Archive for the ‘Electoral Process’ Category
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8
Aug
2008
On Faith
Which candidate would you rather go to Church with? Be in a Bible Study with? Pray with?
These are serious questions that pollsters are asking Americans.
Religion and faith will play a huge role in the presidential election. The role of faith came to the forefront with the rise of George W. Bush to the White House in 2000. The Democratic Party appeared inept when it came to issues of faith.
However, Barack Obama appears comfortable talking about religion and faith. On the other hand, McCain holds his faith close to his heart and rarely speaks of it. They will come together on August 16th for a forum on faith in a California Mega-Church to discuss the issue.
Is it a requirement for McCain have to speak frequently on faith? John McCain’s source of spirituality may be different than yours, but is that a good reason to not vote for a presidential candidate? Many say yes – many say no. I guess that’s why we all get a vote.
TIME Magazine features an essay on faith from each presidential candidate. These are worth reading.
6
Aug
2008
Flip-Flops aren’t just for the beach!
In the 2004 presidential campaign John Kerry’s (D) presidential bid was almost entirely destroyed by accusations that he was a ‘flip-flopper.’ This came mostly after he said about the war in Iraq, “I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it…”
It appeared that 1) he couldn’t make his mind up, and 2) he changed his positions for political gain. Kerry did not look Presidential. He looked weak. To mock him, people dressed up like flip-flops, George W. Bush repeated the accusation, and it stuck. It stuck good. John Kerry lost.
This election both John McCain (R) and Barack Obama (R) have been accused of being ‘flip-flopers.’
What both of them have going against them is their time in the U.S. Senate. A body that only gets things done when Senators compromise and change their positions on issues. Unfortunately for John McCain, he has been in the Senate many, many more years than Barack Obama. This allows people to dig up times where he has changed his position and ‘flopped.’
Politico, along with PoliFact, has an excellent analysis that lays out the major issues that both presidential candidates (especially Obama) have ‘flip-flopped’ on. They rate each ‘flop’ on a ‘flip-o-meter‘ (Ratings of No-Flip, Half-Flip, and Full-Flip) However, the mere existence of a ‘meter’ seems to mock any charges of ‘flip-flopping.’ Politico itself notes:
[T]he presidential race has featured so many alleged flip-flops by either Obama or John McCain … that the charge itself is in danger of losing some of its potency. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to determine on which issues the candidates have actually reversed their positions, and whether their shifts were indeed motivated by political expediency (the implication behind most flip-flop charges) or changing circumstances.
We’ll see if charges of ‘flip-flopping’ resonate like the did in 2004, but I somehow don’t think they will.
5
Aug
2008
Paris calls McCain “Like Super-Old”
John McCain referenced Paris Hilton in an ad attacking Barack Obama a few weeks ago.
Paris didn’t take kindly to it and struck back!
She closes the ‘ad’ with the semi-presidential line, “I’m Paris Hilton, and I approve this message — because I think it’s totally hot.”
McCain’s camp responded wittily.
“It sounds like Paris Hilton supports John McCain’s ‘all of the above’ approach to America’s energy crisis – -including both alternatives and drilling. In reality, Paris Hilton may have a more substantive energy policy than Barack Obama,” spokesman Tucker Bounds said.
No word yet on if Paris Hilton is registered to vote.
5
Aug
2008
Texas Senate Race
Texas’ race for Senator is getting a little closer in the polls. John Cornyn (R), the incumbent, is up against Rick Noriega (D).
This is the second poll in a row where Cornyn’s numbers are below 50%. But don’t read too much into it. Cornyn has raised A LOT more money than Noriega. In addition, a Democrat hasn’t won a state-wide office in Texas in 10 years! The Dallas Morning News doesn’t think Noriega really has a shot, and CQ Politics rates the race as ‘Republican Favorite.’
3
Aug
2008
All eyes on TX-10
The DCCC (Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee) is eyeing TX-10 (the congressional district I live in).
The DCCC’s intrest, and their money, will spice up the race between incumbent Michael McCaul (R) and tv personality Larry Joe Doherty (D). McCaul won by 15 percentage points 2006, and is sure to be a much closer race in 2008.
It is unlikely, however, that the challenger will defeat McCaul – even with the DCCC’s attention.
CQ Politics rates the race ‘Republican Favored‘