Rich Lowry vs. Michael Medved: “isn’t anyone reading the exit polls?”

http://corner.nationalreview.com/

"Huckabee took 14% of the vote and came in fourth in the Iowa caucus among non-evangelicals according to the NBC Republican exit poll. Huckabee's principal voting block was female born-again Christian Republicans living in non-urban rural areas with a population below 10,000. I dearly love such people, but demographically in the country at large there aren't that many of them.When Huckabee moves out of caucus Iowa and into primary state America, he's going to get killed."

Michael Medved just said that is a lie, and that the majority of evangelicals voted against Huckabee. This is were Medved lies with statistics. You see, evangelicals split their votes among Huckabee, Romney, McCain, and Fred Thompson. So perhaps a "majority" of evangelicals did not support Huckabee, but what Rich Lowry said above. Huckabee came in 4rth among non-evangelicals.

But who cares? Why point this out? Am I offending Evangelicals? Well it all has to do with the story line. Medved is going on and on about how wonderful Huckabee is, and how positive Huckabee has been, and that Huckabee has not gone negative.

Huckabee is negative. Huckabee:

• Called Mitt Romney a liar on many occasions. Saying Mitt Romney is "dishonest and desperate"
• Said Mitt Romney is disparate (see above)
• Suggested that Romney should commit suicide (Google it)
• Huckabee's campaign manager said he would like to knock Romney's teeth out
• Huckabee has continued to leave posts on his website for over a month now that say that "Mitt Romney worships Satan" and is a "piece of Mormon Garbage". Their are hundreds of these comments on Huckabee's website, which is a clearning house of anti-Mormon information
• Said that Mitt Romney is lying running for president, and that he would lie once he became president
  

And Medved has the audacity to go on and on about how positive Huckabee's message has been.

Michael Medved, how are citizens supposed to pick a president? Who ever is the nicest? IS that how we should pick who is president? There is a song that says, you got to be cruel to be kind. It is much NICER that mitt Romney kindly point out that Mike Huckabee pardoned 1,033 people, 12 of whom were convicted murderers, than to have the Democrats release cruel and humiliating heartfealt interviews with the families of these victims, destroying Mike Huckabee and any future that he had.

Mitt Romney is not making this personal. Mike Huckabee is calling Mitt Romney names, saying he isn't a liar, and Huckabee's website says that "Romney worships Satan". Mitt Romney is doing what campaigns should be about: issues. Michael Medved is destroying our ability to reason by saying that being nice is more important than fighting it out and seeing who and what is correct, and who is the last man standing.

This is the time for us to "fight it out" in the war of ideas. If you go to Brittan, and you go to the house of commons, their is none of the "I would like to turn the time over to my esteemed colleague" stuff that you have in the US Senate. They have a nock down drag out fight, and that is what we need to figure out who is best qualified to take on the democrats.

Not a mean spirited fight. But a respectful, but honest discussion of the issues.

And the Ironic thing is that that is exactly how Medved treats his guest. I would like to listen to the Michael Medved show if he could never point out problems with what his guest were saying, like he wants Mitt Romney to never point out problems with the other candidates.

Rush

Rush on Mitt Romney:
• Mitt Romney Raised the Bar
• Romney Looked Great on MTP
• Drive-By Media Out to Get Mitt
• Romney Speech Freaks Out Libs
• Mitt Romney's Inspiring Speech
• Mitt, Buckley, the GOP's Future

 

El Rushbo on Mike Huckabee:

• What if Huckabee Wins Iowa? • Analyzing This: The Mike Huckabee Appeal • Huckabee Campaign Chairman Ed Rollins Trashes Rush Instead of Debating Conservatism • Governor Huckabee Forces Attack El Rushbo • Callers React to Huckabee Attacks on Rush • Democrats Want Mike Huckabee

Identity Politics and the Hucksters

We've seen this phenomenon before with Ross Perot.

Fact Check?

Mickey Kaus and Ramesh Ponuru (who is a McCain supporter) both say that Romney got the immigration position of McCain right in the contrast ad he's aired. Kaus says:
Santora [of the NY Times] has to be wrong. ... [pause for Googling] ... He is. Under McCain's bill, legal immigrants wouldn't collect Social Security "only after they are citizens." They would collect Social Security after they had become legal. In fact, legal immigrants apparently don't even have to become citizens now, under current law--if they're legalized, they can collect Social Security, even for work they performed here when they were illegal.

The distinction between "citizen" and "legal" is important, because it's easier to become a legal worker than it is to "wait" and become a full-fledged citizen. And McCain's "comprehensive immigration reform" would have legalized millions of current illegals fairly quickly. Hence, it would ... how to put it? ... "allow illegals to collect Social Security." Romney's charge seems basically accurate.
Ponuru adds:
I agree with Mickey Kaus that the media fact-checkers in this debate are distorting it more than the actual participants.

Illegals granted Social Security

Hot topic now (again) . . . and that's GOOD NEWS!!
McCain supporters and his media apologists are claiming that McCain didn't support SS for illegals.

The truth is on our side

Illegals granted Social Security
The Washington Times
By: Charles Hurt
May 19, 2006
The Senate voted yesterday to allow illegal aliens to collect Social Security
benefits based on past illegal employment — even if the job was obtained
through forged or stolen documents.
"There was a felony they were committing, and now they can't be prosecuted. That
sounds like amnesty to me," said Sen. John Ensign, the Nevada Republican who
offered the amendment yesterday to strip out those provisions of the immigration
reform bill. "It just boggles the mind how people could be against this
amendment."
The Ensign amendment was defeated on a 50-49 vote.
"We all know that millions of undocumented immigrants pay Social Security and
Medicare taxes for years and sometimes decades while they work to contribute to
our economy," said Sen. John McCain, Arizona Republican.
"The Ensign amendment would undermine the work of these people by preventing
lawfully present immigrant workers from claiming Social Security benefits that
they earned before they were authorized to work in our community," he said. "If
this amendment were enacted, the nest egg that these immigrants have worked hard
for would be taken from them and their families."
**************

