Fantasy Politics USA

Tonight YouTube and CNN hosted the Democratic debate with questions from YouTube users. The questions were weak at times, but it was refreshing to see regular people asking the candidates questions. To often the videos were a bit cute for such a serious issue. Also CNN still was the gate keeper, because they picked which questions would be asked. Anderson Cooper was the moderator, and seemed to interrupt the candidates far to much. Some of the questions really deserve more time than a thirty second sound bite. YouTube only received 3000 video questions, which doesn’t seem like that much when compared to how many hits YouTube gets every day. Hillary Clinton showed that she is very good at debating and had a strong showing. Barack Obama had some good points as well. All the candidates also submitted their own commercials. Mike Gravel appeared to be an old curmudgeon at times but gave a good answer when he was asked if he believed that the soldiers are dieing in vain. Chris Dodd, Bill Richardson and Joe Biden all did a good job. From Dennis Kucinich all I can remember is text peace. More time was given to the questions than the answers sometimes, and some questions really wasted our time. Why would Anderson Cooper ask them if they arrived on a private jet? The winner was the American public, CNN, and YouTube. The loser, Mike Gravel.
Alan Cosgrove

Rudy Giuliani released three new radio ads to air in New Hampshire and Iowa. They are titled “Out of Control”, “Will Do”, and “Garbage Can.” The first one, “Out of Control” highlights Giuliani’s accomplishments as mayor of New York City. Claims he cut crime, cut the welfare, and cut taxes. They said it couldn’t be done, but Rudy did it. Here is the radio ad Out of Control. In the second ad, “Will Do”, Giuliani focuses on his 12 commitments to America. Giuliani says, “This is what I did in New York City. I restored fiscal discipline and I held spending in New York City, a city that was out of control in spending, to less then the rate of inflation and the growth of the population.” Claims he can, “restore fiscal discipline and cut wasteful Washington spending.” Here is the radio ad Will Do. The third ad is called “Garbage Can”, and he is still talking about his 12 commitments to America. In this ad Giuliani said, “I believe that you collect more money from lower taxes then you collect from higher taxes. I believe in it because I saw it work.” Wow. Here is the radio ad Garbage Can. That was pretty good from Giuliani. Three radio ads and he didn’t mention 9/11.
Alan Cosgrove

John Edwards said on Sunday he plans on riding in the fourth day of the weeklong, 472-mile Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa. He plans on meeting up with Lance Armstrong and thousands of others on Wednesday in Hampton, Iowa. Edwards and his wife have said they admire Armstrong for his work on cancer. “I am looking forward to joining with him and so many other RAGBRAI riders to call attention to this important cause,” Edwards said. Armstrong has also invited all the Presidential candidates, including those not committed yet, to join him in a forum on cancer in Cedar Rapids next month. Armstrong released a video statement on Livestrong, his foundations website. In the video Armstong said, “For me personally, it’s just to make sure that whatever candidates we have now, and then ultimately the two who want to be president, discuss the No. 1 killer in this country, just like they would discuss war or terror or taxes.” Armstrong added, “I think whoever wants to be commander in chief ought to answer the cancer question.” So far five candidates have accepted Armstrong’s invitation to the forum. Democrats John Edwards, whose wife Elizabeth, is battling breast cancer that has spread to her bones, and Bill Richardson have both confirmed. The Republicans that have said yes are Tommy Thompson, Sam Brownback Mike Huckabe. It is not until August 27th and 28th, so more will probably join in.
Alan Cosgrove

In President Bush July 21 radio address he said he met with soldiers and their families. He tells us their sacrifices are in service of ‘their important mission to protect the United States.’ Libertarian candidate Christine Smith responded to his address in her own radio address. Smith asked Bush, “I say go tell it to the graves of 3,632 Americans – all of whom died because of your unjust invasion and occupation of Iraq, and tell it to the 26,558 wounded Americans –whose bodies are burned, amputated, riddled with shrapnel, paralyzed, and brain damaged, go tell it to the families of all of them …go tell it to our men and women on their second, third and fourth tours…go continue the big lie–that they die and suffer ‘to protect the U.S.’… ” If you want to hear the whole response from Smith, ‘One Libertarian’s Response to President Bush’s July 21, 2007 Radio Address’, click here.
In other Libertarian news, the candidates have released their fundraising results for the second quarter. George Phillies raised the most with $11,700, and he claims to already have that much for the third quarter. Christine Smith raised $2264, and Steve Kubby, who just announced he endorses Ron Paul, raised a whopping $568 in the second quarter.

Mitt Romney has been focusing his attack towards the Democrats instead of his fellow Republicans. “I wanted to focus on the Democrats,” Romney said. “By and large, the best way to further my interest is to let people know what I would do and to distinguish that from what the Democrats would do.” He reserves most of that attack for Democratic front runner Hillary Clinton. In a speech in New Hampshire Romney said, “Hillary Clinton just gave a speech the other day about her view on the economy. She said we have been an on your own society. She said it’s time to get rid of that and replace that with shared responsibility and we’re in it together society. That’s out with Adam Smith and in with Karl Marx.” He had this to say about John Edwards, “To have someone like Senator Edwards stand up and say there’s not a war on terror, that it’s a Bush bumper sticker is unacceptable,” he said. “There is a war being waged by the terrorists. If I or any other Republican president is running this country, there will be a war waged on the terrorists.” He didn’t leave out Barack Obama. He talked about Obama’s plans for health insurance for everyone. “Barack Obama said we’re going to have to have the government take over health care. He at least had the integrity to say he wants to raise your taxes,” Romney said. “The right answer is not a government takeover, it’s not socialized medicine. It’s not Hillarycare.” When you don’t have anything new to add to the argument then attack the other guys.
Alan Cosgrove