Blog @ MoreWhat.com

Not long ago there was a post here indicating Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell woke up. He was leading the fight on a conservative issue. Apparently he went back to sleep again on DHS appropriations. Or more correctly, his agenda may not reflect the true conservative principles that are claimed by the GOP. A post on this blog about Senator Jim DeMint earlier is an example of trying to do things right. Fight the pork and earmarks in legislation. Especially if that legislation is about nationally serious issues like security. This is the surprising response from a GOP leader in Congress on an issue involving pork. You can also let this guy know he should trim the pork.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Senate Clears Homeland, Border Security Funding
from the Office of Senator Mitch McConnell

Friday, July 27, 2007

‘It’s possible that if we work together, like we did this time, we can still make good progress’

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following statement Thursday regarding passage of H.R. 2638, The Homeland Security Appropriations Bill. The bill, the first passed by the Senate this year, passed by a vote of 89-4:

“Today marks an important milestone for this Congress. It seems that after spending the first half of the year staging political show-votes and investigations, our friends on the other side have woken up to the fact they only had two things to show for it: an angrier base and a long to-do list. In the fog of battle they forgot that getting things done in the Senate takes cooperation.

“We’ve cooperated on this bill. And it’s a lot better for it. I’m extremely pleased the majority ultimately accepted Sen. Graham’s border security amendment. We got the message last month: border security first. And now, thanks to this effort, we’ll be delivering a $3 billion downpayment on a stronger border.

“I also appreciate Senator Cornyn’s insistence that interior enforcement be a part of that funding. To us it’s pretty simple: there is no homeland security without border security. We’ll continue to push this idea on the floor of the Senate in the coming weeks and months. Today is just the beginning.

“A lesson we can learn from the last six months is that there’s a cost to everything. And the cost of putting off legislating in favor of around-the-clock politics is that there isn’t much to show for it in the end.

“It’s been my view all along that we should have been working on appropriations bills all summer. Here we are almost in August and we’ve only passed one. So we’re looking at a potential train wreck in September. But it’s possible that if we work together, like we did this time, we can still make good progress. And I hope we do.

“A brief word about cloture. Look: anybody who’s been in the Senate for more than a week will tell you — if they’re being honest — that 40 or so cloture votes in six months isn’t a sign of minority obstruction; it’s a sign of a majority that doesn’t like the rules. The cloture club shouldn’t be the first option. It should be the last. Hopefully today’s vote is also a sign that we’re moving away from cloture as a first resort.

“I hope the majority will follow through on a pledge that the Senior Senator from Illinois made on the first day of the session. He said the American people put Democrats in the majority ‘to find solutions, not to play to a draw with nothing to show for it.’ Very well said.

“My Republican colleagues hope we can operate this way. I think it will be the best way to operate in the fall if we actually intend legislate.”

###

This is the companion post for ‘ Senator DeMint: Fighting Pork in National Security. ‘ This was linked from inside Senator DeMint’s press release but may have made the previous post a bit too large. This information will help you evaluate what Congress is really interested in with Homeland Security. It would appear to be PORK. There is no excuse for abusing widespread support for protecting this country by adding pork to related legislation. Again you are urged to help Senator DeMint and a few others like him to correct these problems. Contact your representatives and voice your opposition to pork or earmarks. Read on. Follow the links for additional information.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

For Immediate Release
June 26, 2007
Contact: Steve Ellis
202-546-8500 x126

TCS ANALYSIS OF FY08 SENATE HOMELAND SECURITY
APPROPRIATIONS BILL

Complete database of Department of Homeland Security earmarks (click)

Washington, D.C. - The Senate FY08 Homeland Security Appropriations bill contains $37.6 billion in funding, $2.3 billion more than the President’s request, and $2.8 billion more than 2007 appropriation.

Some of the bill’s highlights:

Earmarks

Unlike its House counterparts, the Senate discloses the requesting member of most earmarks in the legislation. But its disclosure is far from perfect.While the earmarks are listed in the report, you have to look real close because the type is small and they are scattered far and wide throughout the report. In 137 pages of the report, there are 24 earmarks, including two doozies not disclosed as earmarks.

All told, twenty Senators receive Department of Homeland Security earmarks. As usual, members on the Committee were the big winners, as only five members not on the Committee receive earmarks (Sens. Cantwell (D-WA), Corker (R-TN), Cornyn (R-TX), Kennedy (D-MA) and Kerry (D-MA)), and only two of these don’t have fellow home state Senators pulling weight for them on Committee.

Sens. Domenici (R-NM) and Shelby (R-AL) both receive three earmarks apiece and Sens. Cochran (R-MS), Hutchison (R-TX) and Murray (D-WA) each get a pair.

But wait, there’s more. TCS found two undisclosed earmarks – one for the U.S. Coast Guard Operations System Center in Kearneysville, WV and one that, in part, relocates Immigration and Customs Enforcement data centers to Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. So, one undisclosed earmark goes to the home state of the Chairman of Appropriations Robert Byrd (D-WV) and the other goes to the home state of the Ranking Member of the Committee Thad Cochran (R-MS).

The total cost of all the earmarks is more than $396.6 million. We’re not sure how much more, because one earmark, for Sen. Inouye (D-HI) just stipulates that Customs should hire temporary and part-time pest inspectors in Hawaii.

DHS Acquisitions

The Committee points out that: “The Department’s track record on major development programs is spotty at best” and that the multi-billion dollar Secure Border Initiative program is “extremely high risk,” but then turns around and approves another billion dollars for the program, bringing the two year total appropriations for SBI to $2.2 billion.

Aviation Security

Aviation security at the Transportation Security Administration gets an $86.4 million bump to more than $5 billion, predominantly for explosives detection systems and explosives trace detection. However, maintenance of that technology takes a $7 million hit.

Coast Guard

The Committee points out that the Coast Guard Yard at Curtis Bay, MD (Baltimore) is “a critical component of the Coast Guard’s core logistics capability” but they are not quite sure how, because they further direct that “sufficient industrial work should be assigned to the Yard to maintain this capability.”

