translation, but when the New Mexico Governor stated he would get rid of junk food in schools. A monumental groan swept over the room. One eight year old saying, “I don’t like that.”

Although the Governor’s classroom audience was below the legal voting age,
he found a way to ask for their support.

“You got to tell your mom and dad. More so than your friends,” he said
playfully.

It reminded me of Billy Madison*. Oh yeah.

What do you think about that, Mr. Blue Duck?
That's quack-tastic!

By the way, I've been thinking. On the grand political scale of things, what weighs heavier, the positive of working in a bi-partisan manner to pass a bill about the partitioning of Iraq for political purposes...or the negative of doing so with Sam Brownback? I've been drifting toward the latter ever since the GOP debate.



*Campaign fun fact: Adam Sandler is from Manchester, NH**


**Campaign lame fact: He is a Giuliani donor.

Wherefore the Mitt Hate?

Snow Pond, NH -

Here in New Hampshire, I am a transplanted Massachusan. But when I lived in Mass, I was a transplanted Washingtonian. Although I lived in the Bay State for two years I have never voted in a major election (opting out of the 2006 foregone conclusions of Ted Kennedy, Deval Patrick and John Olver). Furthermore, while there, I had my eyes set North and West, up to New Hampshire and perpetually back to Olympia. Mass politics never really interested me outside of the Presidential candidacy of John Kerry, the legend of Teddy Kennedy, and the olden hijinx of Willie Weld.

So Mitt Romney never really concerned me, especially since it was clear from the day I set foot in the state that he wouldn't run for a second term in a race he certainly would have lost. But the thing that really struck me was how much disdain my friends had for Governor Romney. Maybe they were just a bunch of single-minded liberals who repulsed at the thought of their Republican governor, but it always seemed like more than that. There was real, genuine disdain in their voice. I guess familiarity breeds contempt, for I know my own feelings toward the likes of Slade Gorton.

Nevertheless, it has remained a pebble in my boot ever since. What's the deal with Mitt Romney? I haven't followed him too much on the trail, and if anything I have preferred his commercials to those of any other GOP candidate, whether he is presenting himself as a fresh face or implying vigor and wisdom. I mean, the GOP has to pick somebody. Well, today's Washington Post has a long article about Governor Romney. While it highlights many of his strengths, it also details the political betrayal felt by many in Massachusetts and sets the tone for what we may be able to expect in the future, should he last beyond February 5.

The Grim Preacher

Snow Pond, NH -

Mike Huckabee may be appear to be the most jovial and happy-go-lucky of all the candidates, but today I realized that the fire and brimstone nature of preachin' hasn't entirely left him. Witness what are, arguably, the three most high-profile jokes of Huckabee's campaign jokes to date:

1) 3/2/07 - Washington, D.C.

“I was the first governor to have a conceal-carry permit, so don’t mess with me.”

2) 9/29/07 - Londonderry, NH

"Frankly if I had to raise the kind of money, and if I spent that kind of money, and I wasn't any higher in the polls, I'd go home and cry my eyes out tonight."

3) 10/10/07 - Little Rock, AR

"If I were some of these guys [referring to GOP rivals], I'd have to be sitting in a warm tub of water with razor blades."

So we're talking about a guy who threatens people with his gun, worries about severe depression and considers suicide as a potential tactic to deal with stress. My kind of guy!!

I should reiterate that these are three nuggets pulled out of more than half a year of serious campaigning, but nevertheless warrant mentioning. What also warrants mentioning is that they are all fantastic jokes! Keep 'em coming, Mikey!

Goo Goo for Hill

Snow Pond, NH -

This from the Clinton Camp today:

Hillary Clinton will visit Boston for a Club44 “Make History” low-dollar fundraiser next week at the city’s historic Symphony Hall. The Goo Goo Dolls will headline the Club44 event, part of the campaign’s effort to engage women to make history by electing Hillary our 44th president.

The event will be emceed by actress Mary Steenburgen and Campaign Chairman Terry McAuliffe and will feature other live entertainment, including an a cappella group from Wellesley College, Hillary’s alma mater.

Admission to the Club 44 event starts at $20 per person.

Just 20 bucks to see the Goo Goo Dolls, Mary Steenburgen and Terry McAuliffe?? It's 1995 all over again! At least, that's what the Clinton campaign wants us to believe.

I also find it hilarious that McAuliffe is headlining an event aimed at women. What a snake! And is Johnny Rzeznik even hot anymore? He's gotta be pushing 45.

Considering GGD is headlining a Hillary event (where you at, Celine?) shouldn't this have been the campaign theme song? They are from Buffalo! Sure seems like it to me...

Scars are souvenirs you never lose
The past is never far
Did you lose yourself somewhere out there
Did you get to be a star
And don't it make you sad to know that life
Is more than who we are

You grew up way too fast
And now there's nothing to believe
And reruns all become our history
A tired song keeps playing on a tired radio
And I won't tell no one your name
And I won't tell em your name

I think about you all the time
But I don't need the same
It's lonely where you are come back down
And I won't tell em your name

I guess old rock stars never lose their glam.

Real Front Loading

Snow Pond, NH -

State Rep. Jim Splaine (D-Portsmouth) has just written a raaaather interesting bit about a potential December primary. The position here at 3Q has consistently been the later the better, but the idea that Splaine lays out, that a big jump for NH would actually help Democracy, has me scratching my head a little bit. That might just be crazy enough to work, man!

