Matthews: What Kind of 'Klutz' Takes Orders from Rush Limbaugh?

Rush Limbaugh's "Operation Chaos," has ticked off Chris Matthews. On Wednesday's "Hardball" Matthews insulted Limbaugh's listeners, who are voting in the Democratic primary, as he questioned: "What kind of klutz do you have to be to take orders on how to vote from Rush Limbaugh and to change your party identity so that you can vote against, for somebody to screw the other party?"

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/geoffrey-dickens/2008/04/16/matthews-what-kind-klutz-takes-orders-rush-limbaugh

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Huckabee Shooting for VP Slot

A Strategy For Republican Victory in 2008

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Drive By Schieffer: Republicans Don't Like McCain Because He Challenges Authority

Asked by Katie Couric Tuesday night why having Republicans dominate the Michigan GOP primary, as opposed to independents and Democrats, is bad for John McCain, CBS's Bob Schieffer didn't cite any of McCain's views -- such as on immigration, tax cuts and freedom of speech -- where he's out of sync with most Republicans. Instead of realizing how McCain is too liberal for many conservatives who are the majority in the GOP, Schieffer contended Republicans just don't like him because he's "willing to challenge the authority," insisting: "John McCain has always been sort of a maverick. He's always been willing to challenge the authority and a lot of Republicans just have not forgiven him for that."

Hardball Chris Matthews Hails Hillary as Cold War Hero Margaret Thatcher

After playing a clip of Hillary Clinton slamming George W. Bush as "pathetic," during the Democratic debate in Nevada, Chris Matthews on Wednesday compared Clinton to former British Prime Minister and Cold War hero Margaret Thatcher as he exclaimed of the former First Lady's attack on the President: "It just struck me as very Thatcher-ite!"

Thompson Challenges CNN's Soundbite Editing to Fit an Agenda

During a live interview on Friday's American Morning, Fred Thompson lived up to his reputation as the GOP presidential candidate most willing to challenge the media, as the former Senator complained to CNN anchor John Roberts that the show used a clip of him joking about Fed Chair Ben Bernanke to make it appear Thompson was not interested in a stimulus package for the economy: "You sit there and you take an hour's worth of tape, of course, and we have a little fun every once in a while, and sometimes you guys pick that out and have a little fun with it yourself..." When Roberts suggested he was being "dismissive" of a stimulus package, Thompson continued: "You know better than that....From time to time, things come up, and I poke fun at it...And you guys pick it out, you know, and leave it lying out there. We proceeded to talk about the economy and talk about a stimulus package, which I've been talking about for two or three days, but if this is your highlight event, it's your highlight event."

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6th Poll in a Year Finds Public Recognizes Liberal Tilt to Media

For the sixth time in a year, a national survey has found many more Americans see a news media bias to the left than to the right, and the latest poll released earlier this month by the Sacred Heart University Polling Institute, discovered "significantly declining percentages of Americans saying they believe all or most of media news reporting," with MSNBC (at a piddling four percent) and PBS (three percent) the least trusted for accurate reporting. Fox News, at 27 percent, was the most trusted, way ahead of second-best CNN at 14.6 percent. The Fairfield, Connecticut university's January 8 press release reported: "Just 19.6 percent of those surveyed could say they believe all or most news media reporting. This is down from 27.4 percent in 2003." By a three-to-one margin "Americans see news media journalists and broadcasters (45.4 percent to 15.7 percent) as mostly or somewhat liberal over mostly or somewhat conservative," but for NPR and the New York Times recognition of a liberal tilt is closer to four-to-one.

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CNBC's Burnett Says Low January Jobs Number 'Misunderstood'

'Street Signs' anchor tells viewers the Labor Department's 'businesses dying estimate' always happens in January.

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Media Salutes Edwards but Bashes Giulani Withdraw

Compare these lead sentences:

"John Edwards, the progressive Democratic candidate who made a populist, anti-poverty message the centerpiece of his campaign, has decided to drop out of the presidential primary race, and is to give a speech this afternoon at the same place where he began his campaign -- in New Orleans."

Giulani: "Perhaps he was living an illusion all along."

"Illegal Immigrant" = Hate Speech

The National Council of La Raza calls for an end to hate speech -- as in Lou Dobbs and Sean Hannity -- and a Times' web journalist doesn't raise an eyebrow.

Liberal City of Berkley Banning Military Recruiters

Oscar winning heart filled performance by Hillary and Barack at the last Dem “Debate”, and the mainstream media is eating it up! Possible partnership

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article3287003.ece

IRAQ THE TWO EDGE SWORD: LIBERAL SPIN TO ECONOMY

For Conservatives, it is too bad that the truth can not be spun. While there was trouble in Iraq, the liberals championed withdraw as the #1 talking point. The mainstream media covered the issue continually. It is interesting that today we hear nothing about Iraq and we are suddenly in an economic recession. It must be nice to have such a powerful propaganda machine conveniently recognized as legitimate news.

Interesting article from the Wall Street Journal providing an additional rinse after the spin cycle:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120147855494820719.html?mod=opinion_main_commentaries

Letterman messes with Edwards' hair

What a pansie.

