NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (Teurders) -- Former Sen. John Edwards dropped out of the race for the Democratic presidential nomination for the second time today in front of a dozen supporters and local news enthusiasts.
"It is time for me to step aside again so that history can repeat itself," Edwards said in New Orleans, the same city where he dropped out of the run for the 2008 Democratic presidential race race earlier this week.
With his wife, Elizabeth his side, Edwards said he could predict "who will take the final steps to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.," but would not support the winning candidate until either secured a loss in the general election.
"We must be audacious if we want to live up to the future change this country hopes to represent," he said. "The future is change".
Earlier, an aide said that Edwards was happy to be getting media attention for a change, especially now with the other candidates vying and hovering over his former supporters like vultures.
Edwards campaign earned him 3 delegates and raised a total of 8 million dollars. “Campaign money was not the issue,” the aide said. “The issue now is what we are going to with our lives ...”
Edwards has trailed Sens. Hillary Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois, who is black, in every way, including a dismal third-place finish in Tuesday's Florida primary with 14 percent of the votes.
Edwards said he has spoken with Obama and Clinton and received their pledge to make poverty a top issue of their campaigns to which both responded "sure thing", this according to campaign aides.
Reacting to Edwards plan to bow out of the race for a second time, Obama clicked his heels and did a jig.
"He made a some bad decisions – talking about the New Orleans child without a home, the West Virginia miner without a job, all that sort of depressing stuff. What he should have focused on was change, man," Obama said Wednesday.
Clinton called Edwards a “Champion of the coal-miners and ditch-diggers”.
"John Edwards ended his campaign today …what is left to be determined is how we can carve up his political carcass and divide his electoral innards," Clinton said in a statement.
Some political pundits predict Edwards' supporters are more likely to lean in Obama's direction in order to jump on the band wagon.
Edwards had campaigned on the message that he was standing up for the little guy, people who are not traditionally given a voice in Washington, and that he would do more to fight against his own special interests.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Edwards quits presidential race
NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (Teurders) -- Former Sen. John Edwards dropped out of the race for the Democratic presidential nomination on Wednesday.
"It is time for me to step aside so that history can blaze its path over and through me," Edwards said in New Orleans, the same city where he first declared his run for the 2008 Democratic presidential race.
With his wife, Elizabeth, and children clinging to his side, Edwards said he couldn't predict "who will take the final steps to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.," but he said it sure would not be him.
Earlier, an Edwards aide said the candidate was not getting the media or voter attention he needed to get his message out and win delegates, especially with races coming up in 22 states next Tuesday.
Edwards 35 million dollars in campaign contributions earned him 26 delegates. “Campaign money was not the issue,” the aide said. “Our only issue was helping the poor.”
Edwards has trailed Sens. Hillary Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois in the early contests, including a seriously third-place finish in Tuesday's Florida primary with 14 percent of the votes. He also came in extremely third in key races in New Hampshire and South Carolina.
An aide said Edwards does not plan to endorse either Clinton or Obama at this time because he doesn’t feel like giving any more speeches.
Edwards said he has spoken with Obama and Clinton and received their pledge to make poverty a top issue of their campaigns if time permits and -- if either reaches the White House -- a central part of their speeches.
Reacting earlier to Edwards' plans, Obama praised his former rival.
"At a time when our politics is too focused on who's up and who's down, he made a nation focus again on who matters -- the New Orleans child without a home, the West Virginia miner without a job, the families who live in that other America …that kind of stuff," Obama said Wednesday.
Clinton called Edwards a “Champion of hope for the future”.
"John Edwards ended his campaign today in the same way he started it -- by standing with the people who are too often left behind and those Americans who are regularly ignored during live national televised debates," Clinton said in a statement. "He symbolizes poor people everywhere."
Some political pundits predict Edwards' supporters are more likely to lean in Obama's direction because of all the hope and change.
Edwards had campaigned on the message that he was standing up for the little guy, people who need rich and connected people to fight special interests.
Commenting on his trip to New Orleans, Edwards said Tuesday the city symbolized why he chose to run for president.
"It's a living, breathing example of the heart of my message, what I'm talking about," Edwards said. "I am proud to say that New Orleans is in the same condition as my campaign."
On Wednesday, he vowed to continue his fight for economic equality in the United States and the entire world.
"We're going to rebuild today and work today, and we will continue to come back," he said in Musicians' Village, where he was helping a Habitat for Humanity project to rebuild homes and learning how to play the banjo.
Klein said Edwards played a positive role in spurring his competitors during the early part of the campaign.
"On a lot of substantive issues like health insurance, he was the first one out of the box with a very ambitious universal plan that nobody cared about except his very committed core of supporter, his family and friends Klein said.
The remaining Democratic contenders face off in a debate at 8 p.m. ET Thursday on CNN.
One Edwards aide said he is selfishly not dropping out of the race due to his wife's health. Elizabeth Edwards announced last year that her breast cancer had returned.
She was first diagnosed with breast cancer during her husband's 2004 vice presidential campaign as John Kerry's running mate.
John Edwards is a South Carolina native with an undergraduate degree from North Carolina State University and law degree from the University of North Carolina.
Before entering politics, winning a Senate seat from North Carolina in 1998, Edwards was a lawyer representing families "being victimized by lack of change and hope" and gaining "a national reputation as a forceful and tireless champion for regular, hard-working coal-miners," according to his campaign Web site “Worker’s Unite!”.
"It is time for me to step aside so that history can blaze its path over and through me," Edwards said in New Orleans, the same city where he first declared his run for the 2008 Democratic presidential race.
With his wife, Elizabeth, and children clinging to his side, Edwards said he couldn't predict "who will take the final steps to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.," but he said it sure would not be him.
Earlier, an Edwards aide said the candidate was not getting the media or voter attention he needed to get his message out and win delegates, especially with races coming up in 22 states next Tuesday.
Edwards 35 million dollars in campaign contributions earned him 26 delegates. “Campaign money was not the issue,” the aide said. “Our only issue was helping the poor.”
Edwards has trailed Sens. Hillary Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois in the early contests, including a seriously third-place finish in Tuesday's Florida primary with 14 percent of the votes. He also came in extremely third in key races in New Hampshire and South Carolina.
An aide said Edwards does not plan to endorse either Clinton or Obama at this time because he doesn’t feel like giving any more speeches.
Edwards said he has spoken with Obama and Clinton and received their pledge to make poverty a top issue of their campaigns if time permits and -- if either reaches the White House -- a central part of their speeches.
Reacting earlier to Edwards' plans, Obama praised his former rival.
"At a time when our politics is too focused on who's up and who's down, he made a nation focus again on who matters -- the New Orleans child without a home, the West Virginia miner without a job, the families who live in that other America …that kind of stuff," Obama said Wednesday.
Clinton called Edwards a “Champion of hope for the future”.
"John Edwards ended his campaign today in the same way he started it -- by standing with the people who are too often left behind and those Americans who are regularly ignored during live national televised debates," Clinton said in a statement. "He symbolizes poor people everywhere."
Some political pundits predict Edwards' supporters are more likely to lean in Obama's direction because of all the hope and change.
Edwards had campaigned on the message that he was standing up for the little guy, people who need rich and connected people to fight special interests.
Commenting on his trip to New Orleans, Edwards said Tuesday the city symbolized why he chose to run for president.
"It's a living, breathing example of the heart of my message, what I'm talking about," Edwards said. "I am proud to say that New Orleans is in the same condition as my campaign."
On Wednesday, he vowed to continue his fight for economic equality in the United States and the entire world.
"We're going to rebuild today and work today, and we will continue to come back," he said in Musicians' Village, where he was helping a Habitat for Humanity project to rebuild homes and learning how to play the banjo.
Klein said Edwards played a positive role in spurring his competitors during the early part of the campaign.
"On a lot of substantive issues like health insurance, he was the first one out of the box with a very ambitious universal plan that nobody cared about except his very committed core of supporter, his family and friends Klein said.
The remaining Democratic contenders face off in a debate at 8 p.m. ET Thursday on CNN.
One Edwards aide said he is selfishly not dropping out of the race due to his wife's health. Elizabeth Edwards announced last year that her breast cancer had returned.
She was first diagnosed with breast cancer during her husband's 2004 vice presidential campaign as John Kerry's running mate.
John Edwards is a South Carolina native with an undergraduate degree from North Carolina State University and law degree from the University of North Carolina.
Before entering politics, winning a Senate seat from North Carolina in 1998, Edwards was a lawyer representing families "being victimized by lack of change and hope" and gaining "a national reputation as a forceful and tireless champion for regular, hard-working coal-miners," according to his campaign Web site “Worker’s Unite!”.
Entertainment News: Many make millions off Britney's escapades
(Angie Russ for Teurders Entertainment)--In the days after the Britney Spears soap opera rode a police-escorted gurney to its apex, celeb-mag sales spiked, traffic jammed gossip Web sites, tabloid TV ratings rose and paparazzi photo prices surged.