On The Issues has the info:
http://www.issues2000.org/2008/John_McCain_Immigration.htm
Voted YES on allowing illegal aliens to participate in Social Security.
Voting YEA would table (kill) the proposed amendment to prohibit illegal immigrants from receiving Social Security benefits. Voting NAY supports that prohibition, while voting YEA supports immigrants participating in Social Security. Text of amendment:
To reduce document fraud, prevent identity theft, and preserve the integrity of the Social Security system, by ensuring that persons who receive an adjustment of status under this bill are not able to receive Social Security benefits as a result of unlawful activity.
* Proponents of the amendment say to vote NAY because:The Immigration Reform bill would allow people to qualify for social security based on work they did while they were illegally present in the US and illegally working in the US. People who broke the law to come here and broke the law to work here can benefit from their conduct to collect social security.
* In some cases, illegal immigrants may have stolen an American citizen's identity. They may have stolen an American's social security number to fraudulently work. This amendment corrects this problem.
* Opponents of the amendment say to vote YEA because: Americans understand that for years there are undocumented workers who have tried to follow our laws and be good neighbors and good citizens, and have paid into the Social Security Trust Fund.
* Once that person regularizes his or her status, and as they proceed down the path to earned citizenship, they should have the benefit after having followed the law and made those contributions. That is fairness.
* We should not steal their funds or empty their Social Security accounts. That is not fair. It does not reward their hard work or their financial contributions.
* The amendment proposes to change existing law to prohibit an individual from gaining the benefit of any contributions made while the individual was in an undocumented status. I oppose this amendment and believe it is wrong.
Reference: Preclusion of Social Security Credits; Bill S.Amdt.3985 to S.2611 ; vote number 2006-130 on May 18, 2006
Actually, under McCain's bill once Illegals gained citizenship they would be credited/payed back all of their social-security withholdings that they had accrued WHILE WORKING AND LIVING HERE ILLEGALLY.
That was a very disturbing part of the bill that McCain authored.
McCain DID support social security benefits for current illegals and that is what the ad claimed. I know that facts hurt, but McCain can only blame himself. Apparently McCain doesn't now support such benefits. That's the right side of the issue and I'm glad he's come over to it. But this has hardly been an area where we're getting any straight talk from Mr. McCain.

"Romney Spoke In Glowing Terms That Evoked The Sunny Optimism Of Former President Reagan"

Friday, December 28, 2007

"Romney Spoke In Glowing Terms That Evoked The Sunny Optimism Of Former President Reagan"

Posted by: Hugh Hewitt  at 10:08 AM

From the AP's Glen Johnson, on Mitt Romney's campaigning in New Hampshire yesterday, before leaving for Iowa through the end of the caucuses:

 

Romney spoke in glowing terms that evoked the sunny optimism of former President Reagan, to whom Romney referred several times. At the end of the day, Romney departed for Iowa, where he will remain through its Jan. 3 caucuses. After that, he will campaign around-the-clock in New Hampshire before its Jan. 8 primary.

"No one votes for yesterday; they vote for tomorrow," Romney said at one point. "Elections are about the future, the future of our families, the future of our country."

It is a rare thing to get an AP reporter to bless any campaign moment with a comparison to Ronald Reagan's sunny optimism.  Romney's not the only candidate on the trail that brings enthusiasm and energy to the race day in and day out, but Senator Obama is on the other team, and Rudy is struggling because the mayor relied on a strategy that keeps him on the bench until Florida.  GOP voters in Iowa and New Hampshire who care about winning in November should keep in mind that Reagan won massive victories in November 1980 and 1984 because he encouraged the country to believe it could beat the Soviet Union, could spread prosperity, and could defend freedoms at home while exporting them abroad and he did so with a smile and a joke backed by incredibly delivered rhetoric.  It is about the right vision married to the right skills set.

Republican presidential hopeful, former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney, left, shares a light moment with his wife Ann, right, as she addresses a crowd during a campaign stop in Manchester, N.H., Thursday, Dec. 27, 2007. Romney answered questions concerning Pakistan during the stop. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Romney's new ad, "Future," keeps the focus on the election and the years ahead while reminding voters of Senator McCain's opposition to the Bush tax cuts and the McCain-Kennedy immigration "reform" attempted jam down.  ( More on Senator McCain's record of putting his finger in republican eyes here .)

Mike Huckabee is in deep trouble, and not just for gaffe upon gaffe. The new revelations about accepting money from stem-cell research groups may disturb even his most dedicated evangelical supporters.  From Politico.com:

Mike Huckabee last year accepted $52,000 in speaking fees from a bio-tech giant that wants to research human embryonic stem cells, a non-profit working to expand access to the morning after pill and a group pushing to study whether tightening gun control laws will reduce violence.

The deflation of the Huckabee campaign frees up voters to go to either Romney, Thompson or McCain though any evangelical leaving Huckabee is unlikely to look past Senator McCain's opposition to a federal Marriage Amendment or the Gang of 14.  Romney and Thompson are both pushing conservative agendas, but the momentum is with the former governor as the home stretch opens in Iowa. 

UPDATE: Another Huckabee gaffe!  The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder reports that the former Arkansas governor puts Afghanistan on Pakistan's eastern border in comments defending his foreign policy credentials.

This sort of a misstep isn't serious in the summer or even the fall, but coming six days before voting after yesterday's gaffe and in the course of remarks meant to rebut criticism of your grasp of foreign policy, a geography gaffe causes a collective shudder among undecideds even as Huckabee's base absorbs the news about his speaking fees from stem cell research advocates.

Even if Huck hangs on in Iowa, it will be tough to take his Huckmentum west to New Hampshire, south to Michigan and north to South Carolina.

Mark Steyn On Pakistan And The Presidential Race

HH: You know, I have been making the argument, and into some pretty heavy wind today, that this also undermines Fred Thompson and John McCain, because Senators don't run anything, Mark Steyn, except their mouths and committees badly, that it's not about visiting a country, it's about managing a war, and that Giuliani and Romney have executive experience, and Hillary can actually be understood to have some executive experience, or at least being close to it for a while. What do you make of the idea that foreign crisis elevates John McCain's rather sad record of legislative screw-ups because he's traveled the globe? 

MS: Well, I would generally agree with you that Senators make bad, not just bad presidents, actually, but bad everything. I mean, John Kerry couldn't even run that donut stand in Boston, which is his only experience in the private sector, as far as one knows. You know, they are the classic examples of kind of rolodex politics, that they think it's about flying across the world and meeting other A-list names. And I think that is exactly what is not needed at this time. As you say, I think an executive ability, combined, I think, with a grasp of the underlying demographic reality, you know, Pakistan is a young country, it has one of the highest birth rates in the world, and although we can talk about this and that, and I've been talking, you know, it's only 60 years old, this country. But in a sense, to all those young men, 18, 19, 20, that it exports all over the planet, what Pakistan was like in 1947 is utterly foreign and utterly irrelevant to them. And so the sort of, these kind of people who think it's just about getting on the phone and speaking to some other A-list name in the rolodex on the other side of the world, I think that's about the least helpful way to approach this thing.  

 

http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/talkradio/transcripts/Transcript.aspx?ContentGuid=8cb3ba5e-403c-4578-8dc5-03bc8a848733

Twas the night before Christmas...