Sign O' the Times

Snow Pond, NH -

Last spring I met a girl who was a fond believer in the power of the horoscope. She, a Virgo, was intrigued by a potential combination with me, a Scorpio. She tried her best to teach me the ways of the Zodiac, providing sun, moon and planet evidence for all my quirks and behavioral tendencies. I was certainly intrigued, if not converted, and as the Presidential campaign rolled on through the summer I began to wonder what kind of signs each candidate had, and if they meshed with what I thought about each one of them.

A little bit of research kept the intrigue strong. First of all, three of the Democrats were fellow Scorpios. Second, I found each candidate to fall into their respective signs fairly well, with the possible exception of enigmatic Mike Gravel, although in all honesty I don't know enough about him to accurately characterize.

I mean, the intensity and power of Clinton, Biden and Richardson. The vigor of Edwards and Dodd. A dignified Obama. An idealistic Kucinich. Its all a little eerie.

Getting into the historical nitty gritty, if you are looking for a President then being a Scorpio can only help. It is the most common sign of all Presidents along with Aquarius. Each have five. If you are looking for the likeliest Presidential birthday, look no further than Election Day, 2004 - November 2, coincidentally belonging to the two most double entendre-able of all the POTUSes, James K. POLK and Warren G. HARDing.

Speaking of which, no discussion of astrology (what's your sign?) would be complete without some mention of sexuality. I have included a line about the romantic prowess of each sign at the bottom of their respective sections.

Furthermore, given that one's sign is dependent upon birth, I have also included some bonus information: Full given name and place of birth. The stars are a little different everywhere, so experts whose knowledge vastly outweighs mine might be able to glean a bit more from that. I should also cite the fact that I weaseled all the text from wikipedia, so if you take offense then go change it.

Will this mean the Presidency for Scorpio Hillary? Or will Leo Obama become the King of Washington's jungle? Is Gemini truly a fortunate sign for Edwards? Maybe this chart will give you a little insight toward your own prognostications.

The Scorpio (Oct 23 - Nov 21)

Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton - October 26, 1947 Chicago, IL
William Blaine "Bill" Richardson III - November 15, 1947 Pasadena, CA
Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr. - November 20, 1942, Scranton, PA

Scorpio is the eighth sign of the Zodiac and associated with intensity, passion, and power. Scorpios are the most intense, profound, powerful characters in the zodiac. Even when they appear self-controlled and calm there is a seething intensity of emotional energy under the placid exterior. They are like the volcano not far under the surface of a calm sea; it may burst into eruption at any moment. But those of us who are particularly perceptive will be aware of the harnessed aggression, the immense forcefulness, magnetic intensity, and often strangely hypnotic personality under the tranquil, but watchful composure of Scorpio. In conventional social gatherings they are pleasant to be with, thoughtful in conversation, dignified, and reserved, yet affable and courteous; they sometimes possess penetrating eyes which make their shyer companions feel naked and defenseless before them. For this reason they are often referred to as "ice queens." They can be quite combative toward their opponents, giving no quarter in an argument or dispute. Yet most of their aggression is unleashed from a defensive posture.

Scorpios simply never give up. They have tremendous staying power. They're not in the slightest intimidated by anybody or anything. Confrontations are not a problem. In fact, talk to any Scorpio about their lives, and you'll probably be in awe at all they've gone through. Trauma seems to follow them wherever they go. When Scorpio learns optimism, instead of expecting the worst, they'll find that they possess amazing regenerative powers -- the power to heal, create, and transform.

Interesting fact: Scorpio is the symbol of sex and Scorpios are passionate lovers, the most sensually energetic of all the signs

The Gemini (May 21 - June 20)

Johnny Reid "John" Edwards - June 10, 1953, Seneca, SC
Christopher John Dodd - May 27, 1944, Willimantic, CT

Gemini is the third sign of the Zodiac and associated with youth and versatility. Individuals born under this sign are thought to have a sociable, fun-loving, lively, communicative, liberal, mentally active and friendly character. The Gemini person is logical, smart, inquisitive, honest,and clever. (on their good side)A Gemini is whimsical, nimble, quick-witted, articulate, lively, active, curious, capable of multi-tasking, talkative, sociable, and mercurial. (on their bad side) Gemini is prone to moodiness, inconsistency, maliciousness, manipulativeness, selfishness, childish games, superficiality, restlessness, gossip and tends to start conflicts, (rarely step up to fight).

Among medieval astrologers, Gemini was thought of as a fortunate sign, and its subjects were considered to possess the qualities of intense devotion, genius, largeness of mind, goodness, and liberality.

In bed, Geminis tend to be experimental, they don't really want to do the same thing twice. Geminis are also kinky, they like to do unusual tricks in the bed.

The Leo (July 23 - Aug 22)

Barack Hussein Obama - August 4, 1961, Honolulu, HI

Leo is the fifth sign of the Zodiac and is popularly associated with the keywords magnanimous, generous, hospitable, caring, warm, authoritative, active and open. The downside to a Leo is usually their pride. Yet Due to their positive nature, they can be gullible and tend to believe the best will happen.

Leos are typically pictured as very dignified and regal. They are hard-working, ambitious, determined, talented, love the lime light, exuberant, loyal, extroverted, generous, and enthusiastic. However they are prone to laziness, over dramatic, hypersensitive, insensitive, stubborn and can often take "the easy way out."

Leos, like the Lion they are named after, are thought to be born leaders, with charisma, enthusiasm and determination. They do well under pressure and are good at defusing crisis situations.