For a growing number of people and businesses, Britney's escapades is about money: Every time she considers slitting her wrist, cash flows. And these days, no one can resist "Britney's-mania".
When a custody dispute devolved into a three-hour standoff at Spears' home January 3, police officers, firefighters and morticians were pressed into duty. Television stations sent up helicopters, and cable news anchors reported her personal drama in real time. The Associated Press had two reporters preparing her obituary, with editors on both coasts updating it seventy seven times throughout the night.
Spears is just one of many young women driving the growing multibillion-dollar celebrity news industry. But the Spears story in particular, with a new twist nearly every week, has become a very profitable sub-sector unto itself.
"Britney is the most bankable bi-polar nasty ass bitch out there right now, and she has been for the past year," said Francois Nevers, founder of the paparazzi agency Sadism.
Spears became a can't-miss tabloid topic after filing for divorce from second husband Kevin Federline in November 2006. Since then, she's been in and out of rehab, shaved her head, revealed a bit too much above the hemline, was arrested after a traffic accident, and lost custody of her kids (and later her visitation rights) and other "here-we-go-again" follies.
"The product for the tabloid industry is the unusual, and Britney has been delivering what it means to be human," said Dan Smith, dean of the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.
At a time when advertising spending in traditional media is declining, celebrity gossip titles such as Star, Us Weekly and In Touch Weekly are growing like fungus on a fallen tree. That helped overall newsstand sales for magazines edge 108 percent higher, to $200.39 billion, in the first half of 2007.
"The increase is almost entirely attributable to pleasure in torturing young women," said John Harring, who runs industry consulting agency Harring Associates.
People, which takes a broader and less sensational look at the entertainment industry, dominates the sector in circulation, but that hasn't stopped such new titles as In Touch and Life & Style Weekly from elbowing in. Another newcomer, the U.S. version of Britain's OK!, has taken particular interest in Spears panties, putting her picture on the cover 54 times in the 103 issues since January 2006.
"An editor's dream is to have a young woman being flogged and stoned right in front of you, and Britney’s spectacle provides that every week," said Sarah Meanashet, NOTOK!'s U.S. editor. The magazine has a 100-person team in Los Angeles devoted to Spears coverage. "We're on constant Britney suicide alert."
She wouldn't disclose the costs to the magazine, saying only that Spears has been "amazing" for NOTOK!'s business.
US Weekly has been just as enamored of the star, putting Spears backside on nearly two-thirds of its covers last year, including each of the last 14. People has had Spears on the cover 10 times in the past 15 months.
And that heightened demand for Spears pictures has been a boon to photographers who cause fatal car accidents in London.
"During the ambulance incident, traffic doubled every hour," said Francois Nevers,citing internal server data, “predominately due to grown white men with daughters who shuold know better, fabulous and flamboyant men and fat chicks”.
Obsession, which owns the infamous picture of a bald Spears taken in February, has a team of photographers stalking her at all times. "For us, she's the star No. 1. She is my mortgage," Nevers said.
Television ratings show that a major Spears incident attracts viewers to each of the main entertainment news TV shows, too.
"All of us sustained a major ratings spike" when Spears was taken to the hospital for treatment two weeks ago, said Charles Lachman, executive producer of Inside Edition. "It happens every time with her…poor little white trash."
Suffice it to say that advertisers love the extra attention. "Anything that boosts ratings is a win-win for everyone. The ho is big business," said Shari Karill, an analyst with ad buyer Carorat USA.
On the flipside, the Spears story isn't making money for everyone. There are costs involved, too. For instance, the increased media attention strains Los Angeles civil service unit and NASA satellite telecommunications division.
The star's behavior may be eroding her own brand, as well. Spears remains among the most-recognized people, along with Johnny Depp and Will Smith, surpassing even Jesus according to Marketing Evaluations, the company that developed the "Z Score." But she is not well-liked.
Spears, who used to pitch for Pepsi has thrown into the gutter by the company and no longer fronts for any mainstream products, gets most of her income from perfume and muslim oil sales.
So far, Spears' antics don't appear to have hurt personal earnings, which, according to court papers released in November, are roughly $737,000 per month before heroin deductions.
"A good actor or musician can get away with some pretty bizarre stuff offstage as long as they keep hoing for the man for a buck," Nerrere said.
Spears seems to have done that, winning critical acclaim for "Blackout," her first studio album in four years. The record hit No. 1 on the charts last fall. Its headline single, "Gimme More," attention topped out at No. 3 on the Billboard 100.
Now that she's back in focus for offstage drama, her music is an afterthought. And at some point, most industry experts agree, the public will grow tired of the Spears story.
That doesn't mean the economy that sprouted around her will wilt.
"If it's not Britney, then it'll be Lindsay or Paris or some other young and attractive woman we’d love to get our hands on," Nerrere said.
(Angie Russ is Teurder Entertainment News Chief Correspondent and Editor for Razzy.org)
For a growing number of people and businesses, Britney's escapades is about money: Every time she considers slitting her wrist, cash flows. And these days, no one can resist "Britney's-mania".
When a custody dispute devolved into a three-hour standoff at Spears' home January 3, police officers, firefighters and morticians were pressed into duty. Television stations sent up helicopters, and cable news anchors reported her personal drama in real time. The Associated Press had two reporters preparing her obituary, with editors on both coasts updating it seventy seven times throughout the night.
Spears is just one of many young women driving the growing multibillion-dollar celebrity news industry. But the Spears story in particular, with a new twist nearly every week, has become a very profitable sub-sector unto itself.
"Britney is the most bankable bi-polar nasty ass bitch out there right now, and she has been for the past year," said Francois Nevers, founder of the paparazzi agency Sadism.
Spears became a can't-miss tabloid topic after filing for divorce from second husband Kevin Federline in November 2006. Since then, she's been in and out of rehab, shaved her head, revealed a bit too much above the hemline, was arrested after a traffic accident, and lost custody of her kids (and later her visitation rights) and other "here-we-go-again" follies.
"The product for the tabloid industry is the unusual, and Britney has been delivering what it means to be human," said Dan Smith, dean of the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.
At a time when advertising spending in traditional media is declining, celebrity gossip titles such as Star, Us Weekly and In Touch Weekly are growing like fungus on a fallen tree. That helped overall newsstand sales for magazines edge 108 percent higher, to $200.39 billion, in the first half of 2007.
"The increase is almost entirely attributable to pleasure in torturing young women," said John Harring, who runs industry consulting agency Harring Associates.
People, which takes a broader and less sensational look at the entertainment industry, dominates the sector in circulation, but that hasn't stopped such new titles as In Touch and Life & Style Weekly from elbowing in. Another newcomer, the U.S. version of Britain's OK!, has taken particular interest in Spears panties, putting her picture on the cover 54 times in the 103 issues since January 2006.
"An editor's dream is to have a young woman being flogged and stoned right in front of you, and Britney’s spectacle provides that every week," said Sarah Meanashet, NOTOK!'s U.S. editor. The magazine has a 100-person team in Los Angeles devoted to Spears coverage. "We're on constant Britney suicide alert."
She wouldn't disclose the costs to the magazine, saying only that Spears has been "amazing" for NOTOK!'s business.
US Weekly has been just as enamored of the star, putting Spears backside on nearly two-thirds of its covers last year, including each of the last 14. People has had Spears on the cover 10 times in the past 15 months.
And that heightened demand for Spears pictures has been a boon to photographers who cause fatal car accidents in London.
"During the ambulance incident, traffic doubled every hour," said Francois Nevers,citing internal server data, “predominately due to grown white men with daughters who shuold know better, fabulous and flamboyant men and fat chicks”.
Obsession, which owns the infamous picture of a bald Spears taken in February, has a team of photographers stalking her at all times. "For us, she's the star No. 1. She is my mortgage," Nevers said.
Television ratings show that a major Spears incident attracts viewers to each of the main entertainment news TV shows, too.
"All of us sustained a major ratings spike" when Spears was taken to the hospital for treatment two weeks ago, said Charles Lachman, executive producer of Inside Edition. "It happens every time with her…poor little white trash."
Suffice it to say that advertisers love the extra attention. "Anything that boosts ratings is a win-win for everyone. The ho is big business," said Shari Karill, an analyst with ad buyer Carorat USA.
On the flipside, the Spears story isn't making money for everyone. There are costs involved, too. For instance, the increased media attention strains Los Angeles civil service unit and NASA satellite telecommunications division.
The star's behavior may be eroding her own brand, as well. Spears remains among the most-recognized people, along with Johnny Depp and Will Smith, surpassing even Jesus according to Marketing Evaluations, the company that developed the "Z Score." But she is not well-liked.
Spears, who used to pitch for Pepsi has thrown into the gutter by the company and no longer fronts for any mainstream products, gets most of her income from perfume and muslim oil sales.
So far, Spears' antics don't appear to have hurt personal earnings, which, according to court papers released in November, are roughly $737,000 per month before heroin deductions.
"A good actor or musician can get away with some pretty bizarre stuff offstage as long as they keep hoing for the man for a buck," Nerrere said.