After a year of failures and shortcomings, the Coast Guard’s Deepwater acquisition program is cut $18 million from the President’s request, to $770.1 million. The Committee also directs the Coast Guard to get going with acquiring Vertical Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (VUAV) for the program, a technology that has been experiencing problems of late.

The Truman-Hobbs Act (1940) bridge program remains in good health after six earmarks were added to the tune of $16 million to alter bridges that interfere with navigation. The bridges are in Illinois (Sen. Durbin (D)), Alabama (Sen. Shelby (R)), Iowa (Sen. Harkin (D)), Massachusetts (Sens. Kennedy and Kerry (both D)), Wisconsin (Sen. Kohl (D)), and Texas (Sen. Hutchison (R)).

National Protection and Programs Directorate

Continuing the saga of problems for this troubled part of DHS, the committee notes that, “The budget submission is incomprehensible, information is unattainable, budgeted numbers are suspect, authorities used to execute certain activities are unclear…” Ouch. That cost the Directorate a cut of $127 million, $100 million of which came from the much maligned US-VISIT program to biometrically track the entry (but not exit) of visitors to the United States.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

FEMA receives a dramatic bump of more than $2.8 billion over the FY08 request and nearly $1 billion over FY07 enacted levels to a total of $6.9 billion. Virtually every area receives an increase with State grants receiving the lion’s share of the increase.

Conclusion

In previous years, there had been a moratorium on earmarks in the Homeland Security Appropriations bill – which was never perfect – but the moratorium seems to be relevant only if you are not on the appropriations committee. And in the beginning of a disturbing trend similar to the Department of Defense appropriations bill, many of the earmarks are popping up in the Research and Development, Training, and Services title of the bill. The appetite for R&D earmarks is nearly limitless, so we are likely watching the beginning of the slippery slope to more earmarks that direct more of our tax dollars for political gain instead of for protecting our country.

###

1. 
   

   Diary of the Mad Pigeon

   Says:
   July 27th, 2007 at 10:36 pm The Pigeon’s Perfect Steak…

   ADMIN NOTE: I’ll be offline tomorrow, spending the day at the Colorado Renaissance Festival with the Hummingbird and minions. Back on Sunday! Summer’s in full swing and while anyone can slap a slab of meat on the grill, cooking a…

2. 
   

   Planck’s Constant

   Says:
   July 28th, 2007 at 3:28 am Letter to God…

   the contract made between you and Abraham is up for renewal, and this memorandum is to advise you that after, yea, those many millennia of consideration, we’ve decided not to renew….

3. 
   

   Church and State

   Says:
   July 28th, 2007 at 4:44 am Weekend Open Trackback - July 27-29, 2007…

   Weekend open trackback! Leave a trackback of your best post for others to read….

4. 
   

   Leaning Straight Up

   Says:
   July 28th, 2007 at 8:21 am The overreactions (on both sides) of pharmacies and the Plan B pill…

   Once again an issue has cropped up that is being completely misrepresented by all parties, and once again, it is up to me, your host, to clarify the real issues.

   First of all, the Plan B pill, or the morning after pill was developed to act as a pre…

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   Pirate’s Cove » >>Americans Never Quit » Another Ted Rall MDS Cartoon

   Says:
   July 28th, 2007 at 12:50 pm […] Trackposted to …… thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe. […]

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   The Florida Masochist

   Says:
   July 28th, 2007 at 1:22 pm The Knucklehead of the Day award…

   Today’s winner is The Bay Pines VA Medical Center….

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   RIP: Lowes « Nuke’s News and Views

   Says:
   July 28th, 2007 at 4:20 pm […] Trackposted to …… thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe. […]

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   Wake up America

   Says:
   July 28th, 2007 at 8:43 pm An American Communist: Hillary Clinton & The Democ…

   I showed my readers the comparisons, if fact, some of the exact wording from the Communist Manifesto stated today by our “progressive, liberal democrats….

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   Nanotechnology Today

   Says:
   July 28th, 2007 at 9:17 pm Nature’s Secrets Yield New Adhesive…

   Scientists report they have merged two of nature’s most elegant strategies for wet and dry adhesion to produce a synthetic material that one day could lead to more durable and longer-lasting bandages, patches, and surgical materials….

It appears earmarks have plagued national security issues from the beginning as state’s that were awarded federal funding were unable to pass on the windfalls whether needed or not. Again, a spending bill proposed for national security may be abusing the tendency to avoid arguments on anything to do with protecting the country after 9/11. Well, with the exception of the troops and winning a war. All other spending measures get a pass without much scrutiny or political opposition.

With the help of Senators like Jim DeMint the earmarked or porked push in Homeland Security appropriations for fiscal 2008 may be avoided. Another opportunity to contact your representatives is right here. Don’t rely on a veto from the President to avoid these problems. Express your opinion. Let those in Washington echo the sentiments of Senator DeMint that you favor much about efforts on national security but this bill needs fixing.

A companion post will be published later and a surprising position on the subject from another Senator.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

DeMint Calls on Senate to Restrain Spending

July 27th, 2007 - Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina), Chairman of the Senate Steering Committee, made the following statement Friday after he voted against the Fiscal Year 2008 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations bill, which the President has threatened to veto due to excessive spending.

“There are many good things in this bill that I strongly support – like the critical funding for border security – but it’s over budget and represents the addiction to spending that has overcome Washington,” said Senator DeMint. “Congress must set priorities just like every American family and business must do. This bill exceeds the President’s budget by over $5 billion and includes numerous earmarks and wasteful spending. If this trend continues, Congress will go deeper and deeper into the red ink with each spending bill that it considers.”

According to the Statement of Administration Position, the President will veto the legislation because “it includes an irresponsible and excessive level of spending and includes other objectionable provisions.” In fact, the bill exceeds the President’s request by $5.3 billion. Among other things, it takes $100 million from border security and earmarks it for security at the national political party conventions, a function that is normally paid for by the hosting city.

Also, even though the Department of Homeland Security currently has over $4 billion in unused funds from previous years for state and local grant programs, this bill appropriates over $3 billion more to that program.

