McCain's NH Team Welcomes Tancredo's NH Team To Their Neighborhood, Fight Breaks Out Over Use Of The Word "Illegal"

DiStaso breaks Big Fish. GreenMountainPolitics1 breaks Guppies.

Today we learned that McCain's NH Campaign Office, located on the 3rd floor of 250 Commercial Street in Manchester, has a new neighbor.

Tom Tancredo, who is also running for the Republican nomination for President, is taking over office space right across the hall from McCain.

Our spy, who saw Team Tancredo stringing Razor Wire along the hallway, was told by Tancredo's campaign staff, "Good walls make good neighbors."

Yikes.

Et tu, Willard Romney? Et tu?

What is it about Washington politicians and loyalty?

Maybe we should just get a dog.

Days after we Noted that Senator Obama is raising money in '08 by criticising the very people he helped get elected to Congress in '06, we learn from leaked Romney documents that one way Big Love is framing his race for the Presidency is as a struggle between himself and MASSACHUSETTS VALUES (click on the Globe Graphic icon halfway through the story or look at the picture at the top of this post).

A struggle against Massachusetts values?

A struggle against values that Love shaped and embodied as Governor of Massachusetts for the last 4 years?

Big Love, you and your staff are a dirty joke.

And it's just not funny anymore. Even if those on Meet The Press think that it is.

Pindell May Be Smarter Than Us, But We Got Pictures!

James Pindell is reporting that Presidential candidate Duncan Hunter may have violated campaign finance laws by running TV ads paid for by his PAC.

James is smart so we're sure it's a damn good article (almost everything Pindell writes is).

But momma didn't raise no lawyer and we don't understand half the attorney-speak that James is quoting.

Instead, we'll just post the picture we took at Hunter's campaign kick-off in New Hampshire last month (look closely).

That's right - CAMPAIGN kick-off.

Is it Hunter for President? Or is it Wilcox Industries for President?

Pindell is on to something.

Giuliani '08 Brings GreenMountainPolitics1 & Bob Shrum Together On Common Ground. Hell Has Frozen Over!

We're more the David Axelrod type but every once in a looooong while Bob Shrum says something that we consider lucid.

In Stephen Rodrick's excellent piece on Rudy Giuliani's '08 chances Shrum is quoted saying:

“There’s a reason Giuliani’s using 9/11 as an asset,” says Bob Shrum, political consultant to a half-dozen Democratic presidential candidates (not to mention David Dinkins). “It’s his only asset. He’s not even running on his mayoral record. He’s running on a few weeks. September 11 doesn’t change the fact that Rudy has no foreign-policy experience, and his foreign-policy record is limited to having the same position on Iraq as George Bush.”

We completely agree with Shrum.

Somewhere, right now, dogs and cats are living together.

Rodrick goes on:

September 11 or no September 11, Rudy’s still vulnerable on social issues. No matter how skillful his pandering, there are those on the right who simply won’t vote for a pro-choice, pro-gun-control, pro-gay-rights candidate. Giuliani’s supporters like to point out that the South is trending more moderate. Still, Rudy is seeking an office that has been held by a centrist southern Democrat or right-leaning Republican southerner or westerner for four decades. The last president from the northeast was JFK.

It’s true that 9/11 gives Rudy credibility on Iraq, but not much. If the war continues to go badly—as just about everyone believes it will—Rudy’s pro-Bush, pro-surge stance, like McCain’s or anyone else’s, for that matter, could still derail him.

Of course this is no big deal for Rudy because Rudy still hasn't decided to run for President.

Like we said the other day - until Hiz Honor actually opens up the books at Giuliani Partners we're taking Rudy's "I'm running. I'm running. Of course I'm running!" about as seriously as the panel on Meet The Press took Hiz Honor's abortion answer.

Giuliani Taking On Water In Connecticut? Well Yes, He's Taking On Broadwater

We love inside baseball politics.

We especially love inside baseball politics on a Friday night when we double-fist Coronas and hold forth in front of a semi-captive audience at Margaritas restaurant in downtown Manchester, NH.

T.G.I.F!

And, considering the fact that the Giuliani camp is rumored to be renting office space directly above Margaritas, our opinions shifted to Hiz Honor in short order.

And our opinion of Rudy Giuliani, as it has always been, is that he isn't going to end up running for President.

Remember when he was absolutely positively going to run for the U.S. Senate against Hillary Clinton?

Right.

So let's cut Hiz Honor a break in '08 we say.

He's having fun. Giving speeches. Taking money from the super rich (the donors) to give to the sorta rich (the consultants). Raising his name ID. And taking tough questions from First Responders.

But this doesn't mean that he is running for President.

Now, the Gang of 500 thinks we're nuts. The political operatives we associate ourselves with in NH think we're nuts. And sometimes even we think we're nuts.

"But," we confidently proclaimed while swilling Coronas last night, "until Rudy actually opens the books to show who Giuliani Partners has been laying down with over the last few years, all '08 talk from his camp about how he's really really REALLY running means jack squat."

Because when Rudy has to actually open his books the "I'm running. Of course I'm running. I'm running." stops being fun.

And then we think he folds like a cheap suit.

Here is a tiny "For Example" of the hangover Rudy will have from his past business dealings. It involves a project called Broadwater:

Giuliani is planning on raising a ton of cash out of the state of Connecticut.

The state of Connecticut, as a whole, HATES a proposed Broadwater Liquefied Natural Gas Storage and Regasification Facility in Long Island Sound.

Who does Broadwater employ to sort out all that unfortunate Nutmeg State hatred?

Giuliani Partners, that's who.

We bet the shrimp cocktail warriors in Wilton aren't going to be too eager to pony up Connecticut cash when they hear about this.

We're just saying.

Barack Obama's New Hampshire Office "Opening"

NH campaign managers have it tough (so do the communications directors who clean-up after them).

Every Wednesday afternoon John DiStaso, on deadline for his must-read Thursday Granite Status column, starts calling NH campaign managers to see who's got what.

Good little campaign managers, who know the routine cold, have plenty of exclusive and tasty nuggets for DiStaso to gorge on. Everybody gets happy and everybody gets fed.

Bad little campaign managers, who are still figuring out how the NH media works, panic when they realize (usually late Wednesday afternoon) that they don't have anything for DiStaso because they didn't plan correctly.

Which forces John to go hungry. And John doesn't like to go hungry.

So bad little campaign managers do what they do and feed DiStaso artificial nuggets.

And hope that no one looks too closely.

It's not fact. It's not fiction. It's a Quick Take. Generally tasteless, meaningless and not very good for you.

Case in point, this artificial nugget from yesterday's Quick Takes:

Barack Obama's New Hampshire campaign today will open its state campaign headquarters at 60 Rogers St., Manchester. It's described as a "big, bright office" of about 8,000 square feet in an old office building tucked between Hayward and Harvard streets.

The only accuracy in this artificial nugget is the street address and the word "bright" used as an adjective.