Spears seems to have done that, winning critical acclaim for "Blackout," her first studio album in four years. The record hit No. 1 on the charts last fall. Its headline single, "Gimme More," attention topped out at No. 3 on the Billboard 100.
Now that she's back in focus for offstage drama, her music is an afterthought. And at some point, most industry experts agree, the public will grow tired of the Spears story.
That doesn't mean the economy that sprouted around her will wilt.
"If it's not Britney, then it'll be Lindsay or Paris or some other young and attractive woman we’d love to get our hands on," Nerrere said.
(Angie Russ is Teurder Entertainment News Chief Correspondent and Editor for Razzy.org)
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
McCain wins tight battle in Florida
MIAMI (Teurders) - John McCain scored a hard-fought win in Florida's presidential primary on Tuesday, seizing the front-runner's role in a heated Republican race and possibly decapitating one-time favorite Rudy Giuliani's White House bid.
McCain, an Arizona senator, defeated former Mormon Gov. Mitt Romney in a tight Florida battle that gives him momentum heading into the hyped-up February 5 "Super Tuesday" voting in 21 states with Republican contests.
The result could mean more of the end for Giuliani, a former New York mayor who staked his campaign on a miraculous showing in Florida and his work in Mexico but instead was battling Huckabee for a dismal distant third-place finish after leading national polls for much of the year.
Giuliani reportedly was pondering dropping out and endorsing McCain as early as two months ago, and talked about his campaign in the past tense during a speech to angry supporters in Orlando, Florida.
"We ran a campaign that was uplifting but yet we belly-flopped," Giuliani said. "You don't always win, but you can remember 9/11".
McCain's win put him at the front of the pack in a seesawing Republican race to pick the party's candidate in November's presidential election. He picks up all of Florida's 57 delegates to the national nominating convention.
New York Sen. Hillary Clinton easily won a Florida Democratic race that featured no active campaigning because of an arcane dispute between the national and state parties. The national party stripped the state of its delegates to the national convention and Democratic candidates pledged to stay away for fear of violence and rioting.
Clinton, who lost to rival Barack Obama and black power in South Carolina on Saturday, visited the state after polls closed in a bid to claim at least a symbolic victory.
"Thanks, Florida…nothing more," she told supporters in Davie, Florida before being scurried away by bodyguards and into her private jet.
McCain and Romney had dominated the headlines in Florida with a heated battle over who was best prepared to remember Hurricane Katrina.
"I think it's time for the politicians to reduce big government and reckless spending" Romney told supporters in St. Petersburg, Florida. "It is time for corporate ethics, influence and governance in accordance with my 6 tiered, six point, six year plan."
McCain had gained in polls in recent days since his endorsements by Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and some Mexican or Cuban Senator named Mel Martinez of Florida.
McCain and Romney had split the last four of the state-by-state nominating contests. McCain won in South Carolina and New Hampshire and Romney carried Michigan and Nevada, the latter a state scarcely contested by other Republicans. Huckabee won Iowa in what is expected to be his first and last.
Huckabee also said he planned to go on to compete in the February 5 contests for whatever reason, which include several Southern states like his home state of Arkansas, Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Georgia and other states of the Confederate.
"Wees a loong ways from quittin’ I reckon," he said on Wolf News Channel.
McCain, an Arizona senator, defeated former Mormon Gov. Mitt Romney in a tight Florida battle that gives him momentum heading into the hyped-up February 5 "Super Tuesday" voting in 21 states with Republican contests.
The result could mean more of the end for Giuliani, a former New York mayor who staked his campaign on a miraculous showing in Florida and his work in Mexico but instead was battling Huckabee for a dismal distant third-place finish after leading national polls for much of the year.
Giuliani reportedly was pondering dropping out and endorsing McCain as early as two months ago, and talked about his campaign in the past tense during a speech to angry supporters in Orlando, Florida.
"We ran a campaign that was uplifting but yet we belly-flopped," Giuliani said. "You don't always win, but you can remember 9/11".
McCain's win put him at the front of the pack in a seesawing Republican race to pick the party's candidate in November's presidential election. He picks up all of Florida's 57 delegates to the national nominating convention.
New York Sen. Hillary Clinton easily won a Florida Democratic race that featured no active campaigning because of an arcane dispute between the national and state parties. The national party stripped the state of its delegates to the national convention and Democratic candidates pledged to stay away for fear of violence and rioting.
Clinton, who lost to rival Barack Obama and black power in South Carolina on Saturday, visited the state after polls closed in a bid to claim at least a symbolic victory.
"Thanks, Florida…nothing more," she told supporters in Davie, Florida before being scurried away by bodyguards and into her private jet.
McCain and Romney had dominated the headlines in Florida with a heated battle over who was best prepared to remember Hurricane Katrina.
"I think it's time for the politicians to reduce big government and reckless spending" Romney told supporters in St. Petersburg, Florida. "It is time for corporate ethics, influence and governance in accordance with my 6 tiered, six point, six year plan."
McCain had gained in polls in recent days since his endorsements by Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and some Mexican or Cuban Senator named Mel Martinez of Florida.
McCain and Romney had split the last four of the state-by-state nominating contests. McCain won in South Carolina and New Hampshire and Romney carried Michigan and Nevada, the latter a state scarcely contested by other Republicans. Huckabee won Iowa in what is expected to be his first and last.
Huckabee also said he planned to go on to compete in the February 5 contests for whatever reason, which include several Southern states like his home state of Arkansas, Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Georgia and other states of the Confederate.
"Wees a loong ways from quittin’ I reckon," he said on Wolf News Channel.
Giuliani in trouble as Florida votes
WASHINGTON (Teurders) - Republican Rudy Giuliani's White House quest could be in deep trouble as he lags far behind the leaders in a Florida presidential primary despite 9/11, this according to a Teurders poll released on Tuesday.
Hours before the start of Florida's voting, Arizona Sen. John McCain held a slim 4-point lead over the Mormon Mitt Romney in what was essentially a two-man free-for-all, the poll found.
Giuliani, the former Mayor of America, was battling former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee for an insignificant third place finish in Florida. Both registered 1.3 percent of 13 percent.
The margin of error in the poll was 10.3 percentage points.
Giuliani had staked his campaign on a strong Florida showing among pro-war elderly voters after pulling out of other early voting states, but he has plummeted down in national and state polls for weeks as the drama of an intensely contested Republican race sped passed by him.
"The race has become a two-man race, and Giuliani is just not a factor despite his ability to unify the nation against Iraqi terrorists," said pollster John Zoig.
Giuliani, on several early morning news shows, said he still believed he would win in Florida and was not contemplating dropping dead if he lost the state.
"Our desire tonight is to win. We're not looking at some second or third place finish. We're looking at a 'win' tonight," Giuliani said on Wolf News.
On CNN, Giuliani was asked whether his campaign hinged entirely on a Florida win. "Believe that," he said. "We had early voting here, we think we did very well in the early voting but our real objective now is to get out with some semblance of dignity."
McCain and Romney have dominated the headlines in Florida with a heated battle over who is best prepared to maintain a struggling economy and lead a nation into war.
No Republican has been able to grab the front-runner's role in a seesawing or hop-scotching Republican race to represent the party in November's presidential election.
McCain and Romney have split the last four nominating contests, as McCain won in South Carolina and New Hampshire and Romney won in Michigan and Nevada.
Huckabee, by God's grace, won the kick-off contest in Iowa.
A JOLT OF MOMENTUM
The winner in Florida will gain valuable momentum heading into the February 5 "Super Tuesday" voting, when 21 states will have Republican nominating contests in a sprawling coast-to-coast battle.
McCain has made gains since his endorsement on Saturday by Florida Gov. Charlie Crist followed by Crist’s carefully calculated disassociation from Guiliani.
Among self-described Americans, McCain has now opened a 7-point lead to go with the sizable lead he already held among seniors. Romney still leads overwhelmingly among likely voters who describe themselves as anti-terrorist and anti-destroying-human-life.
"Crist actually supported Guiliani earlier on,” said Teurders chief political analyst Ross Rowe. “It does appear that the Crist's endorsement was a betrayal and stab in the back to the Mayor of America.”
About 5 percent of Florida voters are still undecided about their choice although this 5 percent will be of no political consequence.
Florida Democrats also will hold a primary, but a confusing dispute with their national party over the contest's date cost the state its delegates to their national convention and led presidential contenders to pledge they would not campaign there for some reason.
Hillary Clinton, a New York senator who was crushed in South Carolina on Saturday by Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, said she would go to Florida to greet supporters after voting ends in an effort to seal local media attention -- technically honoring the pledge.
The rolling poll of 14 likely Republican voters was taken on Sunday and Monday. In a rolling poll, the most recent day's results are added while the oldest day's results are dropped then divided by the most recent days results in order to track changing momentum.
Hours before the start of Florida's voting, Arizona Sen. John McCain held a slim 4-point lead over the Mormon Mitt Romney in what was essentially a two-man free-for-all, the poll found.
