Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Yep... I'm one of those people...

I found out this showed on the Simpsons recently... and I laughed heartily... because I am one of those people...



Yep... I'm enamoured with Steve Mobs... Jobs... whatever his name is. Yet, I do find the trendiness of the Apple universe to be quite entertaining. I have met every one of these people (many of them when I was making a "pilgrimage" to the Apple store)... and may have been a few of them at some point. But, at least I can claim to be one of the long-time fans... not one of these new trend followers. I owned a SECOND Generation iPod. So there!

Even as they mock, the Simpsons make good references. I loved the 1984 commercial (with the hammer throw) and the two iPod posters.

Good stuff... good stuff.

That is all.

Horatio

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Shallow Success

I've been talking about politics too much recently... and I need to expand out into things I care about just as much. Yesterday, I sat and looked through my old copy of Les Miserables and noticing some things I underlined when I plowed through the book a few years ago.

This piece on success really caught my eye:

In passing, we might say that success is a hideous thing. Its false similarity to merit deceives men. To the masses, success has almost the same appearance as supremacy. Success, that pretender to talent... Success: That is the theory. Prosperity supposes capacity. Win in the lottery, and you are an able man. The victor is venerated.... Have luck alone and you will have the rest; be happy, and you will be thought great.... [But] contemporary admiration is nothing but shortsightedness. Gilt is gold....

That mighty genius, by which one becomes a Moses, an Aeschylus, a Dante, a Michelangelo, or a Napoloeon, the multitude attributes at once and by acclamation to whoever succeeds in his object, whatever it may be.... They confuse heaven's radiant stars with a duck's footprint left in the mud.


It amazes me that something written so beautifully in the 1800s is so applicable today. We live in a world that gets so caught up in crazy definitions of success. And, so often we confuse success with actual ability. It doesn't matter how stupid somebody is... if they are rich, they must be smart.

I grew up in a very wealthy area... and I am amazed at how stupid some rich people are. Wealth and success seems to make some people stupider, in fact, and that idiocy passes on to their children. Maybe I'm too sensitive on this subject, because I realize I grew up as a relatively privileged child... I'd even describe myself as spoiled. And, maybe that is one of the reasons I am so touched by Victor Hugo's description of success.

Greatness in this world requires so much more than money, power, success, or mass appeal. It requires self-control and development of real talent and supremacy. It will require me to improve myself and become a better person all around... no matter how much money I make.

Don't get me wrong... I'd like to be successful. But, my primary definition of success will have very little to do with my personal balance sheet. Maybe I can attain "heaven's radiant stars"... and not just be a duck's footprint in the mud.

That is all.

Horatio




(Hugo, Victor. trans. Lee Fabnestock and Norman MacAfee. 1987 Les Miserables. New York: Signet Classic. 51-2)

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

ابيد البيت

A new audio tape claiming to be from Ayman al-Zawahri (أيمن محمد ربيع الظواهري literally: "faithful guy from zawahir"), the current "Number 2" in the Al-Qaeda القاعدة‎ organization. In this case, Number 2 is rather descriptive.

But, the big thing they are talking about is that Ole' Faithful called President-Elect Barack H. Obama (along with former-Secretary of State Powell and Secretary of State Rice) an "abeed al-bayt"... literally a servant of the house. Al-Jazeera was nice enough to translate it without any ambiguity: "house negro".

I hope Barack will respond in the correct way to any such expressions of racism... by blowing this guy off the planet. I mean, that is what would happen to any person in this country who publicly use the term. I mean, Mitt Romney got attacked for using "tar baby" to refer to a sticky situation (which is the original, literal meaning).

But, at this rate, I suspect he will just sit down and discuss it with him... because, we need to talk with these people.

That is all.

Horatio

Monday, November 10, 2008

Obama: Best NET Choice for POTUS

Ok... so I've come to an interesting conclusion:

On a net basis, Barack Obama was the best choice for President of the United States.

