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Election Central Morning Roundup
A Reminder: John Warner To Announce Plans Today
Senator John Warner (R-VA) is expected to announce this afternoon whether or not he will seek re-election. The Examiner reports that Warner will announce his retirement, setting up a competitive Senate race between former Governor Mark Warner (D) and either Congressman Tom Davis or former Governor Jim Gilmore on the Republican side. Mark Warner — of no relation to John Warner — would start out as the favorite in the race. Then again, John Warner might just throw us all a curveball and run again.
Poll: Rudy Still Leads Among Conservatives
A Hotline/Diageo poll shows Rudy Giuliani continuing to lead the Republican field nationally. The numbers: Rudy 27%, Thompson 17%, Romney 15%, McCain 12%. Amazingly, Rudy still leads among self-described conservatives, evangelicals, and those who believe abortion should not be permitted at all, beating Thompson by six to ten points on those questions.
Iowa Judge Rules Against Ban On Gay Marriage
Gay marriage is likely to take front and center in the 2008 presidential race in Iowa, as Polk County Judge Robert Hanson ruled the state's law prohibiting same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. Mitt Romney has already seized on the opportunity to emphasize his new and improved 2007 position on gay rights, releasing a press release blasting the decision as "another example of an activist court and unelected judges trying to redefine marriage and disregard the will of the people as expressed through Iowa's Defense of Marriage Act," and reiterating his support for a Federal Marriage Amendment.
TNT To Keep Showing Law & Order Reruns
Cable channel TNT does not have any plans to stop showing Law & Order reruns, even though former series star Fred Thompson has confirmed that he will officially declare his candidacy for president next week. FCC rules on TV networks giving equal amounts of time to political candidates outside of news coverage do not apply to cable networks. So how often will episodes from Thompson's tenure be shown, and could this have any effect on the process?
FEC Withstands Court Challenge on 527 Regulations
A district court judge Thursday dismissed a lawsuit brought by Rep. Chris Shays' (R-CT) and former Rep. Marty Meehan's (D-MA) against the FEC to force regulation of 527s. “[The decision] reinforces the fact that we need legislation to force 527s to play by the same campaign finance rules, which apply to all other organizations seeking to influence federal elections," Shays said. 527s, which can receive unlimited soft money donations, include such high profile groups as Swift Boat Veterans For Truth and MoveOn.org.
Report: Romney To Boycott Wyoming GOP Contest
Michael Roston reports that Mitt Romney's campaign will be boycotting the Wyoming GOP's delegate-selection conventions, after the state party scheduled them for January 5 in a deliberate attempt to break the primary calendar and force reforms. "Where folks have come to know Mitt Romney in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and other states, they're growing to like him," said Romney spokesman Stephen Smith. "Those are the early primary states where we are focusing our energy."
NH GOP Chairman Upset Thompson Skipping Debate
Fred Thompson's exploratory committee has announced he will his declare his candidacy right after midnight following the GOP debate in New Hampshire next week, meaning he will not participate in the event. The state's GOP Chair, Fergus Cullen, said he is "disappointed" with Thompson's decision. "They are clearly trying to avoid this specific event," Cullen said.
And how is Fred Thompson run-runs showing on LAW & Order any different from Fox-TV running the Schwartenegger movie TRUE LIES at 8 PM just about every night for the month leading up to the special election for Governor of California a couple years ago?
After thirty days of seeing "Der Arnold" playing a loving husband and father who saves the U.S. from Islamic terrorists with nuclear weapons, is it any wonder that Californians made the man their governor?
August 31, 2007 10:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
As a long time Cali resident, I don't think that had anything to do with it. Electing the Governator was a result of one of our periodic fits of pique. Another example would be 1979's Proposition 13. The consesus of the California electorate is basically that we want the best roads, best schools, and cleanest environment money can buy, and someone else to pay for it all. That never comes to pass (duh), and the resultant pressures occasionally result in weird shit of the Der Arnold kind.
The more general point that putting actors running for public office on TV every night is a crock is, of course, correct.
August 31, 2007 11:00 AM | Reply | Permalink
On the Law and Order reruns: I have heard from somewhere that Thompson is delaying his announcements to let these reruns proceed as long as possible. That's because, for many of the other persons involved, these reruns are a major income source. If that were true, Thompson's delay might be due to a good reason. I do not like this guy, but possibly he is a reasonable person for his actor buddies.
August 31, 2007 11:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
Giuliani is the Democratic dream candidate. Get him nominated, then 'swift boat' him on abortion, Kerik, marriages, 9/11 response, etc. etc. ad nauseum.
Similarly, Romney is vulnerable on flip flopping, phoniness, and stupidity.
Thompson is even easier than Romney.
Provided, of course, the Democrats embrace swift-boating, which I think is necessary. All the Republican candidates have way more inadequately publicized negatives than any Democratic candidate, and this has to be exploited by going negative.
The high road buries Democrats.
August 31, 2007 11:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
What, so Thompson is letting the L&O reruns run because he wants to help his BUDDIES? Oh please.
August 31, 2007 11:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
POed - I Hope that was a little bit of snark concerning the L&O reruns being a big source of income for the others in the cast.
By the time a show goes into cable syndication, the only entities making real money are the studio and the owner of the show, not the actors, writers, directors. I've seen the 'residual' checks for writers and actors in a couple of shows now in syndication - they're usually three figures - with a decimal point. Writers also get NO royalities/residuals from the sale of shows on the Net (think iTunes vids) or sales of DVDs.
August 31, 2007 12:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
In Missouri, in the St. Louis area, we have an attention-whore, fanatical archbishop who will have a lot of fun telling catholics who they can vote for without losing their right to take communion. He has been into it with Sheryl Crow for daring to help raise money for a hospital, John Kerry supporters, etc.----but he will cut some slack if they are conservative republicans even when they fudge a bit on the things he characterizes as murder. (abortion and stem-cell related issues).
August 31, 2007 12:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
We had him here in Wisconsin, and good riddance. He is aiming for Pope, no doubt about it.
August 31, 2007 8:47 PM | Reply | Permalink