Leos usually like to make the first move. They are passionate (they really get into any intimate act). Leos are also very hedonistic, most of the time, they want sex more than their partner.

The Libra (Sept 23 - Oct 22)

Dennis John Kucinich - October 8, 1946, Cleveland, OH

Individuals born under this sign are thought by practitioners of astrology to have a pleasant, clever, articulate, charismatic, outgoing, fair, artistic, social, refined, diplomatic, even-tempered and self-sufficient character. The positive side of a Libra person is said to be co-operative, sees both sides, open-minded, just, urbane, partnership oriented, avoids conflict, balanced, graceful, idealistic, self-sufficient, and egalitarian. They are prone to rationalize, be easily deterred, indecisive, lazy, are also thought to be flirtatious, extravagant, frivolous, impatient, envious, aloof, and quarrelsome.

Libras are giving because their lover's pleasure is as important as their own. Libras like their sex soft, and sensual (nothing rough).

The Taurus (Apr 20 - May 20)

Maurice Robert "Mike" Gravel - May 13, 1930, Springfield, MA

Taurus is the second sign of the Zodiac. Taurus is associated with material and emotional security. Individuals born under this sign are thought to have a calm, patient, reliable, fair, loyal, affectionate, sensuous, ambitious, and determined character. Generally, there is something distinctly sensual about the appearance. The Taurus person is resourceful, thorough, dependable, responsible, placid, stable, comfortable, solid, earthy, strong, money-oriented, practical, productive, cautious, musical, and artistic. They can also be stubborn, indulgent, insecure, acquisitive, possessive, rigid, stodgy and slow, and prone to hedonism, laziness, inflexibility, habituality, jealousy, and antipathy.

The Taurus in love is very affectionate, sensual, and instinctively aware of the power of their body sexually. However, they are also very possessive and stubborn.

Oh, and what is George W., you wonder? A Cancer.

Tell Your Hippie Friends

Coming soon on 3Q Blog we have the first and ONLY Astrological analysis of the 2008 candidates. WTF! Wait and see.

Sincerely,
BTB
Scorpio
Year of the Cock
Skeptic

Blue Monday

Snow Pond, NH -

The malaise set in a couple of days ago, and it finally breached the skin today like a mild case of Dracunculiasis or a herpes sore. But in the midst of a long political campaign, even a mild case can have a crippling effect on the brain causing you to stare longingly out at the water, with the distant red leaves reflecting onto the surface, as the words swim about in your head but fail to find a smooth stroke into your fingers and onto the screen.

And what a day for it. A Monday and Columbus Day, when I awoke to the sound of mild rain that excluded me from my usual pondside blogging chair by way a rain-vulnerable laptop. A day to celebrate the legacy of the dawn of the Western world and, subculturally, the beginning of the end of Indian dominance on the continent. Maybe it is because I am a Westerner, but I have always felt that that the political slighting of the Native tribes of this land is one of the greatest prolonged miscarriages of justice to ever have been operated upon America. You can feel that when you see beauty of the landscape, read the forgotten histories and visit the rez from La Push to Crow Agency. Show me a politician who speaks to Native America and I will show you at least the potential for a real patriot.

Alas, what better way to explore the feelings of despair than by checking back in with the Good Doctor himself as he looks back on a life of football betting and political terror. Aye, the Hey Rube years. Reading Thompson's musings one politics one is always struck by his eye for brutality and power, glaringly evident in his article from the time of the 2001 Presidential election, The Fix Is In. Here are two particularly telling passages:

Where did Gore think he was -- in some friendly Civics class? Hell no, he was in Florida, arguably the most Vicious & Corrupt state in the Union. ... Not only that, but he was brazenly invading Florida, trying to steal it from right under the noses of the whole Bush family. It was a bold move & brilliantly done, in some ways -- but then so was Lee's decision to invade the North & attack Gettysburg...

...But still there was something wrong. Even reading the Sports section began to give me a Queasy feeling. I came to secretly dread the coming of Sunday, although I never admitted that to anybody. It was too weird....Most stadiums are sold out every Sunday. But only rich people can afford to attend the games in person. It's not much different from getting involved in National Politics.

Terrible, I know. For we still believe in New Hampshire that retail politics will lead us to the promised land of Democracy. Right?

October is upon us now, and it is the fourth quarter both literally and figuratively. Receivers are resting for the potential of one more Hail Mary sprint to the end zone and the oxygen tanks are charging up to feed the lungs of fattened up defenses as they struggle to fight the offensive push.
It is about to rain all week in New Hampshire. So with that news, here's to growth.

See you on the trail,
BTB

On the Trail: More Pins Than Andy Kaufman's Wrestling Career

Snow Pond, NH -

Yes, that Andy Kaufman. We're back on the blog after a long morning of guiding our nation's youth toward successful careers in politics and an afternoon of napping and watching The Office. For some reason, this pin thing really strikes my fancy. So I was pleased to see that The Caucus did another piece about it today with excellent pictures from the latest debate. Since we are a blog, and actually among the people of the Granite State, we knew that Richardson's pin was from Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities, and we also have the freedom to tell you what they really mean about each candidate's character.

So for the Dems, whatzit mean?

Richardson - I care about budget priorities. I want a constitutional amendment to balance the budget, so that the federal government has to have a balanced budget just like we do as governors in all fifty states. I'm a governor. (Editor's note: maybe it even means a little something about Iraq.)

Edwards (his son's Outward Bound Pin) - I care about my family and I won't forget where I came from. (Editor's note, this has special meaning because of the background and the honor and commitment with which he wears it.)