Don't get me wrong here, kids. I don't agree with almost anything that Barack Obama believes. I'm a conservative that tends to vote Republican, because Mitt Romney quoted Reagan's classic line that "It's not that liberals are ignorant... it's just that everything they know is wrong." I'm still under the impression that Obama is an honest socialist--in that he actually believes what he says--but I think he is dead wrong.

But, in the long run, I think there are many reasons why he was the best choice for President of the United States in the 2008 Election. Hopefully you think my reasoning is relatively salient:

1) The Republicans (especially John McCain) didn't deserve to win.

The Republican party has earned this losing streak. While I tend to be more lenient than most with the Bush administration, often it does not deserve leniency. The Republican Party is currently in shambles, without direction or any ideological anchor. The party lost a congressional majority in 2006 because they had forgotten to be fiscally conservative... they lost for the exact same reason that the Democrats lost in the 90s under Gingrich: they stopped representing people.

To make matters worse, John McCain ran a MISERABLE campaign. I mean, really bad. They mis-handled Sarah Palin (who became, undeservedly, the laughing-stock of the election), and generally failed to present a convincing argument about why he deserved to be President. The Republicans lost this election on January 4 when Iowa picked Huckabee instead of Romney. The minute the GOP picked McCain, they rolled over and gave up to Obama or Hillary.

So, add John McCain to the annals of Republican history right next to Bob Dole. The party nominated the guy who "deserved" it, not the candidate who could actually win the election and govern the country. Just look at '96 and '08... the results were the same.

2) This country needs to get over the spectre of George W. Bush.

President George W. Bush has been one of the most effective Presidents in recent history. Whether you like his policies or not, Bush has clearly been nigh unstoppable with his agenda. At the same time, he has also become one of the most widely-hated presidents in history. I personally don't think he deserves the hate and rancor against him... but we must admit that it exists. After all, hate is never rational.

If John McCain had won, people would have never gotten over this irrational hate for George W. Bush. I honestly think if McCain had won, he would have just perpetuated all the rancor against Bush, just transferred over to a much less-capable leader.

With an Obama presidency, we can let all the people who hate Bush without even knowing WHY just chill out and relax for a few years. And, they'll probably start to realize that George W. Bush was not the earthly embodiment of evil. To quote a former aide to John Kerry, the treatment of Bush has been a disgrace! Hopefully we can all get over it and MOVE ON.

3) With an Obama win, Black people can finally get over a major portion of their perpetual victimhood. The consequences of an Obama loss would have been expensive and messy.

Barack Obama just broke through the ultimate glass ceiling. He came from poverty and has achieved the American dream. And, watching the faces of Black Americans leads me to believe that they are proud of this accomplishment. Personally, I am tired of being told constantly that Black people can't make it in this world... and hopefully they are tired of believing it too.

One of the greatest results of an Obama win is relatively unrelated: the political death of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. My greatest hope is that by electing a well-spoken black man who isn't so caught up in slavery self-pity that he can't see straight, those who have claimed the mantle of Black Political Leadership for the past decade can quietly fade away. They can continue to indulge themselves by pontificating... but hopefully they can be overshadowed by a more articulate representative of black society (whether or not he's "black enough").

On the other hand, I truly fear the damage that would have accompanied an Obama loss. I can only imagine the riots and damage we avoided by picking the Black dude over the Old Fogey.

4) The Republican Party needs time to regroup and work some changes in leadership

With such a crippling loss, I have hope that conservatives can get together and turn the Republican Party into a more rational group. We need to take the pseudo-religious rhetoric and reunite Social, Fiscal, and National Security conservatives again. There are clearly more conservatives in this country than liberals (contrary to Hollywood's fantasy), and if we could unite around some competent leadership.

Personally, I'm still hoping for Mitt Romney in 2012. But, I'm open to other options. Regardless, it would be nice if conservatives could put up someone relatively competent.

I'm sure there are more reasons... but those are the big ones...

In short, I am bracing myself for four years of miserable leadership, socialist policies, and economic downfall. I'm going to turn more money than I should over to an incompetent government so Barack Obama can pay people to sit on their butts and wallow in their poverty.

