The Republican Candidates

I would have written this post last week, but Dr. Jerry Fawell died. This week, I want to look at the republican candidates for president. The Republicans have had two debates so far. The first debates was on CNBC, and it was a mess. The questions were horrible and the format stunk. The second debate was on Fox. This was a much better debate. The candidates were able to engage one another and duke it out.

I find it funny that the democrats will not debate on Fox. They cancelled their debate claiming that the cable news channel was too conservative. As of late, NBC news has been much further to the left than Fox is to the right. However, you did not see the Republicans backing down from NBC. To me, this tells me that one side is afraid of the other side, and one side isn't.

I will make my disclaimer right now. I am not doing any extra research on the candidates. Everything that I write is from my memory and nothing else. Thus, if I get a fact wrong, I am sorry. Also, I will not be writing about people who have not entered the race. Fred Thompson and Newt will probably jump in soon. (Boy, I hope so). However, they are not in yet, and I will not include them in this post. So here are the Republican candidates for President as of right now.

Rep. Ron Paul: The Republican party has several groups in it. One of those groups is the conservative libertarian. Ron Paul is a conservative libertarian. Ron Paul is a very smart thinker. However, he isn't a very good politician. Most thinkers are not good politicians. Ron Paul is going to be consistent in his thought process. Due to this, he will not be able to maneuver around difficult questions and situations. He is anti-war, and though that plays well in the media; it will not get you any where in the Republican primaries. If Ron Paul was for the war, we wouldn't even know his name. However, the media wants him there. He will get great interviews, and he will have plenty of air time.

Gov. Huckabee: Gov. Huckabee is from Arkansas. I am amazed that Arkansas has become a platform for Presidential politics. For now, there are two Presidential candidates who call Arkansas home, Mike Huckabee and Senator Clinton of New York. Gov. Huckabee probably added months to his campaign at the last debate. He performed very well. He had the line of the night. He said, "I believe in conversions on the road to Damascus, but I question conversions on the road to Des Moines." A brilliant line. He is an also ran candidate, but he could pick up steam.

Gov. Gilmore: Gov. Gilmore is from Virginia. He also did quite well in the last debate. He likes to call himself the true conservative. He called other candidates out. I think he is in fourth place right now. However, I don't think he has enough behind him to take another spot. The truth is, there is a better chance of someone taking his spot than he catching someone else.

Sen. Brownback: This Kansas Senator is running because he is a Conservative. However, he is completely unelectable. I think he could do better, if he would communicate better. What is nice about this Senator is that you know where he stands. However, it isn't because he communicates it well. His voting record is just that consistent. I like Sam as a person, however, we have a President right now that cannot communicate well. I am not ready for another.

Rep. Tancredo: I am not even certain how to spell his name. He is from Colorado. He was relatively unknown until a few years ago. He became an outspoken leader on boarder control. He believes that this one issue will keep him in the race for a while. He is wrong. He doesn't look presidential, he doesn't talk presidential, and he won't be a presidential candidate for very long.

Gov. Tommy Thompson: I love Gov. Thompson. However, he can't win. He did a great job in Wisconsin. He is truly a doer. He is the type of person everyone wants in politics. He has great conservative credentials. His biggest claim to fame is welfare reform. I think he is probably in fifth place, but I don't think he will get any better.

Rep. Hunter: Duncan Hunter has a great name, and has served in Congress for quite a while, but he isn't going to be President. He is a boarder hawk, and he hopes this issue will keep him in the running. He is from California, which would be a nice state to win. However, I don't think he could win the state. He will last as long as he has some money.

Gov. Romney: Mitt Romney is doing better than I ever thought he would do. He is the Governor of Massechusettes. He became popular by taking over the Salt Lake Olympics, and making it profitable. He once ran against Sen. Ted Kennedy and made Ted work hard to beat him. Mitt Romney comes from a political family. His Father was a Political leader in the state of Michigan. Mitt is in third place right now, but could easily jump into the lead. He is a Mormon, which means Evangelical Christians will be weary of him. He also has flip flopped on some issues over the last few years. Remember, he is a politician. Romney has looked very presidential in the two debates. He is a great communicator and could win the nomination. If Fred Thompson jumps in, Romney could be the Vice-President.