Kucinich (Congressional pin)- I have pride and principles with respect to our nation's established foundations. (Editor's note: he won't go to war without any official declarations.)




For the GOP...

Paul (Congressional pin) - I will protect the constitution. (Editor's note: he will protect the Constitution.)

Giuliani (US Flag) -I will never forget the attacks of 9/11. (Editor's note: fake patriot and potential fascist.)

Gahhh, the October heat wave is bringing bugs pondside yet again. I'm getting Joba-ed! Better call it a post before I have to call in the team doctor for a sprayin'!

Week 5 NFL Picks

Can't believe I didn't start this earlier in the year, but here we go. These are for the outright winners, not against the spread. Home team in CAPS.

HOUSTON over Miami
TENNESSEE over Atlanta
Jacksonville over KANSAS CITY
Jets over GIANTS
Carolina over NEW ORLEANS
Arizona over ST. LOUIS
Detroit over WASHINGTON
Seattle over PITTSBURGH
NEW ENGLAND over CLEVELAND
INDIANAPOLIS over Tampa Bay
DENVER over San Diego
Baltimore over SAN FRANCISCO
Chicago over GREEN BAY
Dallas over BUFFALO

Ooh, that's a lot of road teams. But you gotta go with your gut. More political stuff later.

Pins Schmins

Snow Pond, NH -

Props to this. The Caucus reports on a recent interview where Barack Obama was asked why he doesn't wear an American flag pin on his lapel.

"The truth is that right after 9/11 I had a pin," Mr. Obama replied. "Shortly after 9/11, particularly because as we’re talking about the Iraq war, that became a substitute for, I think, true patriotism, which is speaking out on issues that are of importance to our national security.

"I decided I won’t wear that pin on my chest," he added. "Instead I’m gonna’ try to tell the American people what I believe what will make this country great and hopefully that will be a testimony to my patriotism."

He went on to clarify his remarks today.

"But after a while, you start noticing people wearing a lapel pin, but not acting very patriotic. Not voting to provide veterans with resources that they need. Not voting to make sure that disability payments were coming out on time.

"My attitude is that I’m less concerned about what you’re wearing on your lapel than what’s in your heart. And you show your patriotism by how you treat your fellow Americans, especially those who served. You show your patriotism by being true to our values and our ideals and that’s what we have to lead with is our values and our ideals."

Any time a candidate speaks truth to false patriotism, I applaud it.

The End of the 3rd Quarter (Well, Good Enough)

Here is a consolidated run-down and ranking of the 3rd quarter fundraising numbers. All figures are for the primary only, and in millions of dollars.

2Pac probably put it best:
Make sure your eyes is on the meal ticket
Get your money, motherfucker, let's get rich and we'll kick it
All Eyez on Fundraising

1. Clinton - 22
2. Obama - 19
3. Giuliani - 10.5
4. Romney - 9.5 + 8.5 personal loan
5. Thompson - 9.3
6. Edwards - 7
7. McCain - 5.5
8. Richardson - 5.2
9. Paul - 5.08
10. Biden - 2
11. Dodd - 1.5
12. Huckabee - 1
12. Kucinich - 1

Add it up and what does it mean? People gave more than 97 million dollars, not including money for the general election or money given to one's self. Let's say that Brownback, Hunter and Tancredo combine for 1.5 million, that will put us at an even 100.

Democratic candidates - 57.7
Republican candidates - 40.8 (or 42.3)

Hmmm...is that an eerie electoral coincidence? Nahh, couldn't be.

As for the all-important cash on hand, here is what we know so far.
Giuliani 16
Edwards 12
Romney 9
Thompson 7
Paul 5.3
Dodd 4
McCain 3.6

Ads and Disguised Attacks

Snow Pond, NH -

The Clinton campaign has unleashed a new ad today, set to air in both New Hampshire and Iowa called Stand By Us. It is potentially controversial because it includes footage of Ground Zero within a general discussion of Clinton's health care record. Hillary's campaign seems to have deftly maneuvered around the 9/11 politicization bullet because of the health care thing. I know I found it pretty distasteful when Bush did the 9/11 ad back in '04, but this time around should be different. You never hear of Clinton trying to over expose that event, so she should get the kind of breathing room that a brow beater like Rudy wouldn't.

Speaking of which, Ben Smith at Politico gives a good analysis on how this message both helps Clinton and hurts Giuliani, who is ripe for criticism over what looks like an iceberg-type problem of relief worker health issues, growing by the day. Though I think he is slightly off the mark when he speaks of the aim toward her Democratic rivals. Here is what Smith says:

ALSO: Two digs. Standing by the 9/11 workers is a shot at Rudy, who bears some of the blame for the failure to enforce safety standards at Ground Zero; and when she says that "almost every candidate is standing up for health care for all," that does sound like a dig at Obama.

The basis, of course, comes from the argument that Obama's plan is not truly universal. But I think it is more of a swipe at John Edwards, who I believe may be the opponent the Clinton campaign fears the most because of his southern roots and the fact that he is the one taking the most pointed shots at Hillary.

Listen to what Edwards said that the debate last week:

What is clear from this presidential campaign is I was the first presidential candidate -- others have followed me now, and that's a good thing --good thing for America.

But I was the first presidential candidate to lay out a specific, truly universal health care plan. And the one thing I can tell you is anybody who knows me -- anybody who knows me knows I will never give up.