But, when all the dust settles, I think Barack Obama is a MUCH better option than John Kerry... and not that much worse than John McCain. So, in the long run, I think he was the right person to be elected. But, I'm already anxious for 2012.

That's just my opinion.

That is all.

Horatio

Thursday, November 06, 2008

The Onion is doing REAL news now??


Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are

Transition

As I watch the political landscape, I noticed an article from the Washington Post titled "Obama Team Shifts to Transition Mode". But, the most interesting thing about this article wasn't what the Obama team is doing, but what the BUSH team is doing.

Now, remember that in January of 2001, the departing Clinton administration TRASHED the White House offices. I have heard first hand accounts (that is... I have talked to a person on the Bush Administration staff who was there on the very first day of his administration) that Clinton staffers broke things, and tore the "W" letter off most keyboards in the Executive Offices.

In contrast, take this citation from Bush:
In remarks delivered from the Rose Garden, the current occupant of the White House called Obama's election "uplifting."

"It will be a stirring sight to watch President Obama, his wife, Michelle, and their beautiful girls step through the doors of the White House," Bush said. "I know millions of Americans will be overcome with pride at this inspiring moment that so many have awaited so long. I know Senator Obama's beloved mother and grandparents would have been thrilled to watch the child they raised ascend the steps of the Capitol and take his oath to uphold the Constitution of the greatest nation on the face of the Earth." First lady Laura Bush also called Michelle Obama to offer her congratulations.


President Bush, for all his faults, is an amazingly gracious person. And, Laura Bush is just amazing. But, I just impressed by the different tone of this transition.

What about the bureaucracies? The article specifically discussed defense and intelligence agencies:

The Pentagon has begun a robust political transition effort, seeking to minimize disruptions during the first wartime presidential turnover in 40 years, senior Pentagon officials said.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates met with the senior Pentagon leadership and "charged everyone to make sure we don't drop the baton, and to be as collaborative and helpful as possible," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said.

Pentagon officials have cleared office space with computers and phones for dozens of Obama transition team members, anticipating that as many as 50 aides will soon arrive and, in the words of one officer, "occupy the building."

Gates conducted an inventory of the roughly 250 political appointees at the Pentagon to see who would be willing to stay in their jobs if asked.

The Bush foreign policy team also moved quickly to try to ensure Obama a smooth transition. In a letter to CIA employees, Director Michael V. Hayden wrote that the agency has "two sets of consumers" -- the Bush administration and Obama.

"Through expanded access, greater than what he had in his briefings as a candidate or as a Senator, he will see the full range of capabilities we deploy for the United States," Hayden wrote to his staff. Those briefings will begin today when Obama receives a briefing from Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell.

McConnell said the president-elect's advisers probably will set up a temporary office at the DNI's headquarters. "We are prepared to brief the team on the [intelligence community's] capabilities as well as on significant intelligence issues," he said in a note sent late Tuesday to employees.


This doesn't sound like a bitter transfer of power to me. The State Department, and Condoleezza Rice (who is much-criticized by the liberals in this) is preparing too:

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice pledged yesterday that her agency will do "everything that we can, and I personally will do everything that we can -- that I can -- to make sure that this is a smooth transition."


The greatest accomplishment for any government or regime is a peaceful transfer of power. Throughout history, it has been the flash point for numerous wars, and the catalyst for death and hate and bitterness. But, in the United States of America, we do it peacefully.

At least, Bush seems ready to do it peacefully. Clinton's folks failed this test.

That is all.

Horatio

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Hangover: The Morning After

A lot of people have been asking me what I think about the election yesterday, thinking I'm deeply saddened. They seem to think that I'm some football-fan Republican who hates the very idea of Barack Obama. That is NOT true. But, I do have some thoughts on the matter.