According to an analysis by the non-profit, independent research group Taxpayers for Common Sense, the Senate DHS Appropriations bill was reported out of committee with 24 earmarks that spend over $396 million:

“All told, twenty Senators receive Department of Homeland Security earmarks. As usual, members on the Committee were the big winners, as only five members not on the Committee receive earmarks, and only two of these don’t have fellow home state Senators pulling weight for them on Committee… TCS found two undisclosed earmarks – one for the U.S. Coast Guard Operations System Center in Kearneysville, WV and one that, in part, relocates Immigration and Customs Enforcement data centers to Stennis Space Center in Mississippi… The total cost of all the earmarks is more than $396.6 million. We’re not sure how much more, because one earmark, for Sen. Inouye (D-HI) just stipulates that Customs should hire temporary and part-time pest inspectors in Hawaii.”

DeMint concluded, “I hope my colleagues will start showing some self control when it comes to spending, and help us change course soon. I urge the House-Senate conference to trim the waste and prioritize funds to urgent security needs at our borders and ports.”

###

Related information:

H.R.2638
Title: Making appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Price, David E. [NC-4] (introduced 6/8/2007) Cosponsors (None)
Related Bills: H.RES.473, S.1644
Latest Major Action: 7/26/2007 Resolving differences — Senate actions. Status: Senate insists on its amendment, asks for a conference, appoints conferees Byrd; Inouye; Leahy; Mikulski; Kohl; Murray; Landrieu; Lautenberg; Nelson NE; Cochran; Gregg; Stevens; Specter; Domenici; Shelby; Craig; Alexander.
House Reports: 110-181
MAJOR ACTIONS:

6/8/2007 Introduced in House
6/8/2007 The House Committee on Appropriations reported an original measure, H. Rept. 110-181, by Mr. Price (NC).
6/15/2007 Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 268 - 150 (Roll no. 491).
7/26/2007 Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Yea-Nay. 89 - 4. Record Vote Number: 282.
7/26/2007 Resolving differences — Senate actions: Senate insists on its amendment, asks for a conference, appoints conferees Byrd; Inouye; Leahy; Mikulski; Kohl; Murray; Landrieu; Lautenberg; Nelson NE; Cochran; Gregg; Stevens; Specter; Domenici; Shelby; Craig; Alexander.

H.RES.473
Title: Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2638) making appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Slaughter, Louise McIntosh [NY-28] (introduced 6/11/2007) Cosponsors (None)
Related Bills: H.R.2638
Latest Major Action: 6/12/2007 Passed/agreed to in House. Status: On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by voice vote.
House Reports: 110-184
MAJOR ACTIONS:

6/11/2007 Introduced in House
6/11/2007 The House Committee on Rules reported an original measure, H. Rept. 110-184, by Ms. Slaughter.
6/12/2007 Passed/agreed to in House: On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by voice vote.

S.1644
Title: An original bill making appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Byrd, Robert C. [WV] (introduced 6/18/2007) Cosponsors (None)
Related Bills: H.R.2638
Latest Major Action: 6/18/2007 Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 204.
Senate Reports: 110-84
MAJOR ACTIONS:

6/18/2007 Introduced in Senate
6/18/2007 Committee on Appropriations. Original measure reported to Senate by Senator Byrd. With written report No. 110-84.
6/18/2007 Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 204.

He warns, in the video segment posted by his campaign, that if we don’t beat back these unnamed oligarchs, “They’re going to control the media. They’re going to control what’s being said.”

As if John Edwards’ rabid rants encouraging surrender in Iraq, demanding immediate withdrawal and desecration of the honorable memory of those who paid the price for his free speech last Memorial Day was not enough, he is now attacking a phantom enemy to provide a target for his weak support. The reality of his failing campaign and rising insignificance of his presence in the 2008 campaign requires emotional appeals for a desperate audience he hopes exists.

It seems an unworthy choice for a wealthy man once touted as a more than capable trial attorney who attracted admirers near and far to witness (no pun intended) his court room finesse turn a jury. But if you think about it this is a natural strategy for a man who made millions using the misfortune of others to build his own fortune. The same tactic used by life insurance salesman to make one feel guilty for not buying.

H/T to The Politico linked in the excerpt at the top and for providing the YouTube link to the John Edwards’ ‘blogger outreach’ campaign video.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com
Edwards: They Want to Shut Me Up

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   Damascus Nan’s Top 100 Broken Promises | Stuck On Stupid

   Says:
   July 27th, 2007 at 12:00 pm […] Trackposted to …..thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe. […]

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   Conservative Thoughts

   Says:
   July 27th, 2007 at 12:17 pm LCpl Stephen Tatum’s Statement to the Investigating Officer…
   From Defend Our Marines Website:
   Camp Pendleton / Article 32 hearing / July 24, 2007
   Before closing arguments in his Article 32 hearing, LCpl Tatum made a statement to the hearing officer, LtCol Paul Ware.
   The lance corporal spoke. He did not read a…

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   WFFOT « Nuke’s NEWS & VIEWS

   Says:
   July 27th, 2007 at 12:47 pm […] Trackposted to ….. thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe. […]

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   DeMediacratic Nation

   Says:
   July 27th, 2007 at 1:05 pm Friday Sermon From Iran…

   Nothing but tough love from Tehran’s substitute Friday prayers leader Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati this morning. Speaking ……

5. 
   

   Adam’s Blog

   Says:
   July 27th, 2007 at 1:32 pm Interview with Jeremy Johnson…

   Here’s my interview Jeremy, Johnson, Director of State Government Affairs with U.S. Term Limits.
   Click here to download. Click here to add this podcast to your Itunes.

6. 
   

   Jena 6: Sentencing Delayed, DOJ Conducts Forum - Pursuing Holiness

   Says:
   July 27th, 2007 at 1:53 pm […] Trackposted to…… thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe. […]

7. 
   

   Right Truth

   Says:
   July 27th, 2007 at 3:24 pm Spencer Abraham, no way in Hell, Fred Thompson….

   Fred Thompson has been my favorite for President in the 2008 election, until now. If what I’m hearing about Spencer Abraham, Thompson’s new campaign manager, then Fred’s campaign is dead in the water. Spencer Abraham, according to reports, is a…

8. 
   

   third world county

   Says:
   July 27th, 2007 at 3:29 pm “Some Cold-Eyed Rationalism”…

   From a longer post by someone worth listening to…
   ……

9. 
   

