Former Senator and Law & Order star Fred Thompson discusses Iran and his belief that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad shouldn’t be in the US. Ahmadinejad addresses the UN at noon today.
** AHMADINEJAD ATTACKS “ARROGANT POWERS” IN U.N. SPEECH. Speaking substantially later than anticipated this afternoon, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad attacked “arrogant powers” that seek to impose new sanctions against his country for pursuing its nuclear program and said that Iran will work with the International Atomic Energy Agency. IAEA inspectors are back in Iran to monitor the program, which Iran officially says is for nuclear power, not nuclear weapons.
Meanwhile, two new more conservative European leaders, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel — who yesterday again broke with the Bush Administration on the greenhouse effect and climate change, with Sarkozy calling foot-dragging “criminal” — made it clear that they want an end to any nuclear weapons program in Tehran. They are very suspicious about the Iranian nuclear program, and seem likely to pursue further sanctions.
** CHANGE TO WIN LABOR COALITION HEARS FROM TOP DEMOCRATS. The Change To Win federation of seven unions which broke away from the AFL-CIO a couple of years ago heard from the top three Democratic presidential candidates today in Chicago. Barack Obama won a warm reception, as did John Edwards. Hillary Clinton, suffering from travel problems, spoke to the convention by phone.
Coalition chair Anna Burger made it clear that no endorsement is yet in the offing. The massive Service Employees International Union (SEIU), for which Burger is secretary-treasurer, decided at yesterday’s board meeting to hold off on making an endorsement. John Edwards, the most left-leaning of the top Democratic hopefuls, has been counting on SEIU’s support to help jump-start his campaign.
** ANGELIDES NOW A CLINTON CO-CHAIR FOR CALIFORNA. Former California Treasurer Phil Angelides, the 2006 Democratic gubernatorial nominee against Arnold Schwarzenegger, was today appointed a state co-chairman of Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign.
Angelides, a former developer who has returned to the developer business, came out for Clinton months ago, as reported here on NWN.
** $9.11 FOR RUDY NOT SUCH A GOOD IDEA. Rudy Giuliani’s presidential campaign is backing away from a $9.11 per person fundraising scheme promoted by former Reagan State Department advisor and prominent Giuliani backer Abraham Sofaer, a fellow of Stanford’s Hoover Institution.
What the campaign calls an independent effort was blasted by the International Association of Firefighters union as another Giuliani bid to “exploit” 9/11. The union is emerging as a fierce and energetic critic of the former New York mayor. They are going to watch everything Giuliani does with an eye to attack. The effort was also ripped by several Democratic presidential candidates.
** BIG EDGE FOR DEMOCRATIC PARTY OVER REPUBLICAN PARTY IN NATIONAL GALLUP POLL. The new Gallup Poll shows a big edge for the Democratic Party over the Republican Party among American adults.
According to Gallup’s annual Governance survey, conducted Sept. 14th to 16th among just over a thousand adults, the Democratic Party enjoys a 15-point lead over the Republicans in overall favorability, 53% vs. 38%.
The Democrats are viewed unfavorably by 43%; the Republicans are viewed unfavorably by 59%.
Since 2001, the Democrat Party has either tied or led the Republicans on the question of which party is best to keep the country prosperous. However, that lead expanded significantly between September 2005 and September 2006, from 5 points to 17 points, and is currently 20 points. 54% now say the Democrats would do the better job, compared with only 34% choosing the Republicans.
One enduring strength for the Republican Party has been the perception that it is the better party for handling international terrorism and national defense. One year after the 9/11 attacks, the Republicans had a 19-point lead over the Democrats in this area. That lead gradually sank to only two points in 2006.
Now more say the Democratic Party will do a better job than the Republican Party of protecting the country from security threats, 47% vs. 42%.
Bill Clinton (in a missive entitled “You, Me, A TV, And A Bowl of Chips”): There are two things in this world that I love more than anything else — my family and politics. So you can imagine just how fired up I get when Hillary is on the stage debating the issues that matter to our country.
So here’s an idea: why don’t you and I share that excitement together during an upcoming debate. Hillary’s campaign will pick three people — each invited with a guest to watch one of the upcoming presidential debates with me. We’ll sit down in front of a big TV with a big bowl of chips, watch the debate, and talk about the race. If you enter before the Sunday midnight deadline, you and a guest could be the ones to sit down with me to watch a presidential debate.
Join me for a debate. Make a contribution today:
http://www.hillaryclinton.com/watchwithbill
When I tell you I like watching Hillary debate, I mean it. You’re talking to the man who stayed up until four in the morning on a trip through Africa just to catch one of her debates live. So if you want to watch a debate with me — or if you just want to help Hillary win — enter today, and you and your guest might join me for a debate soon.
** AHMADINEJAD DELIVERS, BUSH FORGETS CLIMATE CHANGE. President George W. Bush addressed the UN General Assembly earlier this morning. His speech wasn’t about Iraq, barely touched upon Iran, and instead focused on problems in the developing world in such countries as the Sudan and Burma, also known as Myanmar. It was a look at the softer side, if you will, of the Bush agenda. But he notably didn’t mention climate change, which dominated the UN yesterday with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and other notables addressing a high-level summit of more than 80 heads of state. Bush doesn’t want to participate within the international framework on climate change, and will convene his own meeting of greenhouse gas emitters later this week.
Bush also didn’t engage the issue of Iran, though Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was sitting in front of him the audience. Ahmadinejad turned his controversial appearance at Columbia University yesterday into an unintentional joke, making several bizarre pronouncements, including his assertions that there are no gay or lesbian people in Iran, and that women have many rights there. From reports, he seems to have been knocked off stride from the beginning by the scathing introduction of university president Lee Bollinger.
Ahmadinejad addresses the UN today at noon Pacific time. That should be interesting.
Whatever Ahmadinejad and his hardline allies in Iran may believe they are getting out of this trip, it’s certainly been a bonanza for US presidential candidates, especially on the Republican side, who as predicted are making great hay out of the controversy.
** DEMOCRATS TO ADDRESS CHANGE TO WIN CONFERENCE. Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards address the Change To Win labor coalition conference today in Chicago. This is the more liberal breakaway group from the AFL-CIO, some of whose key member unions got behind Howard Dean four years ago.
** S.E.I.U. DELAYS ENDORSEMENT. The Service Employees International Union has put off a presidential endorsement. John Edwards has been hoping for it, but if it happens now, it won’t be before next month.
** SCHWARZENEGGER GIVES PUBLIC SAFETY AWARDS IN LIVE WEBCAST. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has returned from the global stage of the United Nations in New York to the somewhat more prosaic — though not architecturally — Capitol in California. He’ll have private meetings throughout the day on various matters, with an emphasis on health care reform and water policy, and at 2:15 PM in an event that will be webcast live Schwarzenegger will present Medals of Valor to several police officers, a deputy sheriff, and a firefighter.
His UN address can also be viewed by clicking on the link above.
With many legislators gallivanting around the world on various junkets and vacations, the special legislative sessions are not off to a flying start, the financing of which would go on the November ballot next year. But they have plenty of time to work out a health care reform package. Time is much shorter with regard to water policy, though I’m told that they have until early October to get a bond measure onto the February primary ballot.
** AL QAEDA’S AMERICAN PRISONERS STILL NOT LOCATED. American troops are now in the midst of a 132nd day of searching for the remaining two US soldiers captured by Al Qaeda in an ambush south of Baghdad. They have had no luck so far. A video put out by Al Qaeda forces in Iraq claims that all three men were executed after being captured. But, with the exception of the Californian found floating in the Euphrates River, that claim can’t be confirmed. The US high command in Baghdad has revealed that ID cards for the other two American prisoners were found in an Al Qaeda safehouse on June 9th.
** Track global and national energy prices in near real time via Bloomberg. Most crude oil prices are in the $79 to $82 per barrel range, with US oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico back in action.
Your posts are welcome in the Forum.
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| Comments (0) |
Fred Thompson just doesn’t look very healthy to me.
Fred Thompson just doesn’t look very healthy to me.
Arnold’s not awarding any medals to any CCPOA members?
Didn’t see any on the list …
That’s a very clear picture on the video. I like it.
Sure. All the time in the world for the special session.
Not much is going to happen.
Cynical, cynical, tsk tsk.
They’re using a more advanced platform than YouTube.
>Jonas Blane :
That’s a very clear picture on the video. I like it.
Sep 25, 2007 08:55 AM
They’re using a more advanced platform than YouTube.
>Jonas Blane :
That’s a very clear picture on the video. I like it.
Sep 25, 2007 08:55 AM
He looks how he looks. He’s a man in his middle 60s. He’s never been a matinee idol.
>Ann :
Fred Thompson just doesn’t look very healthy to me.
Sep 25, 2007 08:26 AM
I just got a Roger Staubach email from the McCain campaign asking for more money.
Ferd Thompson looks unhealthy because he swallows some of the bile he spews apparently. He needs to go to Cuba for a check-up and a heart transplant.
…
Bill, I’m not sure if it’s accurate to say that Change to Win is more liberal than AFL-CIO. CtW founder Andy Stern of the SEIU promotes ‘partnerships’ with the corporate class, does not support single-payer health care, and none of the unions of CtW are any more open, progressive, or democratic or less bureaucratic than their counterparts in the AFL. And since the California Nurses Association recently affiliated with the AFL-CIO, that tips the federation towards a more liberal stance than CtW. The fact that CtW is only interviewing the ‘top three’ big money Democrat Party candidates shows they play the same game as every other interest group -predetermining who is worthy of endorsement based on money and not considering the candidate who has the best labor track record and whose politics are supported by a large number of its union members – Kucinich. Playing the real politic game and jumping in bed with corporate hacks like Clinton is a set back for the labor movement, which will be betrayed yet again by the Democrats.
thanks for the recent reports.
Change To Win is more liberal as a whole than the AFL-CIO.
McCain continues to play the Navy card, Staubach having won the Heisman Trophy playing for the Naval Academy.
>Brasky :
I just got a Roger Staubach email from the McCain campaign asking for more money.
Sep 25, 2007 10:12 AM
Funny, he actually mentioned that in the email…
About five minutes later, I got an email from Bill Richardson. He’s got a video about how he’s the only one of the top 4 Dem candidates who advocates for a 100% withdraw from Iraq. It’s good, but really long at 4 minutes.
Oh God, not the Navy again.
It’s not as bad as the $9.11 fundraiser.
You mean the Giuliani thing. A tad tacky, that.
Oh, yes.
>Ann :
Oh God, not the Navy again.
Sep 25, 2007 10:45 AM
Roger Staubach named the Hail Mary pass. Could come in handy …
>Brasky :
Funny, he actually mentioned that in the email…
About five minutes later, I got an email from Bill Richardson. He’s got a video about how he’s the only one of the top 4 Dem candidates who advocates for a 100% withdraw from Iraq. It’s good, but really long at 4 minutes.
Sep 25, 2007 10:32 AM
Roger Staubach named the Hail Mary pass. Could come in handy …
>Brasky :
Funny, he actually mentioned that in the email…
About five minutes later, I got an email from Bill Richardson. He’s got a video about how he’s the only one of the top 4 Dem candidates who advocates for a 100% withdraw from Iraq. It’s good, but really long at 4 minutes.
Sep 25, 2007 10:32 AM
“Now more say the Democratic Party will do a better job than the Republican Party of protecting the country from security threats, 47% vs. 42%.”
Wow.
“Roger Staubach named the Hail Mary pass. Could come in handy …”
McCain is going to need the Father, Son AND Holy Ghost.
Watching a debate with Bill Clinton sounds fun. I wonder how much salsa he uses.
Hillary needs to stand-up so Bill can stand-down.
I just watched the “winner” of the Meat Romney make your own ad contest: http://tinyurl.com/2y9et7
Democratic Leadership Council President Bruce Reed was the creator. Funny.
That is pretty funny.
Meaning? Less Bill Clinton?
I don’t think that’s in the cards. He’s one of the very top politicians in the world. Impossible to ignore. If he is not deeply involved, then THAT becomes the issue.
>Brasky :
Hillary needs to stand-up so Bill can stand-down.
Sep 25, 2007 12:11 PM
You mean hot sauce, perhaps?
>Len :
Watching a debate with Bill Clinton sounds fun. I wonder how much salsa he uses.
Sep 25, 2007 12:01 PM
You mean hot sauce, perhaps?
>Len :
Watching a debate with Bill Clinton sounds fun. I wonder how much salsa he uses.
Sep 25, 2007 12:01 PM
It is a stunner.
Perhaps why our Republican friends are so quiet.
>Brasky :
“Now more say the Democratic Party will do a better job than the Republican Party of protecting the country from security threats, 47% vs. 42%.”
Wow.
Sep 25, 2007 11:45 AM
“Meaning? Less Bill Clinton? I don’t think that’s in the cards.”
I think it could grow into a problem for her.
There’s no Hillary w/out Bill.
It’s obviously a package deal, but Bill shouldn’t look like he is doing the heavy lifting.
It seems like Paul Burton and I, both actual living breathing liberals — him being even more of a liberal than myself, perhaps even a radical — somehow perceive AFL-CIO’s positions as being more in line with what we think of as “traditional liberal” positions, and Andy Stern’s CtW being more “new liberal” and interested in entering into biz-union-regulator partnerships for constructive change… I agree that both are liberal, and it may even be right that CtW tends to endorse candidates who trend more liberal. I’m just not sure it makes sense to class CtW as “more” liberal in general. It seems to me that the difference between the two is more of a lateral shift, or a shift in tactics, than a shift along the traditional political spectrum.
You are focusing on one or two aspects of one of the seven unions in Change To Win.
Oh, and as far as security — Bush has proven again and again that he cares more about short-term political gain than the security of the country, and he’s shown a cavalier attitude towards issues of domestic and international security (underfunding port security, air marshalls, body armor for troops; all while handing billions to his campaign contributors). His party has gone along with him on all of this, and blocked efforts by the new majority to rein him in.
The only surprise is that it took so long for people to figure this out. The overall quality of our nation’s “journalists” — from Judith Miller to Dan Rather to anybody on Fox — doesn’t help much.
And, Paul Burton, incidentally, is not a liberal. He’s a leftist.
I thought Dan Rather lost his job because he was so anti-Bush.
Another winning idea from the Hoover braintrust…
9/11 is political marmalade. Mr. Giuliani had best beware that he not spread it too thickly over his campaign. Lest it lead to nausea.
9/11 is political marmalade. Mr. Giuliani had best beware that he not spread it too thickly over his campaign. Lest it lead to nausea.
9/11 is political marmalade. Mr. Giuliani had best beware that he not spread it too thickly over his campaign. Lest it lead to nausea.
Sorry for the double -posting.
The Giuliani campaign is going to have to play that very carefully.
It”s an obviously tacky idea.
>Brasky :
Another winning idea from the Hoover braintrust…
Sep 25, 2007 04:56 PM
Angelides is still trying to be a political player? It’s unbelieveable.
Phil who?
Angerlides!
He can teach the Clintons how to get wiped out in a blue state. lol