My first reaction was: "yep... just as I suspected." The numbers have been pushing Obama for weeks. A friend who thinks John McCain walks on water kept telling me to keep up the hope. When they called Ohio and Pennsylvania for Obama last night, giving him 200 Electoral Votes (out of 270 needed) before California even closed, I turned off the radio and watched TV. It was over. Even then, she accused me of being naive and told me McCain had a chance.

Truth is: Republicans lost this election on January 4 in Iowa. The minute they picked a bumpkin like Huckabee over significantly more qualified candidates, the GOP gave up and played dead. McCain kept up his "dead man walking" routine... but the election was over.

I'm just clad we aren't celebrating Hillary Clinton. She is why I donated to Barack Obama's primary campaign.

But, the big question in my mind is: What's Obama gonna do now?

The man was elected with such overwhelming hero worship, that his entire supporter base has set him up to fail. Obama has been riding the wave of "Hope" and "Change" without the pesky need of proving anything. I'm very interested to see what he is going to do now.

Because, once the confetti is cleaned up and everybody gets back to their normal lives... a President is stuck with the job. He has to make the decisions and lead the people. You can't talk about "Hope" and "Change" when you're the one signing the orders.

And, when Obama takes away my capital gains and makes it harder for small businesses to function--all in the name of "spreading the wealth around"--people have to come to understand a few important facts:
1) Class warfare doesn't breed hope... it makes people hate their boss (whether the boss deserves it or not)
2) Tax increases and wealth redistribution DO NOT WORK... they never have.
3) The people making more than $250,000 per year are the ones creating jobs for everybody else. Why do you want to cut their toes off?

So, on this morning after, I'm not angry or bitter or even unhappy (because I don't think a McCain administration would have been any better). In fact, I think the Obama administration will be a net positive for the country. He does improve our image around the world, just by being elected. But, I fear that we have a lot of major potholes (or sink holes) to get past before we see the true positive effects of the Obama administration.

I hope for one important consequence of an Obama administration: that the conservatives in this country can take a hint, regroup, and nominate a 2012 candidate in who is actually QUALIFIED to lead the country under conservative principles...

I'm currently pulling for Mitt Romney, but I would accept anyone who could run a decent campaign (currently, I don't think this list includes Palin... and certainly not the Huck-ster).

For now, McCain goes down in history as just another Bob Dole--an angry, annoying, old GOP has-been who got the nomination because it was "his turn" and not because he was qualified. On the bright side, McCain wasn't trounced quite as hard as Dole.

I'm watching the next four years (and next 12 months) with great interest to see what Barack Obama is going to do. And, I'm more interested to see what his supporters do when they realize his poop does, in fact, stink.

That is all.

Horatio


PS: And CA Proposition 8 passed... along with every other constitutional amendment on same-sex marriage. That was a bright, shining bit of news this morn.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Who is Winning?

National Polls don't really matter... this is the best and only way to see how either candidate is doing at any given time...

Click for www.electoral-vote.com

Suddenly it's a tight race.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

O-blegh-ma

Sigh.

This election is driving me nuts.  I spent most of the primary season pulling for a candidate I thought was actually qualified for the job.  And, now I spend the general election season nonplussed by one candidate and really spooked out by the other.

I can't get excited about John McCain.  I think, in the end, I will vote for him... but I'm waiting with bated breath to see whom he chooses as the next VPOTUS (read: please pick Mitt).  He certainly seems to be the most qualified out of the two candidates.

But, every time I talk to my friends, I am blown away by intelligent people who talk about Barack Obama as the next political saviour (yes... the "u" was intentional).  I mean, seriously: who is this guy?

I cannot see any thing in his background that qualifies him to be President of the United States of America---the leader of the free world (yes... that title still applies).  He has no business experience, he has no real record of leadership or organization, and he hasn't really accomplished anything of note in the political world.

Please... somebody with a brain explain to me why he should be President (NOT why you are going to vote for him).

His economic policy prescriptions are miserable and misinformed.  His attitude toward business owners (small and large) is so condescending it is almost laughable.