   Conservative Cat

   Says:
   July 27th, 2007 at 6:06 pm You Have Two Years to Fix Your TV…

   Congress is concerned about the lack of broadcast bandwidth, so on February 18, 2009, broadcast television will switch from analog to digital. Digital TV takes less bandwidth than analog TV. Some of the bandwidth freed by the switch will be……

10. 
    

    Dumb Ox Daily News

    Says:
    July 27th, 2007 at 6:11 pm Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Everybody’s Favorit…

    What does it say about us?…

11. 
    

    Webloggin

    Says:
    July 27th, 2007 at 6:14 pm ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ Issues Apology Over Upside Down Marine Emblem…

    I hadn’t realized that Mia Michaels was wearing Marine Dress Blues with upside down Marine emblems on the sleeves when I wrote yesterday’s article discussing the solos. (video here)
    ……

12. 
    

    CommonSenseAmerica - Illegal Immigration, America, Freedom, News and Opinion » Good News Friday - OTA

    Says:
    July 27th, 2007 at 6:24 pm […] Sharing the Good News with my friends at ….., thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe. This entry is filed under Christianity, America, Freedom, Family, Linkfests. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. Leave a Reply […]

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    Pirate’s Cove » >>Americans Never Quit » Global Warming Today: Prepare To Methane Yourself Silly

    Says:
    July 27th, 2007 at 7:18 pm […] Trackposted to …… thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe. […]

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    Big Dogs Weblog

    Says:
    July 27th, 2007 at 8:05 pm This Explains Liberalism…

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    The Amboy Times

    Says:
    July 27th, 2007 at 8:11 pm Harry Potter, Zionist agent…

    Here’s a new one for the list.JW reports that the Iranians think that Harry Potter is a Zionist mind control device.In an article, the Iranian daily Kayhan, which is identified with Iranian Supreme Leader ‘Ali Khamenei, criticized Iran’s Culture and…

16. 
    

    Diary of the Mad Pigeon

    Says:
    July 27th, 2007 at 10:36 pm The Pigeon’s Perfect Steak…

    ADMIN NOTE: I’ll be offline tomorrow, spending the day at the Colorado Renaissance Festival with the Hummingbird and minions. Back on Sunday! Summer’s in full swing and while anyone can slap a slab of meat on the grill, cooking a…

The kind of news brief that might actually be a worthwhile reminder for longer than a day. If reading market news before the market opens or shortly after wasn’t enough to convince you the investment deck is stacked, most of the business writing skewed by those with a vested interest in the outcome continues to dole out the hype of their snake oil to eagerly awaiting get rich quick neophytes. Any caveats disclosed by those charged with protecting the public interest are overshadowed by the same marketing driving the sales of products and services no one with a modicum of intelligence needs. The sermon will stop now so this remains a news ‘brief’ and gets to the real point with two headlines published ten days apart. A classic example of the investment house of cards.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Dow hits 14,000 for 1st time

Blue-chip average strikes milestone as a generally tame inflation report drives gains.
By Jessica Dickler, CNNMoney.com staff writer
July 17 2007: 10:21 AM EDT

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — The Dow Jones industrial average struck the 14,000 mark for the first time early Tuesday as investors cheered a tame inflation reading in addition to strong earnings from Coke and J&J.

Worst Week for the Dow in Five Years

Stocks Continue Slide Despite GDP Report
Friday July 27, 5:42 pm ET
By Tim Paradis, AP Business Writer
Wall Street Extend Declines As Stronger-Than-Expected GDP Fails to Prop Up Market

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street extended its steep decline Friday, propelling the Dow Jones industrials down more than 500 points over two days after investors gave in to mounting concerns that borrowing costs would climb for both companies and homeowners. It was the worst week for the Dow and the Standard & Poor’s 500 index in five years.

Alright, this week’s news for Bill Richardson could be the political kiss of death. A publication largely viewed as left leaning disses the former governor on his ties to big oil and suggests he is only a VP candidate for the number two spot on the Dems ticket. Eight former members of Congress offer their endorsements and USA Election Polls dot com says they’re going out on a limb to call him the winner in Iowa ‘for this election cycle’.

Bill Richardson: In Big Oil’s Pocket?
He’s got the credentials, the background, and the Western bona fides to be VP material. He promises a “man-on-the-moon program” on energy. There’s just that small matter of who he used to do business with.
James Ridgeway
July 26 , 2007

Despite his populist appeal and a recent bump in the polls that saw him surpass John Edwards in New Hampshire, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, once considered a potential running mate for Al Gore in 2000 and John Kerry in 2004, seems destined to find himself once again in the running for the number two job.

Assuming that Richardson’s lackluster debate performances and campaign trail gaffes—during one stump speech he forgot that France was a member of the U.N. Security Council, even though he once served as the U.S. ambassador to the U.N.—don’t make him a non-starter, he could be prove a valuable asset to the Democratic nominee.

Ties to oil, money from oil and all the while touting green energy and alternative fuels. Is there a chance hanging around with Al Gore and John Kerry as well as the UN and other corruption building enterprises has made Richardson just another scandal waiting to happen. Being lax on security and favoring amnesty is not a crowd pleaser either. And what’s up with the endorsements and crazed prediction from USA Election Polls?

Former Members of Congress Endorse Governor Bill Richardson for President
For Immediate Release
July 26, 2007 Contact: Pahl Shipley
(505) 982-2291

SANTA FE, NM — Governor Bill Richardson’s campaign momentum continued to rise today with the endorsements of eight distinguished former Members of Congress.

“These distinguished and influential former Members of Congress will help lead my campaign to victory,” said Governor Richardson. “I was honored to serve with many of them when I was in Congress and I am honored to have them join my campaign for a stronger America.”

Together, these former members of Congress represent a large and diverse swath of the country. Their service to society, both in the public and private sectors, is broad and extensive.

“Having represented Arizona in Congress, I know that Governor Richardson shares our Western values. He stands for fiscal responsibility, protection of our environment, and an aggressive move towards energy independence,” said former Congressman and former Arizona Democratic Party Chair Sam Coppersmith of Arizona. “I am excited to help Governor Richardson win in Arizona and across the West.”