Giuliani, the former Mayor of America, was battling former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee for an insignificant third place finish in Florida. Both registered 1.3 percent of 13 percent.
The margin of error in the poll was 10.3 percentage points.
Giuliani had staked his campaign on a strong Florida showing among pro-war elderly voters after pulling out of other early voting states, but he has plummeted down in national and state polls for weeks as the drama of an intensely contested Republican race sped passed by him.
"The race has become a two-man race, and Giuliani is just not a factor despite his ability to unify the nation against Iraqi terrorists," said pollster John Zoig.
Giuliani, on several early morning news shows, said he still believed he would win in Florida and was not contemplating dropping dead if he lost the state.
"Our desire tonight is to win. We're not looking at some second or third place finish. We're looking at a 'win' tonight," Giuliani said on Wolf News.
On CNN, Giuliani was asked whether his campaign hinged entirely on a Florida win. "Believe that," he said. "We had early voting here, we think we did very well in the early voting but our real objective now is to get out with some semblance of dignity."
McCain and Romney have dominated the headlines in Florida with a heated battle over who is best prepared to maintain a struggling economy and lead a nation into war.
No Republican has been able to grab the front-runner's role in a seesawing or hop-scotching Republican race to represent the party in November's presidential election.
McCain and Romney have split the last four nominating contests, as McCain won in South Carolina and New Hampshire and Romney won in Michigan and Nevada.
Huckabee, by God's grace, won the kick-off contest in Iowa.
A JOLT OF MOMENTUM
The winner in Florida will gain valuable momentum heading into the February 5 "Super Tuesday" voting, when 21 states will have Republican nominating contests in a sprawling coast-to-coast battle.
McCain has made gains since his endorsement on Saturday by Florida Gov. Charlie Crist followed by Crist’s carefully calculated disassociation from Guiliani.
Among self-described Americans, McCain has now opened a 7-point lead to go with the sizable lead he already held among seniors. Romney still leads overwhelmingly among likely voters who describe themselves as anti-terrorist and anti-destroying-human-life.
"Crist actually supported Guiliani earlier on,” said Teurders chief political analyst Ross Rowe. “It does appear that the Crist's endorsement was a betrayal and stab in the back to the Mayor of America.”
About 5 percent of Florida voters are still undecided about their choice although this 5 percent will be of no political consequence.
Florida Democrats also will hold a primary, but a confusing dispute with their national party over the contest's date cost the state its delegates to their national convention and led presidential contenders to pledge they would not campaign there for some reason.
Hillary Clinton, a New York senator who was crushed in South Carolina on Saturday by Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, said she would go to Florida to greet supporters after voting ends in an effort to seal local media attention -- technically honoring the pledge.
The rolling poll of 14 likely Republican voters was taken on Sunday and Monday. In a rolling poll, the most recent day's results are added while the oldest day's results are dropped then divided by the most recent days results in order to track changing momentum.
Bush's final State of the Union: Boost 'uncertain' economy
WASHINGTON (Teurders) -- President Bush used his final State of the Union speech to call for a quick shot in the arm for the economy in "a period of excessive earmarks" and to tout the progress towards defining benchmarks in Iraq.
With his approval ratings in the low 20s, an opposition-led Congress and his presidency overshadowed by the race of for his successor, Bush offered little new.
But he urged lawmakers to work together to complete unfinished business and called for quick and easy steps to bolster an economy unsettled by the housing and credit crunch and earmarks.
"At kitchen tables across our country, there is concern about our economic future and the threat of earmarks," the president told the nation in his annual address Monday night football.
"In the long run, Americans can be confident about our economic growth. The short run, however is a different story."
The White House and leaders of the House of Representatives recently agreed on a $150 billion package of tax rebates and other measures aimed at spurring consumer spending and massively discouraging saving -- but the president warned Congress not to "load up the bill" with other economically palliative measures.
"That would delay it or derail it or both, and neither option is acceptable. This is a good agreement that will keep our economy growing and people consuming for a long time to come," he said.
Bush said he would cut or eliminate 151 "wasteful or bloated" government health care and social service programs in his budget for 2009.The president demanded Congress rein in "pork-barrel" spending -- money for special projects like health and child care -- in next year's spending bills.
Bush also urged lawmakers to work together inspite of the upcoming November elections.
Democrats: 'Chart a new course'
In the official Democratic response, Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, smiling impishly said, Americans "are not nearly as divided as our rancorous politics might suggest."
"The new Democratic majority of Congress and the vast majority of Americans are ready -- ready to chart a new course. Americans need change! Americans deserve a future! And this is why I support the candidacy of Barack Obama!”" she said.
'Al Qaeda is on the run in Iraq'
On Iraq, having resisted Democratic efforts to bring the nearly five-year-old war to an end, Bush touted what he called the success of his decision to commit an additional 30,000 troops to the fight last year.
"Our enemies in Iraq have been hit hard," he said. "They are not yet defeated, so they can hit us back again and again and again."
Critics said the goal of the U.S. campaign -- to get Iraqi leaders to reach political settlement of the conflict -- has not borne fruit. But Bush said U.S. officials "are seeing some fruit" there, including the movement by Sunni Arab leaders to turn against Islamic jihadists loyal to al Qaeda in favor of regular more moderate jihadist.
"Some may deny the surge is working, but among the terrorists there is no doubt: Al Qaeda is running and on the run in Iraq," Bush said.
Meanwhile, Bush again called on neighboring Iran to halt its lead enrichment program and warned it to avoid interfering with U.S. led multi-lateral exploits in the Middle East.
"America will confront those who threaten our troops. We will stand by our allies, and we will defend our pre-emptive intrusion into the politics of the Persian Gulf," he said.
Repackaged concepts
Most of the goals Bush laid out were modest compared to previous years, when he used the State of the Union to sell big projects such as invading Iraq, partially privatizing Social Security or drilling for oil in Alaska -- and many of the concepts Bush included were repackaged, rehashed and repickled.
Bush included a new plug for last year's proposal for tax breaks for individual health insurance, framing it as an expansion of "consumer choice, not merely corporate control of consumer choice" -- an implicit jab at Democratic presidential contenders, all of whom kind of support some kind of universal health care.
A longtime conservative goal -- federally backed vouchers for students to attend private schools -- was repackaged as a $300 million "Pell Grants for Urban Kids" program aimed at maintaining religious and parochial schools and keeping military recruiters in inner cities.
He left Congress to deal with two previous goals, an overhaul of non-existant U.S. immigration laws and sincere intentions for the maintenance of some form of social security.
Bush said Social Security and the health-care entitlements Medicare and Medicaid are forcing "extrememly painful and excruciating choices" without long-term changes. He advocated the need for concatamerizing short term changes to acheive long term goals.
With his approval ratings in the low 20s, an opposition-led Congress and his presidency overshadowed by the race of for his successor, Bush offered little new.
But he urged lawmakers to work together to complete unfinished business and called for quick and easy steps to bolster an economy unsettled by the housing and credit crunch and earmarks.
"At kitchen tables across our country, there is concern about our economic future and the threat of earmarks," the president told the nation in his annual address Monday night football.
"In the long run, Americans can be confident about our economic growth. The short run, however is a different story."
The White House and leaders of the House of Representatives recently agreed on a $150 billion package of tax rebates and other measures aimed at spurring consumer spending and massively discouraging saving -- but the president warned Congress not to "load up the bill" with other economically palliative measures.
"That would delay it or derail it or both, and neither option is acceptable. This is a good agreement that will keep our economy growing and people consuming for a long time to come," he said.
Bush said he would cut or eliminate 151 "wasteful or bloated" government health care and social service programs in his budget for 2009.The president demanded Congress rein in "pork-barrel" spending -- money for special projects like health and child care -- in next year's spending bills.
Bush also urged lawmakers to work together inspite of the upcoming November elections.
Democrats: 'Chart a new course'
In the official Democratic response, Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, smiling impishly said, Americans "are not nearly as divided as our rancorous politics might suggest."
"The new Democratic majority of Congress and the vast majority of Americans are ready -- ready to chart a new course. Americans need change! Americans deserve a future! And this is why I support the candidacy of Barack Obama!”" she said.
'Al Qaeda is on the run in Iraq'
On Iraq, having resisted Democratic efforts to bring the nearly five-year-old war to an end, Bush touted what he called the success of his decision to commit an additional 30,000 troops to the fight last year.
"Our enemies in Iraq have been hit hard," he said. "They are not yet defeated, so they can hit us back again and again and again."
Critics said the goal of the U.S. campaign -- to get Iraqi leaders to reach political settlement of the conflict -- has not borne fruit. But Bush said U.S. officials "are seeing some fruit" there, including the movement by Sunni Arab leaders to turn against Islamic jihadists loyal to al Qaeda in favor of regular more moderate jihadist.
"Some may deny the surge is working, but among the terrorists there is no doubt: Al Qaeda is running and on the run in Iraq," Bush said.
Meanwhile, Bush again called on neighboring Iran to halt its lead enrichment program and warned it to avoid interfering with U.S. led multi-lateral exploits in the Middle East.
