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Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Rice Fans Promote Condi For President At GOP Debate
There were 10 Republican presidential candidates on the stage at Tuesday night’s GOP presidential debate in Columbia, S.C., but outside the debate site there was a demonstration promoting an 11th possible candidate.
No, not Fred Thompson. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
The “Condi Mobile,” driven by Ohioan Richard Holt, was parked across the street from the entrance of the Koger Center for the Arts, the site of the presidential debate. The RV is decorated with “Condi ‘08” signs.
The movement for Rice to enter the GOP contest “has some steam,” Holt said. Holt heads an Internet-based organization called ThinkCondi.net. He is trying to get the secretary of state into the Republican presidential race even though she has said she is not interested.
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Protests Won’t Let Debate Ignore Iraq And Abortion
Protesters outside the Republican presidential debate site in Columbia, S.C., tried to make sure the GOP presidential candidates would not ignore the pressing issues of Iraq and abortion in the debate Tuesday night. A group called Americans Against Escalation in Iraq and the South Carolina Young Democrats sponsored a 20-foot mobile billboard to circle the Koger Center for the Arts. It read: “Republicans, Mission Accomplished?” and “McCain, Mission Accomplished?” “At a time when Republicans in Congress have begun to split from the president, these candidates must also admit the truth: the mission truly has not been accomplished and it is time for our troops to come home,” said South Carolina Young Democrats organizer Rasha’d Gaines. Activists affiliated with Planned Parenthood also held a rally outside the debate site to promote abortion rights. Virtually all the Republican presidential candidates oppose abortion rights, and the GOP’s platform in the last two presidential campaigns called for a constitutional amendment banning abortions. Texas Congressman Ron Paul, one of the 10 candidates in the debate, also had a special message for his fellow candidates. His campaign activists set up a tent in front of the state capitol with the word “Revolution” on it. But the part of the word reading “evolution” was highlighted, alluding to the first Republican presidential debate in which three candidates said they did not believe in evolution. (Paul does; Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback; former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo said they do not.) Paul’s tent was set up in front of the flagpole where the Confederate flag flies on the state capitol grounds. Six years ago, the flag flew on the top of the capitol dome.
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Falwell Death Eclipses GOP Debate Preparation
The death of the Rev. Jerry Falwell temporarily eclipsed preparations for Tuesday night’s Republican presidential debate in Columbia, S.C.
The leading candidates took time out from their last minute debate preparations to praise the evangelical leader for his longtime efforts on behalf of the Republican Party.
Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who once called Falwell an “agent of intolerance,” was the first Republican presidential hopeful to react to the news of Falwell’s death.
“Dr. Falwell was a man of distinguished accomplishment who devoted his life to serving his faith and country,” McCain said.
Former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, who is working overtime to win over evangelical voters in South Carolina, was also quick to react.
Romney, a devout Mormon, said Falwell was “an American who built and led a movement based on strong principles and strong faith.”
He said “the legacy of his important work will continue through his many ministries where he put his faith into action.”
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Cabinet Count
Today’s random statistic: If Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is forced out of office his replacement would become the 29th person to serve under President Bush in the 14 cabinet posts that also existed when Bill Clinton was in the Oval Office.
Coincidentally (or not, if you are the kind of person who tends to see conspiracies), Clinton, in his eight years in office, also appointed 29 people to those 14 posts.
FYI, White House spokesman Tony Snow said today that Monday’s resignation of Paul McNulty, the number two man at the Justice Department, “certainly does not change the way we view the attorney general.”
Ronald Reagan, the other recent two-term president, went through 33 people for the 13 cabinet posts that existed when he was in office. (Secretary of Veterans Affairs was added while Clinton was in office.)
Other cabinet trivia: Labor Secretary Elaine Chao is the only Bush cabinet member who has served since he took office in January 2001.
Clinton had four cabinet members who did the full eight-year gig: Attorney General Janet Reno, Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt, Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala and Education Secretary Richard Riley.
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How About Biking to the Capitol?
Yes, the White House cares about the high price of a gallon of gas. No, there are no plans to try to save a gallon or two by shrinking the presidential motorcade.
“Let me just say one thing you’re not going to do is you’re not going to stint on safety for the president and people in his entourage for a one-mile trip,” spokesman Tony Snow said, referring to President Bush’s trip to the Capitol today.
Snow did, however, see fit to mention presidential candidates who talk about conservation while using “private jets and large vehicles.”
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