2008 Roundup: The Nader Edition

Yup, he's back ... Well, maybe: ["Nader leaves '08 open, slams Hillary"]. It's funny that this story would make headlines today. I was just thinking about Ralph Nader yesterday and how I had not even seen a token story about whether or not he would run again After doing a Google, I hadn't really seen much, just promotion for the new documentary, "An Unreasonable Man." And then, poof, there it is. The token story. I like the fact that Nader noted Sen. Mike Gravel's campaign as an alternative to Hillary and some of the other candidates.
But is Ralph getting soft in his old age? Joshua Franks, the guy who wrote the excellent "Left Out! How Liberals Re-elected George W. Bush," seems to think so, after he finds out that Nader is back hobnobbing with The Nation folks again: ["Unsafe in Any Seas"]. Along with the new documentary, Nader also has a new book, "The Seventeen Traditions," about his upbringing along with tips for modern parents.

McCain gets into bed with the enemy: ["McCain's Advisers Once Made Ads That Drew His Ire"]. There was a bit about this in Vanity Fair or some other place, I don't remember, recently. But with Mike Murphy not available, I guess you have to look elsewhere.

Where's Sen. Paul Tsongas' panda bear when we need it?: ["Clinton Promises to End War if Elected"]. Oh, so this is what Nader was talking about. How Nixonian: Support the war and then campaign against the war with a solution to end the war which probably should have never been approved in the first place. Pathetic. She is like John Kerry all over again. Yikes!

And here's Willard Mitt Romney taking a shot at Hillary about Iran: ["Romney says Sen. Clinton 'timid' on Iran"]. Note to Mitt: Very few people in this country are truly worried about Iran. Do some polling and you'll learn something. The only folks who are worried about Iran are a handful of neocons and defense contractors. The rest of us out here don't give two figs about Iran. In addition, the majority of people of Iran are not interested in war either. They are interested in broadband Internet access, their cell phones, dancing in nightclubs and having a good time. Maybe it is time to come up with a real plan to solve these problems which doesn't amount to killing thousands of innocent people with money our government doesn't have.

Speaking of defense contractors, check out this story about the requested Pentagon budget for FY08: ["Record $622 Billion Budget Requested for the Pentagon"].

“It is the highest level of spending since the height of the Korean War,” said Steven Kosiak, a military budget expert with the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, a policy analysis organization here.

I missed "Meet the Press" today but John Edwards was on and talked about a lot of things, including health care: ["Edwards: raise taxes for healthcare"]. I'm beginning to wonder about weekend news and whether or not anyone is editing the stories which get logged in. It isn't "healthcare" it's "health care."

Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee seems to have a press problem, especially from a couple of locals who know him all too well: ["Arkansas Underdog"].

Mike Huckabee's campaign will be history soon, too, unless he learns to cool it. Which may not be possible for the Huck, given his showman's personality and rhetorical impulses. The man is a Baptist preacher and former radio broadcaster who may secretly yearn to be a stand-up comic. He can't pass up an opportunity to say something that sounds clever at the time, but then comes back to haunt him on Tim Russert's show. Our advice: Be careful out there, Brother Huckabee. Your presidential campaign is one careless wisecrack from being over.

I'm intrigued by Huckabee every since I got to meet him in Newington back in 2005. I found him to be unsettling ingratiating ... like Bill Clinton is ... except I didn't feel like I had to wash my hands after meeting the guy. He has accomplished a lot in Arkansas - especially considering what messes Jim Guy Tucker and Clinton left for him. It will be interesting to see what Huckabee brings to the trail while campaigning.

The New Hampshire Union Leader has an interesting angle ... trying to find office space in Manch!: ["Presidential race for real estate"]. Donna Brazile thinks Gore may run in 2008 after all: ["Gore ex-campaign chief wishes on her star"]. Meehan to leave Congress? That's the rumor: ["Meehan seen on short list for UMass"]. This kinda makes that Massachusetts redistricting piece I wrote a few weeks ago look even more interesting.

Polls
Yeah, it's early. But what the heck:

KOTV/Tulsa World in Oklahoma released a poll Saturday showing first, that the continuing mess in Iraq will be a key issue of 2008. On the GOP side, John McCain got 25 percent, with Rudy Giuliani at 17, Condi Rice at 16, and Newt Gingrich at 14. Over on the Dem's side, 28 percent picked Hillary Clinton, with John Edwards getting 23, Barack Obama getting 14, and Al Gore in fourth with single digits.

ARG has polls from Iowa and New Hampshire:

Iowa Dems: Clinton 35, Edwards 18, Obama 14, Undecided 13, Vilsack 12, Biden, Clark and Kucinich at 2, Dodd 1, Richardson 1, Gravel 0.
Iowa GOP: Giuliani 27, McCain 22, Gingrich 16, Undecided 15, Romney 11, Hagel 5, Huckabee 2, Brownback 1, with Gilmore, Hunter, Pataki, Paul, and Thompson at 0.

NH GOP: McCain 27, Romney and Giuliani at 20, Undecided 15, Gingrich 11, Hagel 4, Brownback and Tancredo at 1, with Gilmore, Hunter, Pataki, Paul, and Thompson at 0.
NH Dems: Clinton 39, Undecided 21, Obama 19, Edwards 13, Clark and Richardson at 2, and Biden, Dodd, and Kucinich at 1. Gravel had 0.

Survey USA had this New Hampshire poll earlier in the week: Giuliani 33, McCain 32, Romney 21, Other 11, Undecided 3; Clinton 40, Obama 25, Edwards 23, Other 9, Undecided 3.