Now, I do not go as far as some members of my family in calling him evil.  I tend to think that Barack Obama is an honest and well-meaning man.  The fact that he smokes cigarrettes does not really help his case, but I don't believe he is lying (like both Clintons and an Edwards before him).

He's not dishonest... but I do think everything he believes about how this country works is WRONG.  All his commercials about windfall profits and John McCain's homes are so trite and filled with the rhetoric of class warfare.  His wife is even MORE socialist (which is why she is "home" just "tending the kids"... instead of on the road making a fool of herself).

I have some serious ideological issues with Obama.  I thought I could vote for him... once.  I even donated $50 to his campaign (because I wanted him to beat Hillary).  But, I think I'll end up voting for John McCain.

Here's hoping for a McCain-Romney ticket.  In that case, Romney can't lose.

That is all.

Horatio.

Friday, August 08, 2008

A very intelligent moderate in the land of crazy nutball liberals... somehow she becomes a Neo-Con

Horatio's Land of Joy has been somewhat slow for the recent past... and I finally found something worth ranting about today. I have a friend who is going to school in Australia (the long, complicated story as to why she ended up at school in Australia is simply not worth the time to explain it).

She e-mailed me the following:

So I thought about you today while I was sitting in class. The teacher said that the war on Iraq was a Hot War that kind of had no cause and wasn't a deep rooted conflict. So I said - well it did start on American Soil. That was a no-no I guess.

Holy S. H. swear word!!! Some freakin turkish girl YELLED at me and started flippin out about how it's not funny for me to make comments like that and how my opinion is inflammatory and not appropriate and then she said asked if the teacher could please say that I am not allowed to say things like that because people in Iraq have now died and she basically asked for the class to burn me at the stake. But i guess the Americans who died on 9/11 don't count right? All I said was "It started on american soil" - that was it. I didn't realize that was an opinion or that it would infuriate members of my class. It wasn't just her - everyone agreed with her - it was the whole class against me. I didn't say a single word after "soil" and even when they were tirading I kept my mouth closed ... but for real ... omgosh.

You have more international experience than I do ... Did I miss a key "Hate America" book that I should have read before I moved here? I thought about you because you would just LOVE the people in my classes. lol. I know I'm not super Republican - but these people make me feel like a neo-conservative freak. Apparently if you don't hate america than everyone hates you. They get pissed at the "If you're not with us you're against us" yet they have the SAME attitude - if you aren't with them against america - you are against them.

And, with that... my blood was boiling.

That was a funny answer out of a girl whose country nearly started wars with Iraq on numerous occasions... because they completely mistreat the Kurdish segment of their population, and their brother-kurds all want to unite and take their precious highlands. I mean, we're talking MAJOR human rights violations. But, of course... it's all our fault. We had no cause to go to war.

I LOVE how the most professed-to-be-tolerant people try to shut people up when they have a different opinion. You're starting to get a taste of why I dislike the current liberal ideology... once they start yelling, it ends up being pretty shallow. I mean, liberal ideology has some very valid points... and a theory that is supposed to help the more helpless segments of society. But, somehow that ideological segment has gone really elitist, snobbish and shallow (which is ironically what they accuse conservatives of being).

My poor friend is in the most liberal atmosphere (a university) in one of the most liberal countries in the world... so a moderate here ends up feeling like a neo-con there. 

So, if Turkey freaks out again in her class... she should just say:
"Excuse me... just because you don't agree with me doesn't mean you can ask the authority to shut me up. We're not in your motherland any more, sister!"
And, if she does do that... I hope she gets video. I'd love to see that.  I will post it on the blog.

In short, never be ashamed to stand up for America. Yep, we have some issues. But, we are also the only "imperialist" country that has never seized any land from our "conquest." On the contrary, America stays on the dangerous lines and keeps protecting for decades to come. Our military protects so many people who don't carry our passport... but we still get slapped around for doing it. And, we prove over and over and over that when things get crazy (and 3000 people die in terrorist attacks) America is a sleeping lion ready to roar. And when we are done with our operations, we return home and sit quietly until somebody pisses us off.