We actually took a quick drive up to Obama's "open" office yesterday. We thought we would introduce ourselves, get a bumper sticker and congratulate his staff on being the first Big Six office to open in NH.

Not to be.

We arrived at Obama's campaign office at 3pm to find it locked tight, empty of any office furniture and lit only by sunlight (the nugget got that right).

No staff. No phones ringing off the hook. No excitement. And you can forget bumper stickers.

In other words, no open office.

We would also point out that there is no way that Obama's office is 8,000 square feet.

Team Hillary should call bullshit on that.

Obama's NH office is "open" only if it's being used as a holding area for visitors to the Probation Office located across the hall.

We hate artificial nuggets. And we're still hungry.

Huckabee Picking Up Steam

We have to get up early in the morning to keep up with The Politico. Their reporting is excellent.

Mike Allen continues the tradition with an exclusive, Huckabee: Don't Forget Me.

From Allen's piece:

Exclusive: Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee plans to make a splash on Capitol Hill on Friday with the surprising announcement that Rep. Don Young of Alaska has signed on as congressional chairman of his Republican presidential exploratory committee.

In a letter to House Republicans, Young says Huckabee will help produce “a reawakening of the conservative values that make our country a land of opportunity.”

Young said in an interview from Puerto Rico that Huckabee is “a man of character and a hell of a speaker.” Young said he’ll travel on Huckabee’s behalf. “He may be a long shot now,” Young said. “But when this settles down, people will see that a governor is best positioned to bring the country together. They have the experience of bringing the opposite sides of a legislature together. People always ask me who I think I going to win, and when I say Governor Huckabee, they say, ‘Who?’ So we just need to convince people that he’s a leader with great character.”

We've been hot on Huckabee for months. With good reason.

So we ask again, What are Anyone But McCain people doing with Big Love and RUDEy?

Now, about our Huckabee interview...

Joe Biden Crashes Into Ifill Tower, Gang of 500 Toasts S'MORES

Joe Biden knew his campaign for President was in SERIOUS trouble when PBS News Hour anchor Gwen Ifill, one of the driest and most accomplished reporters in media, began her 90 second acceptance speech at tonight's National Press Foundation Annual Awards Dinner with:

"I'd like to thank the Foundation for giving me this opportunity to be articulate."

And then she looks up from her remarks and smirks merrily at the audience.

Who all smirk merrily right back at her.

Classic.

Glad we caught it at home waiting for 30 Rock.

Barack Obama Begins Fundraising By Trashing Congressmen He Helped Elect

We are cross posting this missive on Daily Kos.

So first some quick background for Kosacs not familiar with our work (we want to dodge a concern troll rating).

1. Yes we have worked for Republican candidates in the past (but we have also worked for Democratic candidates as well).

2. Yes we support the troop surge in Iraq (but we were thrown out of a CIA training program in '02 because of our opporsition to the war).

3. Yes we like and respect John McCain and Mike Huckabee (but we also really like and respect Chris Dodd and John Edwards).

4. We are not currently employed by any campaign or either party (and we'll disclose if we ever are).

5. We have offered to buy Kagro X a beer in NH (he's thinking about it).

So go easy with the concern troll label.

Because we thought you would be interested to know that it looks to us as if Barack Obama is raising money by kicking the hell out of a Congress that he helped elect in '06.

We're not kidding.

From his Obama's latest fundraising letter:

If you're confused about all the debate over Iraq, you're not alone.

People are wondering why political posturing in Washington continues as we get drawn deeper and deeper in Iraq. I hear it everywhere I go.

The House of Representatives took action last week on a "non-binding" resolution. In the Senate, the Republican minority has managed to prevent any vote at all. People perceive that the most important issue of our day has become captive to sound bites and cable news chatter.

You deserve better. You should demand it. (emphasis his)

It's a thick, thick irony sandwich my friends.

Senator Hunk, a rock star on the '06 campaign trail, now attacks the very people he helped elect.

Lest anyone forget- THE DEMOCRATS CONTROL CONGRESS (hence our slogan, the Anti-War Establishment).

And while Harry Reid, the cat herder, has some wriggle room on the Senate side, iron-fisted Grandma Pelosi has got nothing but excuses on the House side.

Same with our neighbor Peter Welch.

We wonder what our very good friend Phil Baruth is going to say?

Houseparty! GreenMountainPolitics1 Introduces Itself To Representative Paul Hodes, Guarantees Full Hodes Staff Meeting Thursday Morning

Dear Paul Hodes,

Our name is GreenMoutainPolitics1. We are a political blog covering the NH Presidential Primary from your backyard.

We know absolutely nothing about you or your staff other than you are a freshman Congressman who seems to be kicking some (good) ass in Washington.

Good for you. Truly. By all accounts you are a stand-up guy.

And, since we are merely guests in your state we try to walk softly.

But we do have one question for you - Can we party at your house?

We were at The Barley House in Concord tonight when a table of your staffers yelled out to the whole room about taking one of the new girls to your house to show her your spread.

The quote was, "You aren't a real staffer till you've seen Paul's house."

Sounds bitching.

We've got the Keg. What's the address?

Rudy Giuliani Officially Joins The Abortion Wars As His NH Campaign Staff Gets Caught In The Crossfire

Jon Martin pens the must-read opening act of the Republican Primary's Abortion Wars, which starts with a back-and-forth between a campaign juggernaut and a little yipping dog.

Readers can decide for themselves who is the juggernaut and who is the little yipping dog.

Hint: The yipping dog employs Gary Marx.

Note to Gary Marx - You're like a child who has wandered in during the middle of a movie. You're out of your element. See the above picture. See the movie. And please shut-up.

The second act of the Abortion Wars opened this morning with Alexander Bolton's South Carolina To Test Rudy's Line On Judges.

Four "varied, concerned political operatives" sent GreenMountainPolitics1 copies of the article by 9am this morning.

We're easy to pay attention to when only about 39 other people are paying attention. We're grateful all the same.

Some highlights from the Bolton article:

A speech Rudy Giuliani delivered to an abortion-rights advocacy group when he was mayor of New York City and more recent comments about the Supreme Court could complicate his efforts to woo conservative votes in crucial presidential primary states.

Giuliani, who was an outspoken supporter of abortion rights when he ran for city office in the 1990s, has shifted his position to appeal to conservative voters by promising to nominate conservative jurists to the federal courts if elected president. He has vowed to select judges like Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. and Justice Samuel Alito Jr., conservative stalwarts on the Supreme Court who are viewed as abortion-rights opponents.

The credibility of that stance is undermined by remarks Giuliani delivered in April of 2001 to the National Abortion & Reproduction Rights Action League, now known as NARAL Pro-Choice America.

NARAL was perhaps the harshest critic of President Bush’s appointments of Roberts and Alito to the high court. NARAL aired the first television advertisement opposing Roberts’s nomination, accusing him of supporting violent anti-abortion groups while showing footage of a 1998 abortion clinic bombing.

“I thank NARAL for taking the lead in establishing freedom of choice for all of us, and as the mayor of New York City, I thank you for being here in New York City,” he said in 2001.

