Bits of Tid: September 21, 2007

I'm More Popular than Brownback Edition

• Yours truly is one of Michigan Liberal's newest front-pagers!
• 7.4% unemployment sure sucks. Good news? One of Granholm's community-based economic-development initiatives has won an award.
• Many believe a state government shutdown would be worse news for Mike Bishop and the Republicans than for Granholm, Dillon, and Democrats.
• The AFL-CIO now has a black woman as its Executive VP. Also, be sure to check out their political-mobilization plans.
• Staying with the AFL-CIO: Gary Peters is the first Congressional candidate ever to earn their endorsement so early in an election cycle.
• I'm not done with the AFL-CIO yet. Professor Jennifer Lawless shares her thoughts on why we don't have more women in public office.
• Kathy at Stone Soup Musings, on Republicans:

They argue that no amount of money is too much to spend in Iraq, but when it comes to meeting the needs of people here at home - the ones who send their tax dollars to Washington to pay for their war - they snap their wallets shut and expect the rest of us to follow along. ...

So you see, it's okay for us to send money to Washington so they can continue their war indefinitely - a war that enriches Republican profiteers and CEO's of defense contractors - but we get nothing in return, not even some change to spend on our schools, infrastructure, health care, etc.

• Rep. Peter King (R-NY): "We have too many mosques in this country." Uh, Congressman, what if someone said we have too many churches? You wouldn't like that, would you? Me neither. So put a cork in it.
• It appears Iceland and Grand Rapids have a similar goal: go fossil-fuel-free.
• My item on GR's efforts to go 100% green got a nod in this week's Eco-Diary Rescue on Daily Kos.
• A couple quick items from CMU: Central might have a new Executive VP/Provost and a new VP for Finance and Administrative Services soon. I say 'might' because the last attempt to get a new Provost didn't work out so well. A search for the College of Business Administration dean went on for a couple years. lso, Cesar Chavez's granddaughter is coming to speak at CMU next month.
• Finally, with a hat tip to the MDP, I conclude with a picture of Sam Brownback delivering a campaign speech See if you notice anything in particular.

Presidential Bits of Tid: May 29, 2007

75 weeks from now, America will elect its 44th President and its 47th Vice President. But before we get to that, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention an important birthday.

That handsome young man in the photo was born ninety years ago today, May 29, 1917.

You may know that at 43, Ted Kennedy's brother was the youngest person ever elected President (Teddy Roosevelt became President at age 42 after William McKinley was assassinated). You may noty know that Bill Clinton was just 46 when he was elected in 1992. Barack Obama will turn 47 in August 2008, at which time John Edwards will be 55. Now who's the youngster? ;-)

Turning our attention back to those who wish to count themselves among JFK's successors:

• Many of Obama's supporters say that, like JFK, he symbolizes hope - hope that a black person can become President, hope for an end to the era of bitter partisanship, hope for, well, better days and years ahead. Critics say he's all style and no substance. While certainly no one can doubt that he has inspired a great many people, I must say his issues page is the most comprehensive of any of the candidates' issues pages.
  
  
• Look what John Edwards wants to do for our servicemen and women. The entire plan is great, but I especially like his "Plan for Coming Home" and Military Families Advisory Board ideas.
  
  
• Bill Richardson is known among the 2008 hopefuls for being probably the most experienced of the 2008 hopefuls But he also has a lighter side:
  
  

  "My favorite team has always been the Red Sox. I'm also a Yankees fan... This is the thing about me. I can bring people together."

• Does Hillary have a front-runner for VP?
  
  

  Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack "has assumed a role in Sen. Hillary Clinton's Presidential campaign unlike any of the New York Democrat's other national advisers. He campaigns for her in Iowa and other key states, spends hours each week on the phone with donors and elected officials and has helped forge policy ideas Clinton presents on the campaign trail," the Des Moines Register reports.
  
  "In this way, Vilsack has made the quick and seemingly effortless transition from a one-time Clinton rival for the 2008 nomination to a go-to player in her campaign. Aides acknowledge privately that Vilsack's work for the campaign has the look of a rehearsal for the role of running mate, should Clinton win the nomination."

  
  I'll be honest: A Hillary/Vilsack ticket doesn't appeal to me very much.
  
  
• On the other side of the aisle, Sam Brownback is having trouble in his home state, taking just 18% in solidly red Kansas.