“Not only does Governor Richardson have the strongest record on the issues and the boldest vision for the future, he can also win in every part of the country. In his last campaign, he earned almost seventy percent of the vote in the red state of New Mexico. People of all political stripes are attracted to his extraordinary record of public service and his common-sense vision of governance,” said former Congressman Buddy Darden of Georgia. “I will work tirelessly to make sure that the great state of Georgia is with Bill Richardson.”

“Governor Richardson is the strong, decisive leader that our country needs so badly. Of all the candidates, Richardson has the best combination of vision for getting us out of Iraq and turning around our public schools, with the experience and record of accomplishment to implement these important policies,” said former Congressman Bob Carr of Michigan. “He knows how to bring people together to make real progress on the issues that count.”

Please find a list of the former Members of Congress endorsing Governor Richardson today below:

Sam Coppersmith (D-AZ)
Elizabeth Furse (D-OR)
Ken Holland (D-SC)
Ronnie Flippo (D-AL)
Bill Hefner (D-NC)
Buddy Darden (D-GA)
Don Bonker (D-WA)
Bob Carr (D-MI)

from Sam Coopersmith’s blog header:
It’s a wry heat; reality-based commentary on Arizona and national politics. LiberalDesert: Fighting right-wing dry rot for years now. Comments? Email the author, Sam Coppersmith, at scoppersmith at cgsblaw dot com.

One term in the House followed by an unsuccessful bid to the Senate for Arizona in the 90’s.
It appears he ran against Senator Kyl. He of course is a Democrat and expresses his dislike for Senator McCain on his blog. Why would anyone get excited about this endorsement, including Bill Richardson?

some information on:
FURSE, Elizabeth, a Representative from Oregon; born in Nairobi, Kenya, October 13, 1936; B.A., Evergreen State College, 1974; director, Oregon Legal Services restoration program for Native American tribes, 1980-1986; co-founded the Oregon Peace Institute in 1985; co-owner and co-operator of a vineyard; elected as a Democrat to the One Hundred Third and to the two succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1993-January 3, 1999); was not a candidate for reelection in 1998 to the One Hundred Sixth Congress.

There was nothing to indicate the remainder of the endorsement list contained any individuals ‘bringing it’ for the candidate. Unless these endorsements represent some power in the Democratic party in terms of delegates or other nomination support, there is nothing in a casual search that would indicate this is any big deal. So what’s the point?

If no one can show me the error of my ways on this topic, the endorsements are window dressing.

For comedic value there is the following information mentioned earlier.

Bill Richardson - Likely to Win Iowa 2008
We are going to go out on a limb six months in advance of the Iowa Caucus to predict that Bill Richardson will win the state of Iowa in this election cycle.

Bill Richardson was at 1.0% in both Iowa and New Hampshire six months ago. Now he is hovering around double digits.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

So what is the lower tier of candidates doing to propel themselves to the top tier? You don’t really expect any of them to approach the current poll leaders, do you? But then, what’s the point of being in a campaign if not to win? Some candidates in the past have entered a Presidential race to do nothing more than bring attention to the issues, improve their standing in a current elected office, improve name recognition for a future run or just to muddy up the place. Most voters may support a lower tier candidate because they strongly support an issue only a lower tier candidate can afford to promote. Some are so dissatisfied with the top tier and typical choices that the lower tier support is like a protest vote.

You will not get anything from lower tier candidates but the same victory predictions or aspirations displayed by the top tier. The money to win may not be there and the strategy and tactics do not reflect the same strength of the upper tier campaigns. And there is no shortage of trading barbs or wild west tactics within the ranks of those barely visible in the polls.

Senator Sam Brownback has decided the straw poll in Iowa is THE target. With Giuliani, McCain and Thompson not a factor, a second place finish is not outside the realm of possibilities for the Senator. But his automated ‘robo-call’ methods to attack his opponents does not come without a downside. Some might suggest this tactic should be part of the national do not call list. If any voter is annoyed by unsolicited calls, getting one from an automated system on any subject cannot be any more pleasing than the traditional human counterpart. And the complaints from competing campaigns, the subjects of the calls, may cause potential voters to challenge the validity of the claims. But then we’ll know how well this worked sometime in August.

Pure Horserace: Brownback’s Bold Move

July 26, 2007(CBS) When Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback entered the race for the Republican presidential nomination, he wasn’t placed in the top tier, but was expected to still be a factor, especially when it came down to attracting the evangelical Christian voters that comprise a large part of the GOP voting base. But until this point, Brownback has largely been a non-entity in the contest, his fund raising and poll numbers putting him at the bottom of the field.

Finding anything reasonable to discuss about Mike Gravel’s campaign is difficult. Withdrawing from public life, experiencing two bankruptcies, entering the Pentagon Papers into the public record and offering a campaign reminiscent of the sixties’ counterculture does not lend itself to the current campaign. This lower tier attempt will be lucky to net the Gravel campaign a footnote in the 2008 elections.

Regardless of your politics, you gotta love the Kucinich campaign. If you’re on the left, he speaks to long standing and underlying positions of the Democratic party. Peace, programs and solving problems with government intervention. If you’re on the right, he helps the GOP by harassing other Democratic candidates.

Democrat Kucinich: long shot who keeps on running

Tue Jul 24, 2007 1:47PM EDT
By Andrea Hopkins
COLUMBUS, Ohio (Reuters) - Democratic presidential hopeful Dennis Kucinich has just 1 percent support in the polls, six candidates ahead of him and next to no chance of becoming U.S. president. But don’t tell him that.

While this post was presented in light of the recent Democratic party debate via CNN/YouTube, the lower tier of the GOP presents some interesting choices as well. Perhaps one undisclosed purpose by lower tier candidates from both major parties is a chance at a spot on the ticket as a running mate. While John Cox, Ron Paul and Tommy Thompson are very unlikely to pose any threat in a run for the 2008 nomination, the lower tier of GOP candidates has some contenders with more than no chance at all. Brownback, Huckabee, Hunter and Tancredo are established politicians but their contribution to the race may only serve to slow the process of finding a breakout candidate.

