Fred Thompson Retires from White House Race

Having faced a number of poor voting results in early campaigning rounds, former US Senator Fred Thompson has decided to withdraw from the presidential race on Tuesday.

Thompson withdrew his candidacy after having faced a third place result in Saturday’s South Carolina primary. This was a crucial win that Thompson hoped to achieve to bolster his campaign. The loss of this state sealed his fate. Having obtained only 16% of the votes from this primary, Thompson found himself running behind John McCain’s 33% and Mike Huckabee’s 30%.

A former senator from Tennessee and star of the hit TV series Law and Order, Thompson entered the race for the White House last September. Though a late entrant, he was able to climb to second place in the national opinion polls that were held subsequently in October. However, his popularity plunged shortly after, as critics began to question his commitment to the job. The former senator’s woes were founded when he failed to win even one in five conservative votes from any of the early primaries and caucuses. Also, support for his candidature was weak amongst white born-again and evangelical Christians. Thompson’s third place finish in Iowa did not make matters better.

As Thompson failed to gain in popularity, his campaign started to face financial constraints. As the losses from his campaign begin to pile up a strategic retreat seemed to be the best option for him. Fellow competitor Mitt Romney commended Fred Thompson’s efforts by stating, “Throughout this campaign, Fred Thompson brought a laudable focus to the challenges confronting our country and the solutions necessary to meet them. He stood for strong conservative ideas and believed strongly in the need to keep our conservative coalition together.”

In the short statement that Thompson released to the press he stated, “I hope that my country and my party have benefited from our having made this effort.” Thompson’s exit leaves the Republican race wide open ensuring a face off between the remaining contenders at the Florida primary on 29 January.

Mitt Romney’s Change of Heart Regarding Abortion

Republican President hopeful Mitt Romney is facing fire over the swing in his stand on abortion. Abortion is the subject of much debate in the U.S. Political opinions regarding adoption are divided with the Republican right being largely pro-life and the Democratic left tending to be pro-choice.

Earlier, in 1994, Romney was publicly pro-choice, declaring support for a “woman’s right to choose.” What’s more he continued to maintain this stand up to 2002. In 2002, Romney expressed his pro-choice stand in his responses to a Planned Parenthood questionnaire. To the question, “Do you support the substance of the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade?” Romney answered, yes. On the question, state funding of abortion for low-income women Romney answered yes. In reply to the question about whether he supported women’s access to emergency contraception (the “morning after pill” designed to prevent pregnancy if taken within 72 hours), Romney again answered in the positive.

He similarly answered a questionnaire of the National Abortion Rights Action League, or NARAL (now called NARAL Pro-Choice America), and issued a statement, saying, “I respect and will protect a woman’s right to choose. This choice is a deeply personal one. Women should be free to choose based on their own beliefs, not mine and not the government’s. The truth is no candidate in the governor’s race in either party would deny women abortion rights. So let’s end an argument that does not exist and stop these cynical and divisive attacks that are made only for political gain.

During the Massachusetts GOP convention in 2002, Romney said, “Believing in people is protecting their freedom to make their own life choices, even if their choice is different from yours,” Romney said. “Accordingly, I respect and will fully protect a woman’s right to choose. That right is a deeply personal one, and the women of our state should make it based on their beliefs, not mine and not the government’s.” Romney also got the endorsement of the Republican Majority for Choice.

Gradually however, Romney began to backtrack on his pro-choice stand. He said he was “personally” pro-life, but, asserted that his personal view would not affect the laws relating to abortion. However, when Democrat Shannon O’Brien criticized Romney, referring to him as “multiple choice”, Romney retorted, “Let me make this very clear: I will preserve and protect a woman’s right to choose.” In February 2005, as governor of Massachusetts, Romney claimed that a meeting with a scientist from the Harvard Stem Cell Institute had the effect of changing his views on abortion. Henceforth Romney declared himself unequivocally pro-life.

However, many believe Romney’s shift in stance regarding abortion was part of a clever political strategy. Romney’s pro-choice stand was necessary to win as governor from Massachusetts. And it served its purpose. However, now that he hopes to be nominated for president by his party, the GOP, he has simply dropped his pro-choice credentials. It is as simple as that.

Obama to Win Ted Kennedy’s Endorsement

Barack Obama’s candidature is soon to receive another boost, in the form of an endorsement from the Democratic Senator Edward M. Kennedy. A party official, speaking strictly on condition of anonymity, revealed that the news would be made public during a campaign rally for Obama. Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of the former president John Kennedy, has also supported Obama’s campaign, who, she said, would inspire American the same way her father did. Writing in The New York Times she said, I have never had a president who inspired me the way people tell me that my father inspired them. But for the first time, I believe I have found the man who could be that president — not just for me, but for a new generation of Americans.”

