Why, oh why, can’t politicians just take Nancy Reagan’s common sense to heart? She only wants the best for them with her immortal “just say no” saying. Mocked by the elites as naive, over simplistic and full of false nostalgia what was lost on them was the fact that she was dead right. And while she was talking about drug use, the saying also applies obviously to a vice of any kind. With names just recently like David Vitter, Larry Craig, Mark Foley, Elliot Spitzer (today’s addition), Bill Clinton (within the last five minutes adding to his resume) and well known in my hometown of metro-Detroit Kwame Kilpatrick, just to name a few, the list of politicians who haven’t mastered the art of zipper control grows longer.

Any Republican in the 90s remembers getting into an argument over the Clinton impeachment. They played on Republican moral ADD, bringing the conversation back to defending immorality instead of that little matter of perjury. It worked. In Detroit, for those outside the Motor City let me fill you in.

It seems our dear Mayor had an affair with his female chief of staff, Christine Beatty. The city found out because it seems that the famously young Kilpatrick instead of sending love notes texted his beloved mistress. Did he do it on his own phone? No, he used the city phone where all text messages are stored by the city. Silly boy, text messages are for kids. Regardless, the affair leaked and Beatty resigned. But just a year before, the city had a whistleblower lawsuit, involving two police officers who said they were fired for finding out about the mayor and his girlfriend. So under oath, Beatty and Kilpatrick both said that neither of them had an affair. They now both say they did. They were asked if they text messaged each other, regarding their sexual relationship under oath. They said no, they now say they did. Both of them have not even denied they have committed perjury, a nice change.

But Kilpatrick, who’s list of ethic infractions grows with every headline, some related to the “Sex and Text” scandal others not. His press secretary got arrested for domestic violence and then was paid with tax money for a position that did not exist. Additional texts show him giving government contracts to friends purely because they donated to his campaign. An exotic dancer who “preformed” on the Mayor, and was slapped by his wife at the Mayor’s never confirmed ghetto version of a Gatsby party was killed by someone placing a hit on her. Shot over forty times, she was killed by a police issued firearm.

And what about the whistleblower suit? The mayor then agreed to an out of court settlement giving the two officers, $8.4 million dollars in tax money as long as they turned over the text messages. Not only did he use hush money, he used taxpayer money from the citizens as his hush money. This all sound like some grand conspiracy theory, right? What if everything could be confirmed with court transcripts? Yes, we now have the court transcripts that confirm everything about the affair and the hush money with an on going investigation with the murdered dancer.

Kilpatrick who has always been hated by the white suburbs is now hated by a vast majority of minorities outside and inside the city. The Wayne County prosecutor will decided on charges within the week, with back room deals being worked on as I write this. The city council will vote on whether to seek Kilpatrick’s dismissal early next week and our Governor can fire Kilpatrick at any moment, while he stubbornly says he won’t quit.

All of this makes for great reading and horrible leadership. Kilpatrick’s story seems to be the most colorful (although Spitzer’s is sounding competitive) but all of this leads to one last person who needs to be talked about, Nicolas Sarsoky, president of France.

Sarsoky and his wife, Cecilia were widely reported to be estranged on the campaign trail, with her out right saying she wasn’t going to perform any of the duties of first lady. France elected him over Segolene Royal (who incidentally spilt with her husband about the same time due to his infidelity). After a few months the Sarsokys divorced and he later courted and married Carla Bruni. While the tabloids were happy about the event, the French people replied, “Come see, comme say”. Rather bored by the event, almost all accepted it. Which brings to me to this, if one can’t say no, simply say yes to a full relationship like Sarsoky did. Don’t cause this scandals, simply divorce and remarry and while morally you may look less the stellar simply accept who you love and honor the one you don’t by being honest with them in all manners. And the challenge to us as citizens is to accept when a politican comes out either with their sexuality or their relationship with another. It really then, is none of our business. Scandals oui, relationships non.

Why, oh why, can’t politicians just take Nancy Reagan’s common sense to heart? She only wants the best for them with her immortal “just say no” saying. Mocked by the elites as naive, over simplistic and full of false nostalgia what was lost on them was the fact that she was dead right. And while she was talking about drug use, the saying also applies obviously to a vice of any kind. With names just recently like David Vitter, Larry Craig, Mark Foley, Elliot Spitzer (today’s addition), Bill Clinton (within the last five minutes adding to his resume) and well known in my hometown of metro-Detroit Kwame Kilpatrick, just to name a few, the list of politicians who haven’t mastered the art of zipper control grows longer.

