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Iowa Congressman Tom Harkin Still Under The Gun For G.O.P. ?Die Fast? Healt
2009-10-02 05:55:00 Representative Tom Harkin: The G.O.P. Can Sit Back And Watch While We Pass ObamaCare Health Reform… Hey, no doubt — if you are one of those minority folks who belong to the incredible shrinking Republican Party, you absolutely DESPISE this guy, Tom Harkin (D-IA). Why, it was just... This is only a comment summary. Visit http://guntotingliberal.com to view the lastest content complete with some of the most outrageous original photoshops in the political blogosphere!
Healthcare: Democratic Senator From Iowa ? Tom Harkin ? Says The Public Opt
2009-09-30 06:02:00 Senator Harkin: “Bring it out there, let’s vote on it” President Barack Hussein Obama’s “public option” — what a TREASONOUS idea! Our Founding Fathers would be rolling over in their graves at the thought of every poor child in our Great Democratic Republic... This is only a comment summary. Visit http://guntotingliberal.com to view the lastest content complete with some of the most outrageous original photoshops in the political blogosphere!
I?m just a bill. Sitting here on Capitol Hill.
2008-09-03 07:57:00 After my Mass Media Industry class this morning I have lost all faith in the American school system. In this class we are discussing the law, ethics and history of mass media. Today was our first law lecture. We started with the basics. What’s a plaintiff? What’s a defendant? What are the sources of law? ...
By: The Bean Blog
Obama Picks Experienced Strategists, Clinton Picks Loyalists
2008-05-09 06:33:00 Today we learned another important piece to the Mark Penn saga. According to the Huffington Post, Penn believed the Democratic race to be winner take all states just as it is for the Republican Party. Mark Penn was the chief strategist for Senator Clinton in the early stages of the game. Penn was ?confident? in saying that winning California would tip the race to Clinton once she captured the state?s entire 370 delegates. The major flaw to that strategy is the fact that the delegates are apportioned based on percentage of the vote each candidate got in that state. Harold Ickes was appalled at the sheer ignorance of someone in charge of such an important task. The reason Penn had such an important job on the campaign was not because he knew what he was doing, it was because of loyalty. Loyalty is something that Senator Clinton values as part of her team rather than hiring the best possible person for the job. ?How can it possibly be, that the much vaunted ch...
Senate Watch: News & Notes
2008-04-13 00:42:00 Let's take a look at the latest news from Senate races around the country. Click here for our latest Senate rankings--look for a fresh set of rankings next week. AlabamaThe latest polling continues to show Republican Senator Jeff Session (pictured) with a commanding lead in his bid for a third term. Sessions leads state Senator Vivian Figures 57%-36%. Three-fourths of the electorate hold a favorable view of the incumbent, while only 39% view Figures favorably. Figures, who isn't well known outside of her own district, doesn't appear to pose a serious threat to Sessions.AlaskaNew numbers out of Alaska confirm that Republican Senator Ted Stevens, in office since 1970, is facing the toughest challenge of his political career. Elected by landslide margins in every election since he assumed office, Stevens (pictured) holds a narrow 46%-45% lead over Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich. In trouble largely because of a federal corruption investigation, Stevens earns support from just 71% ...
By: Political Realm
The Links: Rock Chalk Jayhawk
2008-04-08 17:31:00 Your quick hits for Tuesday:General Petraeus wants to suspend troop withdrawal in Iraq.Former Fed chair Alan Greenspan is backing McCain.Clinton picked up an Arkansas super, but loses one in DC.Iowa Senator Tom Harkin hints that he'll support Obama.Obama gets support from one MT super and almost another.Politico highlights the 50 greatest political moments.Clinton calls on Bush to boycott the opening ceremony.The Kansas Jayhawks won the NCAA championship in OT.'21' wins the weekend box again.Charlton Heston died Saturday night.This day in history: Hank Aaron's 715th home run broke Babe Ruth's record in 1974.
By: Political Realm
Senate Watch: News & Notes
2008-03-19 21:58:00 Let's take a look at the latest news from Senate races around the country. Click here for our latest Senate rankings.ArkansasFirst-term Democrat Mark Pryor (pictured) will go without a Republican challenger in his bid for re-election. The situation has to be a huge disappointment for Republicans, who have had little success at the state level despite going twice for President Bush. Republicans have won just one Senate race since the late 1800's--Tim Hutchinson in 1996, who Pryor defeated in 2002. Democrats also control the governor's office and three of the state's four House seats. Republican hopes for mounting any challenged faded completely when former Governor Mike Huckabee, fresh off his presidential bid, again confirmed that he would not jump into the race. The inability to compete in Arkansas against a first-term senator will only further GOP woes in 2008. The party has 23 seats to defend to just 12 for the Democrats, while only one Democratic incumbent appears vulne...
