Fantasy Politics USA

The MySpace account www.myspace.com/barackobama was not the official MySpace for Obama. He didn’t even have one, and this account was run by a volunteer, Los Angeles paralegal Joe Anthony. Anthony started the MySpace account as a supporter of Obama 2 1/2 years ago, and has amassed over 160,000 friends so far. The Obama campaign has worked with Anthony on the sight from time to time, and even had the password so they could submit stuff. But with the popularity of the sight the Obama campaign got a bit worried and wanted control of the sight. Anthony wanted $49,000 for the sight with the 160,000 friends and his 2 1/2 years of work. It is hard to tell what 160,000 friends would be worth, it is four times what any other candidate has. The Obama campaign said they wouldn’t pay the $49,000 and MySpace had to step in. MySpace decided that Obama should have control and so, Anthony got nothing. Obama tried to iron things out with Anthony and called him thanking him for his support and such. Anthony was thrilled with the call, but is still not sure he wants to continue supporting Obama after being bullied out of the page he built. Anthony said in a blog post. “It’ll take time for me to work this out and decide if I will personally continue to support Obama, regardless of how I feel about his campaign’s handling of this situation.”
Alan Cosgrove

In a speech today before a group of Hispanic business leaders Rudy Giuliani blasted Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez. “Isn’t it annoying, upsetting and even in some cases a matter of national security that we have to send money to our enemies?” Giuliani asked. “We need a president who knows how to get things done so we don’t have to be sending money to Chavez.” Giuliani called on the U.S. to develop alternative energies so we don’t have to depend on foreign oil and their dictators. He said leaders like Chavez would become less important on the world stage if they didn’t have all their oil money. “Who would listen to Chavez if he didn’t have all this oil money? Nobody would listen to him,” Giuliani said. “I feel perfect freedom to point out that Hugo Chavez is a person who’s acting against the interests of the United States. He’s someone where we’d be in a much better position if we could cut him off. If we could say we don’t want or need Venezuelan oil,” Giuliani told reporters after the speech. “I don’t think there’s anyone that’s more outspoken about how dangerous I think he is.” Giuliani believes that Chavez is dangerous to the U.S., yet a law firm that Giuliani is a partner for also represents Citgo Oil. Bracewell & Giuliani lobbies in Texas for Citgo, a subsidiary of Venezuela’s national oil company, controlled by Chavez. Giuliani didn’t mention this to his Latin friends when he was blasting Chavez. Giuliani said he joined the firm after they developed their relationship with Citgo, and that he personally does no lobbying for Citgo. But, being a partner, he still makes money off their dealings with Citgo.
Alan Cosgrove

In last weeks Democratic debate Bill Richardson said he thought Justice Byron White was a model of a Supreme Court Justice that he would appoint. Some Democrats were upset about this because Justice White was one of two judges that dissented on the Roe V Wade case and on other abortion cases. A reporter mentioned this to Richardson, but he didn’t believe him, “Are you sure? Roe versus Wade?” Richardson said at a press conference. “He was in the ’60s. I think an opponent of mine gave you that.” Justice White served from 1962 to 1993, and joined Justice William H. Rehnquist in dissenting in the 7-2 Roe V Wade decision. Richardson later explained his decision, saying he choose Bryon “Whizzer” White because he was an All-American football player, and he was nominated by President Kennedy who is Richardson’s hero. The moderator was actually looking for a Justice that was still alive, so Richardson’s alive choice was Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. He praised Ginsberg for her recent dissent from the decision that upheld a federal ban on partial-birth abortions. Richardson needs to read up a bit on his Supreme Court history, because he sounds a little confused here.
Alan Cosgrove

Republican front runner Rudy Giuliani took the time out today to discuss the Democrats and their debate last night. He told a group at the North Carolina Conservative Leadership Conference that the Democrats want “mandatory” health care saying, “They’re moving toward socialized medicine so fast, it’ll make your head spin.” Giuliani favors a program giving vouchers to the poor for health care, “When we want to cover poor people, as we should, we give them vouchers.” A Food Stamp like program, except for health care. The Democrats all seem to offer some type of health care package, like John Edwards who has a program that would require everyone to have health insurance. “I’ll be darned if I’m going to concede that Democrats care more about poor people than we do,” Giuliani told the crowd of conservatives. Edwards responded to Giuliani’s criticisms with, “Rudy Giuliani needs to put an end to his campaign to divide America and concentrate on offering solutions to the big challenges we face.” I’m not sure how Giuliani can trash the Democratic plans for health care when all he has to offer so far is vouchers. Giuliani says he doesn’t like the Democratic versions because of all the big government getting involved. But, who is going to give out all those vouchers, and who will determine who is eligible to get them?
Alan Cosgrove