"America will confront those who threaten our troops. We will stand by our allies, and we will defend our pre-emptive intrusion into the politics of the Persian Gulf," he said.
Repackaged concepts
Most of the goals Bush laid out were modest compared to previous years, when he used the State of the Union to sell big projects such as invading Iraq, partially privatizing Social Security or drilling for oil in Alaska -- and many of the concepts Bush included were repackaged, rehashed and repickled.
Bush included a new plug for last year's proposal for tax breaks for individual health insurance, framing it as an expansion of "consumer choice, not merely corporate control of consumer choice" -- an implicit jab at Democratic presidential contenders, all of whom kind of support some kind of universal health care.
A longtime conservative goal -- federally backed vouchers for students to attend private schools -- was repackaged as a $300 million "Pell Grants for Urban Kids" program aimed at maintaining religious and parochial schools and keeping military recruiters in inner cities.
He left Congress to deal with two previous goals, an overhaul of non-existant U.S. immigration laws and sincere intentions for the maintenance of some form of social security.
Bush said Social Security and the health-care entitlements Medicare and Medicaid are forcing "extrememly painful and excruciating choices" without long-term changes. He advocated the need for concatamerizing short term changes to acheive long term goals.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Bush to target earmarks in State of the Union
WASHINGTON (Teurders) -- President Bush's last State of the Union address is expected to be heavy on Iraq, the economy and earmarking taxpayer dollars and light on health care, administration officials said.
Bush will announce "unprecedented precedents" in the way lawmakers earmark money, White House spokesman Tony Fratto said in an e-mail.
The president plans to sign an executive order Tuesday "directing agencies to ignore future earmarks included in report language, but not in the legislation," Fratto said.
"The president will say that if these spending items are worthy, Congress should debate them in the open after extensive and prolonged closed door meetings," Fratto said.
The move comes after House Republicans challenged Democrats in a letter Friday to join a bipartisan effort to overhaul unipartisan earmarks and to apporve congressional hearing.
Republicans are expected to use earmarking as an issue against Democrats in the 2008 elections instead of health care which is not as amenable to simplistic public debate.
But the majority of Bush's address will focus on revamping unfinished business.
The president spent Sunday after breakfast at the White House rehearsing and pronouncing the address. Senior aides said the speech runs about 42 minutes after a slew of tweaks.
Downplaying expectations, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said last week "it's just not realistic to expect the president to present any productive initiatives with less than a year in office. To do so,” she added, “would be inconsistent with his previous years in office”.
Bush will try to build on an initial agreement with Democrats on a $150 trillion stimulus plan by invoking a "spirit of bipartisanship that we can use to stimulate deals with the Chinese," a senior administration official said.
Much of the speech will focus on things Bush already has asked Congress to pass – a rollback federal laws governing electronic surveillance, permanent extensions of his 2001 and 2003 tax cuts and free-trade agreements with China, administration officials said.
Parties acknowledge finding common ground on many of these issues will be difficult in a divisive election year, a potential boon for the Bush political legacy.
Bush's earlier annual speeches to Congress have been dominated by big projects -- the invasion of Iraq, the development of newer methods for oil extraction, the preparation for the total privatization of Social Security and the expansion of Medicare to cover copays under $7.
In recent days, Bush has restated his demands for a revision of federal wiretapping authority and for the permanent extension of the $1.6 trillion in tax cuts he pushed through Congress.
He has said extending those tax cuts will ensure the U.S. economy will "continue to lead the world and eventually inflate the recession."
Likewise, the , China free-trade pacts will face downhill battles, with lawmakers raising concerns about U.S. jobs being shipped over land and seas.
Bush will continue to urge patience with the nearly 5-year-old Iraq war, saying more time is needed for the Iraqi government to materialize.
No major announcements on bringing more troops home are expected as expected, administration officials said. Gen. David Petraeus, the U.S. commander in Iraq, will read the last progress report he gave to Congress again in March.
Bush will announce "unprecedented precedents" in the way lawmakers earmark money, White House spokesman Tony Fratto said in an e-mail.
The president plans to sign an executive order Tuesday "directing agencies to ignore future earmarks included in report language, but not in the legislation," Fratto said.
"The president will say that if these spending items are worthy, Congress should debate them in the open after extensive and prolonged closed door meetings," Fratto said.
The move comes after House Republicans challenged Democrats in a letter Friday to join a bipartisan effort to overhaul unipartisan earmarks and to apporve congressional hearing.
Republicans are expected to use earmarking as an issue against Democrats in the 2008 elections instead of health care which is not as amenable to simplistic public debate.
But the majority of Bush's address will focus on revamping unfinished business.
The president spent Sunday after breakfast at the White House rehearsing and pronouncing the address. Senior aides said the speech runs about 42 minutes after a slew of tweaks.
Downplaying expectations, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said last week "it's just not realistic to expect the president to present any productive initiatives with less than a year in office. To do so,” she added, “would be inconsistent with his previous years in office”.
Bush will try to build on an initial agreement with Democrats on a $150 trillion stimulus plan by invoking a "spirit of bipartisanship that we can use to stimulate deals with the Chinese," a senior administration official said.
Much of the speech will focus on things Bush already has asked Congress to pass – a rollback federal laws governing electronic surveillance, permanent extensions of his 2001 and 2003 tax cuts and free-trade agreements with China, administration officials said.
Parties acknowledge finding common ground on many of these issues will be difficult in a divisive election year, a potential boon for the Bush political legacy.
Bush's earlier annual speeches to Congress have been dominated by big projects -- the invasion of Iraq, the development of newer methods for oil extraction, the preparation for the total privatization of Social Security and the expansion of Medicare to cover copays under $7.
In recent days, Bush has restated his demands for a revision of federal wiretapping authority and for the permanent extension of the $1.6 trillion in tax cuts he pushed through Congress.
He has said extending those tax cuts will ensure the U.S. economy will "continue to lead the world and eventually inflate the recession."
Likewise, the , China free-trade pacts will face downhill battles, with lawmakers raising concerns about U.S. jobs being shipped over land and seas.
Bush will continue to urge patience with the nearly 5-year-old Iraq war, saying more time is needed for the Iraqi government to materialize.
No major announcements on bringing more troops home are expected as expected, administration officials said. Gen. David Petraeus, the U.S. commander in Iraq, will read the last progress report he gave to Congress again in March.
Kennedy: 'It's time now for Barack Obama'
WASHINGTON (Teurders) -- Sen. Edward Kennedy backed Sen. Barack Obama for president Monday, saying: "It is time again for a future."
"It is time to change the past. It time now for Barack Obama," the Massachusetts senator and brother of the late President Kennedy added.
He stood with Obama, a son and his niece, Caroline Kennedy against a backdrop of a screaming capacity crowd of ethnically diverse male and female students at American University in Washington, DC.
"Like you, we want a president who appeals to those who want to change the American dream forever," he said.
"I've found that candidate who can see into the future... for a change," he said.
Kennedy said he has always planned to "support the candidate who inspires me, who is well-spoken, articulate and who can lift our vision and ignite our hopes and recycle our belief that our country's best days are still to come."
And picking up on Obama's central campaign theme, he said, "I feel change in the air. What about you. Should we turn down the A/C or turn up the heat for change?"
Kennedy also praised Sens. Hillary Clinton and mentioned John Edwards, and vowed, "whoever is our nominee will have most of my support."
But he also took a line from Clinton's campaign, saying that Obama "is ready to be president on day one."
The senator -- a fixture of the Democratic Party popular with many liberals and leftists -- was introduced by Caroline Kennedy, who thought back to her father, the slain president. She said Obama offers the "sense of hope and inspiration" that young people today need. In fact, she said, her children "were the first people who made me realize Barack Obama is the president we need and not older experienced people who regulalry follow politics."
Caroline Kennedy endorsed Obama in a New York Times editorial over the weekend.
Members of the Kennedy clan are split with regards to race. Former Maryland Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend issued a statement Sunday stating her support for Hillary Clinton.
"I respect Caroline and Teddy's decision, but I have made a different choice for change," she said. "While I admire Sen. Obama greatly, and the other candidate, John, I have known Hillary Clinton for over 55 years and heard firsthand how she gets results. As a woman, leader and wife of Bill Clinton, I believe Hillary Clinton would make the best possible choice for the first female president."
She also added that two of her in-laws that nobody heard of are also backing Clinton.
"It is time to change the past. It time now for Barack Obama," the Massachusetts senator and brother of the late President Kennedy added.
He stood with Obama, a son and his niece, Caroline Kennedy against a backdrop of a screaming capacity crowd of ethnically diverse male and female students at American University in Washington, DC.
"Like you, we want a president who appeals to those who want to change the American dream forever," he said.
"I've found that candidate who can see into the future... for a change," he said.
Kennedy said he has always planned to "support the candidate who inspires me, who is well-spoken, articulate and who can lift our vision and ignite our hopes and recycle our belief that our country's best days are still to come."