Meanwhile, Obama has refused to respond to questions seeking clarification on the endorsement, during a television interview aired on ABC’s This Week. “I’ll let Ted Kennedy speak for himself. And nobody does it better,” the senator from Illinois said, adding, “But obviously, any of the Democratic candidates would love to have Ted Kennedy’s support. And we have certainly actively sought it. And you know, I will let him make his announcement and his decision when he decides it’s appropriate.”

An endorsement from Kennedy can prove to be very beneficial for any Democratic presidential hopeful, and is much coveted. The senior senator from Massachusetts, who is a member of the famous Kennedy clan, is, after all, hailed as a leading liberal politician who is well known and respected across the political spectrum.

Kennedy has always enjoyed good relationships with the Democratic presidential hopefuls. He is chairman of the committees on Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, on which both leading presidential candidates, Obama and Hillary Clinton, are serving. He has also collaborated with John Edwards regarding the 2001 legislation on patients’ rights. In October, while responding to a question, Kennedy said, “It’s going to be difficult choosing. I’ve got a lot of friends who want to be president.”

Hillary Clinton: Elect Me, Drop Oil Prices

Democrat Hillary Clinton has given her supporters one more reason to vote for her. Speaking at a meeting in Manchester, New Hampshire, she assured voters that if she was elected president, the price of oil would drop.

How would this happen? According to Clinton, her commitment to end America’s dependence on foreign fuel would compel oil-producing countries to slash prices in an attempt to suppress American’s efforts at researching alternative sources of energy. “I predict to you, the oil-producing countries will drop the price of oil,” she said. “They will once again assume, once the cost pressure is off, Americans and our political process will recede.”

Clinton also pointed out that initiatives had been put in place during former president Jimmy Carter’s administration in the late 1900s to reduce American dependence on foreign oil. She blamed former president Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter’s successor, for “dismantling” these initiatives. However, because costs at the time were low, she said, people did not care or complain. She also said that people should not be grateful now when oil manufacturers reduce prices from near $100 a barrel to $60 or $70. She compared this with trying to boil a frog, saying, “You put him in hot water, it jumps right out, you put him in cold water and turn up the heat – he’s a goner”, she said. “We’ve got to figure out how we’re going to not be the frog in the cold water anymore.”

McCain Starts Fundraising

The Republican presidential hopeful John McCain is trying to raise funds in a flurry, before going onto the Florida primary scheduled for January 29, 2008. He will require the money in order to compete against fellow republican Mitt Romney. Romney, a successful businessman, has the capacity to run a campaign worth tens of millions of dollars. Aides of the senior senator from Arizona say the fundraising exercise is essential, as they believe Romney would put his personal fortune behind his campaign.

Senator McCain has planned major fundraising events during the span of the week before the primary to be held on Tuesday. After a fundraiser in New York, McCain will have fundraisers in Miami, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Tampa, and Jacksonville. On Monday night, he will have a fundraiser on Capitol Hill.

The Florida primary is predicted to be a very crucial one. Winning this test, it is expected, will translate into a major advantage for any candidate in the Super Tuesday primaries, scheduled to be held on February 5, 2008. Twenty-one states are set to hold the GOP elections on this day.

McCain’s aides are of the opinion that they would not be able to compete with Romney’s financial capacity, following the Florida primary. However, they concede that Republican Candidate John McCain is the better known political figure among Republican voters. Consequently, the McCain campaign, they reason, does not need to spend that much money on advertising.

Preoccupation with fundraising, however, means that McCain may be devoting less time to the other priorities. “By packing his schedule with fundraising events, McCain has risked devoting less time to stumping for votes at a critical moment … Rudy Giuliani, by contrast, has made campaigning his top priority and relegated fundraising to an afterthought, ” reported The Hill, a Washington based newspaper.

Obama Launches New Attack on Bill Clinton

Democrat Barack Obama has aggressively come out Bill Clinton, criticizing the latter for making false statements. According to Obama, the former president has often made inaccurate statements while campaigning for his wife, Hillary Clinton. Obama had earlier warned that he would be confronting Clinton on this issue.

With South Carolina’s Democratic primary approaching, Obama seemed intent on putting up an aggressive stance. Speaking to ABC’s “Good Morning America” show, Obama said, “The only thing I want to make sure of is that when he goes after me, that he goes after me on the basis of facts and policy differences, and, you know, stuff isn’t just made up.” Again, on NBC’s “Today Show,” Obama countered, “It’s just that, I think, in the Clinton campaign, they have had former president Clinton delivering a bunch of inaccurate statements about my record. So, naturally, I’ve got to make sure that those are corrected.”