Any Republican in the 90s remembers getting into an argument over the Clinton impeachment. They played on Republican moral ADD, bringing the conversation back to defending immorality instead of that little matter of perjury. It worked. In Detroit, for those outside the Motor City let me fill you in.

It seems our dear Mayor had an affair with his female chief of staff, Christine Beatty. The city found out because it seems that the famously young Kilpatrick instead of sending love notes texted his beloved mistress. Did he do it on his own phone? No, he used the city phone where all text messages are stored by the city. Silly boy, text messages are for kids. Regardless, the affair leaked and Beatty resigned. But just a year before, the city had a whistleblower lawsuit, involving two police officers who said they were fired for finding out about the mayor and his girlfriend. So under oath, Beatty and Kilpatrick both said that neither of them had an affair. They now both say they did. They were asked if they text messaged each other, regarding their sexual relationship under oath. They said no, they now say they did. Both of them have not even denied they have committed perjury, a nice change.

But Kilpatrick, who’s list of ethic infractions grows with every headline, some related to the “Sex and Text” scandal others not. His press secretary got arrested for domestic violence and then was paid with tax money for a position that did not exist. Additional texts show him giving government contracts to friends purely because they donated to his campaign. An exotic dancer who “preformed” on the Mayor, and was slapped by his wife at the Mayor’s never confirmed ghetto version of a Gatsby party was killed by someone placing a hit on her. Shot over forty times, she was killed by a police issued firearm.

And what about the whistleblower suit? The mayor then agreed to an out of court settlement giving the two officers, $8.4 million dollars in tax money as long as they turned over the text messages. Not only did he use hush money, he used taxpayer money from the citizens as his hush money. This all sound like some grand conspiracy theory, right? What if everything could be confirmed with court transcripts? Yes, we now have the court transcripts that confirm everything about the affair and the hush money with an on going investigation with the murdered dancer.

Kilpatrick who has always been hated by the white suburbs is now hated by a vast majority of minorities outside and inside the city. The Wayne County prosecutor will decided on charges within the week, with back room deals being worked on as I write this. The city council will vote on whether to seek Kilpatrick’s dismissal early next week and our Governor can fire Kilpatrick at any moment, while he stubbornly says he won’t quit.

All of this makes for great reading and horrible leadership. Kilpatrick’s story seems to be the most colorful (although Spitzer’s is sounding competitive) but all of this leads to one last person who needs to be talked about, Nicolas Sarsoky, president of France.

Sarsoky and his wife, Cecilia were widely reported to be estranged on the campaign trail, with her out right saying she wasn’t going to perform any of the duties of first lady. France elected him over Segolene Royal (who incidentally spilt with her husband about the same time due to his infidelity). After a few months the Sarsokys divorced and he later courted and married Carla Bruni. While the tabloids were happy about the event, the French people replied, “Come see, comme say”. Rather bored by the event, almost all accepted it. Which brings to me to this, if one can’t say no, simply say yes to a full relationship like Sarsoky did. Don’t cause this scandals, simply divorce and remarry and while morally you may look less the stellar simply accept who you love and honor the one you don’t by being honest with them in all manners. And the challenge to us as citizens is to accept when a politican comes out either with their sexuality or their relationship with another. It really then, is none of our business. Scandals oui, relationships non.

Why, oh why, can’t politicians just take Nancy Reagan’s common sense to heart? She only wants the best for them with her immortal “just say no” saying. Mocked by the elites as naive, over simplistic and full of false nostalgia what was lost on them was the fact that she was dead right. And while she was talking about drug use, the saying also applies obviously to a vice of any kind. With names just recently like David Vitter, Larry Craig, Mark Foley, Elliot Spitzer (today’s addition), Bill Clinton (within the last five minutes adding to his resume) and well known in my hometown of metro-Detroit Kwame Kilpatrick, just to name a few, the list of politicians who haven’t mastered the art of zipper control grows longer.

Any Republican in the 90s remembers getting into an argument over the Clinton impeachment. They played on Republican moral ADD, bringing the conversation back to defending immorality instead of that little matter of perjury. It worked. In Detroit, for those outside the Motor City let me fill you in.

