In 1992 George Bush Sr. ran against William Jefferson Clinton when it was “the economy stupid.”  The last market crash was during the Reagan administration in 1987 when market indexes dropped 43% in seven days.  George Bush 41 also left the nation in a recession when he left office in 1992.  It took democrat Bill Clinton to bring us out of  that recession.  Like father, like son, Bush 43 has twice upped his father by leaving the country in dire straights while he leaves office with his tail between his legs.  It was Republican control of all three branches of government that got us into this mess, now it’s time for the Democrats to come in and clean up. Putting a Republican in charge is like

Since 1929, Republicans and Democrats have each controlled the presidency for nearly 40 years. So which party has been better for American pocketbooks and capitalism as a whole? Well, here’s an experiment: imagine that during these years you had to invest exclusively under either Democratic or Republican administrations. How would you have fared?  SEE results

As of Friday, a $10,000 investment in the S.& P. stock market index* would have grown to $11,733 if invested under Republican presidents only, although that would be $51,211 if we exclude Herbert Hoover’s presidency during the Great Depression. Invested under Democratic presidents only, $10,000 would have grown to $300,671 at a compound rate of 8.9 percent over nearly 40 years.

First, the continued meme of the Right that it was the democrats support of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae that caused this economic meltdown is bogus.  What Republicans conveniently forget is that George W. Bush warned and pushed for more oversight of Freddie and Fannie back in 2001.  Did I mention that the Republicans were in control of Congress at the time and for five whole years after Bush’s clarion call.  Oh, and by Republican control, I include Sen. John McCain in that group.  Yes, McCain sat in Congress for five years after the leader of his party sounded the alarm about Freddie and Fannie and did absolutely nothing.  Did I further mention that the Republican party controlled Congress for 12 years prior to the Democrats winning the majority just two years ago in 2006.  And, five months after Democrats took control of Congress, Democrats passed a bill regulating Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  Nuff said.

It was the private sector, not the government backed entities that caused the subprime meltdown.  Freddie and Fannie were not at fault for this disaster 

Federal Reserve Board data show that:

• More than 84 percent of the subprime mortgages in 2006 were issued by private lending institutions.
• Private firms made nearly 83 percent of the subprime loans to low- and moderate-income borrowers that year.
• Only one of the top 25 subprime lenders in 2006 was directly subject to the housing law that’s being lambasted by conservative critics.

Last Thursday Sen. John McCain dropped everything to come to Washington DC to solve the Wall Street meltdown.  The Arizona senator cancelled his appearance on David Letterman, appeared on CBS, suspended his campaign, and immediately came to Capitol Hill for a meeting with President Bush.  Then on Sunday McCain and his senior campaign manager took full credit for the bipartisan agreement that came about on Sunday evening.  McCain patted himself on the back for bringing House Republicans to the negotiation table.  Leadership.  Monday the Republicans voted the bill down.  Why?  Because their feelings were hurt.  Give me a break.  These people were elected to be stewards of the American economy as well as the American public as a whole.  You do not abdicate from that fundamental responsibility because your feelings got hurt.  It appears that Republicans have put their interest in being re-elected above the interest of the American people.  If John McCain, as an aspiring official leader of the republican party, cannot even unify his own party for the benefit of  the nation, what kind of leader will he be in the White House?  By the way, where is the current leader…..President Bush?  Why was he unable to rally his party behind this bill that he claims is essential to stabilize our financial markets?  This is President Bush’s proposal yet his own party will not support it. 

David Brooks writes in the New York Times that Sarah Palin is unqualified:

In the current Weekly Standard, Steven Hayward argues that the nation’s founders wanted uncertified citizens to hold the highest offices in the land. They did not believe in a separate class of professional executives. They wanted rough and rooted people like Palin.

I would have more sympathy for this view if I hadn’t just lived through the last eight years. For if the Bush administration was anything, it was the anti-establishment attitude put into executive practice.

And the problem with this attitude is that, especially in his first term, it made Bush inept at governance. It turns out that governance, the creation and execution of policy, is hard. It requires acquired skills. Most of all, it requires prudence.