This guy wants to be President too. What would he say to a terrorist? "Hold on, I need to comb my hair -- then you can blow up my country."

ZZzz...

Who benefits from Thompson's departure?

Fred Thompson dropped out of the Presidency Tuesday. It came in the form of a press release. Fred Thompson left the race almost as silently as he arrived.

The question now is, who benefits from Fred's departure?

The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza takes a look:

Florida's primary is the first "closed" event of the '08 primary season -- meaning that no one other than registered Republicans can participate. As such, the Jan. 29 primary is likely to give an outsized voice to conservative voters. Former governors Mike Huckabee (Ark.) and Mitt Romney (Mass.) made the most concerted efforts to court these conservatives in the pre-Florida contests. But in South Carolina, the two governors competed directly with Thompson -- and to a lesser extent McCain.

The exit polls from the Palmetto State underscore Thompson's appeal to the most conservative GOP voters. Among the voters who described themselves as "very conservative" (roughly one in every three participants), Huckabee led the way with 41 percent of the vote, but Thompson claimed 22 percent (McCain placed third with 19 percent followed by Romney with 16 percent).

Thanks to Washington Post polling director Jon Cohen and his "Behind the Numbers" blog -- a must-bookmark for data-heads and political junkies -- we have even more in-depth information about what Thompson's supporters (or ex supporters as the case may be) in the early states looked like.

In Iowa, where Thompson placed a distant third, 50 percent of those backing him identified themselves as evangelicals. That number rose to 60 percent in last Saturday's South Carolina primary. Seventy percent of Thompson's Iowa backers identified themselves as "very conservative" while 47 percent of Thompson supporters in South Carolina said they were "very conservative."

"Based on South Carolina, a state that Thompson worked pretty hard, his departure would seem to help Huckabee and Romney probably more so than McCain," said Neil Newhouse, a Republican pollster not affiliated with any of the presidential campaigns.

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/01/thompsons_out_who_gains.html

U.S. deficit at $250 billion

The Federal Government of the United States has estimated this year's budget will be in the red -- $250 billion dollars in the red.

WASHINGTON - The deficit for the current budget year will jump to about $250 billion, the Congressional Budget Office estimated Wednesday, citing the weakening economy. And that figure does not reflect at least $100 billion in additional red ink from an upcoming deficit-financed economic stimulus measure.

The nonpartisan CBO says that once the cost of wars is added to its "baseline" deficit estimate of $219 billion, the deficit would be about $250 billion.

Note, this doesn't include the President's $145 billion economic stimulus plan. It's estimated the budget could be as much as $350 billion by the end of the year.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080123/ap_on_go_co/budget_deficit

Huckabee cash crunch

The Mike Huckabee campaign reported strong gains after he walked past the competition in Iowa. After struggling in the primaries following the caucuses, Huckabee is strapped for cash.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Republican Mike Huckabee said Tuesday his presidential campaign is facing financial difficulties with top advisers working without pay and some aides quitting.

The former Arkansas governor promised to remain in the race through next Tuesday's Florida primary, telling about 50 people, mostly University of Florida fraternity members: "We are taking a look at everything daily. But we will be here every day in Florida until next week."

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080122/D8UB6LH00.html

Surprise, surprise: election left to Florida

It isn't exactly deja vu, but the results of this primary season - and likely the future of this country, hinge on the state of Florida. Romney, Giuliani, McCain, and Huckabee are all stumping for votes in the sunshine state this week.

Romney is touting his economic experience, and calling for conservative change. (Yes, there is such a thing as change - despite what a lot of conservatives think). He is running a new ad - and polls show him surging.

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2008/01/romney_airs_new_1.html

John McCain likely won't fair as well here. Why? Because only Conservatives can't vote - and sorry John, Conservatives don't vote for you. Can't fault him for trying though. The Washington Post says it is crunch time for McCain.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/21/AR2008012101865.html

Mike Huckabee may be skipping Florida. He spent yesterday in Georgia, vowing to finish first. Huckabee has struggled to fully capture the support of Evangelical Christians after his Iowa victory. I'm guessing the Evangelicals finally stopped getting their news from the pulpit.

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/01/21/huckabee_0122.html

And then there is Rudy.

Giuliani has placed all hope on Florida. He's been there for weeks, skipping the other key states. He's facing a shortage of cash and support now. Many are saying Rudy is done. I won't go as far as that, because remember - it's been do or die for Mitt Romney since Iowa, and he is still here.

http://embeds.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/01/22/rudy-its-playing-out-the-way-we-thought/

Can the economy be saved?

With markets at home and markets around the world plunging, the question is asked: can anything be done? President Bush laid down the ground work for his economic stimulus plan, and nothing. Then early Tuesday morning the Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 3/4 of a point, and nothing.

Can anything be done?

Politico -- President Bush and Congress are racing to pass a stimulus package to jolt the nation’s ailing economy back to life. But will it work?

If history is any guide, probably not well — if at all.

Certainly, Wall Street and foreign markets don’t seem reassured.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0108/8022.html