It seems our dear Mayor had an affair with his female chief of staff, Christine Beatty. The city found out because it seems that the famously young Kilpatrick instead of sending love notes texted his beloved mistress. Did he do it on his own phone? No, he used the city phone where all text messages are stored by the city. Silly boy, text messages are for kids. Regardless, the affair leaked and Beatty resigned. But just a year before, the city had a whistleblower lawsuit, involving two police officers who said they were fired for finding out about the mayor and his girlfriend. So under oath, Beatty and Kilpatrick both said that neither of them had an affair. They now both say they did. They were asked if they text messaged each other, regarding their sexual relationship under oath. They said no, they now say they did. Both of them have not even denied they have committed perjury, a nice change.

But Kilpatrick, who’s list of ethic infractions grows with every headline, some related to the “Sex and Text” scandal others not. His press secretary got arrested for domestic violence and then was paid with tax money for a position that did not exist. Additional texts show him giving government contracts to friends purely because they donated to his campaign. An exotic dancer who “preformed” on the Mayor, and was slapped by his wife at the Mayor’s never confirmed ghetto version of a Gatsby party was killed by someone placing a hit on her. Shot over forty times, she was killed by a police issued firearm.

And what about the whistleblower suit? The mayor then agreed to an out of court settlement giving the two officers, $8.4 million dollars in tax money as long as they turned over the text messages. Not only did he use hush money, he used taxpayer money from the citizens as his hush money. This all sound like some grand conspiracy theory, right? What if everything could be confirmed with court transcripts? Yes, we now have the court transcripts that confirm everything about the affair and the hush money with an on going investigation with the murdered dancer.

Kilpatrick who has always been hated by the white suburbs is now hated by a vast majority of minorities outside and inside the city. The Wayne County prosecutor will decided on charges within the week, with back room deals being worked on as I write this. The city council will vote on whether to seek Kilpatrick’s dismissal early next week and our Governor can fire Kilpatrick at any moment, while he stubbornly says he won’t quit.

All of this makes for great reading and horrible leadership. Kilpatrick’s story seems to be the most colorful (although Spitzer’s is sounding competitive) but all of this leads to one last person who needs to be talked about, Nicolas Sarsoky, president of France.

Sarsoky and his wife, Cecilia were widely reported to be estranged on the campaign trail, with her out right saying she wasn’t going to perform any of the duties of first lady. France elected him over Segolene Royal (who incidentally spilt with her husband about the same time due to his infidelity). After a few months the Sarsokys divorced and he later courted and married Carla Bruni. While the tabloids were happy about the event, the French people replied, “Come see, comme say”. Rather bored by the event, almost all accepted it. Which brings to me to this, if one can’t say no, simply say yes to a full relationship like Sarsoky did. Don’t cause this scandals, simply divorce and remarry and while morally you may look less the stellar simply accept who you love and honor the one you don’t by being honest with them in all manners. And the challenge to us as citizens is to accept when a politican comes out either with their sexuality or their relationship with another. It really then, is none of our business. Scandals oui, relationships non.

While the Democrats are on their way to picking the most unqualified candidate of all time for the presidency, the hottest game right now for Republicans is “Who Will Be V-P?” With McCain getting the nomination, it seems everyone has a candidate and an opinion of who he should pick to be his Vice Presidential candidate? I can’t be left out so here is an in-depth look at the McCain VP candidates.

The Former Contenders

Mike Huckabee- Yes he still is running and everyone is wondering why. It’s actually rather cute, he’s hoping to be VP (he’s made no hints, he wants it) and wants it to be a stepping stone to get the presidency. This country will never elect Mike Huckabee to the presidency and his supporters while very nice people are not the ones screaming “boycott McCain”. Huckabee does nothing but speak well to the far right Christians who as of now are not the ones protesting McCain. Picking Huckabee would be a mistake as he would not help McCain reach any new voters, though in his favor his charm, pleasent attitude and ability to handle media well are all qualities many would want in a VP.

Mitt Romney- The governor is being pushed hard by the far right media, as a sacrifice McCain could give to quell their anger. It’s no secret that Romney supporters are the coldest to McCain, yet many have already said they will vote for him. While a few additional people would vote McCain if Romney was at the bottom, most of the absolute diehard McCain haters are not going to change and McCain would do well not to waste his VP slot with a false effort of charity in order to unify the party, as many of the party (myself included) dislike Romney.

The Token African Americans

Ken Blackwell, Michael Steele, and J.C. Watts

I like Watts and Stelle in particular but neither of them nor Blackwell of Ohio would be nothing more than a token African American on the ticket. I love the idea of a black candidate but due to some historic idiocy on the part of the Republicans, the party has lost most of them and Obama will take them with historic measure if he is the candidate or even the VP candidate. None of the three candidates, Watts a congressman, Steele a Lt. Governor or Blackwell a sectary of state have any experience to handle the VP slot and they scream it. In their defense they are all more prepared than Obama.