……..

Sarah Palin has many virtues. If you wanted someone to destroy a corrupt establishment, she’d be your woman. But the constructive act of governance is another matter. She has not been engaged in national issues, does not have a repertoire of historic patterns and, like President Bush, she seems to compensate for her lack of experience with brashness and excessive decisiveness.

Sen. Chuck Hagel said to the Omaha World-Herald 

“But I do think in a world that is so complicated, so interconnected and so combustible, you really got to have some people in charge that have some sense of the bigger scope of the world,” Hagel said. “I think that’s just a requirement.” 

So is Palin qualified to be president?

“I think it’s a stretch to, in any way, to say that she’s got the experience to be president of the United States,” Hagel said.

Ross Douthat agrees at the Atlantic:

Now that we’ve seen the entirety of the Palin-Gibson tete-a-tete, I concur with Rich Lowry and Rod Dreher. The most that can be said in her defense is that she kept her cool and avoided any brutal gaffes; other than that, she seemed about an inch deep on every issue outside her comfort zone. Yes, the questions were tougher than the ones that a Tim Kaine or Tim Pawlenty probably would have been handed, but they were all questions that a vice-presidential nominee needs to be able to answer. And there’s no way to look at her performance as anything save supporting evidence for the non-hysterical critique of her candidacy - that it’s just too much, too soon - and a splash of cold water for those of us with high hopes for her future on the national stage.

And in the Washington Post, Richard Cohen lets loose on McCain:

McCain has turned ugly. His dishonesty would be unacceptable in any politician, but McCain has always set his own bar higher than most. He has contempt for most of his colleagues for that very reason: They lie. He tells the truth. He internalizes the code of the McCains — his grandfather, his father: both admirals of the shining sea. He serves his country differently, that’s all — but just as honorably. No more, though….

His opportunistic and irresponsible choice of Sarah Palin as his political heir — the person in whose hands he would leave the country — is a form of personal treason, a betrayal of all he once stood for. Palin, no matter what her other attributes, is shockingly unprepared to become president. McCain knows that. He means to win, which is all right; he means to win at all costs, which is not.

In the Weekly Standard, Steven Hayward

In the current Weekly Standard, conservative Steven Hayward argues that the nation’s founders wanted uncertified citizens to hold the highest offices in the land. They did not believe in a separate class of professional executives. They wanted rough and rooted people like Sarah Palin.

I would have more sympathy for this view if I hadn’t just lived through the last eight years. For if the Bush administration was anything, it was the anti-establishment attitude put into executive practice.

And the problem with this attitude is that, especially in his first term, it made Bush inept at governance. It turns out that governance, the creation and execution of policy, is hard. It requires acquired skills. Most of all, it requires prudence.

The following are quotes from McCain’s fellow republicans with respect to the Arizona senators choosing Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate. Very interesting.

Alaska’s Republican State Senate President: Palin Not Prepared, Thought Pick Was A Joke. State Senate President Lyda Green said she thought it was a joke when someone called her at 6 a.m. to give her the news.  ‘She’s not prepared to be governor. How can she be prepared to be vice president or president?’ said Green, a Republican from Palin’s hometown of Wasilla. ‘Look at what she’s done to this state. What would she do to the nation?’”  [Anchorage Daily News, 8/29/08]

Alaska’s Republican House Speaker Has Nothing Positive To Say About Palin’s Qualifications.. “State House Speaker John Harris, a Republican from Valdez, was astonished at the news. He didn’t want to get into the issue of her qualifications.  ‘She’s old enough,’ Harris said. ‘She’s a U.S. citizen.’”  [Anchorage Daily News, 8/29/08]

Conservative Rick Rydell: Questionable Vetting. Conservative host Rick Rydell said there are some benefits to the state, but it’s a gamble for McCain to pick an unknown with what he considered ‘questionable vetting.’ ‘It seems almost like a Hail Mary pass at the end of a football game,’ Rydell said in an interview after his show Friday.  Rydell said McCain has destroyed his argument about Barack Obama’s lack of experience.”  [Anchorage Daily News, 8/29/08]