At the NARAL lunch, Giuliani also said he and the assembled guests were “upholding a distinguished tradition that began in our city starting with the work of Margaret Sanger,” a founder of Planned Parenthood and a pioneer of distributing birth control to the poor.

Besides the stupid and vulgar commercial NARAL ran about Roberts, we're OK with what Hiz Honor said about NARAL and Planned Parenthood back in 2001.

GreenMountainPolitics1 is pro-choice. We always have been.

We believe that a woman's reproductive process is between the woman, her doctor and her personal God (we do support Parental Notification with rigorous judicial oversight for girls under the age of 16 and a ban on late term abortions unless the mother's life is in danger).

However, we are able to respect candidates who are consistently opposed to abortion rights. "Consistently" being the key word.

Which is why pro-choice GreenMountainPolitics1 does not have any great problem supporting pro-life McCain and Huckabee.

Which is also why we think Mitt Romney is a joke. If he wasn't so sad.

But we simply cannot understand what Rudy Giuliani is doing.

Hiz Honor is pro-choice, has always been pro-choice and everyone knows he is pro-choice.

Does anyone think that a Republican gets elected Mayor in NYC being pro-life? Nope. Hence the NARAL comments. It's not rocket science.

But then Rudy says stuff like this:

“I oppose it,” Giuliani said during a Fox News interview this month. “I don’t like it. I hate it. I think abortion is something that is a personal matter I would advise something against. However, I believe in a woman’s right to choose. I think you have to ultimately not put a woman in jail for that. I think ultimately you have to leave that to a disagreement of conscience and have to respect the choice that somebody makes…”

Have your cake and eat it too, ah? You naughty little panderer.

Well, you're going to need cover. Bring out the judges! More from the Bolten article:

Now that Giuliani is pinning his abortion stance to a promise on federal court nominations, he could be haunted by other public comments.

What?! That's not cover!!! Where's Levinson? Put down that doughnut and get in there girl! Your boss is taking on water!

Still more from Bolton:

In July of 2005, he (Giuliani) said Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg fit criteria that would be important to him when picking a Supreme Court justice.

“[W]hat’s important to me is to have a very intelligent, very honest, very good lawyer on the court,” he said. “Justice Ginsburg fit that category.” Giuliani added that she was a “very qualified lawyer and a very smart person.”

Ironically, Giuliani made his 2005 statements on Fox News’s “Hannity & Colmes,” the same show on which he made an appeal this month to conservative voters.

“I think the appointment of judges I would make would be very similar if not exactly the same as the last two judges that were appointed,” he said. “Chief Justice Roberts is somebody I admire. Justice Alito, someone I knew when he was U.S. attorney, I also admire.”

Giuliani made other statements in 2005 that will make it difficult for him to appease conservatives’ concerns by promising to nominate judges in the mold of Roberts and Alito.

During a June 2005 interview on MSNBC’s “Hardball,” Giuliani said he would not select a judicial nomination based on his or her abortion views.

“I wouldn’t pick a judge based on whether I knew or didn’t know their position on choice,” he said. “I’d pick a judge based on their overall record.”

Perhaps more awkward for Giuliani now is a declaration he made in 2000 during an ABC interview with George Will that Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision establishing the right to an abortion, was good constitutional law. Even many defenders of abortion rights acknowledge that the legal justification behind the case was poorly reasoned.

Jesus, Your Honor, for someone who is known as being solidly pro-choice (and we agree with your stance), you're all over the place on the subject of abortion.

It's not very pretty. Or very clear.

Which is why when we heard this afternoon - for the fifth time - that your NH campaign has been calling around the Granite State to tell voters all about McCain's desire to overturn Roe v. Wade and all about your pro-choice stance, we have to wonder to ourselves if that's smart?

You're still trying to win the Republican Primary?

Right?

Mitt Romney - Still NOT Helping Us Make Smart People Laugh

Dear Big Love,

This is getting utterly ridiculous. What are you thinking?

Today's "new" Mitt-Flop abortion video is less than 5 years old! And, you look so goddamn sincere talking about protecting abortion rights.

Smart people don't come to our site to cry damn-it, they come to our site to laugh!

Your campaign stopped being funny weeks ago. Now it's just sad.

Hang it up Willard.

Hang. It. Up.

Loving On James Pindell & Two Office Openings

(photo courtesy of Democracy In Action)

GreenMountainPolitics1 doesn't love on James Pindell of the Boston Globe nearly enough.

Pindell, author of the must-read Primary Source political column, is known around these parts as the "insider's insider".

And, as GreenMountainPolitics1 attempts to claw and scratch its way into the Gang of 500 (hell, we'd settle for being in the Gang of 1000), being known as the insider's insider is something we aspire to.

Greatly.

But it's more than that.

Besides being impeccably sourced, Pindell has a reputation for being a really nice guy.

He gets it first, he gets it right and he's still a nice guy? We think that says something. We've been meaning to say it for awhile.

And, Pindell's recent blurb on Kucinich's office opening gave us the excuse we were looking for.

Because we think it's a little funny that the two campaigns who have absolutely ZERO chance of winning in New Hampshire - Kucinich and John Cox - are two of the very first campaigns with open and functional offices in NH (it doesn't count until I can walk through the front door and pick-up a palm card).

We wonder what the hold-up with the Big Six is.

Don't they take New Hampshire seriously?

Elm Street in Manchester, New Hampshire - The '08 Primary Information Superhighway

We have a new Trade Secret for Mark Halperin (actually, we're fairly sure that Mark already knows this but it's worth a shot):

To find out what's really going on in a particular campaign, make friends with field staff. And to find out what's going on in a particular New Hampshire campaign, make friends with field staff over a beer at Margaritas (free chips and salsa)/The Shaskeen (dark corners)/Strange Brew (sorority girls downstairs).

Anyone can have David Axelrod's cell number (we have it, we just seem to have lost it). But if you really want to know what's happening on the ground talk to the people who are actually on the ground 7 days a week.

And with a full 40% of this state "independent" and up for grabs in our open primary system, every field staff knows every other field staff's business. Republicans and Democrats alike.

And GreenMountainPolitics1 is making friends just as fast as we can buy the next beer.

RUMOR ALERT!!! IF YOU DON'T LIKE RUMORS SKIP TO THE NEXT POST!!! THE FOLLOWING IS ONLY A RUMOR!!! GET IT???

So it took a full 25 minutes hanging on Elm Street tonight for GreenMountainPolitics1 to hear gossip that Giuliani's NH Campaign was using Senator McCain's comments in South Carolina on Roe to try to make hay for themselves in New Hampshire.

1 day after Hiz Honor said he would have no problem appointing anti-abortion judges to Federal judgeships, his New Hampshire campaign staff reportedly spent today calling "Independent" voters to make sure they were aware of Senator McCain's Roe comments and to make sure that they were aware of Hiz Honor's pro-choice stance.

That's New York balls for you.

And, if the rumor is true, we wonder if Hiz Honor is still trying to decide if he is running as a Republican or an Independent? Or both?