The Female Factor

Carly Fiorina- If one woman gets on the ticket, expect it to be her. She’s been everywhere with McCain including the rally for him I recently went to. Her business experience and unquestionable grasp of economics will fill a void some feel McCain is missing. Though she left Hewlett-Packard with some harsh feelings her departure was as clean as it gets.

Sarah Palin- Long time readers know that I am Palin supporter. Her popularity, media-saviness, and high level of ethics (in Alaska of all places) make her an excellent candidate. She does not have a lot of experience behind her and many feel she would be perfect for 2012 or 2016 to lead the ticket.

Jodi Rell, Laura Lingle, and Christie Todd Whitman- Rell, Lingle and Whitman are all popular governors of blue states with Whitman being a former governor. A selection of either of the three would announce a new Republican Party that would reach out to independents and Democrats however they would also cause a backlash among some conservative Republicans. Whitman in addition comes with some (absolutely undeserved) baggage from her time as head of the EPA.

Kay Bailey Hutchinson and Elizabeth Dole- Both are likable women who are extremely bland and would feel like token candidates although neither would be it. With so many good choices expect these two Senators to get cut fast.

The Men

Tim Pawlenty- The Governor of Minnesota, is young close friend to John McCain and has been with him on the campaign trail but the question remains who would he bring in? That’s yet to be determined.

Joe Lieberman- The Democratic Independent Senator and McCain have also been close on the campaign trail and many pick him as the favorite. A McCain/Lieberman ticket would truly show a moderate approach to politics and leave Obama looking politically obedient to the far left that many in this country have yet to embrace.

Bobby Jindal- Excellent guy but he just got elected Governor a few months ago. It’s not his time. However make sure to place your order for Jindal 2016 shirts now.

The Wild Card

Colin Powell- Both Obama and McCain want him. His presence could essentially seal the deal for either of them. With Obama he would bring the foreign policy and military experience, Obama desperately needs. Powell has said that he has already begun advising Obama. However Powell is a Republican and agrees with McCain on almost every issue, he would be a strong pick one without personal baggage and bring the just the right amount of diversity and resume that no one could questioned. However Powell has showed a reluctance to enter politics, particularly to run for office, yet these are just the two candidates who could bring him in.

The Bottom Line

Who Will McCain pick?

#1- Joe Lieberman. The two get along excellent and the idea of the right’s and left’s least popular Senators could just be crazy enough to work.

Did I miss anyone? Let me know.

As part of election 2008 coverage from the young Republican perspective, I want to look at races from across the country to see how my views connect with those actually in power representing my party.

                                                                              

The Race: Alabama U.S. Senate- Jeff Sessions (R) (Incumbent) vs. Vivian Figures (D)

Could a Republican Senator for Alabama really lose? It seems I’ll admit a preposterous idea but a closer look at polling data could tell that this could be the race everyone talks about the morning after the election saying “What the helck?” (Yes I may up my own word hell is too offensive, heck is too hokey).

Session’s last numbers in an election (2002) were 59% with 792,561 vs. 538,878 for his opponent. Now look at his 1996 numbers during his first race (1996) 786,436 vs. 681,651. So while now being an incumbent he only gained 6,000 votes. While the Democrats lost 140,000 between the two races. What the huge drop in Democratic turnout? 1996 was a presidential election year, 2002 was not. Not to mention the fact that 2002 was the golden year for Republican elections. Now we have a presidential election coinciding with the senate race once again.

That’s not enough information to support my claim yet, so I found out how the two Democrats Alabama elects to the house fared in congressional only elections vs. presidential elections. The difference? Rep. Cramer received 60,000 more votes in 2004 than 2002. He was unopposed in 2006. Rep. Davis received 30,000 in 2004 than 2002 for a combined 90,000. Add in another 50,000 of Democrats in Republican district and it’s clear they’ll be showing up in November.

But still, this race is only competitive because it happens this year, 2008. If Barack Obama is the nominee the seat remains one to watch. If it is Clinton it will go to Sessions without a doubt. What Obama will do in the general election and his big selling point to Democratic voters worried about electabiltiy is this: African Americans will vote like never before, all that can be, will be registered. And almost all of them will vote obviously for Obama. Almost every single legally eligible African American will vote in this election, the organization and enthusiasm will be mind blowing. (I do not consider him much more electable than Clinton but this is his only legitimate selling point).  Besides winning in the Alabama primary, Obama and Clinton were both remarkable for bringing in so many to a primary with 542,000 Democrats voting. Do the numbers this was a primary that more Democrats voted in than voted for the Democratic candidate in 2002. This was also before we will fully see the Obama-mania hit the black community.