California Republican Delegates Worried About Palin Pick. “California Republican delegates Karen and Robert Bonadio (father and daughter) said they are worried about McCain’s pick for VP. They like her story a lot . . .  But the Bonadios heard that Palin and her family are hunters, actually going out into the countryside to shoot wild creatures that weren’t doing anything to her. That offends the L.A. delegates greatly, and they really don’t want to hear that different parts of the country may have different cultures and views of such things.  The Bonadios don’t know that they want such a smalltown person as vice president. And they intend to make that point clear this week if they get another chance to talk with the senator.”  [LA Times, 8/31/08]

St. Louis Republican Delegate Deeply Concerned With Palin Selection. “Several Republican delegates said they too were shocked by the selection of Ms. Palin and, while they wished her well, were deeply concerned that she did not have the experience in foreign policy or national security to be commander in chief. ‘We’ve been told for the last few months that experience is what matters most in the next White House,’ said John Scates, a delegate from St. Louis. ‘But McCain is picking someone whose experience is little to nothing or, at best, unknown.’” [New York Times, 8/31/08]
 

Conservative Columnist: Palin Pick Near Suicidal. “‘The Palin selection completely undercuts the argument about Obama’s inexperience and readiness to lead’ wrote syndicated conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer. ‘To gratuitously undercut the remarkably successful ‘Is he ready to lead’ line of attack seems near suicidal.’” [Ottawa Citizen, 8/31/08]

Alabama Republican Delegate: Palin Not Qualified. “As they began gathering in Minneapolis-St. Paul for the start of their convention on Monday, some Republican delegates said they were concerned that Ms. Palin did not have the experience in foreign policy or national security to be commander in chief.  ‘We’re in a global war, we’re in a global economy, so it’s less than honest if someone says that this woman is qualified to lead America right now,’ said Todd Burkhalter, a Republican delegate from Mobile, Ala.”  [New York Times, 8/30/08]

Republican Operatives Worry About Palin Pick. ““‘I want to believe this is a game-changer, but when I close my eyes I see New Orleans in 1988,’ said a dumbstruck Republican operative, recalling the convention where Vice President George H.W. Bush tapped Dan Quayle” . .  . ‘Hell, I don’t know anything about her,’ a top Republican fund-raiser sputtered. ‘She may attract some independent women, but I can’t think of a state where she can make a difference.’” [New York Daily News, 8/29/08]

Describe Palin Pick As “Desperate” And Contrary to McCain’s “Country First” Slogan. “Shannen Coffin, a former White House counsel to Dick Cheney, the vice-president, said choosing Palin seemed ‘desperate’ and that it would be difficult to attack Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee, on the grounds of inexperience. ‘It is hard to imagine Palin playing the same sort of role that modern vice-presidents like Gore, Bush, Cheney or Mondale played,’ he said.  “…. [McCain] is one arrogant SOB. McCain is essentially telling the world that he doesn’t really need a Vice President…. Rather, the Office would seem poised to return to the ‘proverbial warm bucket of p***’ category.  “Anti-abortion conservative Republicans applauded the choice as daring and modern, but others criticised her lack of foreign policy expertise and inexperience in a national election.  David Frum, President George W. Bush’s former speech-writer, warned: ‘The McCain campaign’s slogan is ‘country first’. If it were your decision, and you were putting your country first, would you put an untested small-town mayor a heartbeat from the presidency?’”  [TimesOnline, 8/31/08]

Alaskan Republicans Have Reservations About Palin. “[A] growing chorus of Alaskans expressed reservations. ‘She’s not qualified, she doesn’t have the judgment, to be next in line to the president of the United States,’ Larry Persily, who until June worked in the governor’s Washington office as a congressional liaison, said in a phone interview.  A supporter of Palin’s campaign for governor, Jim Whitaker, the Republican mayor of Fairbanks, also questioned Palin’s readiness to serve as vice president.  Whitaker said that while he is ’still an avid supporter’ of Palin as governor, he will continue to back Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.”  [Bloomberg, 9/1/08]