The truth is... Saddam was a VERY dangerous man. And, his sons (and likely successors) were even worse. I mean, we're talking REAL evil. And, Prime Minister Berlusconi of Italy said "The real weapon of mass destruction in Iraq was Saddam Hussein... and we found him."

Maybe the Iraq war reminded the rest of the world just how impotent they are: they are bitter now because they realize that they couldn't hold a candle to the US Military.  In fact, they have outsourced their entire protection to us.

In the words of Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men: "You need me on that wall."

Because, our military operation and takeover of Iraq was a truly beautiful thing. We dropped the ball after that, but I think we freaked some people out when we swept into Baghdad (see Libya for more details).

That is all.

Horatio


Tuesday, August 05, 2008

"I'll see you at the debate, bitches."

See more funny videos at Funny or Die


This is one of the funnier pieces I've seen of political commentary in a long time... yep... a long time.

Enjoy Paris Hilton for President.

That is all.

Horatio

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Think Different.



This is what Apple has been doing for years. Why do you think I love their computers? Because they Think Different.

Friday, March 14, 2008

Muhammad Yuunus - Grameen Bank

This is another man I would like to emulate in my life.









And that smart-looking kid at the end from Park City... I know that kid.

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

My Dilemma

Well... Super-Duper-Tsunami-Fat Tuesday just passed like a steamroller in a rubber-band factory, and the general consensus is that nobody won. But, one thing is becoming much more clear: Mitt Romney is not likely to win.

That's very sad, because I still think he is (by far) the best candidate in the race. I mean, nobody else combines conservative values with executive experience and a gigantic brain. So, on the Republican side, we are left with a choice between a dishonest, cancerous, cantankerous, angry, American Hero with post-traumatic stress-disorder and a dishonest, fake, bigoted, vindictive, gutless former Baptist preacher whose only executive accomplishment was losing 150 pounds while in office.

Sounds like a great choice to me... NOT.  Then someone sent me this article about John McCain's military career, which makes me question the title of "American Hero".   It turns out he may also be a heavy-drinking, party-loving, womanizing Navy brat.

Figures. That seems to fit a lot of my observations.  (Of course, for suffering in Vietnam, he will always be an American hero... but that does NOT mean he should be President.)

Mitt Romney is going to continue in this race for now, but I can't see him lasting until September (unless McCain has a heart attack). So, I am starting to prepare (emotionally) for his departure.

What is a guy to do??

I've looked at a few numbers, not the least of which was this interesting statistic. According to TIME Magazine's Swampland blog, out of the 19 states which had both a Democrat and Republican primary race on Super-Duper Tuesday:

14,460,149 people voted for a Democrat (Obama/Clinton)
8,367,694 people voted for a Republican (McCain/Romney/Huckabee)

That's right kids, 73% MORE people voted for a Democrat on Tuesday than a Republican. So, if you look around at the 11 people in your vicinity, imagine that SEVEN of them voted for Obama or that crazy chick and four of them voted for a Republican candidate (only one of which should have a chance at this).

With that sobering thought, I will finally make this prediction out loud (or, in this case, into my computer): A Democrat will win in 2008.

(This is all the more likely if the Republican party puts John McCain at the top of their ticket. I just can't wait to see the profanities he uses on a more confrontational press corps.)

So, once again...

Who should be the next President of the United States? (altered based on a very limited field).

In this case, we have two choices:
  1. an inexperienced, young Senator who is an excellent, inspirational speaker and talks about unity--and the American Dream
  2. a crazy old Senator who's entire campaign is based on "beating the Republican attack machine." Oh... this Senator has experience, but all the WRONG experience.

I will argue that one of those two people will be the next President of the United States. I am not happy about it. Neither is my first choice. In fact, for a long time both were my LAST choice (but McCain and Huckabee recently crashed the "last choice" party).

So, unless Mitt Romney makes an amazing comeback in the next few weeks, I am supporting Barack Obama for President in 2008.