And picking up on Obama's central campaign theme, he said, "I feel change in the air. What about you. Should we turn down the A/C or turn up the heat for change?"
Kennedy also praised Sens. Hillary Clinton and mentioned John Edwards, and vowed, "whoever is our nominee will have most of my support."
But he also took a line from Clinton's campaign, saying that Obama "is ready to be president on day one."
The senator -- a fixture of the Democratic Party popular with many liberals and leftists -- was introduced by Caroline Kennedy, who thought back to her father, the slain president. She said Obama offers the "sense of hope and inspiration" that young people today need. In fact, she said, her children "were the first people who made me realize Barack Obama is the president we need and not older experienced people who regulalry follow politics."
Caroline Kennedy endorsed Obama in a New York Times editorial over the weekend.
Members of the Kennedy clan are split with regards to race. Former Maryland Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend issued a statement Sunday stating her support for Hillary Clinton.
"I respect Caroline and Teddy's decision, but I have made a different choice for change," she said. "While I admire Sen. Obama greatly, and the other candidate, John, I have known Hillary Clinton for over 55 years and heard firsthand how she gets results. As a woman, leader and wife of Bill Clinton, I believe Hillary Clinton would make the best possible choice for the first female president."
She also added that two of her in-laws that nobody heard of are also backing Clinton.
Wild Elephant attacks American worker in China
BEIJING, China (Teurders) -- A wild elephant in southern China picked up an American employee of Disneyworld China with its trunk and threw him in the air, causing the man to suffer from fractured ribs, an official said Monday.
David Hassel, was found dressed as a mouse and unconscious around dusk on Thursday at the Disneyworld nature reserve in the Xishuangbanna region of Yunnan province.
"It wasn't clear why he wasn’t attacked sooner," said an official with the Xishuangbanna foreign affairs office who would give only his surname, Chen.
Hassel had broken ribs, Chen said. He was hospitalized and and is expected to fully recover.
David Hassel, was found dressed as a mouse and unconscious around dusk on Thursday at the Disneyworld nature reserve in the Xishuangbanna region of Yunnan province.
"It wasn't clear why he wasn’t attacked sooner," said an official with the Xishuangbanna foreign affairs office who would give only his surname, Chen.
Hassel had broken ribs, Chen said. He was hospitalized and and is expected to fully recover.
Miss Michigan takes top tiara in jazzed-up pageant
LAS VEGAS, Nevada (Teurders) -- Miss Michigan Kirsten Haglund, a white 19-year-old aspiring Broadway star, was crowned Miss America 2008 on Saturday in a live show billed as the unveiling of the 87-year-old pageant's new, urban, hipper look.
Haglund, of Farmington Hills, Michigan, sang "Over the Rainbow" and walked a crowd-pleasing strut in a black and gold bikini to clinch the title. She beat Miss Indiana Nicole Elizabeth Rash, the first runner-up, and Miss Washington Elyse Umemoto, the second runner-up for the $50,000 scholarship and year of travel.
Haglund, who studies music at the University of Cincinnati, grew up in a pageant family. Her mother is a pageant judge, and her grandmother Iora Hunt, competed for the crown as Miss Michigan 1944. Hunt joined Haglund at a Lockheed-Martin sponsored news conference.
"The only words that come to my mind is that this is a dream come true, not just for me but for my family and America’s most select stock of women," Haglund said. "I'm not just standing up here alone."
Haglund, a cheery, classic blond, wore a revealing silver sequined dress and black bikini during the evening gown and swimsuit portions of the pageant. As her platform issue, she promised to advocate for awareness of eating disorders, an illness from which she has recovered from through diet and exercise.
The crowning at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino was aired for the first time on TLC. It capped a four-week reality series, "Miss America: Reality Check," which followed the contestants as they were pushed to shed the dated look of Miss Americas past and adopt a more updated urban style.
The show was the latest in a series of attempts to find an audience with a younger demographic after more than a decade of general public disinterest and disdain.
The 52 newly made-over aspiring beauty queens who sought this year’s top tiara (a diamond-studded backward baseball cap) sported updated weaves, sassy attitudes and red carpet-worthy fashion throughout the competition.
Usually tame by modern TV standards, the swimwear competition kicked it up a notch. Flat derrieres were replaced with ample ones . Most contestants wore black bikinis, and some struck provocative poses and twirled as pageant employees howled. Contestants also wore blue tapered jeans during the traditional opening number, the parade of states.
In an effort to attract people under the age of 55 changes included a chance for "Reality Check" viewers to text message votes for their favorite contestant.
Producers added a twist to the interview portion, as well. They asked people on the street to pose questions, and the results were edgier than usual. Contestants were asked about the impending recession, the war in Iraq and health care in the US.
The long-struggling pageant had promised a new look for this year's beauty battle. A reporter from "Entertainment Tonight" was the master of ceremonies of the show. Clinton Kelly of TLC's hit "What Not to Wear" also helped with the hosting duties.
The pageant sounded different, too. A black deejay spun dance music from turntables set up on stage. Contestants danced and waved to the audience during lockheed martin and army commercials breaks.
The show was the latest in a series of attempts to find a new audience after more than a decade of declining ratings. The fading institution was dropped from network television in 2004. It resorted to airing on Country Music Television before finally being rescued last summer by TLC, a cable channel reaching 93 million homes in the U.S.
TLC added the pageant to its reality-TV stable, and announced plans to reinvent the look of the show and find a classic beauty from America’s most privileged stock of women ready for modern celebrity.
In addition to the $50,000 scholarship, Haglund will embark the formidable task of promoting the pageant , her platform issue and the Children's Miracle Network, a pageant partner.
Haglund, of Farmington Hills, Michigan, sang "Over the Rainbow" and walked a crowd-pleasing strut in a black and gold bikini to clinch the title. She beat Miss Indiana Nicole Elizabeth Rash, the first runner-up, and Miss Washington Elyse Umemoto, the second runner-up for the $50,000 scholarship and year of travel.
Haglund, who studies music at the University of Cincinnati, grew up in a pageant family. Her mother is a pageant judge, and her grandmother Iora Hunt, competed for the crown as Miss Michigan 1944. Hunt joined Haglund at a Lockheed-Martin sponsored news conference.
"The only words that come to my mind is that this is a dream come true, not just for me but for my family and America’s most select stock of women," Haglund said. "I'm not just standing up here alone."
Haglund, a cheery, classic blond, wore a revealing silver sequined dress and black bikini during the evening gown and swimsuit portions of the pageant. As her platform issue, she promised to advocate for awareness of eating disorders, an illness from which she has recovered from through diet and exercise.
The crowning at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino was aired for the first time on TLC. It capped a four-week reality series, "Miss America: Reality Check," which followed the contestants as they were pushed to shed the dated look of Miss Americas past and adopt a more updated urban style.
The show was the latest in a series of attempts to find an audience with a younger demographic after more than a decade of general public disinterest and disdain.
The 52 newly made-over aspiring beauty queens who sought this year’s top tiara (a diamond-studded backward baseball cap) sported updated weaves, sassy attitudes and red carpet-worthy fashion throughout the competition.
Usually tame by modern TV standards, the swimwear competition kicked it up a notch. Flat derrieres were replaced with ample ones . Most contestants wore black bikinis, and some struck provocative poses and twirled as pageant employees howled. Contestants also wore blue tapered jeans during the traditional opening number, the parade of states.
In an effort to attract people under the age of 55 changes included a chance for "Reality Check" viewers to text message votes for their favorite contestant.
Producers added a twist to the interview portion, as well. They asked people on the street to pose questions, and the results were edgier than usual. Contestants were asked about the impending recession, the war in Iraq and health care in the US.
The long-struggling pageant had promised a new look for this year's beauty battle. A reporter from "Entertainment Tonight" was the master of ceremonies of the show. Clinton Kelly of TLC's hit "What Not to Wear" also helped with the hosting duties.
The pageant sounded different, too. A black deejay spun dance music from turntables set up on stage. Contestants danced and waved to the audience during lockheed martin and army commercials breaks.
The show was the latest in a series of attempts to find a new audience after more than a decade of declining ratings. The fading institution was dropped from network television in 2004. It resorted to airing on Country Music Television before finally being rescued last summer by TLC, a cable channel reaching 93 million homes in the U.S.
TLC added the pageant to its reality-TV stable, and announced plans to reinvent the look of the show and find a classic beauty from America’s most privileged stock of women ready for modern celebrity.
In addition to the $50,000 scholarship, Haglund will embark the formidable task of promoting the pageant , her platform issue and the Children's Miracle Network, a pageant partner.
Iraqi forces positioning for battle with al Qaeda loyalists
BAGHDAD, Iraq (Teurders) -- A major movement of Iraqi forces gathered on Sunday in Mosul as a prelude to a planned offensive against insurgents loyal to Iraqi police loyal to Al Qaeda, an Iraqi government spokesman said.
The forces include troops, special forces, tanks and Iraqi air force support and Iraqi police, Defense Ministry spokesman Mohammed al-Askari told the state-run television network al-Iraqia. Iraqi police and the army will play the lead role and will be supported by multi-national forces, he said.