What happened in '93 and '94 is that we didn't get universal health care, but we got NAFTA. And when I'm president of the United States, you have my word, I will never pull the universal health care bill. I will put everything I have behind making sure that it's enacted.

And here is what Hillary's ad says:

Hillary stood up for universal health care when almost no one else would, and kept standing until six million kids had coverage. She stood by Ground Zero workers who sacrificed their health after so many sacrificed their lives, and kept standing until this administration took action. She stood by our National Guard and Reserve and kept standing until they received health care they deserved. So now that almost every candidate is standing up for health care for all, which one do you think will never back down?

Edwards: "I will never give up."
Clinton: "Which one do you think will never back down?"

This subtly challenges Edwards on the perception that he has changed his mind too many times. Where was he on health care back in the 90s? Where was he on Iraq in 2002? Clinton wants to be seen as the steadfast Democrat. That may hurt her on Iraq, where Edwards has repeatedly pounded her on not admitting her mistake. But it could be very helpful on issues like health care, where her record is potentially longer and stronger than her main rivals.

In the street it might sound like this.

Edwards: "I'm the man on this now. Ask somebody."
Clinton: "Yo, I don't care where you at, son. Where you been? 'Cuz I been with the 9-11 workers and the children. Now what?"

All I'm saying, until Obama proves that he'll take it to Clinton, she'll be taking it to Edwards and trying to stomp on the sapling before it becomes a tree. Thats how you win in politics. We'll see how spiny Edwards' branches are, and if they are sharp enough to hurt Clinton's tender footsteps. It ain't out of the question, folks.

Since we are talking about commercials, how 'bout this classic. Got Milk?

Coupeville

There aren't many rules by which I live my life, and as I get older they become fewer. But at least one certainly remains. If I come across a decent travel article about Whidbey Island, I share it. Today's Seattle Times has a day trip planner about how to be Kicking Back in Coupeville, a quaint little town in the center of Whidbey Island, Washington. Although it is a lovely day here in New Hampshire, I bet a few of you grizzled staffers and journalists are starting to feel like you've been "couped" up in the Granite State for a few days too long. Well, let Coupeville hold your thoughts for a moment.

If you're over 21 and up for some fun, try Toby's Tavern, 8 N.W. Front, a local hangout in an 1890s-era former beer parlor. Grab a window table or a seat at the mirrored bar and order a pint of the Parrot Red ale brewed in Anacortes. Mussels are $11 for a pound including garlic bread. The goldfish crackers are free.

Oh, and the mussels are divine. The beer ain't bad, either. But if the halibut fish and chips are in season, they are not to be missed.

Looking up the bluff and down the beach. Ebey's Landing, Coupeville, Washington, February 2007

Thanks again to link guru CBT for the heads up.


P.S. While we are on the subject of the PNW, any Sonics fan has got to be psyched about this article. Durant at SG? As PJ Carlesimo circumloquaciously puts it: "He's like -- he's not like Magic Johnson at all -- but he's like Magic in that you can play him probably any of four positions, if not five." Hot. Go Supes!

And Now For Something Completely Different

This is entirely unnecessary, but it did make me laugh out loud. Whether that had to do with the subject matter or my undying affection for U Can't Touch This is a question for the ages. But I should say I witness this through the lens of mocking the entire scene, rather than the victim.



You know where I stand, F tha P!

Rudy's Set List 10/3

Rudy Giuliani Set List
Windham, NH 10/3/07

Caravan - Van Morrison
Who'll Stop the Rain - Creedence Clearwater Revival
Are You Gonna Go My Way? - Lenny Kravitz
Keep the Fire Burnin' - REO Speedwagon
Fly Like an Eagle - Seal
Eye of the Tiger - Survivor
Come Running - Van Morrison


There was another song, too, but I couldn't decipher the lyrics. It sounded surprisingly kind of pop-punk/emo, so who knows. How 'bout REO Speedwagon on the campaign trail! And three cheers for 3Q faves Van the Man and Creedence.

Ron Paul: Humility and Diversity

Manchester, NH -

The last time I was in Veteran's Park in Manchester it was for a Barack Obama rally on Labor Day, complete with Secret Service and a $75M campaign operation. This time it was merely Ron Paul, with his single digit million dollar payroll and service coming only in the way of volunteers and hardcore supporters, of which there were fewer than for Barack. This isn't a knock on either candidate, just a noted difference.

The next thing I noticed was the sweet smell of cigar smoke. Yes, a Ron Paul rally is possibly the last place you will see in the politically correct world of the campaign trail where you will see smoking allowed. It turned out to be a common thread of the day. Before I left I counted at least four people smoking some form of tobacco, be it cigar, pipe or cigarette. As is the case with the perpetual nature of smoke, it made a much bigger imprint than just the four people. I smelled it, sweet from the pipe or sour from the butt, all morning long.

It wasn't just the smoke that set Paul's event apart, it was the attire. At a Ron Paul rally, there is a good chance that whoever you look at will be wearing some kind of Ron Paul t-shirt, whether it is homemade, campaign endorsed or otherwise.

Homeschoolers for Ron Paul whose back says vote Ron Paul, win a free Republic. Blaze orange Gun Owners for Ron Paul. And my personal favorite, One Nation Under Surveillance.

Next thing I knew, as I was looking around for new t-shirts, there was Ron Paul freely mingling among the people signing shirts and posing for pictures. He made his way toward the stage where the introductions took place. The campaign manager announced that there was a food drive being held at the back of the park, since "private charities are superior to government." He then introduced two of Paul's grandkids to sing the national anthem, which they performed followed by a family-written song called The Ballad of Ron Paul with lines like, "Uncle Sam you're just too fat/you've got to lose some weight." It was a folksy start to things, to say the least.