... and all through the house, not a child was crying, you could have
heard a mouse! With holiday cheer and a future New Year, brings on
needed change that is well in high gear. With Rudolph losing ground
while eyeing his past to McCain resurrecting his straight talk
express. With the new things each day and surprise by Huckabee,
awakened a term, like clemency. Now with days that evolve and come
unto us, spawns new words like "HuClemency theocraticus". With new
names that come like Ron, Tom and Fred, from off the wall lexis to
those that act dead. Now with Romney on track and leading the way,
receiving more votes day by day. So with Romney and Rudy to Mike and
McCain, Dash away Dash away- one way train. So off to the races, and
out the gate, "Who will be America's Pick in 2008?

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and may the next year be as
exciting and challenging as this last year, but in regards to Mitt; it
will be a fun and enjoyable ride

Mcdav
Montanans For Mitt
www.montanansformitt.com
Jon McNiven-Founder

From Wolf

Although not the heavyweight that Judge Bork is, Joe Arpaio, America's toughest Sheriff, Maricopa County AZ, is reported in Iowa on Mitt's behalf. Arpaio is a real character and as conservative as any sheriff in the country. He's the sheriff of 'Tent City' and the same guy who makes prisoners wear pink jump suits! Bork and Arpaio, not a bad 1-2 punch for the last few days.

From Steve

I love how they call these negative adds, how are you going to differentiate the candidates without these adds, I guess the media wants us to pick the candidate with the best Christmas Commercial.

Ann Curry Dismisses Reagan's Foreign Policy Credentials

Ann Curry Dismisses Reagan's Foreign Policy Credentials

By Justin McCarthy | December 28, 2007 - 12:36 ET

NBC's Ann Curry interviewed Mitt Romney on Friday morning's Today on the impact of Benazir Bhutto's assassination, and in a tough interview, she dismissed Ronald Reagan's foreign policy credentials. When Curry questioned Romney's foreign policy experience, Romney noted that Reagan "was a governor, not a so-called foreign policy expert." Curry dismissively stated "Reagan was not elected at a time of war."

No, Reagan was just elected in an intense point in the Cold War. The Soviets had invaded Afghanistan and U.S. diplomats were still being held hostage in Iran. Romney did say that Reagan was "elected at a time of the Cold War. And the Cold War was the greatest challenge that was faced by this nation in the last half of the last century."

Curry, who pushed Chris Dodd to slam the Bush administration on alleged "torture" and Al Gore to run for president, offered Romney tough (if not unfair) questions, and continually interrupted Romney throughout the interview. The entire transcript is below.

ANN CURRY: Reaction to Bhutto's assassination was swift from the candidates running for president. So will her death prompt voters to reconsider who is qualified to lead this country especially when it comes to foreign policy? Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is running for the Republican nomination. Governor Romney, good morning.

FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY: Good morning Ann.

CURRY: Governor, if you were president today and you could get President Pervez Musharraf on the phone, what would be your message to him this morning?

ROMNEY: Well, the message is to rebuild the kind of strength that he's previously had with the people and to move towards democracy. I think it is important for a reconciliation, particularly with Mr. Sharif and potentially with the remaining leadership in Madam Bhutto's party to try and reach a consensus, to move towards elections and to legitimize in the eyes of the people of Pakistan the government and be able to move forward with the kind of stability --

CURRY: You've heard the criticism- excuse me for interrupting. You've heard the criticism that in fact he was an impediment according to Benazir Bhutto to democracy and also the criticism he may not have done enough to help prevent, to protect her and prevent what happened yesterday. Are you at all concerned in making this phone call to him about the quality of his character?

ROMNEY: Well, I'm not concerned about the quality of his character but I am concerned about the quality of his judgment in a setting like this. I think his action for instance to declare martial law in the past was one that was destabilizing and weakened his position there. I think his resistance to having Madam Bhutto become part of the government over time was a mistake in his part. I think he misread the mood of the Pakistani people and he should have moved more aggressively towards democratization. But this is not your average Muslim nation. This is a nation which has had democracy and he should have moved more quickly to restore democracy.

 

CURRY: Well, given that, has the United States made a major mistake in having President Musharraf be a major ally in the War on Terror? Is he a good ally in this War on Terror and does his country still deserve this $10 billion in U.S. aid in your view? Would you continue it as president?

ROMNEY: Well, we of course take action to protect our interests. And the reason we send money to Pakistan is to protect our interests and try to root out terrorists in the northwest portion, particularly of Pakistan, so that they can't continue to make incursions into Afghanistan and of course spread terror throughout the region--

 

CURRY: So that's a yes, you would continue that aid?

ROMNEY: Oh yes, we continue that aid and we're going to continue to work with General Musharraf, but try and move him to a posture that actually has more potential for being a long --

CURRY: So if you try to move -- sorry to keep interrupting but we don't have a lot of time. So if you were to try and move him, what grade would you give him today, "A" to"F," in terms of where he is where you would want him to be as an ally on the War in Terror?

ROMNEY: I'd want him to project strength to show that we also have the, that he has the support of the United States behind him, that we're standing alongside him and that we're moving towards democracy, that he's meeting with the leadership in both parties, multiple parties, that he's willing to open up this process to fair and open elections and that he'll respond to the voice of the people and bring stability back to the country and democracy.

CURRY: Most analysts would say, governor, that the events of yesterday will help your chief opponents Rudy Giuliani and John McCain. Are you concerned, are you worried that your impact, that your campaign will be impacted negatively?

ROMNEY: Oh, I think we have to put the events of the world at a higher level than thinking about local politics. But I do believe as well that people recognize that what we want in a leader is a person who can actually guide America in a very challenging time. You look back to the -- one of the great foreign policy leaders of our nation was Ronald Reagan. He was a governor, not a so-called foreign policy expert. He was a person who knew how to make difficult decisions and how to lead in times of crisis. And I think if you look at my life's experience you'll recognize that's what I bring to the table.

CURRY: Ronald Reagan was not elected at a time of war. Why should voters embrace you without having -- they're not seeing you have had a lot of foreign policy credentials. Why should they embrace you as leading this nation in this very challenging time in our world's history?

ROMNEY: Well, certainly Ronald Reagan was elected at a time of the Cold War. And the Cold War was the greatest challenge that was faced by this nation in the last half of the last century. So it was a very critical time. Ronald Reagan took on the spread of Soviet style communism throughout the world and he was successful not because he was a general himself and thought he could mastermind our military strategy but instead because he had the skills of leadership that allowed him to bring together brilliant people, to chart a course that would overcome Soviet expansionism and it worked. And my life's experience is likewise, being a strategist in the private sector, in the Olympics and also in running a state. That kind of leadership skill I think is exactly what America needs right now.