By: Political Realm
Senate Watch: News And Notes
2008-02-05 06:41:00 ColoradoSlowly, but surely Democratic Congressman Mark Udall (pictured) is increasing his financial advantage over former Republican Congressman Bob Schaffer. Udall raised $1.1 million to end 2007, bringing his cash on hand total to $3.6 million. Schaffer raised $673,000 in the final quarter of the year, with $1.5 million available for the race. A $2 million deficit is not good news for Schaffer, who will likely appeal to national Republicans for support. With several endangered Republicans throughout the country, however, it's unclear how the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) will respond. The group was out raised by its counterpart, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), by nearly $25 million last year.IdahoRepublican Lt. Governor Jim Risch (pictured), the favorite for the Republican nomination in a large field, raised $236,000 in the fourth quarter, with $171,000 available. Risch's total bests the $166,000 brought in by Democrat Larry LaRocco, ...
By: Political Realm
Senate Watch: Rankings
2008-01-22 22:15:00 Our rankings are supersized this month, with blurbs about all 35 races across the country. Our top ten remains largely unchanged, with the open seat race in Mississippi joining the list for the first time. Mitch McConnell's race in Kentucky fell from the top ten after Democrats failed to get a top tier recruit to face the minority leader.1. Virginia (Open-R) [1]: Former Democratic Governor Mark Warner (pictured) continues to have smooth sailing on his way to the Senate. His likely opponent, former Governor Jim Gilmore, has drawn a challenge from Bob Marshall, that further complicates his chances. Gilmore should survive in a party convention, but Warner has shown no signs of slowing. Most polling gives him a lead of 15-20 points, but the Old Dominion is very much a swing state, so Warner shouldn't get too comfortable. VERDICT: Likely Democratic takeover2. New Mexico (Open-R) [3]: While Representatives Steve Pearce (pictured) and Heather Wilson duke it out in the Republican pr...
By: Political Realm
The Endorsement Game Continues
2007-12-20 20:33:00 Des Moines Register Backs Clinton, McCainThe Des Moines Register endorsed Hillary Clinton last weekend, effectively endorsing her campaign's idea that her experience trumps any rhetoric for change. The newspaper, Iowa's largest, wrote, "The job requires a president who not only understands the changes needed to move the country forward but also possesses the discipline and skill to navigate the reality of the resistant Washington power structure to get things done. That candidate is New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton." Clinton has already begun referencing the endorsement in not one, but two new advertisements.Losing out on the endorsement is certainly a blow to Clinton's chief rivals in the state, Barack Obama and John Edwards, who won their support in 2004. In the past, the paper has typically gone with the fresh-faced or change candidate, leading many to believe that Obama would likely garner the endorsement. Indeed, the paper has had glowing words for Obama (which he...
By: Political Realm
Friday Presidential Campaign Notes
2007-12-14 23:23:00 Endorsements, Endorsements, EndorsementsJohn Edwards picked up the support of recently elected Iowa Congressman Bruce Braley. Braley was elected to serve Iowa's 1st District in 2006, which covers much of the Northeastern part of the state. Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, announced that she had garnered the endorsement of another Iowa Congressman--Leonard Boswell, who, until 2006, was the only Iowa Democrat in the House. Boswell represents the 3rd District, which includes Des Moines. Congressman Dave Loebsack, of the 4th District, Senator Tom Harkin, and Governor Chet Culver have yet to offer an endorsement of any Democratic candidate. Harkin and Culver have signaled they will remain neutral. Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack endorsed Hillary Clinton shortly after abandoning his own presidential bid and is seen as a potential vice presidential pick should she win the nomination.In New Hampshire, John McCain picked up the support from the state's largest paper, the Union Leader, las...
By: Political Realm
This Week In Political Endorsements...
