Another one bites the dust

CNN is reporting that republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney will suspend his campaign today following his poor primary & caucus showings earlier this week.

This race just got more interesting…

Since they don’t really trust Sen. McCain and question his conservative credentials, religious conservatives are going to flock to Huckabee. All the ‘clarity’ that conservative pundits were spouting off about after Tuesday is out the window in my opinion… with the numbers Romney was drawing on Tues, if they flock to Huckabee, as I think they will, the races will be that much tighter and McCain’s frontrunner status may be short lived.

Another thing to consider is this; how long until Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter and James Dobson (after writing all those names I need a shower) announce they’re endorsing Huckabee? Okay, maybe not a strict and proper endorsement, but more of what they have been doing; attacking/questioning McCain’s conservative credentials and offer back-handed support to Huckabee.

As always, stay tuned…

UPDATE: Rather than admit he screwed up and was a major flip-flopper, Mitt Romney took advantage of everyone listening to him (as it WILL be the last time anyone care's what he says) and criticized Senators Obama and Clinton during his speech of retreat, claiming that an electoral victory by either of them would mean “attacks on America. [...] About this, I have no doubt."

What a tool. Stay classy Mitt...

Color me not surprised

A new poll by the Norman Lear Center (really?) and Zogby International finds that Liberals are more open to opposing viewpoints than conservatives (no, rrrrreeaalllyyyy???) and tend to rely on Fox “News” for their information…

You don’t say, I never would have guessed…

Among the highlights…

• Fox “News” wins the prize for the most politically divisive TV channel (I am shocked, shocked to find gambling in this establishment) with 70% of conservatives watching it on a daily basis compared to 3% of liberals.


• 22% of conservatives say that they have “never” enjoyed entertainment that reflects values other than their own, compared to 7% of Liberals. (Put another way, Rush “NarcoDog” Limbaugh’s potential audience is larger than that of Liberal competitors because Liberals will listen to conservative voices but if conservatives hear other ideals, their heads would explode)


• Conservatives think “fictional TV shows and movies are politically biased” and “overwhelmingly (76%) believe that TV shows and movies ‘very often’ contain political messages, but they are the least likely to learn anything about political issues from them. Just 4% say they learn lessons from movies.”

This isn’t the first time that Fox “News” viewers have been revealed to be, shall we say, less than erudite. Back in April a Pew Research Study survey found that viewers of Fox “News” had the lowest knowledge of national and international affairs… and a more-recent AP-Ipsos poll showed that Liberals read more books than conservatives.

Liberals are more open to opinions other than their own… consider that the literal definition of ‘liberal’ means that one is open to new ideas while “conservative” means that you hold to tradition and are, for the most part, scared of change and/or innovation… but the manner in which these terms are thrown around in politics today are so-far from their literal meaning because they are more-so rolled up with each party’s ideologies.

That must be why it’s so hard to have an intellectual debate with a conservative.

Now we have proof; we're smarter - nyah, nyah, nyah

A new AP-Ipsos poll finds that Liberals read more books than conservatives.

I’ll pause to let THAT shocking news sink in…

According to the poll, 34% of conservatives have not read a book within the past year.. as opposed to 22% of Liberals and moderates.

The president of the American Association of Publishers, Pat Schroeder, tried to explain it thusly; “The Karl Roves of the world have built a generation that just wants a couple slogans: ‘No, don’t raise my taxes, no new taxes. It’s pretty hard to write a book saying, ‘No new taxes, no new taxes, no new taxes’ on every page.”

Ouch…

Naturally this bought a harsh attack from White House spokesman Tony Fratto; “Obfuscation usually requires a lot more words than if you simply focus on fundamental principles, so I’m not at all surprised by the loquaciousness of liberals.”What?? Because we read?? Well then, by that logic, couldn’t we call conservatives gun-toting crazies???

Putz.

It should also be noted, because I can, that a recent Pew Research Study survey found that viewers of Fox “News” had the lowest knowledge of national and international affairs…

Yeah.... like we needed a study to tell us that FOX news viewers were idiots.

The Weekly Rewind

Hi folks! We have come to the end of another week, which brings us through the first 5 months of the year. Wow is the year flying by or is it just us here at TBWA? Ok enough small talk, you are here for one thing and one thing only…The Weekly Rewind…so let’s get to it!