—Justin McCarthy is a news analyst at Media Research Center.

Attack Ad?

Senator McCain complains that our issue-focused contrast ad is an attack, but he should know better.  After all, his campaign in 2000 ran a real attack ad, in which he accused then-Gov. George Bush of "twist[ing] the truth like Clinton."  You can watch the ad on YouTube:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHoXkCprdL4

Make sure to check out the Republican reaction denouncing the ad from Bill Bennett, Sen. Strom Thurmond, Karl Rove, Oliver North, and Senator Fred Thompson.

http://www.mittromney.com/News/Press-Releases/Straight_Talk_Detour_12.28

Future

Today, Romney for President launched its newest television ad, "Future." 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E0G4xwDGCI

 

The ad highlights the choice Republicans will have to make when it comes to strengthening our country.  Senator McCain opposed strengthening our economy through lower taxes.  He has pushed legislation allowing every illegal immigrant to stay in the United States.  Governor Romney took a different course.  He cut taxes and spending in Massachusetts.  He has consistently opposed amnesty for illegal immigrants.  On election day, Republicans will have a choice between two very different records and visions for our future.

 

The ad will begin airing today as part of the campaign's rotation in New Hampshire.  The script and ad facts follow.

 

Script For "Future" (TV:30):

 

GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY: "I'm Mitt Romney and I approved this message."

 

ANNOUNCER: "John McCain, an honorable man.  But is he the right Republican for the future?

 

"McCain opposes repeal of the death tax, and voted against the Bush tax cuts twice.

 

"McCain pushed to let every illegal immigrant stay here permanently.

 

"Even voted to allow illegals to collect Social Security.

 

"And Mitt Romney?  Mitt Romney cut taxes and spending as Governor.

 

"He opposes amnesty for illegals.

 

"Mitt Romney.  John McCain.  There is a difference."

 

AD FACTS: Script For "Future" (TV:30):

 

GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY: "I'm Mitt Romney and I approved this message."  ANNOUNCER: "John McCain, an honorable man.  But is he the right Republican for the future?  McCain opposes repeal of the death tax, and voted against the Bush tax cuts twice."

 

• In 2002, Senator McCain Was One Of Only Two Republicans To Twice Vote Against Permanent Repeal Of The Death Tax. (S. 1731, CQ Vote #28: Adopted 56-42: R 45-2; D 11-39; I 0-1, 2/13/02, McCain Voted Nay, H.R. 8, CQ Vote #151: Motion Rejected 54-44: R 45-2; D 9-41; I 0-1, 6/12/02, McCain Voted Nay)

 

• In 2001, Senator McCain Was One Of Only Two Republicans To Vote Against The $1.35 Trillion Tax Cut. The bill lowered marginal rates, eliminated the marriage penalty, and doubled the child tax credit. (H.R. 1836, CQ Vote #170: Adopted 58-33: R 46-2; D 12-31; I 0-0, 5/26/01, McCain Voted Nay)

 

• In 2003, Senator McCain Was One Of Only Three Republicans To Vote Against The $350 Billion Tax Cut. The comprehensive bill lowered taxes by $350 billion over 11 years – including increasing the child tax credit and eliminated the marriage penalty. (H.R. 2, CQ Vote #179: Passed 51-49: R 48-3; D 3-45; I 0-1, 5/15/03, McCain Voted Nay; H.R. 2, CQ Vote #196: Adopted 50-50: R 48-3; D 2-46; I 0-1, 5/23/03, McCain Voted Nay)

 

ANNOUNCER:  "McCain pushed to let every illegal immigrant stay here permanently.  Even voted to allow illegals to collect Social Security."

 

• Senator McCain's 2006 Immigration Plan Would Allow 11 Million Illegals To Remain In The U.S. "The McCain plan – which is being put forward in the U.S. House by Arizona GOP Congressmen Jeff Flake and Jim Kolbe – allows the 11 million illegal immigrants already in the U.S. to stay in the country if they apply for legal status and pay a $2,000 fine." (Mike Sunnucks, "Napolitano, Hayworth Criticize Bush On Illegal Immigration," The Phoenix Business Journal, 2/1/06)

 

• Senator McCain Voted To Allow Illegals To Collect Retroactive Social Security Benefits.  "Specter, R-Pa., motion to table (kill) the Ensign, R-Nev., amendment no. 3985 that would bar illegal immigrants currently in the country from claiming Social Security credits for work done in years before they are assigned a valid Social Security number." (S. 2611, CQ Vote #130: Motion Agreed To 50-49: R 11-44; D 38-5; I 1-0, 5/18/06, Clinton, Kennedy, And McCain Voted Yea)

 

• "The Senate Voted Yesterday To Allow Illegal Aliens To Collect Social Security Benefits Based On Past Illegal Employment - Even If The Job Was Obtained Through Forged Or Stolen Documents." (Charles Hurt, "Illegals Granted Social Security," The Washington Times, 5/19/06)

 

• The Washington Times Editorial: Senator McCain Moved Social Security Closer To Insolvency By Offering Benefits To Illegals. "On its way to bankruptcy, Social Security will get there a bit sooner if President Bush, Republican senators (and prospective presidential candidates) John McCain, Chuck Hagel and Sam Brownback and the overwhelming majority of Democratic senators get their way. … During the Senate debate on immigration reform in May, Mr. Ensign proposed that no illegal alien whose status would be adjusted by the Senate bill be permitted to receive Social Security benefits as a result of unlawful activity. … In addition to Messrs. McCain, Hagel and Brownback, other still-serving Republicans who opposed the Ensign amendment, which lost by a 50-49 vote, included Sens. Lindsey Graham, Richard Lugar, Mel Martinez, Arlen Specter, Ted Stevens and George Voinovich." (Editorial, "Social Security Siphon," The Washington Times, 1/5/07)

 

ANNOUNCER:  "And Mitt Romney?  Mitt Romney cut taxes and spending as Governor."