The continuing postponements to announce from the Fred Thompson campaign together with this week’s campaign staff changes and rumors of friction certainly do nothing to improve the former Senator’s standing with potential voters or donors.

While Giuliani remains on top the GOP national poll numbers and has actually started to do some campaigning, the fact remains his appeal to the typical conservative base is in question. While Romney continues to strengthen his poll numbers and rankings in the early states, his fund raising has slowed, his spending is up and appears to have relaxed campaigning with the exception of attacking the Dems. And the McCain campaign still appears to be stalled. Right at this moment, the claims by observers and Democrats suggesting GOP fund raising and voter apathy as serious problems may have some credibility. But the recent flaw in Clinton’s armor again suggests its a long campaign season and nothing has yet been decided……nothing.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Hillary Rodham Clinton accused Barack Obama of being ‘naive and irresponsible’ for his position on Iran and that he would open talks with them. She said she would not talk with them in the first year of being President but suggested ‘low level’ talks from State. She added Obama would know those things if he had the experience she did. This contradicts the calls by the Democratic leadership in the House and Senate, including other Democratic party candidates Senator Joe Biden and Senator Chris Dodd as reported here yesterday. But Clinton did not extend her criticism to anyone but Obama.

A new report from the Washington Post indicates Clinton’s campaign advisers thought they won the argument while this blog indicated they may have exposed their campaign’s first flaws. And the Obama camp is not letting this go yet. They returned fire with Clinton’s vote authorizing the use of military force in Iraq as ‘naive and irresponsible’. Whether you support the troops and victory in Iraq or don’t support the troops and favor surrender, it has been mentioned here often that most in Congress did not review the available information on the resolution before voting. Obama’s appraisal has merit for those who did not perform due diligence for an informed vote. Supporting victory or surrender does not change the fact that there were mistakes made before going to war but an obligation to Iraq exists regardless of that fact. The point is, being poorly informed and therefore making an uninformed decision does not relieve the parties from the obligation produced by the decision. That is why the decision should be made more carefully.

That said, in the report from the Washington Post, Biden and Dodd weigh in and essentially echoed the point from this blog yesterday. That in calling Obama ‘naive and irresponsible’ she was including the rest of the Democratic leadership and specifically, Biden and Dodd. It is fair to say that Biden and Dodd were not impressed. So much for Hillary Rodham Clinton’s claim of superior experience. This latest flap is a rookie mistake by Clinton. Yesterday this blog characterized Clinton’s manipulation of the debate question as bush league. It was and she is.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

For Clinton and Obama, A Debate Point Won’t Die

By Anne E. Kornblut and Dan Balz
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, July 27, 2007; A08

A debate moment that might have quickly come and gone has erupted into the sharpest battle of the Democratic nominating contest, with Sen. Barack Obama yesterday comparing Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s position on meeting with the leaders of hostile states to the adamant refusal of President Bush and Vice President Cheney.

Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, Perri Nelson’s Website, DeMediacratic Nation, 123beta, Adam’s Blog, Right Truth, Stuck On Stupid, Webloggin, Leaning Straight Up, Cao’s Blog, The Amboy Times, , Conservative Cat, Conservative Thoughts, Pursuing Holiness, third world county, Woman Honor Thyself, The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns, The World According to Carl, 4 Time Father?, Pirate’s Cove, Nuke’s news and views, The Pink Flamingo, Wyvern Dreams, CommonSenseAmerica, Dumb Ox Daily News, and Public Eye, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

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There are plenty of illegal immigration posts on this blog.

If you’re here legally and behavin’ yo self, welcome aboard.
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We suggest using the Linkfest Haven Deluxe Trackback pinger for ease of use and time savings to catch all the festive linking activities today. Or, if you have done this less than we have, the permalink for this Open Trackback is the title link and the trackback is located near the bottom of the permalink page for this post. Just poke around, you’ll find it.

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1. 
   

   Right Voices » Blog Archive » No More Bat Boy?

   Says:
   July 26th, 2007 at 1:01 am […] Trackposted ….. thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe. […]

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   Woman Honor Thyself

   Says:
   July 26th, 2007 at 1:20 am Make “John Doe” a LaW!…

   I know I know I know..the John Doe hasn’t been signed into law….Yet.
   Let’s make sure it does!

   ……

3. 
   

   A proper fisking « Nuke’s NEWS & VIEWS

   Says:
   July 26th, 2007 at 2:37 am […] Trackposted to …… thanks to Linkfest Haven […]

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   Right Truth

   Says:
   July 26th, 2007 at 3:32 am Green flies buzzing around Madrassa school in Brooklyn…

   A big, hot, steaming pile of crap attracts a lot of green flies. Believe me, the flies were having mid-air crashes tonight as they buzzed around the comments being dished out by Hussein Ibish while talking about the Arabic Madrassa…

5. 
   

   Conservative Cat

   Says:
   July 26th, 2007 at 4:15 am Clinton vs. Obama on the Issues…

   A lot of people come to this site looking for information about how Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama differ on the issues. As a superior life form, I feel it’s my duty to make sure these people don’t go away……

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   A Few Shiny Pebbles

   Says:
   July 26th, 2007 at 5:15 am There Always Has Been…

   Among the reasons for which some people were against marching against Saddam Hussein is the claim that he and Iraq were and are not a part of the War on Terror, oh, you know, the one where the terrorists are……

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   Leaning Straight Up

   Says:
   July 26th, 2007 at 7:46 am Truther faces the truth: He is an Army deserter…

   You would think he would have been nailed long before. He was active constantly in his never ending quest to convince people his wild theories are true, did it never occur to him that his own truth would be exposed?

   The story comes from News…

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   The Florida Masochist

   Says:
   July 26th, 2007 at 11:51 am The Knucklehead of the Day award…

   Today’s winner is Ganpat Singh Verma….