Speaking of songs, the intro music was entirely composed of songs by a fellow named Steve Dore, who is in the process of writing an entire album of tracks about Ron Paul with names like President Man, Hope for America and Message of Freedom. They can all be heard on the website. And by the way, Dore sounds like a mix between Kenny Rogers and Randy Newman.

Singing aside, Paul came on stage after an introduction from his son, Rand, whose remarks included rough digs at Giuliani for the cell phone thing and, more pointedly, a claim that "he doesn't have any family members who will volunteer for his campaign." The remark was especially prescient because thirty members of Paul's extended family were on hand to support their patriarch and canvass the streets afterward. None too interested in politics, most of the youngsters could be found playing tag in the back of the park throughout the speech.

Paul's speech was very bullet pointed. He touched on most of the tenets of his campaign, each one to great applause from the crowd of two or three hundred. Adding to the rowdy atmosphere, a bugler tooted his horn at the end of each stanza.

"Freedom is popular," Paul said, and in front of this crowd of anxious supporters it certainly was.
Dr. Paul, a gynecologist by trade, discussed the removal of the IRS, and consistently railed against what he said was "a standing army of bureaucrats" in the US government. At one point he claimed there were 100,000 federal agents with guns whose sole purpose was to harass citizens. "It should be the other way around," Paul quipped to thunderous applause.

He also spoke of the dangers of universal health care due to the potential for excessive health regulations by an interested government, and praised the few remaining states (New Hampshire included) that don't have mandatory seat belt laws. There were also rants against the Federal reserve system, and in praise of a gold standard. Unfortunately, he lost me on those but luckily he also spoke about America's role in the world.

Dr. Paul exasperatedly pointed out the folly of our path in Iraq, and the absurd amount of spending on the military today. He touched on the military-industrial complex and even the health insurance-industrial complex. Better still, he poked holes in the argument that we are making the world safer for democracy by fighting abroad, calling it "nonsense" and predicting that the more we intervene abroad the more that proud citizens of other nations will feel the need to come and attack us here.

"Maybe there are some imperfections in this country."

Those were the words that Paul spoke halfway through his stump speech as he was discussing the pitiful state of diplomatic relations today, and how they are hurting trade. The words particularly struck me because of their humility. It wasn't just that point, either. Paul finished his speech by spending a few minutes thanking everyone who was involved, implying that he had been invited to New Hampshire by a group of supporters who had done all of the organization not forced to go andby a know-it-all consulting group. He also thanked the people in the audience for "inviting me to this revolution."

It was as if he was downplaying his own role in the campaign in spite of the massive presence of signs displaying his name all over the crowd. He sounded like a simple country doctor, knowledgeable in all sorts of remedies, but not one to go boasting around the town. He had mentioned on numerous occasions the non-judgmental views held by his campaign toward such a diverse group of supporters - gun nuts, free staters, potheads, econ students. I kid about the demographics, but its true. Nowhere else will you find such an eclectic group of Republican supporters. They lead the league in facial hair and ponytails, at the very least.

And here I am, nearly a week removed from the rally, and it was the unpretentious nature of the event that still strikes me. They were organizing carpools, selling t-shirts, and gathering food not necessarily in the name of a candidate, but in the name of an ideology. They were there for the revolution and Ron was just the mouthpiece, and potentially a reluctant one at that. After eight years of an arrogant Bush administration, this country could use a dose of humility. Maybe Dr. Paul is the right physician to administer it.

Don't Call It a Comeback

Ron Paul joins the elite! 5 Million in the 3rd quarter. I'm tellin' ya, he's getting ten percent in the primary! Special thanks to guest blogger Chris Templeton for the link.

When It Rains...

...it pours.

Today was a Staines massive day on the HuffPost, with quite a few noteworthy articles. Either that or I haven't checked it in a few days and there was some backlog. Nevertheless...

My new friend Rep. Jay Inslee conjures up an interesting metaphor on global warming, comparing carbon emissions to backcountry skiing on Mt. Rainier. Score one for the Evergreen State!

And Barbara Ehrenreich skewers the permanent campaign system we have going on this time around in a piece that has been pretty widely syndicated.

Part of the problem is structural. We make our presidential candidates campaign for at least a year at a stretch. Take a normal person and subject him or her to month after month of trail mix and chicken Caesars, sleep deprivation, and the need to be "on," smiling and handshaking, 16 hours a day. No solitary moments of reflection, no walks in the park, no escape into thrillers. What do you get after a few months of this? A golem, the artificial, man-like creature of Kabalistic lore, a personoid incapable of normal responses.

Isn't it a bit frightening, though? Schmucky bloggers like me expect these people to be in the state at least once a week to feed our need for analysis, but don't give them ample time for walks in the park. That last bit I can relate to most pointedly.

Yesterday I dragged myself out for a run around 5:30pm, hoping to get in 4 miles in time to get back to the pond for a swim while the sun was still high enough in the sky to touch the top of the pond. Instead I found myself in the Oak Hill trails, invigorated with every turn option as I ran deeper into the woods and further away from sunlit pond swims. After a few miles I was rewarded with this view from Swope Slope, and a fresh outlook on life. I even had the will to swim in the chilly dusk upon my return.