2007-11-10 18:41:00 With Iowa voters set to caucus in less than two months, the battle for endorsements really heated up this week. When looking at these endorsements, there are several key points to consider:Not all endorsements are created equalEndorsements don't sway as many voters as they used toEndorsements help in other ways--building organization, acting as a surrogate, and serving as symbolic supportNearly every top tier candidate received some sort of "major" endorsement this week, so let's take a look.Mitt Romney kicked things off this week with an endorsement from Paul Weyrich. Who? Weyrich is a big name among social and religious conservatives, co-founding the Moral Majority in the late 1970s. While Weyrich is no longer one of the stars of the religious right (think Pat Robertson, James Dobson), his endorsement serves as a symbolic one for the Romney campaign. Romney has made a serious push to win over values voters and Weyrich's name adds some credibility to that effort.Perhaps the ...
By: Political Realm
Tom Harkin - One of the Original Phony Solidiers
2007-10-02 16:39:00 Wow…. I had completely forgotten about the made-up war record of United States Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA). I guess Rush’s comment about Jesse Macbeth struck a little too close to home for Senator Harkin as he knows what it is like to be a Phony Soldier. Or maybe Harkin was just high on drugs when he took ...
By: GayPatriot
Fake war hero Tom Harkin smears Rush Limbaugh
2007-10-02 16:01:00 From Michelle Malkin Is there any doubt that Tom Harkin is a MoveOn.org Democrat?None. None at all.Harkin attacking Rush Limbaugh on the Senate floor: Well, I don’t know. Maybe he was just high on his drugs again. I don’t know whether he was or not. If so, he ought to let us know. But that shouldn’t be ...
Senate Watch: Rankings
2007-10-01 23:51:00 Welcome to our first rankings of the 2008 Senate contests around the country. These rankings will appear at the beginning of each month through November 2008. The top ranked seat is the one we believe most likely to flip control to the other party. As you will notice, the landscape sets up rather nicely for Democrats looking to increase their small majority. Republicans have more seats to defend and (at least right now) fewer resources to help defend them. Democratic recruiting efforts have yielded strong results, while the jury is still out for Republicans. The bottom line is that Democrats have far more opportunities in 2008 and, while they won't pick up every seat they target, a gain of at least a few seems likely at this point.1. Virginia (Open-R): The retirement of John Warner dealt a devastating blow to Republicans. The seat that would have been easily defended had he opted for re-election has now become the Democrats' best pickup opportunity. Popular former Governo...
By: Political Realm
Sen. Tom Harkin Accuses Rush Limbaugh of being on drugs again
2007-10-01 23:51:00 Today on the Senate floor, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) condemned Rush Limbaugh?s ?phony soldiers? comment, saying that the radio host makes these ?provocative things to make more money.? HARKIN: I?ll just close, Mr. President, by noting that in August, seven soldiers published an op-ed in the New York Times criticizing the current strategy in Iraq. Tragically, ...
By: The Hot Joints
Senate Watch: Recruitment Troubles
2007-08-22 21:37:00 In a recent column over at The Fix, Chris Cillizza wrote:Recruiting is the main task of both parties in the year before an election. It's an arduous process that involves not only trying to find the best candidate and convince him or her to run, but also navigating tricky local political waters to make sure not too many toes are stepped on. A good recruiting program, it should go without saying, is crucial to making gains (or preventing losses) at the ballot box. Without a competent challenger who can make a strong case for change, even the weakest of incumbents has a fighting chance to be reelected.At this still-early point in the '08 cycle, it's hard to overlook the dearth of top-tier Republican candidates in potentially competitive Senate races. The best recruit on the board for Republicans at the moment is Bob Schaffer, a former congressman who is running for the Colorado Senate seat being vacated next year by Wayne Allard. The GOP cupboard is all-but-bare elsewhere. No serio...
By: Political Realm
Senate Watch: News And Notes
2007-07-18 20:07:00 Alabama? Republican Jeff Sessions appears to be on a smooth path to re-election. Sessions raised more than $1.5 million during the past three months and has around $3 million available. He has yet to receive an official challenger.Arkansas? Democratic incumbent Mark Pryor raised over $1 million in the second quarter and has brought in nearly $4 million this year for his re-election effort. Pryor defeated incumbent Republican Tim Hutchinson in 2002--a race in which the men combined to raise $9 million. Pryor's impressive fundraising this early in the cycle could deter possible challengers from entering the race.Colorado? Colorado Congressman Mark Udall raised more than $1 million in the second quarter and has nearly $2.5 million in the bank. Udall appears to have a clear path to the Democratic nomination for Senate.? Bob Schaffer, Udall's likely opponent, apparently has some Colorado Republicans worried that he may not be able to keep up with Udall's strong fundraising. Such sugge...