 

• Governor Romney Turned The Legislature's Proposed Capital Gains Tax Hike Into A Tax Refund Instead. "Romney was more successful when he took on the State Legislature for imposing a retroactive tax on capital gains earnings. After a bloody fight, Romney succeeded in passing a bill preventing the capital gains tax from being applied retroactively, resulting in a rebate of $275 million for capital gains taxes collected in 2002. Governor Romney also signed legislation that provided property tax relief to seniors and legislation establishing a two-day tax-free shopping holiday in 2005." (The Club For Growth, "Mitt Romney's Record On Economic Issues," Press Release, 8/21/07)

 

• Club For Growth: Governor Romney "Imposed Some Much-Needed Fiscal Discipline On A Very Liberal Massachusetts Legislature." "[O]n balance, he imposed some much-needed fiscal discipline on a very liberal Massachusetts Legislature." (The Club For Growth, "Mitt Romney's Record On Economic Issues," Press Release, 8/21/07) 

 

• Governor Romney "Attempted To Cut Down On Government Spending By Streamlining Many Duplicative And Wasteful Elements On Beacon Hill." "To his credit, Romney attempted to cut down on government spending by streamlining many duplicative and wasteful elements of Beacon Hill. ... Governor Romney successfully consolidated the social service and public health bureaucracy and restructured the Metropolitan District Commission. Romney even eliminated half of the executive branch's press positions, saving $1.2 million." (The Club For Growth, "Mitt Romney's Record On Economic Issues," Press Release, 8/21/07)

 

ANNOUNCER:  "He opposes amnesty for illegals.  Mitt Romney.  John McCain.  There is a difference."

 

·        Governor Romney's Strategy For A Stronger America Calls For Ending Illegal Immigration Without Amnesty. "Reject Amnesty. Do not give amnesty or any special pathway to those who have come to this country illegally." (Romney For President, "Strategy For A Stronger America," www.mittromney.com, Posted 9/18/07)

 

·        Read Governor Romney's Immigration Plan Here:  http://mittromney.com/News/Press-Releases/Romney_Agenda_12.14.07

Ready

This afternoon, Romney for President launched another new television ad, "Ready." 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpoPRA3pFjg

 

The ad highlights the very important choice voters will have to make when it comes to electing a candidate ready to make tough decisions.  In Arkansas, Governor Mike Huckabee increased state spending, backed in-state tuition benefits for illegal immigrants and granted over 1,000 pardons and commutations.  Governor Huckabee's attacks on the Bush administration's foreign policy has been called "ludicrous."  In Massachusetts, Governor Romney took a different course.  He held spending down and granted zero pardons.  There is a clear difference in leadership.    

 

The ad will begin airing today as part of the campaign's rotation in Iowa. 

 

Script For "Ready" (TV:30):

 

GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY:  "I'm Mitt Romney and I approved this message."

 

ANNOUNCER:  "Two good men.

 

"But who is ready to make tough decisions?

 

"Mike Huckabee?  Soft on government spending.  He grew a $6 billion government into a $16 billion government.

 

"Backed in-state tuition benefits for illegals, and granted 1,033 pardons and commutations, including 12 murderers.

 

"His foreign policy?  'Ludicrous,' says Condoleezza Rice.

 

"Mitt Romney held spending down below inflation.  Cut taxes.  Zero pardons.

 

"The difference? Strong leadership."

 

 

AD FACTS: Script For "Ready" (TV:30):

 

GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY:  "I'm Mitt Romney and I approved this message."  ANNOUNCER:  "Two good men.  But who is ready to make tough decisions?  Mike Huckabee?  Soft on government spending.  He grew a $6 billion government into a $16 billion government."

 

·        Under Governor Huckabee, State Spending More Than Doubled From $6.6 Billion To $16.1 Billion. "During Huckabee's 10 years as governor, state spending more than doubled, from $6.6 billion to $16.1 billion in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2006. Higher education and public schools got big increases, as did social services." (Daniel Nasaw, "Home Turf Not Rock Solid For Huckabee," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 10/4/07)

 

ANNOUNCER:  "Backed in-state tuition benefits for illegals, and granted 1,033 pardons and commutations, including 12 murderers."

 

·        Governor Huckabee Fought For A Bill Which Granted In-State Tuition Breaks For Illegals. "Other than the highway plan, the only bill in the governor's 21-bill legislative package that failed to win legislative approval was a proposal to make the children of illegal immigrants eligible for state-funded scholarships and in-state tuition to Arkansas colleges. After passing the House relatively early in the session, the bill faltered in the Senate where it was amended to remove the scholarship provision but fell just short of passage Tuesday and Wednesday. Huckabee said his office worked throughout the day Wednesday for the two Senate votes needed to pass the bill. 'I don't understand the opposition to it, I just honestly don't,' Huckabee said. 'It hurts me on a personal as well as a policy level to think that we are still debating issues that I kind of hoped we had put aside in the 1960s, maybe at the latest the 70s, and yet I understand people have deep passions about things usually they don't fully understand.'" (Melissa Nelson, "Governor Touts Successful End To Legislative Session," The Associated Press, 4/13/05)

 

·        Governor Huckabee Granted 1,033 Pardons And Commutations, More Than Twice As Many As His Three Predecessors COMBINED. "As governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee had a hand in twice as many pardons and commutations as his three predecessors combined. … Huckabee granted 1,033 pardons and commutations in his 10 1/2 years as governor of Arkansas. The acts of clemency benefited the stepson of a staff member, murderers who worked at the governor's mansion, a rock star and inmates who received good words from their pastors. … During his years as governor, Huckabee granted clemency an average of about once every four days. Huckabee's successor, Mike Beebe, has issued 40 so far this year, fewer than one a week. Bill Clinton, Frank White and Tucker granted 507 clemencies in the 17 1/2 years they served as governor." (Andrew DeMillo, "Huckabee Pardons Under Scrutiny," The Associated Press, 12/10/07)

 

·        Governor Huckabee Commuted 12 Sentences For Murderers. "During his tenure, Huckabee has been criticized for his use of the clemency powers. Through April, the total sentence commutations issued by Huckabee were 146, including 12 for murderers, according to records at the secretary of state's office. A clemency can be either a sentence commutation or a pardon for someone who has already discharged his sentence, such as in Richards' situation." (Seth Blomeley, "It's A Gas, Gas, Gas: Rocker Seeks Pardon For '75 Fordyce Arrest," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 7/19/06)

 

ANNOUNCER: "His foreign policy?  'Ludicrous,' says Condoleezza Rice."

 

·        Secretary Of State Condoleezza Rice Said Huckabee's Criticism Of Bush Foreign Policy Was "Ludicrous." "After first saying 'I don't have time to comment on other people's comments', Rice took on Huckabee, head-on during an end-of-year State Department press briefing. 'The idea that this is a go-it-alone policy is just simply ludicrous.  And one would only have to be not observing the facts, let me say that, to say that this is now a go-it-alone foreign policy,' Rice said." ("Rice: Huckabee Foreign Policy Criticism 'Ludicrous'," ABC News' Political Radar Blog, http://blogs.abcnews.com, Posted 12/21/07)

 

ANNOUNCER: "Mitt Romney held spending down below inflation.  Cut taxes.  Zero pardons.  The difference? Strong leadership."

