Fantasy Politics USA

Hillary Clinton’s campaign announced today that she will give back about $850,000 in campaign contributions. They said any contributions related to fundraiser Norman Hsu will be returned. Hsu is having a bunch of legal problems including being investigated for allegedly violating election laws. He originally came to surface in a report in the Wall Street Journal that showed he had similar contributions as another family in California living in very modest means. Hsu has been a major player in campaign contributions for Democrats for some time, but now many of these same candidates are giving the money back, or to charities. Hsu turned out to be a fugitive of the law because of shaddy deals in the 90’s. Clinton had already given Hsu personal contributions back but had caught some slack in the right wing media about the other funds Hsu had raised for Clinton. According to a Clinton spokesman, “In light of recent events and allegations that Mr. Norman Hsu engaged in an illegal investment scheme, we have decided out of an abundance of caution to return the money he raised for our campaign. An estimated 260 donors this week will receive refunds totaling approximately $850,000 from the campaign.” It was a good idea for the Clinton campaign to distance itself from this guy. She already has enough dirty corporate money coming to her. She doesn’t need any dirty con-man money.
Alan Cosgrove

Chuck Hagel made it official this morning and announced that he will not seek a third term in the Senate. Hagel also says he doesn’t have any plans on running for any office, but he does hope to have an opportunity to do something else. Some have said this announcement means he will not run for President, but he could still be on a ticket. He just doesn’t have any plans. There was speculation of a Mike Bloomberg, Chuck Hagel independent ticket last summer, but Hagel shot that down when he said he would not leave the Republican party. Hagel is a Vietnam veteran, and is well known for his disagreements with President Bush on the war in Iraq. In January Hagel called President Bush’s surge plan for Iraq “the most dangerous foreign policy blunder carried out since Vietnam.” Today at the Omaha Press Club Hagel announced, “I will not seek a third term in the United States Senate, nor do I intend to be a candidate for any office in 2008.” Hagel gave his reason for leaving by saying, “I said after I was elected in 1996 that 12 years in the Senate would probably be enough. It is. I have always believed that democracies work best when there is a constant cycle of new energy and ideas, and fresh leadership.” He didn’t shut all doors though by saying, “Public service has always been a big part of my life, and I hope to have another opportunity to serve my country in some new capacity down the road.” Is he looking to be a V.P. candidate? I hope we can find him something to do. Maybe he could be drafted into some position. Or maybe he could be one of those Republicans Cabinet post on Bill Richardson’s list. Realistically he would have a better chance of getting a job if he joined together with Bloomberg, the other guy who says he is not interested in being President.
Alan Cosgrove

Fred Thompson was doing the Fox News talk circuit the last 24 hours and managed to get on three different Fox shows. He made it to Hannity and Colmes and tried to explain why he didn’t go to the debate. One of the reasons is he feels the format is to impersonal, and says he would prefer one on one debates like the Lincoln-Douglas styled debates of the 1860’s. Times are different than when Thompson was a kid, and it is kind of hard to include everyone. It was just a cop out excuse of an answer. Mike Huckabee saw this as an opportunity. “I am aware of your comments on Fox News that you would like to participate in a series of Lincoln-Douglas styled debates. I would like to officially accept your offer,” wrote Huckabee in a September 7, 2007 letter to Thompson. Huckabee challenged him to a debate. He wrote the Thompson campaign a letter right after he saw him on the Hannity and Colmes show. “I share your view of the debates and agree that Newt’s ‘Nine Nineties in Nine’ concept is a far better way to make sure America’s next President has the character and capacity to lead our nation forward, that’s why I have already signed that pledge. I agree that what is needed is a real discussion by the candidates about their vision for the future of our country,” wrote Huckabee. He signed off saying, “Senator, let’s lead by example and get the ball rolling.” Of course Thompson has not responded, because he really doesn’t want to debate anyone, to much like work. Huckabee has been critical of Thompson and his decision to skip the debate. “He has certainly sucked up a lot of the oxygen as it relates to media attention,” said Thompson in a conference call with reporters. “I think it hurt him in New Hampshire, from the comments we’ve been hearing,” Huckabee continued. “People don’t like that he had an opportunity to launch his campaign in one of the early states where people take politics quite seriously…. and he chose not to do that.” Huckabee went on to describe himself as the authentic conservative to the reporters. “It’s not just that I’ve said conservative things,” Huckabee said. “I’ve done conservative things actually having run a government. I’ve never been a Washington lobbyist. I’ve never lobbied for an abortion rights group. If we want to compare authentic conservatism, I’ll be happy to have not just my comments but my record compared to anybody who stood on that stage or anybody who didn’t stand on that stage last night.”
Alan Cosgrove

Mike Bloomberg, the politician that claims he has no interest in the White House, is talking about the White House again. On his Website, he writes an article about 2008 election. He writes “I am not running,” but then he clarifies and writes, ‘”Are you running?’ is the wrong question. The question should not be about politics, but about leadership. Not who is the best candidate, but who will be the best President.” He denies that he has any interest, but then he writes, “For too long, the American people have been served up empty promises based on what politicians think we want to hear. It’s time for something real. That’s our challenge as a nation. That’s what this upcoming campaign needs to be about. And these are the issues and challenges that I will continue to address.” Bloomberg has kept the speculation up that he might run for President under an independent bid. He dropped his affiliation with the Republican party this past summer, and has made several policy speeches outside of New York. When someone says things like, “We need solutions that are innovative and bold, not superficial half-steps that are driven by politics, partisanship, or special interest campaign contributions. We need real solutions that honestly address the big challenges we face as a nation,” it really sounds like a campaign speech. I think Bloomberg is using doublespeak when he says, “I am not running.” Kinda like, “it all depends on what the definition of sex is.” Is he really being “something real” when he talks like that?
Alan Cosgrove

Dennis Kucinich is spending some campaign time in the Middle East this week on a peace finding mission. He met with the leaders of Lebanon and Syria. He said he would not visit Iraq because he considers the US military deployment there illegal. “I feel the United States is engaging in an illegal occupation … I don’t want to bless that occupation with my presence,” Kucinich said in an interview in Lebanon, after visiting Syria. “I will not do it.” Kucinich said Syrian leader agreed with him on “peace through strength.” Kucinich also had praise for Syria for taking in so many Iraqi war refugees. “What most people are not aware of is that Syria has taken in more than 1.5 million Iraqi refugees,” Kucinich said. “The Syrian government has actually shown a lot of compassion in keeping its doors open, and being a host for so many refugees.” He mentioned he wanted UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to look into the cluster bombs Israel had left in Lebanon after their war. They are still laying around and people are still getting killed from them. “There has to be a commitment to cleaning up these cluster bombs,” Kucinich said. While in Lebanon Kucinich spoke with Prime Minister Fouad Siniora about the possibility of peace in the middle east. “The Prime Minister and I agree that a fair, just and equitable resolution of matters between the Israelis and Palestinians must be seen as central to establishing peace not only in the region but throughout the world,” Kucinich said. He believes it is up to the United States to take the lead in this. “America must lead the way in this regard, by taking an even-handed approach in the Middle East which includes establishment of two states, together with the protection of the social, economic and political rights of Palestinians simultaneous with mandatory, firm long-term structural security assurances for Israel,” Kucinich said. Kucinich is paying for this trip for him and his wife with campaign funding. He says since he talks about peace in the Middle East during his campaigns that it makes sense to meet the leaders from there. He is not breaking any rules with the FEC by using campaign money to fund the trip. He may not find many voters there, but he is reinforcing the fact that he is the peace candidate by going on these peace and fact finding missions.
Alan Cosgrove