Weird.

Girl Power! Cindy McCain Is Welcomed Back To NH After 6 Years

GreenMountainPolitics1 thinks of itself as the Coleman/Bartlett Washington Focus of the New Hampshire Presidential Primary.

Just with a hell of a lot more Snark.

And while we don't have Charlie's writing ability, political experience, rolodex and firsthand account of a dreary ride back to Houston on January 20th, 1993, we make do with the gifts that God gave us.

We're comfortable with that. So are our readers.

But even we are smart enough to know that behind every truly great man is a great woman.

Editor's Note: We also know, John O'Connor, that behind every truly great woman is a great man. And we must apologize, again, for landing in your lap during the Amistad screening a few years back. We wanted popcorn and the Chief had requested the house lights be totally darkened. We tripped on your wife's feet.

It's no secret that GreenMountainPolitics1 considers U.S. Senator John McCain to be a truly great man. Complex, complicated and a little Snarky himself, but truly great.

So when McCain's New Hampshire campaign e-mailed us to ask if we would like to spend this past Saturday with Cindy McCain - observing the woman behind the great man - we jumped.

And then we said "yes".

"Good", Jill 'Tough As Nails' Hazelbaker told us. "Go where you want, report what you want, photograph what you want, but keep out from underfoot, be polite and for God's sake keep the Snark to a dull roar."

Then a grin and the kicker, "You're just a humble blogger with nothing more than a Blogspot account after all."

'Nails is right. About the Blogspot account.

So as our good friend Jon Martin covered one half of the team that would be President in Iowa on Saturday, GreenMountainPolitics1 took the other half in New Hampshire.

We were very impressed with our half.

Cindy McCain made stops in Nashua (100 people), Rindge (20 people in a room that was meant for 150 people, tsk-tsk campaign team) and Keene (40 people).

It was Cindy's first time on the stump since 2000. And, while the two staffers who traveled with her mentioned that she "might be a little nervous", we didn't see it if she was.

At each stop Cindy spoke for about 20 minutes, mostly about her family, before opening up the floor to questions. After the Q and A was complete she spent time mingling one-on-one with voters.

She's clearly a full 50% of Team McCain. A bona fide asset.

Not only does she speak and mingle well but her stump speech is more stream of consciousness than rehearsed verbal gruel.

It works and it works well. People genuinely loved on her.

And, we got the sense listening to her that we were hearing the real Cindy McCain, warts and all, which is no small thing in the modern Presidency.

We have always felt that if her husband is going to actually win the Presidency it will be on a campaign platform "Warts and All".

We're not being Snarky. Just ask Bill.

While we were waiting for Cindy to arrive in Nashua on Saturday morning we struck up a conversation with a gentleman by the name of Bill. Bill was also waiting for Cindy to arrive and he had driven up from Boston to see her.

"So," we asked Bill, "what do you like about Senator McCain?"

"Well," replied Bill (thick Boston accent), "I don't like his Iraq stance, too conservative. And I don't like his position on global warming, too liberal."

"What do you like?" we asked again.

"Right now? Not much," Bill replied.

"So why are you here?" we asked a little confused.

"Because the Senator ain't bullshit. And neither is Mrs. McCain. I'm sure they have their issues just like everyone else but when they speak they're telling it to you straight. That's worth supporting."

Then Bill got a little twinkle in his eyes, "And Mrs. McCain is a real tall glass of water."

We can see the new campaign signs now - McCain '08: Not bullshit & Bill from Boston thinks my wife is a tall glass of water!

We love it!

LOAFGATE! Bill Richardson Gives New Hampshire Its First '08 YouTube Moment

One slight problem - we don't have the tape.

But the HDTV Network camera crew out of Boston that spent the day shooting Governor Richardson for an upcoming Dan Rather broadcast sure does.

Viewer discretion will be advised. We promise.

But we're getting ahead of ourselves.

Governor Richardson was in NH today stumping for primary votes.

GreenMountainPolitics1 caught up with the Governor late this afternoon at a Tilton house party.

A crowd of about 60 people (a good size gathering, take Note other Democratic contenders) turned out to see Richardson. By the time we arrived, late, there were so many people listening to the Governor give his stump speech in the kitchen that we were forced to wait in the dining room with the Potluck supper goodies.

45 minutes later the Governor wrapped up his stump speech and came into the dining room to chat with the overflow crowd.

And this is where the WEIRDEST thing we have seen thus far on the campaign trail happened.

We watched Richardson, in the middle of a conversation with a NH State Rep, reach down and STROKE the end of a Potluck French baguette with his pinkie finger.

Lovingly. Tenderly. So unfortunately.

And then, just as quickly as he had reached for the dough in the first place, he pulled his hand away and left the jilted baguette on the table.

For some other lucky dinner guest.

We've seen some crazy sh*t on the NH Primary trail.

But this takes the cake.

Chris Dodd Goes To Keene! (actually he doesn't but we do learn how professional Dodd's campaign staff really is) And Other Odds & Ends

Some things we would like you to remember as the New Hampshire Primary hits warp speed -

The Gang of 500 likes The Big 6 - McCain, Giuliani, Romney, Clinton, Edwards and Obama.

GreenMountainPolitics1 likes the Big 4 - McCain, Huckabee, Edwards and Dodd.

The Union Leader likes Chris Dodd and gives him good press (which he deserves).

GreenMountainPolitics1 does to (which everybody deserves).

We think the fact that Senator Dodd's campaign staff sent us a personal and timely email notifying us of today's Keene event cancellation bodes well for the Senator quickly moving out of single digits in a state where everyone knows everyone and everybody talks. We think that RUDEy might want to Note Dodd's NH behavior. Even if we are only a humble Blogspot blog.

Markos Moulitsas Zuniga (a/k/a Kos) and Bull Dog Pundit (of Ankle Biting Pundits) believe that Hillary Clinton's Iraq Answer "Problem" is new news. So does a lot of dead weight in the Gang of 500.

GreenMountainPolitics1 says, "Only if you consider 'new' news something we've been writing about for 4 months." Please give the link time to load, there is a lot of "new" news there.

John Edwards likes this sort of talk.

The Dean of the New Hampshire Press corp, John DiStaso, writes in his latest Granite Status column of the sounds of silence coming from McCain's NH operation.

GreenMountainPolitics1 believes that McCain's NH Campaign Manager, Jim Martin, and his Field Director, Bryan Bernys, know exactly what they are doing. We expect the two of them to put on a clinic during Cindy McCain's visit tomorrow.

Finally, we look forward to meeting New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson for the first time at a house party in Tilton tonight. We plan on asking him to sign our Bible, The Way To Win.

We also plan on asking him if the ghost of Wen Ho Lee has chased him all the way to the Granite State.

Scary!

NH Senator Judd Gregg For VP?

Our good friend Cosmo at New Hampshire Presidential Watch always gets it first and generally gets it right.

Which makes him a first thing in the morning, last thing at night must-read for Granite State clackers (and their hangers on).