 

·                    Club For Growth: Governor Romney "Imposed Some Much-Needed Fiscal Discipline On A Very Liberal Massachusetts Legislature." "[O]n balance, he imposed some much-needed fiscal discipline on a very liberal Massachusetts Legislature." (The Club For Growth, "Mitt Romney's Record On Economic Issues," Press Release, 8/21/07) 

 

·                    Governor Romney "Attempted To Cut Down On Government Spending By Streamlining Many Duplicative And Wasteful Elements On Beacon Hill." "To his credit, Romney attempted to cut down on government spending by streamlining many duplicative and wasteful elements of Beacon Hill. ... Governor Romney successfully consolidated the social service and public health bureaucracy and restructured the Metropolitan District Commission. Romney even eliminated half of the executive branch's press positions, saving $1.2 million." (The Club For Growth, "Mitt Romney's Record On Economic Issues," Press Release, 8/21/07)

 

·                    Governor Romney Turned The Legislature's Proposed Capital Gains Tax Hike Into A Tax Refund Instead. "Romney was more successful when he took on the State Legislature for imposing a retroactive tax on capital gains earnings. After a bloody fight, Romney succeeded in passing a bill preventing the capital gains tax from being applied retroactively, resulting in a rebate of $275 million for capital gains taxes collected in 2002. Governor Romney also signed legislation that provided property tax relief to seniors and legislation establishing a two-day tax-free shopping holiday in 2005." (The Club For Growth, "Mitt Romney's Record On Economic Issues," Press Release, 8/21/07)

 

·                    As Governor, Romney Denied All Requests For Pardon And Commutation. "During the four years Romney was in office, 100 requests for commutations and 172 requests for pardons were filed in the state. All were denied. 'Governor Romney's view is that it would take a compelling set of circumstances to set aside the punishment and guilt resulting from a criminal trial,' said Romney aide Eric Fehrnstrom, who added he was not familiar with Circosta's case. 'The power to pardon should only be used in extraordinary circumstances.'" ("Romney Touts Record Of Never Granting Pardons," The Associated Press, 6/12/07)

today's tragic events in Pakistan

Today, Governor Mitt Romney issued the following statement on today's tragic events in Pakistan:
 
http://www.mittromney.com/News/Press-Releases/Pakistan_Statement_12.27
 
"We are still learning the details of today's tragic events in Pakistan, but this is a stark reminder that America must not only stay on high alert, but remain actively engaged across the globe.  Pakistan has long been a key part in the war against extremism and radical jihadists.  For those who think Iraq is the sole front in the War on Terror, one must look no further than what has happened today.  America must show its commitment to stand with all moderate forces across the Islamic world and together face the defining challenge of our generation – the struggle against violent, radical jihadists.
 
"At this difficult time, our thoughts and prayers go to the family of Benazir Bhutto, and to all the people of Pakistan who are fighting against extremist forces that would commit such heinous acts as the whole world has witnessed today." 
 
And here is a video and transcript of Governor Romney's comments a short time ago at a media availability in Nashua, NH:
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6eqT1UNsOE
 
Governor Mitt Romney:  "This points out again the extraordinary reality of global, violent, radical Jihadism.  We don't know who is responsible for this attack, but there's no question but that the violence that we see throughout the world is violence which is not limited to Iraq and Afghanistan, but is more global in nature.  And this type of loss of life points out again the need for our nation and other civilized nations of the West and of the Muslim world to come together to support moderate Islamic leaders and moderate Islamic people and to help them in their effort to reject the violent and the extreme. The world is very much at risk by virtue of these radical, violent extremists, and we must come together in an effort, in great haste and with great earnestness to help overcome the threat of the spread of radical, violent jihad."
 
Reporter:  "Governor, is there any possibility that General Musharraf might have been involved…"
 
Governor Romney:  "At this stage, we don't know the nature of this particular attack, and in time we'll find out.  And so at this stage, we can only speculate as to what might have been the source of this particular attack.  Of course, attacks have been occurring over the past several weeks in Pakistan, and the turbulence there certainly flows from the instability associated with northwestern Pakistan and the Taliban and Al Qaeda forces in that part of the country.
 
Reporter:  "Given that instability there, does it make you reconsider General Musharraf's decision to declare martial law and to understand better why he did that perhaps?"
 
Governor Romney:  "I believe it was a mistake.  I believe as well that martial law was principally imposed by him to protect himself from a political challenge and a challenge from the Supreme Court and others and believed that it was not a productive course for his nation."
 
Reporter:  "Have the United States put too much trust in General Musharraf?"
 
Governor Romney:  "I don't know that we can assess the political process that has been under way in Pakistan to determine exactly where we put our greatest support.  Obviously, we have also encouraged a political process which included Madame Bhutto and Mr. Sharif.  We have had interest in seeing a progression toward more democratic leadership and governance in Pakistan.  Our nation was disappointed with the declaration of martial law, as has been pronounced by the President.  So I don't know that we could make that assessment at this stage."

How is the "attack" false?

Jabs Sharpen in Final Week Before Voting
  Email this Story

Dec 26, 6:11 PM (ET)

By DAVID ESPO

(AP) Republican presidential hopeful, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, 2nd from right, at Robie's... Full Image

MT. PLEASANT, Iowa (AP) - The most wide-open presidential race in a half century pushed unpredictably into a decisive new phase Wednesday, the rhetoric a bit more pointed and the appeals a tad more urgent in the final run-up to the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary.

"This is crunch time," said former Democratic Sen. John Edwards, and he spoke for all.

In a race without front-runners, a brief Christmas lull yielded quickly in both early-voting states to a new round of subtle digs, outright criticism, fresh TV ads and stepped-up efforts by independent organizations.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, surprise leader in the Republican pre-caucus polls, bagged an Iowa pheasant with a .12-gauge shotgun and said caucus-goers on Jan. 3 should take notice.

(AP) Former president Bill Clinton, Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y.,... Full Image

"Maybe it will show that I certainly understand the culture of being outdoors," he said. It was a not-so-subtle jab at his leading rival in the state, Mitt Romney. The former Massachusetts governor once proclaimed himself a lifelong hunter, but later conceded he had shot only "small varmints" and did not have a gun or a hunting license.

Romney's political quarry for the day was Arizona Sen. John McCain, seemingly staging a comeback in New Hampshire. Romney accused his rival of flip-flops on immigration and tax cuts.

"The point is that under his bill, that he fought for, everybody who came here illegally could stay forever. And does he still believe that or does he not believe that?" Romney said on a radio program from New Hampshire.