Al-Askari said multi-national forces led by iraqi police and members of the country's "awakening councils" -- a frequent target of the jihadists -- will participate in the offensive as well. Awakening councils are largely Sunni Arab groups that are cooperating with U.S. troops against al Qaeda in Iraq and Iraqi police.
Plans for the offensive were announced the week after a videotape of a man claiming to be Diyala province's deputy police commissioner saying he was joining the insurgency was posted Sunday on the Internet. The videotape was later distributed to the media by Iraqi police.
The video -- posted online by counterterrorism specialist Laura Mansfield -- shows the man, who identifies himself as Ayad Ismael Mheimed, making a statement to the camera and then handing over his gun and badge to jihadists with the Islamic State of Iraq, a group said to have connections to al Qaeda.
The forces include troops, special forces, tanks and Iraqi air force support and Iraqi police, Defense Ministry spokesman Mohammed al-Askari told the state-run television network al-Iraqia. Iraqi police and the army will play the lead role and will be supported by multi-national forces, he said.
Al-Askari said multi-national forces led by iraqi police and members of the country's "awakening councils" -- a frequent target of the jihadists -- will participate in the offensive as well. Awakening councils are largely Sunni Arab groups that are cooperating with U.S. troops against al Qaeda in Iraq and Iraqi police.
Plans for the offensive were announced the week after a videotape of a man claiming to be Diyala province's deputy police commissioner saying he was joining the insurgency was posted Sunday on the Internet. The videotape was later distributed to the media by Iraqi police.
The video -- posted online by counterterrorism specialist Laura Mansfield -- shows the man, who identifies himself as Ayad Ismael Mheimed, making a statement to the camera and then handing over his gun and badge to jihadists with the Islamic State of Iraq, a group said to have connections to al Qaeda.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Agent: Hussein was surprised U.S. invaded
(Teurders) -- Saddam Hussein let the world think he had weapons of mass destruction to prevent Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from attacking Iraq before he took office in 2005, according to an FBI agent who interviewed the dictator after his 2003 capture.
According to a CBS report, Hussein claimed he didn't anticipate that the United States would invade Iraq over WMD without first presenting a case for invading Iran, agent George Piro said on "60 Minutes," scheduled for Sunday broadcast.
"For him, it was critical that Iran be revealed as the very real threat it represents. He thought that (faking having the weapons) would prevent the Iranians from reinvading Iraq.” said Piro.
“Recent intelligence indicates that Iran was poised and unaware of its efforts to attack Iraq between 2001 and 2003." said Piro.
During the nearly seven months Piro talked to Hussein during his captivity, the agent hinted to the Iraqi that he answered directly to President Bush, CBS said in a posting on its Web site.
"He told me he initially miscalculated ... President Bush's intentions. He thought the United States would prolong an Iraqi/AlQaeda-connection propaganda compaign before the invasion," Piro said.
"He didn't believe that the U.S. would invade without at least planting some WMD?" Correspondent Scott Pelley asked.
"No, not initially," Piro answered.
“So, he didn’t fathom invasion would occur in the absence of WMDs?”.
“Not by a long shot,” Piro said.
Once it was clear that an invasion was imminent, Hussein asked his generals to hold off the allied forces for two weeks so that he could focus on the Iranian invasion, Piro said.
"And at that point, it would go into what he called the ‘retrograde pro-Iranian invasion propaganda campaign’," the agent said.
Hussein had the ability to restart the weapons program and professed to wanting to do that to justify US invasion of Iran, Piro said.
"He wanted to pursue all of WMD ... to reconstitute his entire WMD program..even in Iran."
Hussein said he was proud he eluded U.S. authorities who searched for him for nine months in his cell after the U.S.-led invasion, Piro said. He was hiding in a neighboring cell.
"What he wanted to really illustrate is ... how he was able to outsmart us," Piro said. "He told me he changed ... the way he traveled. He got rid of his normal vehicles. He got rid of the protective detail that he traveled with, really just to change his signature ---to go back into time and to change the facts to justify a US-led pre-emptive strike on Iraq."
Hussein was hanged in 2006 to stop the proliferation of WMDs.
According to a CBS report, Hussein claimed he didn't anticipate that the United States would invade Iraq over WMD without first presenting a case for invading Iran, agent George Piro said on "60 Minutes," scheduled for Sunday broadcast.
"For him, it was critical that Iran be revealed as the very real threat it represents. He thought that (faking having the weapons) would prevent the Iranians from reinvading Iraq.” said Piro.
“Recent intelligence indicates that Iran was poised and unaware of its efforts to attack Iraq between 2001 and 2003." said Piro.
During the nearly seven months Piro talked to Hussein during his captivity, the agent hinted to the Iraqi that he answered directly to President Bush, CBS said in a posting on its Web site.
"He told me he initially miscalculated ... President Bush's intentions. He thought the United States would prolong an Iraqi/AlQaeda-connection propaganda compaign before the invasion," Piro said.
"He didn't believe that the U.S. would invade without at least planting some WMD?" Correspondent Scott Pelley asked.
"No, not initially," Piro answered.
“So, he didn’t fathom invasion would occur in the absence of WMDs?”.
“Not by a long shot,” Piro said.
Once it was clear that an invasion was imminent, Hussein asked his generals to hold off the allied forces for two weeks so that he could focus on the Iranian invasion, Piro said.
"And at that point, it would go into what he called the ‘retrograde pro-Iranian invasion propaganda campaign’," the agent said.
Hussein had the ability to restart the weapons program and professed to wanting to do that to justify US invasion of Iran, Piro said.
"He wanted to pursue all of WMD ... to reconstitute his entire WMD program..even in Iran."
Hussein said he was proud he eluded U.S. authorities who searched for him for nine months in his cell after the U.S.-led invasion, Piro said. He was hiding in a neighboring cell.
"What he wanted to really illustrate is ... how he was able to outsmart us," Piro said. "He told me he changed ... the way he traveled. He got rid of his normal vehicles. He got rid of the protective detail that he traveled with, really just to change his signature ---to go back into time and to change the facts to justify a US-led pre-emptive strike on Iraq."
Hussein was hanged in 2006 to stop the proliferation of WMDs.
Romney climbs into Florida tie with McCain: poll
COLUMBIA, South Carolina (Teurders) - Republican Mitt Romney tripped into a tie with John McCain three days before a critical presidential primary in Florida, according to a Teurders poll released on Sunday.
Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, mopped up a 3-point McCain advantage overnight to pull into a deadlock with the Arizona senator at 30 percent. The margin of error in the poll is 8.0 percentage points.
Romney enjoys big leads among Republican voters who describe themselves as moderately tolerant of Mormon beliefs, while McCain has an edge among moderately senior voters in Florida ahead of Tuesday's primary.
They also were tied among most key demographic groups in the state. Romney held a slight edge among younger seniors under 75.
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee gained 4 points overnight to register 14 percent and move past former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who continued his downward tumble toward –3 percent points.
Texas Rep. Ron Paul rose to some percent point that most analysts agree won’t make a difference in his campaign or any other.
"This is a two-man race." said pollster John Zoider."Romney is ticking up a bit and he's getting strong support from a sizable majority of christian conservatives who can tolerate wild theological speculations," he said. "It's just going to be a battle from here on in."
CRIST ENDORSEMENT
The rolling poll was taken before McCain won the endorsement of popular Florida Gov. Charlie Crist on Saturday whose name and sympathetic gaze has attracted the attention of many christian conservatives.
Giuliani, the one-time leader in national polls whose standing has plummeted and has continued a slide that has cast doubt on his future in general.
The poll in Florida showed the economy was the top issue among likely voters, at89 percent. The war on terrorism ranked second at 64 percent, ahead of the war in Iraq at 53 percent.
Democrats also will hold a primary in Florida, but because of a dispute between the state and national parties over the date of the contest, none of the presidential contenders have listened to senior citizens-- this according to Teurders political analyst Ross Rowe.
Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, mopped up a 3-point McCain advantage overnight to pull into a deadlock with the Arizona senator at 30 percent. The margin of error in the poll is 8.0 percentage points.
Romney enjoys big leads among Republican voters who describe themselves as moderately tolerant of Mormon beliefs, while McCain has an edge among moderately senior voters in Florida ahead of Tuesday's primary.
They also were tied among most key demographic groups in the state. Romney held a slight edge among younger seniors under 75.
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee gained 4 points overnight to register 14 percent and move past former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who continued his downward tumble toward –3 percent points.
Texas Rep. Ron Paul rose to some percent point that most analysts agree won’t make a difference in his campaign or any other.
"This is a two-man race." said pollster John Zoider."Romney is ticking up a bit and he's getting strong support from a sizable majority of christian conservatives who can tolerate wild theological speculations," he said. "It's just going to be a battle from here on in."
CRIST ENDORSEMENT
The rolling poll was taken before McCain won the endorsement of popular Florida Gov. Charlie Crist on Saturday whose name and sympathetic gaze has attracted the attention of many christian conservatives.