Also the candidate makes the difference with the Democrat now being Vivian Figures, an African American woman. Sessions previous challengers were both white. Sessions has had quite a back ground with race relations having been rejected by the Senate Judiciary Committee for his views on civil rights. He prosecuted civil rights workers (who were found not guilty), used Hurricane Katrina to push through unrelated legislation, said he was against civil liberties, voted against the Voting Rights Act, attacked the NAACP calling it “un-American”, and was the main opponent to comprehensive immigration reform. Here’s the line you’ll see in television spots quoting from the junior senator “I use to think the KKK was ok”. Oh and the cherry on top, he was recently tagged with accepting illegal funds to his campaign.

Expect race to be the hot topic of the campaign with Sessions on the losing end. But in order for him to go down like another bigot turned Senator (Frm. Sen. George Allen) Figures must make Whites uncomfortable with aligning with Sessions, to the point a Sessions bumper sticker causes stares from other whites. She can’t win the white vote or come even close but if she depresses it, if McCain turns off some southern racist whites into voting altogether, if Obama gets the nomination and causes the greatest African American voting by huge margins, if the DNC actually supports Figures as a viable candidate. If, If, If.

I remain unconvinced at this time nor do I endorse Figures. But the pieces are there, should they fall into place, they could make one very bizarre puzzle this November.

I think the discussion has to go a little bit deeper in order to understand the Democrats. Barack Obama supporters are idiots. All of them. With the exception of the congressional Democrats who want to make sure their seat is safe this November. Michael Medved, the only voice in talk radio still worth listening to, asked Obama supporters to actually describe what Obama was going to do when he became president. The same clichés about unifying the nation, bringing us all together, and joining in group hugs was said. Hell we could have had Oprah just to do that. Then Medved actually read verbatim Obama’s policy stands from his web site, which made fortune cookies look like things of substance.

Again and again, we hear that young people love Obama. As a good blogging friend wrote, “They also love “Family Guy”. A reporter (can we still call them that) said and I quote “If you’re under 25, you love Obama”. Last time I checked I’m still 5 months shy of my 21st birthday an event I want to transpire more with each passing Obama-adoring headline. Yes, college students can be brilliant but their naivety (many of my more conservative readers, will lump me in with them) knows no bounds. Knowledge untested by the reality the world brings is useless.

Hillary Clinton is a smart woman. But she has also worked hard for everything she has attained. And as Paul Krugman wrote in The New York Times her detailed policy positions blow Barack out of the water. It’s easy to understand why she’s frustrated, with her turning in meticuliously written and thought out ways to change this country and Obama simply saying two words “change” and “hope” and reaping the rewards. It’s clear McCain is the Republican nominee but he could very well lose come November and we cannot afford to have Obama in the White House.We may disagree with Clinton but her competence cannot be questioned when compared to Obama’s.

There’s been quite a shake up in the Middle East scene as it seems Iran’s president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is coming out of the closet. And who can say they’re suprised… after all how could we miss the signs?

                    
            From his recent outing to go see Hanana Montana/Miley Cyrus 3D

                     
 Who can forget his bizarre version of Que-er Eye for The British Guy
                                    during the kidnapping of UK soliders. 

                               
                      To the morality police to make sure he never
                                     has to see a woman’s body

                              
                         Finally to his talking at Columbia when he said that 
                         Iran had no homosexuals. Considering the fact that 
                         he was on American soil, it may have been the only 
                                            time he has told the truth.

And so that is my whole problem with the false conservative litmus test being used by a few in the party and many more in the conservative media. The belief that only a conservative, their conservative, should lead this country. If it were up to me only moderate to liberal Republicans should lead this country. But “should” is the wrong word, because it exists only in the abstract. The word that is correct is will. Someone will lead this country.  “Should” is our choice and it is over. Our next president will either be one of three people John McCain, Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. And if you are one of those very conservative people who say that McCain is not a conservative. That is not the argument. For the very conservative, though they may have a list five feet tall of disagreement with McCain, it is undeniable that the list doubles in size with either Clinton or Obama. So the question to the most conservative of voters with McCain getting the nomination is this: Will you pick the leadership that best fits your beliefs or let your pride (and be honest that is what it is) engulf you and betray your duty to pick the best legitimate candidate for the presidency of the United States of America.