There are a few reasons behind my choice... not all of them have to do with Barack Obama's qualities:

  1. I find John McCain entirely unfit to be the President of the United States. While I generally vote Republican, I will not support John McCain (I may acquiesce to John McCain if the only other choice has a Rodham in her name)
  2. Hillary Clinton scares me. And, although Barack Obama has a more liberal voting record than Hillary does, he doesn't scare me.
  3. Despite his positions on many issues, I believe Barack and Michelle Obama to be honest and family-centered people. That is important to me--the President of the United States must be faithful to his wife and children if I ever expect him to be faithful to me.
  4. Barack Obama is an AMAZING speaker, and inspires people to follow him.  I mean, take a look at this piece (interpreted by Will-i-am of the Black Eyed Peas):


Once again, this only comes in anticipation of losing the one person in this race most qualified to be the President: Mitt Romney.

So, while I will cast my vote for Barack Obama in November, my eyes look forward to 2012.

My Mitt Romney bumper sticker may stay right where it is.

That is all.

Horatio

Thursday, January 31, 2008

Low... but True.

MANY Reasons to be Optimistic

Well... here are my thoughts on the Republican Primary.
 
Mitt Romney has never acquiesced to apparent defeat—and he shows no signs of quitting in this election.  The media already wrote an obituary, but Mitt's supporters have many reasons to be optimistic.
 
The campaign released a strategy memo today by Alex Gage.  He outlines a very important weakness in McCain's situation: he still does not appeal to conservatives.  If you listen to Sean Hannity, Laura Ingram, or Rush Limbaugh, you will hear how much they dislike McCain's liberal policies and rhetoric.  From the exit poll data in early states, there are many conservatives who agree.
 
McCain's "coalition" of independent, moderate and liberal Republicans is rather weak.  Upcoming primaries will give Mitt Romney a chance to bring conservatives together and still win the Republican nomination.
 
Super (Duper) Tuesday – February 5
 
Next Tuesday, February 5 is the so-called "Super Tuesday."  More than 20 states will hold their primary or caucus that day.  And, Mitt Romney has a strong foothold in many of those states.
 
I spent today analyzing poll numbers in each of those states.  And, I found that the National Review Online agreed:  McCain is very strong in states like New York, New Jersey and Arizona (200 delegates between them, winner take all).  But, Mitt Romney has comparable strongholds in Massachusetts, Utah, California, Montana (with the potential for 200 delegates between them for Mitt).  He is also within reach of states like Georgia, Delaware, Alaska and Missouri (with the endorsement of MO Gov. Matt Blount).
 
A candidate needs 1,191 delegates to secure the Republican nomination at the convention in September.  After "Super Tuesday," I estimate the following totals in pledged delegates (including all contests to date):
 
John McCain:  570
Mitt Romney: 386
Mike Huckabee: 226
 
Mitt Romney will still be in second place, but not out of the race. McCain is still far from securing the Republican nomination.  And Huckabee, while he seems to siphon conservative votes from Mitt Romney, is also keeping votes from John McCain.  He may be the one who forces a convention contest.
 
 
Clearly there is still a path to victory.  It does not look like a smooth ride, but Mitt Romney is moving forward with his characteristic energy.  With our fundraising support and his own contributions, Mitt Romney has purchased significant ad time in California and 20 other February 5th states ("Experience Matters" will go on the air in California).

We still have the most qualified candidate and the right message: bringing change to Washington and strength to America.  Please reach out to friends in each of other states (especially those listed below), and invite them to support Mitt Romney for President.  Please remember to vote (early, if necessary) and support Mitt Romney.  And, if you have not already, please make a contribution to Mitt Romney's Victory Fund!!  (click on link to contribute)
 
This election is far from over.  And, we still have a chance to put Mitt Romney in the White House.  So, enjoy your Super Tuesday poll watching!!
That is all.
Horatio
 
 
A few interesting articles:
 
"John McCain Hates Me" by Michael Reagan (son of the late Ronald Reagan)
"Rally for Romney" by Mark Levin (former official in the Department of Justice under Reagan)
"The Core Difference between McCain and Romney" by Paul Mirengoff (Powerline Blog)
"GOP Debate: Rudy Endorsed the Wrong Man" by Ross Kaminsky (Columnist, Former Rudy Giuliani supporter)
 
 
States voting on February 5th:
 
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Georgia
Illinois
Massachusetts
Minnesota
Missouri
Montana
New Jersey
New York
North Dakota
Oklahoma
Tennessee
Utah
West Virginia

Saturday, January 19, 2008

McCain lost BIG today...