Republican Strategist: I’m Perplexed.. “David Marin, a principal at the Podesta Group and a Republican congressional strategist said, “I’m perplexed. Maybe the choice is pure genius. Maybe McCain has energized the base, re-established his maverick credentials, re-emphasized his reform agenda, and added historic new cracks to the odious glass ceiling, all with a single decision. Maybe Palin will amaze us all and be able to stand toe-to-toe with Biden. Maybe she’ll add some much-needed sizzle.  But I thought the McCain campaign was about experience at a time of national crisis. And I thought he understood the outcome will ultimately rest with independents, with ‘post partisans.’ I guess it’s a good thing most people vote for president, not VP, because, right now at least, this has Bentsen-Quayle written all over it.”  [Politico, 9/1/08]

Former McCain Advisor: Palin Pick Suggests Lack of Confidence. “‘It was certainly a surprising pick,’ says Dan Schnur, who served as McCain’s communications director during the Arizona senator’s 2000 presidential campaign. It’s the sort of pick, he says, that you would expect when a candidate is ‘behind 10 or 15 points in the polls.’  But with McCain and Obama running neck and neck, most analysts would anticipate a safer choice. ‘So it seems the senator and his advisers aren’t as confident’ as they might be, Schnur says.”  [NPR.org, 8/29/08]

Pat Local Conservative Blogger: McCain’s Worst Mistake. “Sherry Whitstine, a local [Alaska] conservative blogger, was dumbfounded by Palin’s selection, and not in a good way. Palin is ’small potatoes,’ said Whitstine, who is still struggling to come to grips with McCain’s decision. ‘[Trying to make Palin] the VP of our country is probably the worst mistake of [McCain’s] entire life,’ Whitstine said.”  [Chicago Tribune, 9/1/08]

National Review senior editor Rick Brookhiser.“Either McCain thinks the war on terror isn’t serious, or he thinks the vice-presidency isn’t,” 

Former counsel to Dick Cheney Shannen Coffin“The choice also says a lot about McCain. First, that he is a bit desperate,” Coffin writes on the National Review site The Corner. “Second, that he is one arrogant SOB. McCain is essentially telling the world that he doesn’t really need a Vice President…. Rather, the Office would seem poised to return to the ‘proverbial warm bucket of p***’ category.”

Pat Buchanan Mocks Palin With Joe Scarborough. “On MSNBC on August 29, 2008 (before the announcement), Pat Buchanan had this to say about Sarah Palin:. “You mentioned the word commander in chief. And it is — it is hard to see Sarah Palin as commander in chief within the next year or something like that. I think that’s the real risk that just — this woman, she might be outstanding. She might get women, get conservatives, energize the base. But I think the argument made against her would be that she just is not ready to be commander in chief, and she could be eaten alive in a debate with Joe Biden.”  Buchanan went on to acknowledge that Obama has done more to validate himself, saying “No, you are right. He validated himself, Barack Obama, by beating everybody all the — over 18 months.”  [MSNBC, 8/29/08; YouTube]

Karl Rove: Palin “Risky” Pick. “Before the news of her daughter’s pregnancy broke, Karl Rove told the Maine Republican delegation that Sarah Palin is a “risky” choice for vice president.  [TheAtlantic.com, 9/1/08; PolitickerME.com, 9/1/08]

Washington Post: Republicans Nervous. “S]ome Republicans remained nervous about the party’s ticket, worrying about the potential for more surprises in the days ahead. ‘Palin’s daughter’s pregnancy is probably much ado about nothing — I think,’ one GOP strategist said. ‘If there’s more, it will raise questions about the whole vetting process because she’s such an unknown.’ Another McCain loyalist said he doubts the controversy will last. ‘It came out in the vetting, and if that’s true, then the vetting worked,’ he said. ‘If that’s not true, then I would have concerns.’” [Washington Post, 9/2/08]