By: Political Realm
All Night Session...Tom Harkin (D-Iowa)
2007-07-18 07:07:00 Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa)Harkin is a liberal lion and pro on the Senate floor. In office since his election in 1984, Harkin ran for President and won the Iowa Caucus in 1992. He has never won reelection by very wide margins, but remains popular in his home state and remains a blatant critic of the Bush Administration and the Iraq war.Moral Obligation? "What moral obligation did we have in the 1980's when Donald Rumsfeld visited Saddam Hussein?" Sold weapons to Iran.The doomsday scenario concerning Vietnam never panned out, so is Iraq's doomsday scenario just over dramatized.The Let Us Vote banner comes out againRepublicans can certaintly support the President, but they don't have a right to obstruct the majority opinion."Just like Vietnam""Patience is not a virtue in a manifestly failed policy."President will cherrypick September report from Petraeus to justify staying the course longer and longer and longer. He'll want more troops.See, there are military families who oppose t...
By: Nicks Notes
Odds And Ends
2007-07-04 07:02:00 I apologize for the sporadic posting this week. I've been traveling and the rest of the Political Realm crew is on a little vacation as well. We should be back to a more normal posting routine next week.Tomorrow I will see Hillary and Bill Clinton and Mitt Romney in a parade and events following in Iowa, so hopefully I'll be able to post any pictures or highlights. I can note now that Bill Clinton's presence has created a lot of buzz in the state and he is drawing big crowds. David Yepsen, arguably the most influential political writer in the state, says that Bill Clinton offers costs and benefits on the trail for his wife. Several other presidential hopefuls have been criss-crossing the state in the past few days. Barack Obama was well received in Eastern Iowa, while Joe Biden suggested that voters don't care how much money candidates raise at a campaign stop in Des Moines. Tom Tancredo continued to push the immigration issue, saying that the US needs to deport the 12 million i...
By: Political Realm
Quotable
2007-06-28 14:42:00 "Mr. Bloomberg, whom I don?t know real well?I've met him a few times?kind of reminds me of the little rich kid that if he can?t have it his way he's going to take his little balls and go home."--Iowa Democratic Senator Tom Harkin, discussing the possible entry of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg into the presidential race, quoted by Iowa Independent.
By: Political Realm
Senate Watch: News And Notes
2007-06-15 06:48:00 ? Bob Olson is the latest Democrat to join the race as a potential challenger to Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman. Olson is a bank owner, lawyer, and alternative energy activist who joins Al Franken and Mike Ciresi seeking the Democratic nomination. Coleman's seat is one of the top targets for Democrats in 2008. ? Coleman may find his path to the nomination not as easy as once thought. Retired Lt. Colonel Joe Repya, an advisor to Coleman's 2002 Senate campaign, is considering a challenge. Repya recently lost his race to become the chair of the Republican Party in Minnesota.? Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning is moving forward, as expected, with his Senate bid. Incumbent Republican Chuck Hagel has yet to announce his future plans, which include a possible presidential run, Senate re-election, or retirement. Bruning has been increasingly critical of his fellow Republican's outspoken nature regarding Iraq.? New Hampshire Senate hopeful Steve Marchand confirmed last week that...
By: Political Realm
Tom Harkin, I hope someone gives you this blog to read and ponder
2007-04-19 00:07:00 Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), whose Appropriations subcommittee on the departments of Labor, Education and Health and Human Services held the hearing, said that "millions of families are grappling with the profound difficulties of understanding and coping with this disease.""We've got to do something about this," Harkin said.
Weekend Wrap
2007-02-12 17:44:00 ? Roll Call is reporting that several Senate colleagues are beginning to raise funds for Senator Tim Johnson. They see it as a definitive sign that Johnson will be able to seek re-election. As noted several days ago, its been reported that Johnson has also begun to work again from the hospital, but his return to the Senate is still weeks away.? The Political Insider is reporting that Joe Klein suggested on the Chris Matthews Show that Joe Lieberman will join the Republican Party before the end of the year. Lieberman's separation from the Democratic Party was made very apparent this past week, as the Senate focused on resolutions and spending bills regarding the Iraq War. It still seems unlikely to me that Lieberman would make such a move. The war is not the only issue.? Peter Brown, from Real Clear Politics, crunches the numbers and concludes that Gore and Gingrich are going nowhere. With nearly 100% name recognition, both have high negatives and little ability to change their numb...
By: Political Realm
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