"And likewise on taxation. He said, well now he's for making the Bush tax cuts permanent. Well, does he admit he was wrong in voting against them before?

McCain responded quickly.

(AP) Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama D-Ill., sporting a 'Vote For Me" name tag talks... Full Image

"I know something about tailspins, and it's pretty clear Mitt Romney is in one," said the former front-runner. "It's disappointing that he would launch desperate, flailing and false attacks in an attempt to maintain relevance."

How is the "attack" false? McCain has been both for and against amnesty. McCain has been for and against the bush tax cuts. McCain has been for and against the death tax. Which is it McCain? But because McCain is in bed with the media, they will never question him or call him names...

Republican presidential hopeful, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, 2nd from right, at Robie's General Store in Hooksett, N.H. Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2007. (AP Photo/Cheryl Senter)

From a Fred Thompson website

Here is a link to a Fred Thompson website, with a great image... I just wish it was a little bigger...

+=

Alright, who has photo shop?

From Jeff

Do we want to choose a nominee that has the media plugging and defending them?  If they're in need of it now to rise in the polls do you think they'll get it during the general election?   NO!  The Media, will support the Dem. The same media that is pumping McCain in NH and elsewhere is going to drop him if he's the nominee.

 

Rather, how about having a candidate that's been routinely savaged by the media with personal character attacks, gross distortions of his record, and misleading propaganda.  Which do you think will have a better chance in the general election . . . the one who's a frontrunner DESPITE the MSM coverage or the one(s) that are challengers BECAUSE of the MSM coverage? McCain always said that the media is his base..., NH is just the latest proof. NH is just a microcosm of this phenomenon.

Red State post #1 recommended

Date: Dec 26, 2007 12:15 PM
Subject: Red State post #1 recommended

ANd that's without alerting folks here.

 

http://www.redstate.com/blogs/joe_johnson/2007/dec/25/re_mitt_romney_health_care_and_jeff_emanuels_redhot_posting

 

Thomas Sowell

   

December 26, 2007, 0:00 a.m. Unpromising Times Primary elections and secondary candidates. By Thomas Sowell ... His talk about poor children going to bed hungry may rouse the far left in his party but in fact the lowest-income people are even more obese than the rest of us, not that the facts make the slightest difference to Senator Edwards. As an attorney, Edwards conned millions of dollars out of gullible juries, using junk science to create the impression that it was the fault of doctors when babies were born with birth defects. Republicans, as usual, seem to have more people who would make good presidents than people who would make good presidential candidates. Unfortunately for them, we have elections instead of coronations. ... The only candidate of either party who truly looks presidential is Mitt Romney. It was unfortunate that Mike Huckabee and others have tried to make his religion an issue. John F. Kennedy was supposed to have taken that issue out of politics — and Huckabee's bringing it back in ought to disqualify him for a shot at the White House, even aside from Governor Huckabee's wholesale pardons of criminals and his raising taxes. Romney and Giuliani are both articulate Republicans — and it is rare for the Republicans to have two at one time. Some presidential election years they haven't even had one. If Romney's and Giuliani's track records in office matched their ability to talk, either of them could unite and lead their party to victory. But that is no small "if." When it comes to articulation, no one can beat Barack Obama. He can even convince people that he has new ideas, when in fact they are old 1960s ideas that have failed repeatedly, ever since that irresponsible decade. John McCain seems to be having a little resurgence but it is hard to believe that Republicans are so desperate as to support a man who joined with far left Democrat Russ Feingold to restrict free speech in the name of "campaign finance reform" and with Ted Kennedy to sponsor a bill giving amnesty to illegal immigrants. Then there is Hillary Clinton, formerly known as "front-runner" Hillary Clinton or the "inevitable" candidate Hillary Clinton. It is painful to watch her trying to act human and it would be even more painful to see the Clintons back in the White House that they disgraced in so many ways. She might even be shameless enough to put him on the Supreme Court, where he could ruin the law of the land, as many of his own judicial appointees are already doing in the federal courts. As for the other candidates in both parties, the big question is why anyone takes them seriously as candidates to lead the nation at a time of huge dangers that terrorists will end up with nuclear weapons, whether from Iran or Pakistan. This nation has come back from unpromising times before. Let's hope that we have not already used up all our luck. © 2007 CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC. — COPYRIGHT 2007 CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC.

---

National Review Online - http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MDllMTU2YmMxNjg2YzM4ZDQ3MDk5ZTNlNTcyMmE1MTU=

A case of clemency that's easy to explain

It hasn't been apparent to me why Mike Huckabee favored the release from prison of Wayne Dumond, a patently dangerous rapist who, once released, committed murder. By contrast, it's easy to see why Mike Huckabee wanted to help Eugene Fields after he was convicted in 2003 for driving while intoxicated for the fourth time in less than five years. Fields, after all, was a wealthy developer and major donor to the Arkansas Republican Party. Moreover, according to the New York Times, Fields had Richard Bearden, a former executive director of the state's Republican Party with close ties to the Huckabee administration, backing his bid for clemency.

Huckabee obliged in early 2004, when he announced his intention to grant clemency to Fields. The announcement meant that the public had the right to comment. Naturally, MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) urged Huckabee not to give Fields, a serial offender, yet another chance. Teresa Belew, MADD's local executive director, made her comments public. This was her right and, given the political "juice" behind Fields, it was also the sensible move.

Huckabee responded to Belew with the harsh petulance (and arguably the "arrogant bunker mentality") to which the political world has recently become accustomed. According to the Times, Huckabee sharply criticized Belew for going public with her criticism of Huckabee's notice of intention to free Fields. In addition, he questioned MADD's motives, stating the organization was simply trying to fan "the flames of controversy that have been stirred in this case by the unusual curiosity of certain media members."

For full story:

http://www.powerlineblog.com/

GWR & MLK

55 February 1967

Article George Romney: Holy and hopeful William Vincent Shannon PDF IMAGES See also: Career as governor of Michigan ; Career As Presidential Hopeful ; Romney, George W.; 1963-1969; N1968; The Republican Party . . . than in any comparable period in Michigan's history," Romney asserts. When the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King marched in Detroit three years ago, Romney marched with him. He is proud that he helped . . . George Romney: Holy and hopeful by William Vincent Shannon 55 William v . . .

From Jeff

http://www.harpers.org/media/pages/1967/02/pdf/HarpersMagazine-1967-02-0...

"When the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King marched in Detroit three years ago, Romney marched with him. He is proud that he helped write a state constitution that has the most comprehensive civil-rights guarantees in the nation, including open occupancy in housing."

This was written in 1967 . . . this is hardly something that Mitt ROmney made up.  Chris Matthews owes Romney an apology big time.

