Republicans are putting John McCain's campaign priorities above some of their pet issues, including drilling for oil in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and denying citizenship to the U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants.
Members of the GOP platform committee voted Wednesday to stick with an energy plank that doesn't mention drilling in the refuge, saying it would only highlight an area where they differ with the Arizona senator. McCain opposes drilling in that protected land, and some committee members said they would rather bring him around on the issue once he's in the White House than widen their disagreement now.
The National Republican Party for the first time is expected to acknowledge global warming in its 2008 GOP Platform, according to a draft of the document.
“Increased atmospheric carbon has a warming effect on the earth,” the document said. “While the scope and long term consequences of this warming effect are the subject of ongoing research, we believe the United States should take measured and reasonable steps today.”
Remember the scores of bloggers discussing how McCain would disrupt the party? The damage has just started. There will be plenty more where this came from.
I know I have not been posting the last few weeks. The truth is, I have been adjusting to a big change in my life. I would rather not go into specifics. Let's just say the world is going to be gaining a bachelor soon. That on top of being busy at work has made my life a little hectic. Things are settling down now, and I just can't stay away any longer. Even though this is the most screwed up election process I have witnessed.
So, what have I missed? Oh yes, the most liberal person in the Senate picks the third most liberal to be his running mate. I think he is underestimating this whole (we are supposed to win this time) thing. I know, I know with the hatred of Bush it's a sure thing right? I just don't see it that way. I am not saying he won't win mind you. I am just saying it will be harder than he thinks. But then again, McCain does have an uncanny ability to piss off his base. The truth is it is hard to tell at this point what the hell is going to happen.
We are right in the middle of the big circus they call the Democratic Convention. And what would it be without a little "free and open debate" democrat style?:
Michelle Malkin is live blogging, in case your interested. I think I would rather watch paint dry, but I must admit I have it on the TV myself. It's like a car crash, you don't want to look, but you can't look away.
Syria's President Bashar Assad has publicly stepped up his outreach to old ally Russia in recent days, seeking aid to build up Syrian military forces and offering Moscow help in return — in an apparent effort to exploit a new Russian-American rift.
U.S. officials have noticed: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned Mideast leaders this week that they should worry about Syria's efforts to gain more sophisticated weapons.
I disagree with this statement in this article:
"The Russian move into Georgia has begun a tectonic shift in the (Mideast) region," said Joshua Landis, a Syria expert in the United States. "It has emboldened Syria, Hezbollah and Iran to push harder against Israel and the U.S."
I submit that the weakness the US has shown against Iran has emboldened the others, including Russia.
It is no big secret that Russia has worked against US interests for a long time now. But it has always been covertly. I believe they have determined it to be the time to put it out in the open. They feel that the US has lost the ability to unite against rouge nations. I fear they are correct in their assessment.
What can be done now is beyond me, but our leaders in Washington had better get their heads out of their asses before we are stuck right in the middle of another cold war.
Vacation was great. It was a much needed break. Well I'm back now. I was going to take a few more days before blogging again. I mean, not much has changed. McCain and Obama are still competing for "The Worst Run Campaign Of All Time" award. Then I read this:
Joe Lieberman, the former Democratic vice-presidential nominee who has endorsed John McCain, is being vetted as a potential running mate for the Republican presidential hopeful, according to an adviser to Mr McCain’s campaign.
Mr Lieberman, who has campaigned for the Arizona senator, has long been considered an unconventional but plausible choice for Mr McCain.
Let me explain. I have been against McCain from the beginning of this thing. He is the most dominant RINO of the herd. Right before I went on vacation I wrote a post detailing why I was going to vote for him despite that fact. I could not bring myself to post it. As of now I will probably vote for him because of the utter chaos Obama would bring to this country. But if he picks Al Gore's running mate, I will do everything in my power to ensure he does not win.
It's hard to disagree with Lemuel on this:
Barack Obama is doing everything in his power to hand this election to John McCain. McCain is tied with or slightly ahead of Obama in nearly every major poll and the public is indicating that they trust McCain to handle the most important issues facing the nation more than they trust Obama to deal with them. And everything Obama does and says seems almost deliberately calculated to drive even more people to McCain.
But then McCain seems to do everything in his power to drive them back to Obama or to cause Republican conservatives to sit this election out. If McCain names a man who is a left-wing, pro-abortion socialist in every way other than his support for our military then McCain will all but guarantee the election of B. Hussein Obama.
This is the most utterly screwed up pair of presidential campaigns I've ever seen.
Can't we dump both of these clowns and start over?
