January 7, 2008 – Capitol Hill Blue

Ron Paul raises $20 million

January 7, 2008

Republican lawmaker Ron Paul has become a surprise fundraising star in the US presidential race, with a showing in the closing months of 2007 equaling that of political heavyweights Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

Asked on CNN television to comment on reports that his campaign raised 20 million dollars in the final three months of 2007, the libertarian-leaning Paul credited his dedicated following of average Americans fed up with big-government and traditional politics.

Hillary tries to jump start losing effort

January 7, 2008

Hillary Rodham Clinton’s once-vaunted campaign continues to unravel as new polls show her falling farther and farther behind Barack Obama in New Hampshire and campaign contributors take a “wait and see” attitude.

Meanwhile, chaos escalates in the Republican camp where an Iowa win gives Mike Huckabee no help in New Hampshire and a resurgent John McCain becomes the new frontrunner.

A new USA Today poll shows Obama with a 13-point lead going into Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary and McCain with a four-point edge over former front runner Mitt Romney.

Rewriting history in real time

January 7, 2008

The White House’s recent policy reversals amount to a stunning repudiation of the first seven years of George W. Bush’s presidency. Where allies were previously disrespected, now they’re viewed as essential. Where diplomacy was eschewed, now it’s pursued with vigor. No longer running the government from his “base,” Bush finally tries to lead the entire nation.

Playing a distinctive role

January 7, 2008

The Iowa caucuses are now firmly established as the first tangible hurdle in the American presidential marathon, where public sentiments measured by polls and parsed by pundits actually are translated into votes for nominees.

The large number of candidates seeking the presidency in 2008 has resulted in even greater focus on Iowa. Primaries have now been bunched closely together early in the year, promising vital momentum from an early win. Iowa victors Mike Huckabee and Barack Obama will receive nonstop coverage in the few days until the New Hampshire primary.

When given a choice, voters want hope

January 7, 2008

As has been said of second marriages, Iowa caucusgoers opted for hope over experience.

A voter turnout of approximately the population of Jersey City bypassed the candidates of inevitability, big money, big names, known quantities and long experience to favor the two youngest and perhaps least experienced candidates in the race, Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mike Huckabee, both frankly something of blank slates on the national scene.

Lessons from Iowa

January 7, 2008

On a calm Friday morning, when much of Iowa still was sleeping off its caucus-night hangover, “Dr. Vote” hit the streets on an urgent mission.

John Olsen knew he didn’t have much time.

Besides his family minivan, among the few vehicles on the roads of downtown Des Moines were airport-bound taxicabs and rented moving vans.

Finally, the circus was leaving town.

Eliminating war virgins

January 7, 2008

This time last year, the Marine Corps scrubbed its personnel rosters and found more than 66,000 leathernecks who had not yet done a tour in Iraq or Afghanistan. The top brass put them at the front of the line.

Now, the Army has followed suit. A servicewide check has determined that about 40 percent of the 515,000 active-duty soldiers have not yet set foot in a combat zone even as the wars stretch into their fifth and sixth years, and some troops have had to serve four or even five tours.