Did anyone else notice that John McCain came in 3rd place in Nevada... BEHIND RON PAUL...


NV Caucus Results - 98% Reporting
 
Romney            51
Paul                  13
McCain             13
Huckabee          8
Thompson         8
Rudy                 4
Hunter               2
 


That is all.

Horatio

State o' the Race (in stream of consciousness style)

Wow... isn't this FUN??? Actually, this primary has been just super interesting! And, it has had the other effect of entirely turning me off of political ambitions. But, more on that later.

I dedicated 3 weeks straight to supporting Mitt Romney in Iowa and New Hampshire. And, I decided that I must be the bad egg, so I stayed home for Michigan. Turns out, I might have been right. In the meantime, sometime I'll write about how inane the Iowa caucus system happens to be...

Boy, do I have a LOT to write about. I think I'm going to set this up to take posts from my new iPhone, just so I can send thoughts when they come to me in the future. So, look for random thoughts from Horatio's iPhone.

But, for now, I strongly recommend: Ann Coulter's amazingly insightful comment called The Elephant in the Room. She does a pretty good, insightful job outlining the GOP Primary.

As of today, I need to remind you that Mitt Romney is the leader in the GOP race. Of course, you will not hear that on most news channels. But, he has won THREE states (WY, MI, NV) and has the most delegates of any candidate.

This race is far from over, and it's going to get very interesting from here on out.

Florida is January 29th, and it is the one chance Rudy Giuliani has to restore his front-runner status.

Basically, unlike previous elections where Iowa, New Hampshire or South Carolina decided the nominee: Florida is the key race in the Republican Primary.

A few random thoughts...

Huckabee is Dead: The man cannot appeal to any group outside of Evangelical Christians. Why? Because his only qualification to be POTUS is the fact that he's a Baptist preacher. He cannot do anything but be the ant-Mormon candidate. After all, his only real accomplishment as Governor of Arkansas was losing 150 pounds.

McCain LOOKs Dead, but could drag the Grand Olde Party down with him: I'm sorry, but I really think John McCain is NUTS. And, he's on the wrong side of EVERY issue. Yes, he is a great American hero... and we honor him for that. But, I don't think I want a President who spent that much time being tortured in a cement box, no matter how grateful I am for what he sacrificed. I want competance in the Oval Office. But, mark my words, if John McCain is the nominee, a Democrat will win the White House... and we can just stop invoking Ronald Reagan at that point... because John McCain does not represent what I believe.

Romney is still in the Game: Yep, I think my guy can still win this. If he wins Florida, going head-to-pockmarked-head with John McCain, I think Romney becomes the GOP nominee. And, we're all in this through November.

Of course, if Romney is not the nominee... I may find myself voting for Obama. I mean, at least Barak is talking about the greatness of America. He's a socialist, but at least he's a socialist who inspires people (hmm... did they say that about Lenin or Hitler?)

In the end, here is the order of people I think I would vote for to be the next President of the United States (out of the viable candidates from both parties):

Mitt Romney
(insert huge space here, because really nobody in this race even compares... not even the infamous Ron Paul)
Rudy Giuliani
Barak Obama
John McCain
(insert huge space here)
TIE:
- Hillary Clinton (evil incarnate)
- Mike Huckabee (wolf in sheep's clothing--I don't think I've seen a more incompetent, dishonest, fake man in my political life)
Ron Paul (the man who turned "constitution" into a swear word)

So, there you have it.

That is all.

Horatio