Cosmo pulled a article from yesterday's Roll Call newspaper titled Senators Eye #2 Spot.

Ah Congress!

As our health care system collapses it seems our Senators have nothing better to do than shuck, jive and BS their way onto a VP short list.

F.U.B.A.R.

According to the article, NH Senator Judd Gregg is one of the Senators eyeing the #2 slot.

Which leads us to snort in a self-important way, "Heavens to Betsy, why?"

As we see it, the only upside for Senator Gregg running as the '08 Vice-Presidential nominee is that certain members of his staff could (and would) upgrade their Tomcat ways.

Don't get us wrong, being able to ask the working girls in the bar at DC's Prime Rib Restaurant,"Do you want to explore my cosmos in the Observatory?" is probably going to net you a discount.

But is that enough to try to convince your boss to leave his lofty perch in the Senate for a job where his primary responsibility would be hanging around waiting for #1 to get hit by a bus?

Sadly, in this case it probably is.

But before Hiz Honor and Big Love really start talking a Gregg NH Primary endorsement in exchange for the VP spot we would urge them to give The Cowboy Governor (now President) a call and ask him how Senator Gregg's endorsement of George W in the 2000 NH Primary worked out.

We're just saying.

Why Does God (and Virginia Buckingham) Not Want Mitt Romney To Be President?

Big Love's lack of '08 traction is starting to affect our ability to make smart people laugh.

Watching Love's announcement speech in Michigan yesterday we had sketched out in our heads a rough draft of what we wanted today's post to look like.

One word - SNARKY.

We wanted to open our post with a tongue-in-cheek description of the scene from the McCain '08 Crystal City headquarters as Romney announced.

We had -

Weaver in the campaign War Room with a white board, frantically editing in real time Senator McCain's March announcement speech as he watches Romney address the Heartland on C-Span.

Mike Dennehy on 15 different cell phones trying to buck up McCain's political support across the nation while yelling at Nelson, "We're HEMORRHAGING!

Brian Jones screaming at his staff, "Get me Williams, Gibson and Katie! We MUST respond!"

Bells going off, phones ringing, TVs blaring and red lights flashing. Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

Like we said - Snarky.

And, unfortunately for us and our goal of making smart people laugh, completely untrue.

You see, we've always believed that in order to make smart people laugh there has to be a at least a kernel of truth to the joke.

And, after watching Romney's lackluster speech yesterday and having watched the slow moving train wreck that is Willard's campaign for the last three months, the only joke is Love.

Which is sort of ironic given that today is Valentine's Day.

Meanwhile, it's snowing in New Hampshire. Hard. An act of God.

And Love has been forced to cancel his town hall meeting in Hopkinton tonight because of the weather, which must make Virginia Buckingham feel a little self-satisfied Snarky herself.

So as the snow falls outside and we are left to ponder why the good Lord (and Virginia Buckingham) don't want Big Love to be President and what that means for our ability to make smart people laugh, there is nothing left to do but watch TV.

I wonder what's on?

Imus Loves on Craig Crawford Who Loves On Mike Huckabee. Still No Word On Who's Running Security At Giuliani Camp

Congressional Quarterly's Craig Crawford was on Imus this morning and talked (briefly) about former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee.

Crawford said about Huckabee, "He's one to watch. There's room in this race for a conservative and he puts a friendly face on his conservative views. He might do very well in small, early primary states as voter fatigue sets in with the three GOP front-runners."

Amen.

GreenMountainPolitics1 has been hot on Huckabee for 3 months. And, when we met the former Governor in New Hampshire last week, it developed into a full blown love affair.

We aren't the only ones.

The former Southern Fat Boy picked up a key endorsement and got this headline out of South Carolina yesterday.

Not bad. Not bad at all.

And we know what bad is - the security at Team Giuliani.

Yesterday afternoon still more oppo research surfaced on Hiz Honor, this time in the form of a "vulnerability study" commissioned by Giuliani's staff prior to Rudy's successful run for Mayor in 1993.

According to The Smoking Gun, among the tidbits in Chris Lyon's report (Lyons has a reputation among GOP operatives of being one of the best oppo research guys around by the way):

The campaign study was obtained by The Village Voice's Wayne Barrett in the course of preparing "Rudy!," an investigative biography of Giuliani. In its preface, the study notes that it is "tough and hard-hitting. It pulls no punches."

Perhaps that is why Giuliani, as Barrett reported, ordered copies of the vulnerability study destroyed shortly after it was circulated to top campaign aides.

He surely could not have been pleased to read that his "personal life raises questions about a 'weirdness factor.'" That weirdness, aides reported, stemmed from Giuliani's 14-year marriage to his second cousin, a union that he got annulled by claiming to have never received proper dispensation from the Catholic Church for the unorthodox nuptials.

"When asked about his personal life, Giuliani gives a wide array of conflicting answers," the campaign report stated. "All of this brings the soundness of his judgment into question--and the veracity of his answers."

The internal study also addresses prospective charges that Giuliani dodged the Vietnam draft and was a "man without convictions" because of his transformation from George McGovern voter to a Reagan-era Justice Department appointee. "In many ways Rudy Giuliani is a political contradiction...He doesn't really fit with the Republicans. Too liberal.

The Lyons' study is embarrassing. And it begs the question (again), 'Who the Fu*k is minding the store over there?'

Which is more than enough to make his National Communications Director choke on her doughnut.

Ron Kaufman's Bad Day

While we scrounge around for tickets to Obama's UNH event tonight we thought we would post this McCain press release that just hit our email box.

It seems Mr. Straight Talk has put together a dynamite Massachusetts team, which must drive Ron Kaufman totally nuts.

While I happen to think Mr. Kaufman is an alright guy - he was the very first person to interview me after I graduated college in 2000 (completely true story) - Ron has to do a better job of pitching Big Love to Massachusetts VIPs than, "Support Mitt Romney because you don't want to let down your former Governor."

Just my two cents.

From Mr. Straight Talk's press release:

SENATOR MCCAIN ANNOUNCES MASSACHUSETTS LEADERSHIP TEAM

For Immediate Release
Monday, February 12, 2007

ARLINGTON, VA – U.S. Senator John McCain’s presidential exploratory committee today announced that former Massachusetts Republican chairwoman Jean Inman will serve as chair of the Arizona Senator’s exploratory committee in Massachusetts.

In addition to Inman, state Rep. Paul Loscocco and Sheriff Joe McDonald will serve as co-chairs of the committee in Massachusetts. Republican State Committee Treasurer Brent Andersen and Republican State Committee Member Ed Bertorelli will also join the McCain team and serve as vice chairs.

Inman served as chairwoman of the Massachusetts Republican State Committee from 2002-2003, as well as chairwoman of Senator McCain’s 2000 effort in the Bay State.

“Senator McCain is a true leader who has the committed, conservative principles to win this election,” said Inman. “I respect the fact that the Senator is a man of his word and sticks by his beliefs.”

Rep. Paul Loscocco has served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives since 2001.