Senators Clinton, Obama, and Brownback are in

Exactly two years remain until our 44th President is sworn in. Declaring that "America's future is calling us," Hillary Rodham Clinton has launched her campaign to be the one who takes that oath of office on January 20, 2009:

I grew up in a middle-class family in the middle of America, where I learned that we could overcome every obstacle we face if we work together and stay true to our values.

I have worked on issues critical to our country almost all my life. I've fought for children for more than 30 years. In Arkansas, I pushed for education reform. As First Lady, I helped to expand health care coverage to millions of children and to pass legislation that dramatically increased adoptions. I also traveled to China to affirm that women's rights are human rights.

And in the Senate, I have worked across party lines to get billions more for children's health care, to stop the president's plan to privatize Social Security, and to make sure the victims and heroes of 9/11 and our men and women in uniform receive the fair treatment they deserve. In 2006, I led the successful fight to make Plan B contraception available to women without a prescription.

I have spent a lifetime opening opportunities for tens of millions who are working hard to raise a family: new immigrants, families living in poverty, people who have no health care or face an uncertain retirement.

Meanwhile, Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) has also jumped in:

Sen. Sam Brownback, a Kansas Republican, became the second member of Congress on Saturday to formally announce a run for the White House.

"Today my family and I are taking the first steps on the yellow brick road to the White House," said Brownback, referring to the sections of "The Wizard of Oz" -- the popular story with a Kansas theme.

Brownback -- the first Republican to declare his pursuit of the GOP presidential nomination in 2008 -- is strongly aligned with many positions of the religious right, including the stand that marriage should only be between a man and a woman.

And just a few days ago, Barack Obama (D-IL) said he would take the plunge:

I certainly didn't expect to find myself in this position a year ago. But as I've spoken to many of you in my travels across the states these past months; as I've read your emails and read your letters; I've been struck by how hungry we all are for a different kind of politics.

(snip)

We have to change our politics, and come together around our common interests and concerns as Americans.

This won't happen by itself. A change in our politics can only come from you; from people across our country who believe there's a better way and are willing to work for it.

Years ago, as a community organizer in Chicago, I learned that meaningful change always begins at the grassroots, and that engaged citizens working together can accomplish extraordinary things.

So even in the midst of the enormous challenges we face today, I have great faith and hope about the future - because I believe in you.

A first look at Election 2008

For the first time since 1952, neither the incumbent President nor the incumbent VP will be a nominee for the White House. After Dick Cheney announced early in his Vice Presidency that he wouldn't run for President, many analysts have predicted that the 2008 White House race was as open as it has been in a while. In other words, it is hard to tell who could be the 44th President (as opposed to 2000, when Gore and Bush were the favorited to become their parties' nominees).

So who's running? Who's not? Who's on the fence? (Asterisk denotes those who have run for president in the past; two asterisks mean they have run for President twice)

Who's in?

The following candidates have announced their candidacies for President or have filed to form what is called an exploratory committee: (Asterisk denotes those who have run for president in the past)

Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE)*
Fmr. Sen. John Edwards (D-NC)*
Fmr. Sen. Mike Gravel (D-AK)
Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH)*
Gov. Bill Richardson (D-NM)
Outgoing Gov. Tom Vilsack (D-IA)
Fmr. Gov. Jim Gilmore (R-VA)
Fmr. Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R-NY)
Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS)
Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA)
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)*
Outgoing Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA)
Fmr. HHS Sec. Tommy Thompson (R-WI)

Who's Out?

The following people have said they will not run for President in 2008.

Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN)
Fmr. Sen. Tom Daschle (D-SD)
Fmr. Gov. Howard Dean (D-VT)*
Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI)
Fmr. VP. Al Gore (D-TN)**
Fmr. Gov. Mark Warner (D-VA)
Gov. Haley Barbour (R-MS)
Outgoing Gov. Jeb Bush (R-FL)
Outgoing Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN)
Sec. of State Condoleezza Rice (R-CA)
Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN)
Gov. Mark Sanford (R-SC)

Who's on the fence? (And I don't mean the miles-long fence along the Mexican Border)

The following people may or may not run in 2008.

Gen. Wesley Clark (Ret.), US Army (D-AR)* - Prediction: Will run.
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) - Prediction: Will not run. (You heard it here first.)
Sen. John Kerry (D-MA)* - Prediction: Will run.
Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) - Prediction: Will not run.
Fmr. Rep. Newt Gingrich (R-GA) - Prediction: Will run.
Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) - Prediction: Will run.