Rudy Guiliani: The former mayor of New York City is leading in all the polls right now. The problem he will have in the future is that he is a very liberal man. He is conservative on the war, and that is it. What may keep Rudy Guiliani in the race is the fear of Hillary Clinton. Republicans think that Rudy can be Hillary. However, I think when things begin to settle down, and a few candidates begin to rise to the top alone; Rudy will struggle. You cannot support Mario Cuomo and be the Republican nominee for President. Rudy will run on the terror issue, and he will lose on conservative principles. His best bet is to be the next Vice-President. He would be great in that role

Sen. John McCain: The straight talk express is out rolling again. Sen. McCain became popular with the media because he challenged President Bush on just about everything. However, Sen. McCain has alienated himself from the Republican base. He has also looked awful in both debates. He looks mechanical and old. Some Republicans believe it is his turn. However, I don't think the Republican base is willing to give people a turn on history. They did this with Sen. Dole, and I don't see them doing it again. I personally believe that John McCain put a death nail in his presidential coffin when he supported the new immigration bill. Tancredo and Hunter will now be able to eat him alive, while Romney and Guiliani sit back and watch with a smile.

So there you have it, the Republican candidates. It should be a great year and a half. I cannot wait until the next debate.

The Legacy of Dr. Jerry Falwell

I have seen and read some of the most dispicable comments over the last couple days about a man who does not deserve it. I have watched the media do everything they can to make Jerry Falwell look bad. CNN/Headline News announced Jerry Falwell's death by saying that his blaiming of homosexuals for 9-11 is what he will be remembered for. I believe that most people wouldn't have remembered that if Headline News didn't mention it. By the way, he apoligzed for saying it. Christopher Hitchens said that He wished there was a Hell for Jerry Falwell to go to. The venom from the left is terribly mean and hateful. However, we should come to expect that from them.

You have to look long and hard to find a positive story in the media about Dr. Falwell. Even Dr. Billy Graham distanced himself from Dr. Falwell. He had to make an apology for saying something nice about Dr. Falwell. Dr. Graham said that though he disagreed on some issues with Jerry Falwell, he considered him a friend. Why do you have to mention that you disagreed with him to call him a fellow minister.The truth is that I disagree with Dr. Graham on some things, but I would not say it at his death. The truth is that Dr. Jerry Falwell is more Southern Baptist than Dr. Graham. Like it or not, more Southern Baptist Pastors agree with Dr. Falwell on issues than they do with Dr. Graham.

My opinion of Jerry Falwell is very positive. Did I agree with everything he said, Of course not, I don't agree with anyone on everything they say. I have often said things, and later on I don't agree with myself. However, the Dr. Falwell that I know is not the Rev. Falwell that is patrayed in the media.

The Dr. Falwell that I know has a home for battered women. He takes care of single mothers. He has a minsitry for the victims of the Aids virus. He started a church on Thomas Road, and has faithfully pastored it for 50 years. He grew that Church into one of the largest churches in America. He has stood for Biblical standard inside the public arena. He started a university that has become one of the largest Christian Universities in the country. Liberty University allows Christians to send there children to a School that will not destroy the morals that the parents believe.

Dr. Falwell was not a perfect man, but only Jesus was perfect. By the way, the world hated Jesus more than they hated Dr. Fawell. The world allowed Dr. Falwell to live until God took him at the age of 73. The world crucified Jesus when he was around 33.

I will miss Dr. Falwell. He was truly a larger than life character.

Presidential Campaign Time! The Democrats First

Yippee! Hurray! It is time for the presidential campaigns to start. I know, I know, most people are not all that excited. However, I love this stuff with all my heart. Before God changed my plans, my goal in life was to work in politics. I was on my way, but ministry became my passion. To be honest with you, I never saw myself as a candidate. I also saw myself as the chief of staff. I wanted to write speeches and direct policy. As a Pastor, I give speeches and direct policy. Wow, maybe ministry and politics are closer than I thought.

I watched both debates. I am sure that some of you may not have known that there was any. I and Chris Matthews are probably the only two people in America that watched them both. I hated both of them. There is too many candidates. As of this post, the republicans have a field of 10 (Please Fred Thompson jump in, we need you). The democrats have 8 candidates. Due to this fact, the candidates really didn't have much time to express themselves. The viewer got short comments, and no real substance. If I had to pick winners, I would pick them on who looked the most Presidential. I thought Bill Richardson looked the most Presidential for the democrats, and Mitt Romney looked the most presidential for the republicans.