“Senator McCain is a common sense conservative who has fought for fiscal discipline in Congress,” said Rep. Loscocco. “I look forward to communicating our shared conservative principles throughout the commonwealth of Massachusetts.”

Plymouth County Sheriff Joe McDonald was elected to that role in 2004. Previously, McDonald spent eight years as an assistant district attorney for Plymouth County.

“Americans need a leader who knows what it means to fight for their country,” said Sheriff McDonald. “Senator McCain is a dedicated public servant respected in Massachusetts for his commitment to defending America.”

Brent J. Andersen is currently treasurer of the Republican state committee, as well as a state committee member.

“Senator McCain has the experience and track record required to represent our nation in the White House,” said Andersen. “Today’s challenges require a serious leader, and John McCain is that leader.”

Ed Bertorelli is a Republican state committee member, and served as Republican state committee treasurer and interim chairman. In addition, Bertorelli is commissioner on the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners and a member of the United States National Commission on Libraries and Information Science.

“I am honored to be part of Senator McCain’s team,” said Bertorelli. “Senator McCain is a role model for all Americans and an example of a dedicated public servant that has put his nation first.”

Senator John McCain stated that he was honored to have the support of these key leaders in Massachusetts. “These distinguished leaders will add knowledge and experience to our team in Massachusetts,” said Senator McCain. “I am extremely pleased and honored that they have elected to stand with me.”

Juggernaut! As Hillary Clinton Does New Hampshire She Still Has Iraq Issues

GreenMountainPolitics1 is a big fan of John Edwards.

We believe that he is the only candidate with the campaign organization, policy positions and charisma to take on Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination for President in 2008.

Not that it will be easy.

At a Concord High School town hall meeting today, Team Hillary showed 1,500 New Hampshire voters that John Edwards (and anyone else that wants a shot at the champ) is in for a knife fight.

Hillary's event was a model on how to plan and execute political events in the modern presidency.

Every detail, no matter how small, was managed by Team Hillary to maintain control of the candidate, her image and her message while in the public eye.

The room was set-up to maximize favorable still and TV shots of Hillary interacting with voters. The audio and lighting was excellent, the bleachers were packed with Clinton supporters and crowd control was first rate.

Hillary's campaign staff truly put together a Presidential level event. Their experience and savvy is a definite advantage over every other '08 candidate except for John McCain (Weaver/Dennehy/Nelson know the score).

But let's not forget Hillary herself.

Hillary Clinton is whip smart, articulate and battle tested . She speaks well on the stump, is visibly relaxed and seems to feel comfortable talking with voters and shaking their hands.

And, the old gal knows how to give the media what it (and she) wants.

During the Q&A portion of the town hall meeting Hillary took a question from two boys representing Victory NH, a advocacy group dedicated to protecting New Hampshire's First in the Nation Primary.

The boys asked Hillary if they could give her a lapel sticker to show her support for New Hampshire's Primary. "Of course," Hillary replied, gesturing to one of the boys. "Come up on stage and give me the sticker."

She knows a front page picture in the Union Leader when she sees it.

Unfortunately, the first boy dashed up onto stage so fast that the news photographers weren't ready to take the pictures. So Hillary, who realized what happened and without missing a beat, motioned the second boy up on stage to take his lapel sticker and get the photograph she wanted.

She is smart, self-aware and savvy. Her staff is A+.

Team Hillary is a legitimate juggernaut.

But Team Hillary still has a serious problem with her Iraq War answer. It stinks for a Democratic Primary.

Non-binding resolutions, troop caps, "I wouldn't have taken us to war in 2003 if I were President" and "I will end the war if I am elected President by 2009" DOES NOT pacify Democratic Primary voters who are trying to understand her vote in 2002 to authorize the President to go to war in the first place and DOES NOT help them understand why, if she is so opposed to the Iraq War now, she doesn't join Senator Feingold in cutting off funding for the whole shooting match.

John Edwards (and Dodd, Vilsack and Obama) can't understand it either. And they are going to ask her that very question in a far more pointed and public manner than any of the two or three questions Hillary took on the subject in the Concord gymnasium this afternoon.

Team Hillary clearly believes that she cannot win a general election if she supports Feingold's legislation to cut off funding for the war in Iraq.

The question is if she can win the Democratic Primary if she doesn't.

Mike Huckabee Brings Hope To New Hampshire

Apple Blossom Mike Huckabee came to New Hampshire today to convince voters that he is a solid alternative to Republican front-runners John McCain, Rudy Giuliani and Big Love.

And, after meeting Huckabee tonight for the first time, we find ourselves asking (not for the first time), "What in the hell are supporters of Giuliani and Romney thinking?"

Huckabee is great. Really.

And, he is everything that Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani are only pretending to be. Which makes Huckabee a very interesting alternative to John McCain.

Which is why the former fat boy and successful southern Governor from Hope, Arkansas began his New Hampshire trip earlier in the day with a Daniel Webster College luncheon with business leaders - a stab deep into McCainiac territory!

We're guessing that he didn't eat very much.

Huckabee then attended a campaign event at the famous Merrimack Restaurant in Manchester where about 60 people, including GreenMountainPolitics1, showed up to join him.

Note to Huckabee's campaign staff - You all could not have been more gracious, which is a nice change from some other staff that has passed through New Hampshire recently. However, you all need to work on learning how to properly set up a campaign event. It was a clusterf*ck in that back room.

Huckabee used his time in New Hampshire to defend his economic record as Governor against attacks from the national anti-tax group, Club For Growth.

We think that attacks on Governor Huckabee's economic record are baseless.

Even the best fiscal conservatives know that there are sometimes circumstances where revenue must be raised in order for government to remain economically sound.

Furthermore, where the hell was the Club for Growth when Fat Hastert and his boys were spending themselves silly over the last six years?

There were right here of course. Welcome to the party guys.

Besides discussing his record as Governor, Huckabee spent time talking about his modest upbringing, the role that faith plays in his life, the importance of healthy American schools (which he ties into his pro-life beliefs) and his struggle to lose weight.

The former Baptist minister even threw in a quote from the Old Testament for good measure.

Huckabee then spent the better part of an hour working the crowd at the restaurant while even finding time to sign our copy of The Way To Win.

Bless him.

It's our humble Yankee opinion that so far this Southerner is doing everything right.

We look forward to seeing him in New Hampshire again soon (we look forward to learning about Huckabee' s next visit as soon as it's scheduled at Cosmo's Presidential Watch. Cosmo is in the know and every operative in New Hampshire knows it).

We suggest that Hiz Honor and Big Love start looking over their shoulders.

Mark Halperin Reads Our Blog

Yeah, we can't believe it either.

But the proof is in the digital pudding.

This is GreenMountainPolitics1's post on the similarities between George Bush's 2000 campaign and Barack Obama's 2008 campaign that we wrote on 1/16/07.

We insulted just about everyone with that post.

The Left troll rated us on Daily Kos while the Right heckled us on Red State. "Outrageous" both sides screamed. "Bush is nothing like Obama!"