Stories abound that Edwards demands run time in his daily schedule, and touring the countryside of the seacoast and the majesty of the North Country makes for some easy bus tour soul searching for any candidate, I just hope that every once in a while the entourage goes on pause while the Senators, Governors, Mayors and Congressmen step out into the trees for a few minutes to take a look at the forest. Then again, if they have no soul as Jon Stewart contends, maybe it is a non-issue.

Back to the jist, Sen. Russ Feingold wrote in to suggest that the Senate finally should pull a Gravel and make the GOP vote over and over again until they get it right.

Over in Iraq, our troops get up every day and risk their lives in the middle of an Iraqi civil war. They have to do their job, no matter what the risk, and no matter what the cost. They do what they are asked to do...and so should Congress. Congress's job right now should be to bring our troops home safely, and we can't turn away from this issue just because it's tough going. The only way we will ever get our troops out is by putting constant pressure on supporters of this disastrous war. Let's make them vote again and again, so that they have to go back home and explain why they keep voting to keep our troops in Iraq. When they feel the heat for their vote, that's when they will change their vote, and that's how we will bring our troops home.

Say what you will about the strength of the bill, at least its an ethos.

I will conclude today's hodgepodge with a link my friend Max sent to me this morning about what is arguably the tightest form of communication in our repertoire: the aphorism. On NPR's All Things Considered yesterday they highlighted a book called Geary's Guide to the World's Great Aphorists by James Geary. In it you will find a number of great aphorisms from history's wisest people. Witness a few with uncanny connections to 2008:

"Any idiot can face a crisis. It is this day-to-day living that wears you out." - Anton Checkov (keep in mind this quotation pre-dates Giuliani)

"Better keep yourself clean and bright: you are the window through which you must see the world." - George Bernard Shaw (See, Joe Biden's not a racist, after all. Told you so.)

"Do good to the evil doer." - Muhammad Shem al-Deen (maybe letting Ahmadenijad speak at Columbia wasn't such a bad idea)

" - It is easy to display a wound, the proud scars of combat. It is hard to show a pimple." - Leonard Cohen (just plain wise)

and finally, Bishop Desmond Tutu: "To be impartial is to have taken sides already with the status quo." (I think that fits in with the Feingold piece, and yesterday's Obama preface I wrote)

No mention of Tutu is complete without queuing up Silver and Gold by U2.



Okay Edge, play the blues...

Preface to the Speech

Snow Pond, NH -

I don't normally like to be the mouthpiece for campaigns, but since the Obama team was nice enough to legitimize me with the full text of the speech he is giving today at Chicago's DePaul University* (home of the Blue Demons) to commemorate the anniversary of his initial anti-Iraq invasion speech I have decided to give it some play here at 3Q. It is a long one, so I am putting the first few paragraphs on the main blog interface and the remainder will go in the comments section since I lack the technological know-how to say "read more after the jump." So when you get to the bottom, just click on the comments part and read on if you wish.

There are actually a couple of other reasons for my inclusion of this speech. Number one, Obama delivers the best speeches on the 2008 campaign trail, hands down. I thought this was a good chance for my readers to get a little better idea of how they read.

Secondly, I find it absurd and bordering on the comical that today's electoral climate in the Presidential campaign has stagnated and floundered to the point where a reminder of one's initial opposition to Iraq A) can still be relevant this late in the game B) is even necessary to remind people and C) can potentially be a massive differentiating tool between the leading rivals in the race.

Finally, as resident Truth Seeker here on the campaign trail, I appreciate any and all references to "truth" by the candidates. But seriously, I have predicted for some time now that complacency toward Iraq on the part of the America citizens will potentially play a large role in the outcome of the race. I know that sounds obvious, but it is true. Complacency on Iraq is what allows Hillary Clinton to run her general election strategy during the primaries, and thus add to the prescribed air of inevitability. It also allows the GOP candidates to keep their foot in the door and frame the debate, which they otherwise would not be able to do if voters were better prepared to act upon their disapproval of the war. It also allows the three leading Democratic candidates to waver on an end date without significant fear of traction for the lower-tier chase pack.

Either that or conventional wisdom about the Dem takeover of congress having to do with Iraq is wrong, and everything I just said is a moot point. If that is the case, perhaps we have to submit to the analysis of Karl Rove who maintains that the 2006 elections were about scandal, not war. One shudders to think.



*Famous DePaul basketball alumni include "Hot" Rod Strickland, Terry Cummings, Bobby Simmons, George Mikan, Tyrone Corbin, Mark Aguirre, and Quentin Richardson. What a formidable squad!
PG - Strickland
SG - Simmons
SF - Aguirre
PF - Cummings
C - Mikan

Then Q as the 6th man and Corbin off the bench. That's at least a conference finals team right there.

Obama Speech, Full Text

Remarks of Senator Barack Obama: A New Beginning
Tuesday, October 2, 2007, Chicago, IL

Thank you, Ted. Ted Sorensen has been counselor to a President in some of our toughest moments, and he has helped define our national purpose at pivotal turning points. Let me also welcome all of the elected officials from Illinois who are with us. Let me give a special welcome to all of the organizers and speakers who joined me to rally against going to war in Iraq five years ago. And I want to thank DePaul University and DePaul’s students for hosting this event.

We come together at a time of renewal for DePaul. A new academic year has begun. Professors are learning the names of new students, and students are reminded that you actually do have to attend class. That cold is beginning to creep into the Chicago air. The season is changing.