In this post, I am going to go over the democratic candidates and what I think about them. I am still holding out on Al Gore. I believe he will jump in. If he does, he will match Hillary as the democratic front runner.

I want to write a little disclaimer here and now. I have done absolutely no research on any of these candidates. I am writing about things as I remember them, and my impression of each candidate as of right now. So if I get a fact wrong, I am sorry. It wasn't intentional.

Hillary Clinton: Hillary Clinton decided to recreate the old Southern tradition of carpet bagging, and became a Senator to New York from Arkansas. She voted for the war, but now she wants us to believe that she was misled. She is thought of as the smartest woman in America, but George W. Bush misled her into voting for a war. By this logic, it means President Bush is smarter than Hillary Clinton. Personally, I find Hillary Clinton boring. When she speaks it sounds like a robot. I find her unlikable. There are many liberals out there that I think I would like. I could eat dinner with Joe Biden, and have a wonderful time. I don't think I could have a wonderful time doing anything with Mrs. Clinton. Mrs. Clinton seems cold and mechanical. I have never heard her answer a hard question, and boy I have a few I would like her to answer. As of right now, she is the front runner, but she is catchable. If Al Gore jumps in, she is beatable.

Dennis Kucinich: He is the ultra-Liberal congressman from Ohio. Rep. Kucinich was the boy Mayor of Cleveland many years ago. His biggest claim to fame as Mayor was leading the city into Bankruptcy. Trying to figure out where Dennis Kucinich stands is very easy. Think of the most liberal position on any topic known to man. You will find him there. Rep. Kucinich has no chance of winning, but by running he will always have a job in the media as a former presidential candidate.

Mike Gravel: Mike Gravel is a former Senator from Alaska. I know Mike Gravel's name because I once had every Senator and every Congressman memorized. I do not have them memorized today. I know nothing else about Mike Gravel, and if I don't know anything about him, I am sure that most people will not even remember his name.

Chris Dodd: Dodd is a long time Senator of the great state of Conneticut. In all the years he has been in the senate, I cannot remember one piece of legislation that he headed. He is considered a statesman, and I really like his hair. I personally think he is at the end of his career and wants to be called a presidential candidate.

Joe Biden: Senator Biden comes from the great state of Delaware. This is not his first time running for President, but it will be his last time. Senator Biden came out of the gate with a nasty fall. He said that Senator Barack Obama was an articulate and clean African American. I have been told that Senator Obama does indeed bath regularly. Senator Biden should have closed the book on his candidacy after that comment. I like Joe Biden. I think he is tough, and he is smart. However, he has no chance in capturing the nomination.

Bill Richardson: Governor Richardson comes to us from New Mexico. Gov. Richardson was the Energy Secretary under Bill Clinton. He was poised to be Al Gore's running mate, but near the end of President Clinton's presidency, something bad happened in the energy department. Al Gore moved to Joe Liberman. Bill Richardson decided to become the governor or New Mexico and hope that people forget about what went wrong. I have forgotten the details of what went wrong, so his plan worked. Gov. Richardson is a savvy politician. He is smart. He is also Latino. I would be happy if Bill Richardson won the nomination. I could live with him as president.

John Edwards: Where do I begin? He is the former Senator of North Carolina. He made a brilliant political move by running for president after his first term. He knew that he would lose his seat, and by running for president he saved face. Sen. Edwards is in third place right now. He will run to the left of both Hillary Clinton and Senator Obama to try to win the base support. He is a pretty man. Republicans like to refer to him as the Breck girl. He has a wife that has bone cancer. This is sad, but it will be a benefit to him Politically. John Edwards was creamed by Dick Cheney in their Vice-Presidential debate. He looked young and inexperienced. We also must remember that Dick Cheney is brilliant and articulate. He is a hard person to debate. John Edwards made millions as a trial lawyer. He has the money and the organization to stay in the race for a while. He is a long shot, but he still has a horse in the race.

Barack Obama: Senator Obama is from Illinois. He is the rock star of the Democratic candidates. He has served only one term in the Senate, and he is truly a newbie to the political game. A lot of people believe that the outsider status is helpful, I am not one of them. Senator Obama looked nervous during the debate. He did not separate himself from the pack. I think he will have to perform at a much higher level if he is going to compete with Hillary Clinton. However, if he puts the right people around him, he will be a contender.

So there is your field of democrats. I hope you enjoy getting to know them. It should be a fun year and half.