The two leading Democratic candidates, Obama and Hillary Clinton have been sparring with each other for some time now. At a Democratic debate, Obama and Clinton hurled accusations of dishonesty, retracting on policy issues and dishonest campaigning.

Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton has been campaigning in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. She countered a poll result that showed Obama riding on a wave of black support to overtake her, denying that she would give up South Carolina to Obama. According to this poll, Obama was leading by 43 percent. According to the poll, Obama was leading at 43 percent. Clinton came behind at 24 percent, while John Edwards followed with 15 percent. According to another Field Poll survey from California, however, Clinton enjoyed a 39-27 percent lead over Obama from Democratic and independent votes.

Hillary Clinton reacted to Obama’s attacks by saying that his allegations showed that he was “frustrated” due to his poor performance in New Hampshire and Nevada. “He clearly came last night looking for a fight, and he was determined and launched right in,” she said referring to the attack on her husband.

However, Senator John Kerry, who is supporting Obama, condemned Clinton’s response as a “swiftboating” tactic.

Obama : Time to Confront Bill Clinton over Inaccurate Statements

Democrat Barack Obama says he will confront former President Bill Clinton over inaccurate statements made by the latter while supporting his wife, Hillary Clinton’s presidential candidacy.

This is what he had to say in an interview on “Good Morning America”: “You know the former president, who I think all of us have a lot of regard for, has taken his advocacy on behalf of his wife to a level that I think is pretty troubling. He continues to make statements that are not supported by the facts—whether it’s about my record of opposition to the war in Iraq or our approach to organizing in Las Vegas.” He also said, “This has become a habit, and one of the things that we’re going to have to do is to directly confront Bill Clinton when he’s making statements that are not factually accurate.

Among the former president’s comments that riled Obama was his assertion that Obama’s consistent opposition to the Iraq war was a “fairy tale”. Another claim made by Clinton indicated that the union officials in Nevada had coerced members to caucus in support of Obama.

“I understand him wanting to promote his wife’s candidacy, Obama said during the interview. “She’s got a record that she can run on. But I think it’s important that we try to maintain some—you know, level of honesty and candor during the course of the campaign. If we don’t, then we feed the cynicism that has led so many Americans to be turned off to politics.”

Hillary Clinton’s campaign responded to Obama’s allegations by saying that he was reacting to his second place position in the caucuses at Nevada.

Obama Condemns Farrakhan

The Jewish community welcomed Senator Barack Obama’s condemnation of Rev. Louis Farrakhan, the acting head of the acting head of the Nation of Islam (NOI). The Democratic presidential candidate was responding to news that his spiritual adviser, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, had praised Farrakhan, who was known to have made anti-Semitic remarks.

Rev. Wright is the minister of Chicago’s Trinity United Church of Christ, of which Barack Obama is a member. Last year, Wright, in the church publication, Trumpet, honoured Farrakhan. At an awards event, he said Farrakhan “truly epitomized greatness”.

However, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a group engaged in efforts against anti-Semitism, has this to say: “Farrakhan has repeatedly made hateful statements targeting Jews, whites and homosexuals. Farrakhan’s bigoted and anti-Semitic rhetoric has included statements calling whites ‘blue eyed devils’ and Jews ‘bloodsuckers’ that controlled the slave trade, the government, the media and various Black individuals and organizations.”

In his statement, Obama said he vehemently condemned racism in any form. “I decry racism and anti-Semitism in every form and strongly condemn the anti-Semitic statements made by Minister Farrakhan,” he said and added, “I assume that Trumpet magazine made its own decision to honor Farrakhan based on his efforts to rehabilitate ex-offenders, but it is not a decision with which I agree.” Obama did not clarify whether his position with regard to Wright would change. Reportedly, his campaign did not respond to phone calls seeking clarification.

Meanwhile Obama’s statement drew mixed reactions. While Ken Bandler, spokesman for the American Jewish Committee, termed Obama’s announcement as “sufficient”, not everybody agreed. Herb London, president of the conservative Hudson Institute, said, “Since the minister has praised and even honored Farrakhan through the church, it raises questions about his affiliations as well as his true sentiments.”

Again, Abraham Foxman, national director (ADL), said, “We welcome Barack Obama’s condemnation of the anti-Semitic rhetoric of Minister Louis Farrakhan, and his making clear that he did not agree with his church’s decision to honor Farrakhan with the Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. Trumpeter Award.” He added that issues of racism and anti-Semitism must transcend politics. “When someone close to a political figure shows sympathy and support for an individual who makes his name espousing bigotry, that political figure needs to distance himself from that decision,” he said, adding that Obama had done just that.