Prominent Republican Writer Says Palin Pick Neither Wise Nor Responsible. “Former Bush speechwriter, David Frum, said this about Sarah Palin: “Ms. Palin’s experience in government makes Barack Obama look like George C. Marshall. She served two terms on the city council of Wasilla, Alaska, population 9,000. She served two terms as mayor. In November, 2006, she was elected governor of the state, a job she has held for a little more than 18 months. She has zero foreign policy experience, and no record on national security issues.  All this would matter less, but for this fact: The day that John McCain announced his selection of Sarah Palin was his birthday. His 72nd birthday. . . If anything were to happen to a President McCain, the destiny of the free world would be placed in the hands of a woman who until recently was a small-town mayor.”  He concluded by saying, “Ms. Palin is a bold pick, and probably a shrewd one. It’s not nearly so clear that she is a responsible pick, or a wise one.” [AEI.org, 9/2/08]

Veteran Republican: Palin Pick Reckless.  “Each new fact we learn about Sarah Palin–her reversal on the bridge to nowhere, her disagreements with McCain on issues from windfall profits to global warming, emerging facts about troopergate–contribute to the feeling that this whole Palin thing is being made up as we go along. It may be fun to read about, and it sure is fun to cover, but it also supports the judgment of the Palin pick that I first heard from a Republican veteran shortly after the announcement: ‘Reckless.’”  [Slate, 9/1/08]

GOP members are acting out an alleged protest in the House during this Congressional recess.  The GOP and Sen. John McCain are insisting that House leader Nancy Pelosi call Congress back from recess to vote on its “drill now” bill proposing off-shore drilling.  The GOP or McCain fails to mention that the leader of their party, Pres. George W. Bush, also has the power to call Congress back from recess to vote on the GOP proposed bill.  The grand old party consistently and conveniently forgets to mention that GOP House members asked Pres. George Bush to call Congress back from recess and the president refused.  So, ask yourself…..why would they expect a member of the opposing party to do what the leader of their own party has refused to do?  Also, why is the GOP not protesting against Pres. Bush, he has more power than Pelosi?  Why…..because it is a political stunt, nothing more, nothing less.

Further, for those tourist who are venturing down to the nation’s capitol to witness the GOP spectacle…..ask questions to those GOP members claiming that the domestic oil drilling will help make us energy independent.  One good question would be…..ask them if they will guarantee that such domestically produced oil will remain in the United States and not be sold to the world market?  Ask them if they can mandate that all the oil drilled domestically by the oil companies will remain here at home.  I bet you that they will either attempt to dodge the question or brush you off.  And by brushing you off I mean, they will say “that is a great idea, I agree with you.”  Then they hope that voters will forget that they asked the question.  Further, the GOP will not incorporate such restrictions because such restrictions would be against the interest of the oil companies and they do not want to lose out on all those oil company campaign contributions.  Second, they will not restrict the oil leases in such a way because oil companies are not going to allow the government to dictate to them where they can sell their product, even though said oil leases are granted by the United States government.  Such a requirement would probably reduce their profit margin significantly.  Oil companies sell to the country that logistically reaps them the most profit.  Republican members of the House are hoping that this little glitch will go unnoticed by American voters.  The GOP is well aware that drilling domestically will do very little to reduce energy dependence, but it will provide oil companies with significantly more profit potential.  Finally, ask those GOP House members whether increasing domestic production will cause OPEC members to decrease their production thereby eliminating any gains domestically except to oil companies?  They are attempting distraction to detract from real solutions that will help the majority of the American people instead of greasing the palms of a few oil companies……call them on it.

First, I would like to thank Sen. John McCain for his sacrifice and service to our nation.  He deserves our utmost respect for what he endured and his defense of country.  However, the candidates for President of the United States also deserve our utmost scrutiny before receiving a single vote for the nation’s highest office.  Especially with respect to leadership style and methodology.  Recently, I published a post  listing Sen. McCain’s various approaches to difficult political and personal issues.  As previously stated, I believe that this information is vital in determining whether the Arizona senator should be the next President of the United States.  I have come across additional information profiling the McCain method of dealing with a challenging political issue he faced in his home state of Arizona.  Because McCain is not this writer’s senator, I find illuminating the opinions of the people who know him best.  His fellow Arizona republicans.  This is from the people who have a birds-eye view of how McCain leads.  The leadership of the Arizona GOP have very strong opinions about Sen. McCain and his ability, or inability, to lead.  They are also very dissatisfied with his conservatism.  According to Max Blumenthal of the Nation, Bob Haney, the Republican state committee chairman in Arizona’s 11th District, had this to say:

“People would be calling in to [state committee] headquarters every week, absolutely enraged, threatening to leave the party because of some comments McCain made,’ Haney told me. ‘The guy has no core, his only principle is winning the presidency. He likes to call his campaign the ’straight talk express.’   Well, down here we call it the ‘forked tongue express.’”. .