But we never doubted. The Cowboy Governor and Senator Hunk have more in common that either of them might comfortably admit.

And today our gang of 1 became a mob of 2.

Today ABC News Director Mark Halperin wrote his loyal Note readers to ask:

Will Sen. Barack Obama begin to give a stump speech, a la Bush 1999 (but not Clinton 2007) that he will deliver relentlessly the rest of the year and that allows America to get to know his heart (and his head)?

We think the answer to Mark's question is yes.

But right now we're just enjoying the warm and fuzzy feelings of vindication.

Welcome To The Freak Show Madame Speaker

Maybe H.R. 508, sponsored by Representative Lynn Woolsey, has a better shot at House passage than we originally thought.

We have always believed that H.R. 508, which cuts off funding for the Iraq War and re-deploys all American troops out of Iraq within six months, was dead on arrival in the U.S. House of Representatives.

We've argued that under no circumstances would the Democratic Leadership allow a bill cutting off funding for the whole war reach the House floor.

"Speaker Pelosi has her eyes on the '08 prize," we'd confidently proclaim, draining yet another Irish Car Bomb at Manchester, New Hampshire's Strange Brew Pub. "She knows that you don't win a Presidential election in '08 being known as the Party that cut off funding for the Iraq War."

And then, before we burped, "Of course, we think she's wrong. And so does John Edwards, Chris Dodd and Bill Richardson."

(Diarist Note: We support the troop surge but we think the Iraq War might very well sink any '08 candidate who doesn't favor an immediate troop withdrawal right now)

But Grandmother Pelosi doesn't care what I think. Or what Edwards, Dodd and Richardson think. Or even what her newly elected anti-Iraq Democratic House members think (who I refer to as the "Anti-War Establishment" and Dick Morris refers to as the "New Left").

Speaker Pelosi thinks what she thinks and that's it.

And, as House Madame of the House of Representatives, she will nut cut anyone who crosses her.

As we've said before, you don't become the first female Speaker in the history of our Republic by loving your grandchildren and smelling really, really nice.

Which is why the Anti-War Establishment has been so timid in actually taking her on. Even though we believe (and they do to) that their very re-election depends on passing strong anti-Iraq War legislation.

But that was then.

Now we think we see some of the Speaker's blood in the water. And, even if it's just a little bit, we bet the Anti-War Establishment smells it.

We are of course talking about the moronic air travel flap that has been dogging the Speaker for over a week.

If you care to dignify stupidity you may read the ABC News story here. Or the LA Times story here.

While we are not fans of Speaker Pelosi, the substance of this story (what little there is) shows that at worst the Speaker is a little tone deaf.

We believe this flap to be nothing more than a tempest in a teapot.

But the "Freak Show", what Mark Halperin describes as a unholy conveyor belt of blogs, talk radio, Drudge and 24-hour cable news, doesn't often stop to consider substance. Especially when it's dealing with a Democratic Speaker of the House.

So the Freak Show is doing what it does - it's freaking.

But the Freak Show isn't the real problem in this example.

The real problem is that Speaker Pelosi lost control of her public image so easily. The real problem is that his foolish story has been hanging around for a week. The real problem is that this story was allowed to work its way out into the Old Media in the first place.

Speaker Pelosi looks weak and she looks foolish.

And with her House taking up the Iraq War debate next week she cannot afford to look weak and foolish if she intends to keep her own caucus in line. Let alone handle the Republicans.

Like we said earlier, maybe Woolsey's bill has a chance after all.

Mitt Romney GORE'd By Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney must remember this '08 Trade Secret if he wants to be President - Win your home state.

The advice is even more pertinent now that Willard's latest poll numbers show Newt, a guy who isn't even running for President, charging up Big Love's backside faster than one can say "Great Salt Lake".

So what to do?

We don't think it's any secret that Willard has a reputation for flip-flopping on abortion and gay rights.

In fact, New Hampshire activists have coined a phrase for Love's constantly evolving social positions - the "Mitt-Flop".

That's a serious problem for Love. Funny. But a serious problem.

Which is why we appreciate Big Love attempting to shift the conversation away from social issues and towards economic issues. As Heidi Przybyla writes for Bloomberg:

Romney, who plans to formally announce his candidacy on Feb. 13, initially cast himself as a traditional-values Republican. Now he's styling himself as the heir to President Ronald Reagan's legacy of tax cuts.

"It makes far more strategic sense for him to focus on economic issues now than to try to continually explain his shifts on social issues," said Tony Fabrizio, a Republican consultant. "You play to your candidate's strengths, not try to create a strength that turns into a vulnerability."

We get it - Social issues bad. Economic issues good.

But then Romney's campaign team forgot to mind the store in Massachusetts. Again.

And now Romney is being accused of Mitt-Flopping. Again.

We can't believe it either.

About 35 seconds after Big Love told the world, "I'm the rightful heir to Ronald Reagan's tax cutting legacy!" officials from the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation said, "That's sure as hell news to us!"

From Ross and Wedge's Boston Herald article:

But officials from the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation say Romney has yet to come clean with national conservatives. Foundation President Michael Widmer said several of Romney's policies while governor resulted in higher taxes, including local aid cuts, fee hikes and changes to corporate tax codes.

"I think it's a mixed record," Widmer said. "he faced a large shortfall in the budget when he came into office and I think one has to be realistic about the problem he faced, but at the same time saying that he didn't raise taxes is an incomplete picture."

That's getting GORE'd alright.

Which leads us to ask what is Love paying Ron Kaufman all that money for?

Giuliani Partners Pulls Planned Ad Buy From National Review Online

This has just come over the GreenMountainPolitics1 news wire -

Giuliani Partners Severs Ties With National Review Online Over Terence Jeffrey Piece. Refuses To Purchase More Advertising Until NRO Starts Treating America's Mayor Giuliani "Like Fox News Does"

Sounds like Mr. Jeffrey has just cost National Review Online some money.

At least they're not waiting for an apology from Hiz Honor.

While we wait for Katie's call I think we'll watch a movie:

What's "Original" Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater?

An "original" nursery rhyme:

Peter Peter pumpkin eater,
Had a wife but couldn't keep her.
He put her in a pumpkin shell,
and there he kept her very well.

An "original" co-sponsor of Congressional legislation is:

Before introduction, Representatives and Senators will often ask their colleagues to be an "original cosponsor" of their legislation. Being an original cosponsor means that they agreed to support the bill before it was introduced, which presumably is riskier because the bill hasn't been studied. It is a sign of commitment to an issue.

What Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater's "original" press release claimed yesterday:

I am an original cosponsor of H.R. 508, sponsored by Representatives Lynn Woolsey.

When H.R. 508 was "originally" introduced:

January 5, 2007

When Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater actually signed the "original" bill:

February 5, 2007

What the Brattleboro Reformer had to say just yesterday about Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater, the "original co-sponsor" of H.R. 508:

Curiously, while our congressman Peter Welch is a co-sponsor of two other bills -- one by Massachusetts Democrat Edward Markey to prohibit funding for additional troops in Iraq, and the other by Massachusetts Democrat James McGovern to withdraw our troops and contractors from Iraq -- Welch has not yet signed on to Woolsey's bill.