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   CommonSenseAmerica - Illegal Immigration, America, Freedom, News and Opinion » The Lone Protester

   Says:
   July 26th, 2007 at 1:25 pm […] Trackposted to . thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe. This entry is filed under Immigration, Politics, Illegal Immigration, Freedom of Speech, America, North American Union, News, Hypocrisy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. Leave a Reply […]

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    Public Eye » Death’s cat runs away, found in Rhode Island nursing home

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    AZAMATTEROPRINCIPLE

    Says:
    July 26th, 2007 at 4:26 pm MY MONEY!!! MY MONEY!!!…

    A video of Rep. Don Young and his meltdown on the floor of the House as well as updates on fighting pork from around the web….

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    Conservative Thoughts

    Says:
    July 26th, 2007 at 4:45 pm Fred Thompson Deals With 9/11 Conspiracy Theorist - video-…

    Ran across this little gem at the New Editor. Make sure you watch till the end where you can hear the moonbat in all her glory… Enjoy!
    A member of “Houston 9/11 Truth” asks Fred Thompson about his membership in The Council of Foreign…

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    Blue Star Chronicles

    Says:
    July 26th, 2007 at 8:23 pm Don’t Judge a Book by it’s Cover…

    My Beloved Curmudgeon and I have moved a lot during our marriage. We’ve bought and sold several houses along the way. In all that moving we have found a few things have been very consistent for us. Those things have been so consistent that by the tim….

It is reasonable to suspect that Rupert Murdoch is successful enough that News Corp would not buy MySpace unless the expectations and research concluded the enterprise would be an obscene money maker. But the complaints alleging that the internet darling is a harbor for sexual predators went relatively quiet for a while with a few late night attempts at humor. Suggesting the fight against internet sexual predators resulted in the development of a predator database in which the punchline was, it is called MySpace.

The controversy later gained more coverage as MySpace was criticized for ignoring the problem and neglecting its responsibility to deny access to registered sex offenders. Recent reports suggest something of a chronology not necessarily leading to conclusions that events are changing due to MySpace efforts or the preferences of target audiences.

Starting with the considerations that drive business in general is a revenue estimate available for MySpace.

MySpace to Generate $1B of Revenue in 2007

Posted on Jul 25th, 2007 with stocks: NWS
Now, people have been sticking their fingers in the wind on MySpace revenue since the day Murdoch bought it,

This may account for the slow response from MySpace on the predator issue and the lack of press release mention of recent developments and news items at the News Corp’s website.

Could it be that MySpace started paying attention to the predator complaints more seriously after noticing a shift in their user base indicated below.

Class War: MySpace Vs. Facebook

Claire Cain Miller 07.23.07, 6:00 AM ET
A flurry of recent articles have observed that young people are leaving MySpace for Facebook in droves, setting off speculation that MySpace is becoming the latest victim of fickle teens following the hot new thing.

Facebook opened its service to a wider audience and there is a suggestion that affluent kids favor Facebook while blue collar kids favor MySpace. One can only hope the real reason is dissatisfaction with MySpace neglect on serious issues initiating moves by concerned parents or discerning youth.

When law enforcement and popular IT publications focus on headlines the one below, corporate boardrooms may take notice and action. Or you could chalk it up to coincidence but what are the odds on that?

MySpace Hosting 29,000 Sex Offenders

MySpace hosted Web pages for at least 29,000 known sex offenders as of July 2007.
Steven Schwankert, IDG News Service
Wednesday, July 25, 2007 6:00 AM PDT
News Corp.’s popular MySpace.com social networking site hosted Web pages for at least 29,000 known sex offenders as of July 2007, North Carolina’s Attorney General said Tuesday.

For MySpace to finally do something noticeable on the predator issue it is reasonable to conclude that like many high profile, popular businesses generating large revenues, responding to damage control is done on a time line not synchronized with public opinion.

MySpace Kicks Out Convicted Sex Offenders

Written by Cornell Barnard, Reporter
The popular Internet social network MySpace announced Tuesday it’s detected and deleted 29,000 convicted sex offenders from its site.

The international presence of this top tier web business is not something new but the recent addition of the Mexican version of MySpace may be to replace losses in this last fiasco and from competition. Maybe it is a trend to favor marketing outside the US for users that will not object to objectionable situations as quickly or effectively.

Big money businesses not responding in a timely fashion may do so because they have the resources to take their time. Perhaps they exhaust every other option before doing what they should have done initially. And the driver is more likely the threat of litigation, government action or other forces causing the fatal loss of too much revenue rather than a belief in corporate responsibility. The token nature of the MySpace response may at least serve to overcome future arguments that there is nothing they can do. The same technology that generates the revenue for social networking can provide solutions for policing the enterprise. Yet profit will likely remain the primary consideration for corporations responding to damage control.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

ABC news calling Hillary Rodham Clinton’s ‘naive and irresponsible’ criticism of Barack Obama her campaign’s first attack on her closest rival may also indicate the first flaws in her campaign. In November 2006 the House and Senate Democratic leadership called for the Bush Administration to hold direct talks with Iran. Both Senator Biden and Senator Dodd, two current Presidential candidates, are quoted as favoring talks with Iran. While the debate discussion between Obama and Clinton specifically addressed whether the talks should be a first year task and Clinton expressed her belief that lower level diplomacy was the initial smart move, calling Obama out for not specifying this proves nothing. Clinton may have sent mixed messages on this topic as the transcript indicates with this quote, ‘And I will use a lot of high-level presidential envoys to test the waters, to feel the way.’ High level, low level, direct or indirect talks are all components of the diplomatic game but the majority of discussions in the press over many months have focused on the Bush Administration’s earlier refusal to talk to ‘evil’ nations on the list of state sponsors of terrorism. Generally the argument against that refusal to talk was one of talk versus no talk and the details were largely ignored.

Is Hillary Rodham Clinton also calling the House and Senate Democratic leadership naive and irresponsible? There seems to be little difference in Barack Obama’s take on talking to Iran and those of Biden and Dodd. Senator Dodd offered this assessment on talking to Iran, “When it comes to protecting our security, we must be as willing to wage diplomacy as we have been willing to wage war,” said Mr. Dodd. “Robust, muscular and direct negotiations are not gifts to our enemies. These are essential tools of avoiding conflict and securing peace and security.” Senator Biden favored the talk approach as well while the Bush Administration held that ceasing development of the nuclear program in Iran was a condition of opening talks. For Clinton to specify a detail not in the original question and then criticize Obama’s answer is bush league. And it represents the suggestion some flaws may be appearing in the Democratic front runner’s armor.