Dissatisfied with McCain’s commitment to the state, Haney introduced a resolution to censure the U.S. Senator for “dereliction of his duties and responsibilities as a representative of the citizens of Arizona.”  The resolution was introduced before Arizona’s largest GOP county committee and passed by almost unanimous vote.  That was the wrong move as far as McCain was concerned.  Rather then let stand what was viewed by most as a mere symbolic gesture, McCain wanted revenge.  Target:  Bob Haney and his allies.  McCain recruited a  candidate slate to oust Haney and his allies in that November’s state committee election.  Concerned about a loss and potential rebuke by his party, the Arizona senator put himself on the ballot in effort to makeover his image and increase his odds of winning this battle.  Both McCain and his slate suffered a resounding lost.  Arizona republicans gave their take on McCain’s handling of the situation.

Per Blumenthal: “McCain’s botched revenge has solidified his reputation in Arizona’s Republican circles as a divisive, untrustworthy and even dangerous figure. Haney hopes the general public meets this side of McCain before his penchant for angry reprisals is invested with the powers of the presidency. ‘This just shows that McCain is mentally unstable and out of control and vindictive,’ Haney told me. ‘If he is determined to go through that much trouble to attack a district committee chairman, what does that say about his ability to handle real political problems?”

Yes, what does that say indeed.  Is this the way McCain will handle America’s allies and enemies if they happen to anger him?  Will diplomacy or military might be the first line of defense in a McCain administration?  There are too many instances such as this that raise questions as to his ability to handle, not to mention effectively handle, the litany of challenges facing our nation.  In the Senate, checks and balances on each Senator’s power make it difficult for an individual senator to make a catastrophic blunder.  Not so in the Executive Office.  One word…Iraq.

As a voter, this writer is much more concerned that this person has a fifty percent chance of becoming the next President of the United States.

The latest Reuters/CSPAN/Zogby poll released today show a tightening race in Ohio.  Clinton is slightly leading, but is within the margin of error, with 44% to Obama’s 42%.  Update:  new polls released on March 1st,  show that Obama has essentially closed the gap on Clinton’s lead in Ohio.  Cleveland Plain Dealer, Zogby, Rasmussen, Survey USA, and Real Clear Politics polls, all show the two candidates tied or within the margin of error.  Less than two weeks ago, Clinton was leading in Ohio by double digits. The latest Reuters/CSPAN/Houston Chronicle poll for Texas shows Obama leading with 48% to Clinton’s 42% where again, two weeks ago, Clinton was leading by double digits.  The rolling poll questions were asked to likely democratic primary voters.  The breakdown of the candidates voting blocks are somewhat similar to voter breakdowns of previous contests.  Obama leads in Ohio among cross-over republicans, independents, young voters, higher income voters, and blacks.  Clinton leads among women, older voters, Catholics, union households and voters living outside of Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati.  Of voters who decided in the last month, Obama is significantly ahead of Clinton.  Whereas Clinton is ahead with voters who made their decision over a month ago.  It seems that Obama’s momentum continues despite what appears to be a pile-on from all directions.  Clinton, McCain, and now even George Bush has joined in by telling Obama that he should be concentrating on winning the Democratic nomination instead of what is going on in the current White House.  Can someone tell George Bush that he should be worrying about what is going on with gas prices in the United States rather than who said what in the Democratic primary.  A reporter asked Bush yesterday, during a White House press conference, about analysts recent predictions of a potential increase of gas prices to $4 a gallon.  Bush responded by saying that “he had not heard that.”  Uhhh…..but you do know the latest tit-for-tat between the primary candidates.  President Bush, please concentrate on your job, which is, in case you failed to read the job description, addressing several pressing issues facing our country, e.g.,  skyrocketing gasoline prices, the economy, foreign affairs, the Iraq war, etc…. We do not care about your punditry with respect to our next president.  In case you haven’t noticed Mr. President, your approval rating is at 30%.  It may be because you are watching too much television and not tending to the job that you were sent to Washington, DC to do.  Anyway, back to the current candidates.  Most say that Clinton has to win both Texas and Ohio, including her husband, to remain relevant in this race.  Two weeks ago, most were saying that she not only has to win but has to win by large margins.  Now they’re saying that even if she wins by a small margin as long as she wins.  And the absolute latest from the pundits and the from some in the Clinton campaign is that she only has to win either Texas or Ohio to remain in the race. Whoops…I spoke too soon, the absolute absolute latest is that Obama must win all four contests on Jr. Tuesday for Clinton to be no longer viable.  Unbelievable!! The goal post keeps moving for Clinton, and she accuses Obama of receiving special treatment from the press.  It really is time to choose a nominee, regardless of how much enjoyment the media is getting out of this long protracted primary season.  The longer this stretches out, the less time voters have to really weigh the positions of the general election candidates and make an informed decision about our next leader. 