Rudy Giuliani calls Himself an Agent of Change

Republican Rudy Giuliani has declared himself a “change agent”. The former New York mayor claimed he had brought more changes to New York City than any other mayor.

Speaking to reporters on a press bus, while on his three-day tour of Florida, Giuliani said, “I was a mayor who was a change agent. Whether you agree with my changes or not, I think you’d have to say I was probably the mayor of New York City who, at least in modern times, brought about the most change.” He said, “Other mayors have done other things, I’m not taking anything away from them, but I had to make major changes”.

Giuliani did not spell out the changes that he claimed he had brought about. However, during his campaign he has often referred to his role in changing certain things. These include his efforts to cut down on welfare rolls and cleaning up Times Square of its adult bookstores and peep shows. Then there was also his program to track daily police statistics, which was credited with eliminating crime in New York City. Giuliani is reportedly counting on a victory in the primary to be held in Florida on January 29.

Earlier, Giuliani had criticized Democratic candidates for peddling a message of change. He said their policies amounted to “bad” change.

Speaking to retirees during a town hall meeting at Fort Myers, he said, “As soon as the election is over, somebody should put up an armistice.” He said, “They should put a white flag somewhere either at the Capitol or at the White House or at both places, everybody get together and say ‘How about we don’t fight for a year or two, how about we try to get something done for a year or two,’ and let’s have a debate over principles.” Giuliani was responding to question on how he would resolve inter-party disputes. This is a popular theme that is also being pushed by other candidates such as Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mike Huckabee.

Court Suit May Determine Nevada Outcome

A court suit initiated by Hillary Clinton’s supporters may change the outcome of the Democratic presidential caucuses on January 19, 2008. Three leading Democratic candidates, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards are tied in a close battle before the caucuses to be held in Nevada.

Nevada is known for its diverse electorate. It has a good population of Hispanic voters, as also union and urban voters. The results in the caucuses would therefore provide a pointer to the race up ahead. It may be noted that, Republican candidates have chosen to remain away from the caucuses.

In fact, no leading Republican leader has been known to visit the state for the last couple of months. There is, however, some speculation that Ron Paul may turn up for a first-place showing. The Texas Representative is, incidentally, the only one from the Republican candidates who has aired ads on TV in Nevada.

The issue in a court hearing is about whether the Democratic caucuses would be conducted in nine casinos located on the Las Vegas Strip. These locations were specially chosen to enable employees such as waiters and bellhops, employed in the casinos, to participate in the caucus at midday close to their workplace. These rules had the sanction of the state Democratic party and were later ratified by the Democratic National Committee (DNC).

However, on January 11, six Democrats and a teachers union, which has been linked to Hillary Clinton, went to court to shut the sites. The law suit alleged that they were allocated to too many delegates from one group. From 10,000 delegates to Nevada’s presidential nominating convention, over 700 could be chosen at the casino caucuses. This would mean that the casino sites would be more valuable than other Nevada counties that were thinly populated. Four of the plaintiffs are serving on the committee that agreed on the casino sites. The DNC also petitioned to support the suit in favor of state party.

While Clinton’s campaign refused to acknowledge that it was involved, Barack Obama pointed out that the suit was initiated only two days before his endorsement from Culinary Workers Union Local 226. The Union, which has a strong presence in the region, is the largest in Nevada. Over 40 percent of its 60,000 strong membership is reportedly Hispanic. Obama raised the issue of timing of the opposition to the casino sites. No one objected to the rules, he pointed out, until the union decided to “support the guy who’s standing with the working people instead of the big shots.”

The Culinary Union sent out fliers to their members that said, “Backers of Hillary Clinton are suing in court to take away our right to vote in the caucus”. A similar message was also broadcast in ads on Spanish-language radio. Former President Bill Clinton, however, supported the decision to institute the lawsuit, saying, “I think the rules ought to be the same for everybody.”

Meanwhile Democratic campaign offices are busy preparing for the caucuses. The first to arrive here, Clinton immediately made for the Culinary Union, where she seemed to find support. Democrat Party officers are estimating up to 40,000 people to attend; this would make it about 10 percent of the Democrats from the state, considerably higher than the turnout in previous years.

Obama too has increased his TV advertising and is especially emphasizing his union endorsement. Paul however is the only Republican who has TV ads in the state and may even find some support from libertarian groups in Nevada. Meanwhile, Mitt Romney is targeting the Mormon community in some radio ads.