From David

A very favorable Op-Ed piece at NewsBlaze compared Romney to Reagan.  Don't let the title of the piece worry you; John Lillpop has nothing but good things to say about Romney:

"Fact of the matter is that Mitt Romney is the most conservative candidate running for the White House. He is also the most experienced and qualified, a fact attested to by his service as the governor of liberal-infested Massachusetts, and by his enormously successful personal finances."

"No other candidate comes close to matching his qualifications for taking over the Oval Office'

"Best of all, Romney is intelligent, articulate, and an eternal optimist. He is a contemporary clone of Ronald Reagan, but in sacred underwear."

Here's the link: http://newsblaze.com/story/20071223154749lill.nb/newsblaze/OPINIONS/Opinions.html.

 

RFC: Request for Cartoon

What happened to that cartoon guy...

 

Can we make a political cartoon similar to this one, with Huckabee, the populist swallowing the republican party?

 

Bryan as Populist swallowing the Democratic party; 1896 cartoon from the Republican magazine Judge.

Drawing The Line Between Church And State

A Closer Look At The Long History Behind Politics and Religion In America

Dec. 23, 2007

 

(CBS) "In God We Trust" is right there on all our coins and currency. To find the phrase "Wall of Separation," however, you must go not to the Constitution or the Bill of Rights, but to a letter President Thomas Jefferson wrote to Connecticut Baptists in 1802. His words have guided us ever since, but what, in practical terms, do they mean? Our Cover Story is reported now by Martha Teichner:

Eleven days and counting before their state nominating caucuses, it's understandable that some Iowa Republicans may be having trouble separating politics and religion.

The battle between Mitt Romney, the Mormon, and Mike Huckabee, the Baptist preacher, has defined the race.

 

But even the possibility that a candidate's brand of faith could become a kind of presidential litmus test worries as many, if not more, Americans than it reassures - among them, Jon Meacham, editor of Newsweek.

"We are veering very close to violating the article in the Constitution that says, there should be no religious test for federal office," Meacham told Teichner.

Meacham is the author of " American Gospel," an attempt to put the tension between God and politics in historical perspective.

 

American Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers, and the Making of a Nation

"You have 46% of Evangelicals, in a poll that Newsweek did in Iowa, saying that Romney's Mormonism makes them less likely to vote for him," said Meacham. "That, in and of itself, is a very dangerous battle to have because it pushes religious affiliation to the center of debate in a country that has done very well when it has kept that kind of religious debate to the sides, or off the table altogether."

The living embodiment of that notion of separation is the neighborhood of Flushing, in the New York City borough of Queens.

Here you'll find every nationality imaginable - every religion. Within a few blocks, there are churches, a Quaker meeting house, Buddhist temples, synagogues, a mosque. As a sign of how mixed-up everything is, in front of the Queens public library, the Christmas tree and the Menorah were sponsored by the Chinese Businessmen's Association."

(CBS)

All of which makes what's inside that much more remarkable. It's called the Flushing Remonstrance (pictured, left) , on loan from the New York State Archives, signed December 27, 1657 - 350 years ago this week. It is a bold, historic declaration of religious freedom.

Professor Kenneth Jackson, who teaches New York history at Columbia University, described the significance of the remonstrance:

"This is one of the really great documents of American history that's preserved by the archives. It's the first thing that we have in writing in the United States where a group of citizens attests on paper and over their signature the right of the people to follow their own conscience with regard to God - and the inability of government, or the illegality of government, to interfere with that."

In 1657, Flushing was a farm village, and like Manhattan, part of New Netherland, a Dutch colony governed by Peter Stuyvesant. Stuyvesant persecuted followers of religions other than his own Dutch Reformed Church. When he barred Quakers from Flushing, thirty local citizens, none of them Quakers themselves, petitioned Stuyvesant, claiming the ban violated Dutch custom.

"It's just elegantly and eloquently written," Jackson said. "They say, 'We desire, therefore, in this case, not to be judged, least we be judged. Neither to condemn, lest we be condemned, but rather let every man stand and fall to his master.'"

 

Peter Stuyvesant, no man to be trifled with, fined the petitioners and threw them in prison until they recanted - but there's more.

An important part of this story is the role played by a man named John Bowne, who lived here. Bowne allowed the Quakers to meet in his home. He was arrested, jailed, and sent to Holland for trial. The outcome was not what Peter Stuyvesant expected - Bowne was exhonerated.

 

And the principles set forth in the Flushing Remonstrance - essentially, freedom of worship and the separation of church and state - became practice.

"It didn't just come out of thin air, the First Amendment to the Constitution. We believed this already, in 1791, so it could become the cornerstone of the Bill of Rights," Jackson said.

Remember, most of the original 13 colonies had established churches and actually taxed citizens to support them. The end of that led to an explosion of religious fervor.

"In other words," Teichner asked Jon Meacham, "the separation of church and state enables the tolerance of someone else's religion?"

"Absolutely," Meacham agreed. "The separation of church and state is like oxygen to the fire of religious liberty."

So if you thought the tug-of-war between religion and politics is something new, think again.

"Religion has always been a weapon in the political arena," Meacham explained. "In 1800, there were advertisements that said you could have Jefferson and no God … or Adams and God." (

Meacham cited another example: "In the Civil War, President Lincoln was presented with a proposed amendment to the Constitution to declare our allegiance to independence and Jesus … and in a brilliant parliamentary move, he referred it to a Congressional committee from whence it never emerged."

And another example, "Theodore Roosevelt, in 1908, was defending William Howard Taft, who was a Unitarian being attacked by William Jennings Bryan's supporters who were evangelicals who believed that Unitarians were not Christian."

And of course, lately, Teichner observed, we've been reminded of John F. Kennedy's famous speech.

On September 12, 1960, Kennedy said, "I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute. Where no Catholic prelate would tell the President, should he be Catholic, how to act, and no Protestant minister would tell his parishioners for whom to vote."

Kennedy's self-defense to Houston ministers was that year's chapter in a long history ... Mitt Romney's speech was this year's.

In his speech , Romney said, "the founders proscribed the establishment of a state religion, but they did not countenance the elimination of religion from the public square. We are a nation under God, and in God, we do indeed trust."

The two speeches, 47 years apart, show how the conversation about what Jefferson called the "wall of separation" has evolved.

"Americans have tested that wall in every possible way," Meacham told Teichner. "We've run trucks up against it, we've thrown firecrackers at it, and the wall has stood pretty strongly. And it requires, I think, constant vigilance."

Because, as history and the First Amendment tell us, the relationship between government and religion is as fragile as it is strong.

 

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/12/22/sunday/main3641753.shtml