Both the democrats and republicans will be battling it out in the Wisconsin primary today.  Other states holding contests today include Hawaii with its Democratic caucus and Washington State with its GOP primary.  For the democrats there are 92 delegates up for grabs in Wisconsin and 20 delegates at stake in Hawaii.  For the republicans, Wisconsin has 40 delegates available and 19 delegates at stake in Washington state.  The real focus will be on Wisconsin today.  Both Obama and Clinton are neck and neck in the Copper State.  Wisconsin is a state made up of Clinton’s base, blue collar, working class, and only 6 percent african-americans.  Most would say that Wisconsin is tailor made for the Clintons, yet the Clinton campaign initially decided to pass on trying to win the state.   The Clinton campaign has said  that it does not have to win Wisconsin to win the nomination.  The question is whether Obama can pull out a win in the Badger State.  This is a very tight race between the two democratic candidates.  Turnout is expected to be record breaking, notwithstanding current weather conditions.

Today all the candidates battle in the beltway.  For the democrats, a total of 168 delegates are at stake in Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Maryland.  Virginia boasts the biggest prize of 83 delegates, then Maryland with 70, and the District of Columbia holds 15 delegates.  The Democratic candidates are in a dead heat, and both Clinton and Obama have been campaigning heavily in the Beltway over the last couple of days.  Last count, according to NBC, Clinton has 1136 delegates to Obama’s 1108.  For the republicans, there are a total of 113 delegates at stake in the Potomac primaries.  Virginia will be shelling out 60 delegates, Maryland 37, and the District of Columbia 16.  McCain is still very much the GOP frontrunner with 724 delegates and Huckabee is trailing significantly with 234 delegates.  Virginia is an open primary so a registered voter can vote in any party primary regardless of his or her party affiliation.  Maryland is a closed primary where voters may vote in a party’s primary only if they are registered members of that party.  The polls in Virginia are open 6am to 7pm, you must be in line at 7pm in order to vote.   In the District of Columbia and Maryland the polls are open from 7am to 8pm.  These hours may be extended if there are voting irregularities or problems, so check with your precinct for updated hours.  Most importantly, please don’t forget to VOTE TODAY.

Tonight, Barrack Obama and Hillary Clinton have their final contest before Super Tuesday.  This will be the first debate with just the two candidates.  The debate will air tonight at 8pm eastern standard time on CNN.  Wolf Blitzer will be moderating.  Both candidates have a lot at stake in this final contest before the ultimate contest on Super Tuesday.  To become the democratic nominee, the magic number of delegates needed is 2025.  A whopping 1700 of those delegates will be at stake on Tuesday.  Voters in 24 states will be able to speak loud and clear as to who they want to move on to be the democratic and republican nominee.  The debate will be held at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles.