Search Results for ‘democracy in action’
Rudy Giuliani is running a new advertisement in New Hampshire that the campiagn has named “Ready” and is proudly touting on its websites. The ad, which uses a voiceover fresh out of a “300″ preview, shows images of angry crowds burning flags, shouting in other languages, and protesting. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is suggested to be a madman, Bhutto represents democracy under attack, and an explosion rocks a busy intersection. To top it off, an image of Bin Laden fades into the silhouette of the World Trade Center rubble.
This is supposed to scare you into voting for Rudy. The ad claims that he is tested and ready. But it gives no reasons as to why he is ready. It also neglects to mention that part of the budget to defend the people of New York went to having police officers walk his mistress’s dog. There is a problem with priorities here that the American people may not (and if Iowa was any evidence, do not) like.
The ad also mentions nothing about why Rudy would be the best candidate for fighting terrorism. The only reason this blogger can imagine is that his reckless foreign policies will cause more terrorism, leading to more time spent fighting terrorism.
The politics of fear won in 2002 and 2004 (when Dean ran with a more hopeful message), and the Republicans benefited from it. But if the success of Mike Huckabee and Barack Obama are any indication, hope will be the winning message in 2008. Could we see an end to the politics of fear? Probably not entirely, but polls are showing the Republican national security advantage over Democrats is going away. Voting through fear may loose traction to hope and vision this cycle.
January 6th, 2008
Last week, it was Bill Richardson to make a big hire, this week it was Chris Dodd. Dodd, who was in Iowa earlier this week, hired Marc Beltrame, a former longtime Boswell staffer, to be his state director. Interestingly, according to GWU’s Democracy In Action site, Dodd has also hired two former Loebsack staffers as well. It seems like he’s building a good foundation with these hires by tapping into the networks of incumbent Democratic Congressmen. It’s still an uphill fight for Senator Dodd in Iowa but he’s off to a solid start.
February 22nd, 2007
Even though the Iowa Caucuses are over a year away, candidates are already hiring staffers and websites are already chronicling the exploits of these politicos–or at least posting their names. Over on TPM Cafe, there’s a rather long list of everyone ever vaguely mentioned as working for a campaign on Hotline or The Fix, unfortunately this means it is rather inaccurate (for example, Jean Hessburg is most definitely not working for Hillary Clinton, she’s running the Nevada caucuses) and rather consultant heavy.
George Washington University’s Democracy in Action also has a much smaller list as part of its attempt to chronicle the campaign. However, it does have the benefit of accuracy as well as succinct bios for those readers who always wondered what Jesse Harris majored in at college. (History and Political Science). However, judging by GWU’s efforts to chronicle Iowa staffers in the 2004 General and the 2004 Caucuses, it’s sure to become the definitive site for those just dying to know how many field organizers John Edwards has in Ottumwa and whether you need all of them to screw in a light bulb.
December 30th, 2006
I apologize in advance, as this post has a 60/40 rant to news ratio.
John “I didn’t inspire you last time but now I think I run the party” Kerry sent out an e-mail today titled “10 days that will get their attention,” outlining the Kerry Iraq Plan, which he will launch 4 days from now:
If Iraq’s leaders can’t move past their infighting and endless delays to form a new government by May 15, we should immediately withdraw all of our troops. If they meet the May 15 deadline, we’ll bring America’s combat troops home by the end of the year and put the future of democracy in Iraq where it belongs — in the hands of the Iraqi people.
I’m not entirely sure how I feel about withdrawing from Iraq, much less immediately, and the e-mail is full of irritating gems like this:
In these and many other ways, because of citizens like you, the wheel is slowly, but surely, turning on the question of Iraq. Over the next ten days, we’re going to give it another huge push. But, before I tell you more, please take a moment right now to sign in support of the Kerry Iraq plan.
Before I tell you more? At any rate, here’s the petition, if you’re into that kind of thing.
April 18th, 2006