Heckle: to a sad reality. 93.5. Is the percentage of Americans who “think U.S. troops would still be in Iraq when U.S. president George W. Bush leaves office.”

Heckle: to opening a blind eye. After announcing new economic sanctions against Sudan’s government, President Bush earlier this week called the bloodshed in Darfur a “genocide.” Last month, Bush’s Sudan ambassador Andrew Natsios resisted that label. The administration’s measures are considered too weak and too unilateral to significantly alter the calculations of the government of Sudan. Gee, we have all heard about this for a few years from the world press and the administration is just now grasping this? You have to wonder who tells George what day of the week it is when he wakes up every morning.

Applaud: to calling out the administration. Activists say President Bush’s Darfur sanctions announced yesterday are “too little, too late.” The sanctions “target three people with suspected links to the violence as well as about 30 companies” in Sudan. “Three people? After four years? And not one of them the real ringleader of the policy to divide and destroy Darfur?” asked John Prendergast of the Enough Project. Hey, isn’t that par for the course with this White House? All talk and little action.

Applaud: to cutting the cultural cord and finally seeing the big picture. Even though major Hispanic groups broke with other civil rights organizations and supported Alberto R. Gonzales’s nomination for attorney general two years ago, those same groups are now calling for his resignation. Janet Murguia, head of the National Council of La Raza, called Gonzales “a follower, not a leader.” Just to clarify, is anyone in this administration really a leader? More like followers and reactionists.

Heckle: to more of the same no matter who it is. After former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist had withdrawn his name from consideration for World Bank president. Former Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick was nominated to replace Paul Wolfowitz. Ok, but we all realize no matter who it is, it’s cronyism and more of the same.

Applaud: to feeling the heat. The New York Times finds that some conservatives in Congress are “struggl[ing] to appease increasingly restless constituents” over Iraq. “I think this is the most expensive, stupidest thing ever done,” one Republican and former “staunch backer” of President Bush now says. Wow, maybe they are actually starting to listen to the people in their home districts as opposed to the corporate lobbyists. I mean hey come on this is only supposed to be a government "for the people”…

Heckle: to an evil M&A. The Taliban has merged its propaganda and field operations with those of the global al Qaeda network led by Osama bin Laden, enabling the Taliban to develop from a xenophobic, home-grown Islamist movement into a more outward looking force that is helping to advance al Qaeda’s global interests. As if either of these organizations needed help in their recruiting efforts. Am I the only one thinking Axis of Terror? Kind of like Germany and Japan during WWII…..

Heckle: to I see your lips moving but I don’t hear anything. More than a month after the Office of Special Counsel announced it will establish a task force to mount a government-wide investigation of alleged violations of the law that limits political activity in federal agencies, the group’s formation remains in the preliminary stages. Once again, is anyone really surprised?

Heckle: to being clueless. Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) blames U.S. troop deaths on Congress’ Iraq debate. “Al-Qaida knows that we’ve got a lot of wimps in Congress,” DeMint said at a luncheon Tuesday. “I believe a lot of the casualties can be laid at the feet of all the talk in Congress about how we’ve got to get out, we’ve got to cut and run.” He later added that while Iraq has “gone badly and it’s a mess, it would have been worse if we hadn’t gone in.” Yes, Senator, it is a mess! And please explain to the vast majority of the nation how it would have been worse had we not gone in? Yet another person in Congress without a clue as to how we were all lied to and manipulated in order for Bush to seek some type of personal vendetta.

Heckle: to making a stupid statement that will hopefully backfire. Conservative columnist Peggy Noonan declares today that President Bush “has torn the conservative coalition asunder,” with consequences “for the American future.” This White House “thinks its base is stupid,” she writes, while “conservative Bush supporters have felt like sufferers of battered wife syndrome.” Ok, I understand all the comments with the exception of comparing party supporters to ‘battered wives’. I can’t believe how ignorant and insensitive she is to women who are victims of this unforgiveable crime…..what a tool.

Well there it is...kind of mixed with Applauds and Heckles. Which if you are a long time reader, for me is unusual.

Be good, stay informed....later.