From a NYT’s interview in March 2007, Hillary Rodham Clinton is less specific on Iran. ‘ Certainly, the willingness to engage Iran and Syria could possibly lead to some changes that would be beneficial to the overall structure of the situation we confront. ‘ How’s that for saying nothing? Holding your opponents to higher standards than you do for yourself is not simply unfair but misleading. Is it is okay for Clinton to be vague while criticizing her opponents on details?

More Clinton vagueness was displayed in the March interview. ‘And we’re more than happy to continue to support them. As I said, I wouldn’t do away with a support role for us, I would be more than willing to do that. I certainly, if they are moving in the right direction, I would continue aid, and I would try to get the neighbors to behave and support them.

And if we have a track with Syria and a track with Iran, we might be able to create some momentum for some more stability.’

In a speech to the Council on Foreign Relations, Hillary Rodham Clinton expressed a diplomatic approach similar to the one for which she criticizes Obama. ‘ We need to return to patient diplomacy, backed by military strength and informed by American values.’ ……… ‘ The Administration tells Iran and Syria they’re responsible for helping keep the peace but won’t talk with them about how to do it. We continue to deny evident reality, proceeding with few or no allies and precious little direct communication with people who matter. No wonder the American people think that we are adrift.’

And also in the speech Clinton abandons the signature mantra of the Democratic party. ‘ In Iran as well, this Administration outsourced its policy to the British, the French and the Germans. Meanwhile, the Iranian so-called moderates we ignored were pushed out of power and the extremists went merrily forward; now we are left hoping that those same moderates we wouldn’t talk to can regain control. Hope is not a policy. ‘

Clinton had more to say about talking to Iran. ‘ We have to keep all options on the table, including being ready to talk directly to Iranians should the right opportunity present itself. Direct talks, if they do nothing else, lets you assess who’s making the decisions — what their stated and unstated goals might be. ‘

The text of the speech above was found at Hillary Rodham Clinton’s website. So who is naive and irresponsible now? She calls out Obama on foreign relations and diplomacy citing herself as the candidate with the goods to do the job. She also draws attention to her own inconsistencies from previous statements. And she includes nearly her entire party in her criticism based on positions held by Congressional leadership and others. What does this say about the Democratic party and the candidate advertised as the front runner in their offerings for President in 2008? And how does this apply to Pelosi and the trip to Syria, speaking of naive and irresponsible.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, Perri Nelson’s Website, The Random Yak, DeMediacratic Nation, Big Dog’s Weblog, Nuke’s news and views, Pirate’s Cove, The Pink Flamingo, Stuck On Stupid, Webloggin, Leaning Straight Up, Azamatteroprinciple - A new blog dedicated to fighting pork barrel spending, The Pet Haven, Right Voices, and Conservative Thoughts, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

A report from Fox News dated July 25th is one of four linked from this post that point to something of a shake up in the Fred Thompson pre-campaign and other challenges confronting the unannounced Presidential candidate. The reports also point to wife Jeri Kehn and her political background, a website contract offer early in the couple’s history and her influence in Fred Thompson running for President as well as causing friction among staff. The reports suggest her role in the campaign aspirations of the possible candidate may be the driving force.

The Fox News report indicates Tom Collomore’s ‘reduced role’ was the result of troubles with Kehn while the campaign denies that and says Randy Enright as campaign manager was always part of the plan as well as Collomore’s reduced role. The obligatory unnamed sources close to the campaign contradict those statements asserting friction as at least partially responsible for the moves.

A wire report from the Houston Chronicle quotes Linda Rozett, ‘ We are strengthening the organization as we enter the next phase,’ as an explanation for replacing a top aide. Details from mensnewsdaily.com with source credited to wikinews indicate J.T. Mastranadi, campaign research director of two weeks has resigned as well as Tom Collomore, citing friction with Kehn. The report further indicates Thompson’s fund raising is way down.

The Politico report on this story seems to shy away from the other reports on resignations and quotes leave it vague by suggesting new requirements when moving from exploratory to a full campaign. It appears anyone in or close or favoring the Thompson campaign is spinning the moves as positive with explanations on why former staffers were not up to the task of the anticipated next phase. The opposite spin points to the influence of Thompson’s wife, Jeri.

This may be another indication that the wide-eyed anticipation of Fred Thompson’s campaign announcement may not provide the stellar positioning in the polls supporters may expect. Similarly, the 2nd quarter spin from the media indicating the Dems fund raising and suggesting strength of the Democratic party versus weakness of the GOP may also be overstated. Another characteristic of an exceptionally long campaign season might be unrealistic optimism in measuring candidate performance and chances for ultimate victory in 2008. It’s early folks.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Trouble in Fred Thompson’s ‘Non-Campaign’

Wednesday, July 25, 2007
By Carl Cameron
Growing pains within Fred Thompson’s “non-campaign” for president in 2008 revealed themselves in a big way Tuesday.

Changes in Fred Thompson US Presidential campaign

July 25, 2007
On Tuesday and Wednesday, two of Fred Thompson pre-campaign staffers resigned. J.T. Mastranadi, who was hired less than two weeks ago as the campaign’s director of research, resigned this morning. Whereas, yesterday Thompson’s top adviser, Tom Collamore, resigned “because of differences with Thompson’s wife, Jeri Kehn, a Naperville native.”

Thompson replaces his top assistant

WASHINGTON - GOP presidential hopeful Fred Thompson is shaking up his still-unofficial campaign, replacing his top aide with a former Michigan senator and a veteran Florida strategist.

“We are strengthening the organization as we enter the next phase,” said Thompson spokeswoman Linda Rozett.

From wire reports

F. Thompson shakes up pre-launch campaign

By: Jonathan Martin and Mike Allen
Jul 24, 2007 08:56 PM EST
Though he has not yet even declared he is running for president, Fred Thompson shook up his team Tuesday amid fears he was losing momentum and needed an injection of talent.

Top advisers to the “Law & Order” actor and former U.S. senator from Tennessee had soured on Tom Collamore, the operations chief for the Republican presidential campaign in waiting.