The "original" GreenMountainPolitics1 thinks that Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater might want to find another nursery rhyme.

Might we suggest:

and this little piggy went Wee Wee Wee all the way home!

Senator John McCain tells Bill's Wife, "Be A Man!"

No matter how much that putz Cliff Schecter yips and yaps, America knows where the Senior Senator from Arizona stands on the issues.

America always has.

And, whether or not you agree with the proposed troop surge, Senator McCain has consistently argued that more troops are needed in Iraq to help stabilize Baghdad, prevent the outbreak of a wider regional war and finish the job that 373 members of Congress voted to start in 2002.

GreenMountainPolitics1 wholeheartedly supports the Senator's support of the surge.

Not because the surge is easy and politically expedient.

It isn't.

Not because we are "war mongers" who are "lost in the delusions of empire".

We aren't.

We support the surge because we believe that if America remains unable to stabilize Iraq that the long-term consequences to our national security and our economic interests will be catastrophic.

Which is why this anti-war activist from 2003 has joined Senator McCain in supporting what we feel is the right way forward in Iraq today.

Furthermore, we agree with the Senator's recent comments regarding Congressional support for a non-binding resolution opposing President Bush's Iraq Strategy:

"I don't think it's appropriate to say that you disapprove of a mission and you don't want to fund it and you don't want it to go, but yet you don't take the action necessary to prevent it.

I do believe that if you really believe that this is doomed to failure and is going to cost American lives, then you should do what's necessary to prevent it from happening rather than a vote of 'disapproval’.

How's that for some straight talk?

We have said time and again that if you don't favor the troop surge and you don't favor cutting off funding to end the whole war then, by default, you are in favor of staying the course in Iraq.

Which is why we find Hillary Clinton's recent comments on Iraq Strategy so interesting.

Bill's wife now says that she would not have gone to war in the first place and promises to end the war in '09 if elected President.

But why doesn't Hillary just end the conflict right now by supporting Senator Feingold's bill to cut off funding for the war?

John Edwards and Chris Dodd are putting their political capital where their mouths are and support the bill (which is why we are so fond of them, misguided though they are).

Why doesn't Hillary Clinton have the power of her convictions?

Isn't she man enough?

That goes for you to Nancy "Grandma" Pelosi.

Your favorables are currently up, but for how long? How long can you keep the New Left at bay? How much longer can you let political calculations interfere with what you feel is right?

Senator McCain's support of the surge might well cost him the Presidency (we "Clackers" rarely lose something in support of anything, which is why people go into punditry in the first place).

But even the very real threat of losing what he has worked for his entire life is not enough to make Mr. Straight Talk avoid doing what he feels is right.

Which is why we love him.

And it is why we are skeptical of so many of the Anti-War Establishment.

Why John Edwards Will Beat Hillary In 2008 (Part II)

GreenMountainPolitics1 doesn't sit around and wait for Chris Matthews and Brit Hume to tell us what to think.

No way. No sir.

Listening to Matthews winds us up tighter than a top and Hume won't return our phone calls after we accidentally spilled a Bloody Mary on him in the Chevy Chase Club's Winter Room last summer.

Besides, GMP1 doesn't have time to think. We can only react. Like a cougar.

And, our instant analysis of John Edwards' appearance on Meet the Press this morning is that the former Senator did so well that Team Hillary might be knocking back one Bloody Mary too many right now.

Watch yourself Hume.

Unfortunately, spicy tomato vodka drinks aren't going to change Hillary's answer to ending the War in Iraq, which is too far to the right to suit Democratic Primary voters.

Which suits John Edwards just fine.

Edwards used his time with Russert this morning to stoke anti-war passions in the Democratic Party by telling Congress to use its authority to cut off funding for the war, which he argues is the only way to hold President Bush accountable.

He used his speech to Democratic National Committee members Friday morning to criticise a nonbinding resolution expressing the Senate's opposition to President Bush's war policies. Both Hillary and Obama support the resolution.

We agree with Edwards, the nonbinding resolution is worthless.

You can be in favor of a troop surge or you can be in favor of cutting off funding for the whole war but anything else is "staying the course" and worthless.

And, we humbly ask Democratic Party activists where is your moral outrage over the fact that Reid/Pelosi have sold you down the river?

Edwards knows and he is looking to tap into that outrage. Very smart politics for a Democratic primary. And the only way to take down the Hillary juggernaut.

While we do not agree with Edwards' stance on the War (take note Daily Kos member Kagro X), we wholeheartedly support the way Edwards is putting his money where his mouth is and holding himself accountable to promises made by his Party.

We commend him.

We think Primary voters will to.

Giuliani The Independent?

We know how you feel Mayor.

Newsday Craig Gordon's story on Rudy's latest campaign filing forces us to ask - Is Giuliani's campaign sloppy (as usual)? Or just independent minded?

We already know that his staff is rude (we're still waiting for our apology Katie), but sloppy and/or independent too?

Can't they just pick their poison and stick with it?

From Gordon's story:

Republicans looking at Rudolph Giuliani's campaign for president always ask two questions - is he really running, and is he a "real Republican?"

They're probably not going to like the answers found by Newsday in Giuliani's government filings.

The ex-mayor still is holding back from submitting the simple one-page form declaring himself a possible candidate, despite raising $1.4 million to run. And asked what party he belongs to on a different form, Giuliani didn't say - he left the answer blank.

GreenMountainPolitics1 understands Hiz Honor withholding the form that legally declares his candidacy. While we like Rudy we have always been skeptical that he would actually run for President.

In fact, we've got wagers all over the place that he's not running.

Hey, we've got big mouths and we put what little money we have where those big mouths are.

But even if "Rudy's (non) Run" turns out to be nothing more than a massive ego trip that steals from the uber-rich (the donors) to give to the sorta-rich (the consultants, media men and managers that buzzard around Presidential campaigns), we simply cannot understand why Rudy would not legally declare his membership in the Republican Party.

It doesn't make any sense.

Hiz Honor's explanation of why he didn't declare himself a member of the Republican Party didn't clear up much:

"The mayor continues to be a proud member of the Republican Party, and we are extremely encouraged by the response from Republicans across the country to his potential run for president," Giuliani spokeswoman Katie Levinson said.

Setting aside the humor of Ms. Levinson having to state that Hiz Honor is "really, truly, really-truly a Republican I swear", we still can't understand why Rudy didn't just check the damn box.

Some people are speculating that Rudy didn't check the box because he is going run for President as an Independent.

And, after the lukewarm reception Hiz Honor got from GOP faithful in New Hampshire last weekend, some are arguing that it might not be a bad idea.

But we don't think that Rudy's going to run as an Independent. Actually, we're pretty sure that Hiz Honor isn't going to run at all.

We think that Rudy didn't check the box because his staff is just sloppy.

We haven't seen anything yet from Team Giuliani that would make us change our minds.