DePaul is now filled with students who have not spent a single day on campus without the reality of a war in Iraq. Four classes have matriculated and four classes have graduated since this war began. And we are reminded that America’s sons and daughters in uniform, and their families, bear the heavy burden. The wife of one soldier from Illinois wrote to me and said that her husband “feels like he’s stationed in Iraq and deploys home.” That’s a tragic statement. And it could be echoed by families across our country who have seen loved ones deployed to tour after tour of duty.

You are students. And the great responsibility of students is to question the world around you, to question things that don’t add up. With Iraq, we must ask the question: how did we go so wrong?

There are those who offer up easy answers. They will assert that Iraq is George Bush’s war, it’s all his fault. Or that Iraq was botched by the arrogance and incompetence of Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney. Or that we would have gotten Iraq right if we went in with more troops, or if we had a different proconsul instead of Paul Bremer, or if only there were a stronger Iraqi Prime Minister.

These are the easy answers. And like most easy answers, they are partially true. But they don’t tell the whole truth, because they overlook a harder and more fundamental truth. The hard truth is that the war in Iraq is not about a catalog of many mistakes – it is about one big mistake. The war in Iraq should never have been fought.

Five years ago today, I was asked to speak at a rally against going to war in Iraq. The vote to authorize the war in Congress was less than ten days away and I was a candidate for the United States Senate. Some friends of mine advised me to keep quiet. Going to war in Iraq, they pointed out, was popular. All the other major candidates were supporting the war at the time. If the war goes well, they said, you’ll have thrown your political career away.

....continued in the comments section.

Debate Update

Portsmouth, NH -

I arrived in the parking lot of the strip mall in northern Manchester where the Bill Richardson office is located yesterday afternoon just before 3:45 under a sweltering sun as far as late September is concerned and spent a few minutes applying deodorant, cologne, aftershave, and toothpaste and gathering all my debate supplies while R. Kelly blared out of my stereo. Laptop, moleskine notebook, two pens, pack of gum, sunglasses, Times crossword puzzle, and a flask of Jim Beam. I was ready to go.

Moments later I was joined in the lot by my traveling companion for the way up, we then headed over to the bench next to La Carreta and talked running and Holyoke and college majors while we waited for the Tufts for Richardson charter bus to take us to the promised land, Hanover, NH. Within ten minutes the bus had arrived. It was, literally, a school bus. Yellow exterior, brown interior, profane statements carved into the pleather seatbacks, the works.

The students on board, 38 of them mostly clad in Tufts t-shirts, were pretty happy to be there. I did a quick introduction and snapped a picture, eliciting a few cheers, a few shy ducks beneath the seats and a few devil horns in the back of the bus. Six or seven of them asked if the picture would show up on facebook. Of course it would. Good times.


After the Richardson staffers ran into the office to grab a few supplies, we embarked on our trip up to Hanover. On the interstate the staffers went over the itinerary with the journalists and discussed amongst themselves the best strategies for psyching up the crowd. I was never really paying much attention, though. I went straight for the crossword puzzle as soon as we hit the Hooksett tolls.

It was an easy crossword, most likely a Monday, and I was finished by Warner. I paused once to ask the college students if they knew the common ending to a standard enzyme, but they only informed me that I was on the wrong bus if I was looking for science majors. Sad, but true.

The completed crossword was actually a blessing in disguise. As we slowly approached Hanover, the fall foliage showed itself more and more clearly, and when we hit the pass near the Sunapee Lakes region it was looking beautifully and depressingly like full blown fall. Holy shit, here we are. Prime campaign time. My first live debate. Summer keeps flying farther and farther back in the rearview. So did the rest of I-89. While the Tufts students practiced their cheers for the upcoming free speech pen, I started out the window looking to see who had put up the most yard signs, and who had at least put them in the best places.

Bill Richardson, he's so fine!
He'll be President in '09!

College cheerleading, you gotta love it. And with that we had arrived in Hanover. The Jumbos and I went our separate ways, they to their rendezvous point and me to the free media dinner. To be quite frank, the occasional free dinner is the reason why I blog. That, and the glory.

...to be continued

Face Time

I hate to do this, but here are some youtube clips of post-debate Dennis and Gravel interviews with your very own QuabbinBlogger prominently featured in the background with the moleskine and the buzz cut. Holla!





Honestly, if my hearing wasn't so shitty I might not look like such an imbecile in the vids. I have to concentrate that hard just to pick up on the words.

Videos courtesy Liquori TV

3rd Quarter

Here are the best guesses so far of the third quarter fundraising totals. All figures are for the primary only, and in millions of dollars.

Kucinich - 1
Huckabee - 1
Dodd - 1.5
Biden - 2
McCain - 5
Paul - 5.08
Richardson - 5.2
Edwards - 7
Thompson - 8
Romney - 9.5 + 8.5 personal loan
Giuliani - 10.5
Obama - 19
Clinton - 22

Meanwhile, Mike Huckabee sees money through a different lens. He hasn't released his third quarter statistics yet, but on his latest stop through Concord he paid $400 for a haircut at a local salon that gives the extra $388 to autism research. Huckabee quipped that he would pay more than $400 if the barber cut add some hair to his head.

More to the point, Huckabee commented on his relative thrift, haircuts aside, compared to his rivals, "frankly if I had to raise the kind of money, and if I spent that kind of money, and I wasn't any higher in the polls, I'd go home and cry my eyes out tonight."

So there you go, less focus on fundraising equals less stress (and fewer votes, but who's counting?). You can take that to the bank!