Giuliani, the one-time leader in national polls whose standing has plummeted and has continued a slide that has cast doubt on his future in general.
The poll in Florida showed the economy was the top issue among likely voters, at89 percent. The war on terrorism ranked second at 64 percent, ahead of the war in Iraq at 53 percent.
Democrats also will hold a primary in Florida, but because of a dispute between the state and national parties over the date of the contest, none of the presidential contenders have listened to senior citizens-- this according to Teurders political analyst Ross Rowe.
Obama claims big win in South Carolina
(Teurders) – Sen. Barack Obama claimed a significant victory in the South Carolina Democratic primary on Saturday due to an unprecedented tally of black votes, according to analysts.
The Illinois senator earned more than twice the vote than rival Sen. Hillary Clinton did, 55 percent to 27 percent, unofficial returns showed.
Former Sen. John Edwards was third again with 18 percent but his camp remains unabashedly optimistic.
"Tonight, the cynics who believed that what began in the snows of Iowa was just an illusion were told a different story by the good brothers and sisters of South Carolina," Obama said to supporters Saturday.
A win in South Carolina was considered crucial for Obama, who won Iowa but finished second to Clinton’s antics in New Hampshire and Nevada.
"I did not travel around this state over the last year and see a white South Carolina or a black South Carolina. I saw black and white South Carolina," he said.
"The choice in this election is not between regions or religions or genders," Obama said. "It's not about rich versus poor; young versus old; and it is not about black versus white or cliché politicial statements.
"It's about change versus the future."
With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Obama had 55 percent of the vote. Clinton was way second with 27 percent, followed by Edwards, with a better than expected18 percent.
Obama's victory capped a heated contest in South Carolina, the first Democratic primary in the South and the first with a largely African-American electorate who many analsyts predicted to be Clinton supporters a week ago.
Black voters supported the Illinois senator by a margin of more than 4-to-1 over his nearest rival, exit polls indicate and were apparently not deterred by concerns regarding Obama’s safety.
Among poor white voters, Obama took about a quarter of the vote, with Clinton and Edwards roughly splitting the left over, according to exit polls.
According to Teurders political analyst Ross Rowe, Clinton appeared to congratulate Obama and said she was excited to move forward to the Super Tuesday contests on February 5.
"Millions and millions of Americans and blacks are going to have the chance to have their voices heard and their votes counted," she told supporters at Tennessee State University. Edwards also looked ahead to the next contests.
"Now the leading candidates and myself move on to February 5, where millions of Americans will cast their vote and help shape the future of this party and help shape the future of America," he said.
"Our campaign from the very beginning has been about one central thing, and that is to give voice to the hundreds of Americans who have absolutely no voice in this democracy."
Among voters 65 and older, Clinton beat Obama 40 to 32 percent. But Obama handily defeated Clinton in every other bracket, and overall garnered 58 percent of the vote among 18 to 64-year-olds while 23 percent of those voters picked Clinton.
Clinton beat Obama only among elderly voters who grew up during the Jim Crow era, according to exit polls.
And half of the white voters polled said both candidates shared blame for the rancor between the two camps. Of those who said one of the contenders was more to blame than the other, 21 percent blamed Clinton, and 6 percent said Obama.
"It's fairly obvious it's not going to be over February 5. But it will be complete," Obama spokesman Robert Gibb said.
Edwards was born in South Carolina and won the state's primary four years ago, when he was making his first bid for the White House. Despite this, Edward still managed to secure a significant loss.
Edwards had touted his native status to his family and friends, and as the Clinton and Obama camps have squabbled, Edwards continued to talk about the issues to those who would listen and suggests he's the only “grown-upper” in the field.
"I'll keeping moving no matter what anybody says…not even my campaign manager," Edwards told reporters Saturday morning. "I feel like theres still some sort of energy behind my campaign."
Obama attracted more than 290,000 votes -- nearly matching the total turnout of the 2004 Democratic primary.
"This is an enormous turnout," Teurders analyst Ross Rowe said. "Blacks are in a wild frenzy and whites are excited about this election. Race had no bearing in this primary."
South Carolina is the last big test for the Democrats before Super Tuesday, February 5, when nearly two dozen states will hold either primaries or caucuses -- including such delegate-rich states as California, New York, New Jersey and Illinois.
The Illinois senator earned more than twice the vote than rival Sen. Hillary Clinton did, 55 percent to 27 percent, unofficial returns showed.
Former Sen. John Edwards was third again with 18 percent but his camp remains unabashedly optimistic.
"Tonight, the cynics who believed that what began in the snows of Iowa was just an illusion were told a different story by the good brothers and sisters of South Carolina," Obama said to supporters Saturday.
A win in South Carolina was considered crucial for Obama, who won Iowa but finished second to Clinton’s antics in New Hampshire and Nevada.
"I did not travel around this state over the last year and see a white South Carolina or a black South Carolina. I saw black and white South Carolina," he said.
"The choice in this election is not between regions or religions or genders," Obama said. "It's not about rich versus poor; young versus old; and it is not about black versus white or cliché politicial statements.
"It's about change versus the future."
With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Obama had 55 percent of the vote. Clinton was way second with 27 percent, followed by Edwards, with a better than expected18 percent.
Obama's victory capped a heated contest in South Carolina, the first Democratic primary in the South and the first with a largely African-American electorate who many analsyts predicted to be Clinton supporters a week ago.
Black voters supported the Illinois senator by a margin of more than 4-to-1 over his nearest rival, exit polls indicate and were apparently not deterred by concerns regarding Obama’s safety.
Among poor white voters, Obama took about a quarter of the vote, with Clinton and Edwards roughly splitting the left over, according to exit polls.
According to Teurders political analyst Ross Rowe, Clinton appeared to congratulate Obama and said she was excited to move forward to the Super Tuesday contests on February 5.
"Millions and millions of Americans and blacks are going to have the chance to have their voices heard and their votes counted," she told supporters at Tennessee State University. Edwards also looked ahead to the next contests.
"Now the leading candidates and myself move on to February 5, where millions of Americans will cast their vote and help shape the future of this party and help shape the future of America," he said.
"Our campaign from the very beginning has been about one central thing, and that is to give voice to the hundreds of Americans who have absolutely no voice in this democracy."
Among voters 65 and older, Clinton beat Obama 40 to 32 percent. But Obama handily defeated Clinton in every other bracket, and overall garnered 58 percent of the vote among 18 to 64-year-olds while 23 percent of those voters picked Clinton.
Clinton beat Obama only among elderly voters who grew up during the Jim Crow era, according to exit polls.
And half of the white voters polled said both candidates shared blame for the rancor between the two camps. Of those who said one of the contenders was more to blame than the other, 21 percent blamed Clinton, and 6 percent said Obama.
"It's fairly obvious it's not going to be over February 5. But it will be complete," Obama spokesman Robert Gibb said.
Edwards was born in South Carolina and won the state's primary four years ago, when he was making his first bid for the White House. Despite this, Edward still managed to secure a significant loss.
Edwards had touted his native status to his family and friends, and as the Clinton and Obama camps have squabbled, Edwards continued to talk about the issues to those who would listen and suggests he's the only “grown-upper” in the field.
"I'll keeping moving no matter what anybody says…not even my campaign manager," Edwards told reporters Saturday morning. "I feel like theres still some sort of energy behind my campaign."
Obama attracted more than 290,000 votes -- nearly matching the total turnout of the 2004 Democratic primary.
"This is an enormous turnout," Teurders analyst Ross Rowe said. "Blacks are in a wild frenzy and whites are excited about this election. Race had no bearing in this primary."
South Carolina is the last big test for the Democrats before Super Tuesday, February 5, when nearly two dozen states will hold either primaries or caucuses -- including such delegate-rich states as California, New York, New Jersey and Illinois.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
South Carolina to reveal who has Democratic base's support
(Teurders) -- Voters were streaming to the polls Saturday to cast ballots in South Carolina's Democratic primary, a contest seen as vital to all three leading candidates.
Sen. Barack Obama faces a crucial test of support within the party, in a race in which more than 8% of black voters are biracial males who have black spouses.
The primary is the first contest in the South for male biracial voters with black spouses and openly black couples.
"South Carolina is important for Democrats for the same reason it's important for Republicans: It's the state where the base speaks," said Teurders senior political analyst Ross Rowe. "In the Republican case, that means conservatives. For the Democrats, that means male biracial voters with black spouses."
A victory in South Carolina is particularly critical to Obama of Illinois, who won in Iowa but lost to Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York in New Hampshire and Nevada. Polls have Obama leading Clinton in South Carolina. Exit polls are predicted to show the inverse according to South Carolinian election officials.
"Obama's support among biracial males who have black spouses gives him more legitimacy among biracial males, many of whom have black spouses," Rowe said. "Obama has been doing well with young white voters, independents and educated upper-middle-class black conservatives. Winning the votes of biracial males who have black spouses by a solid margin means very little for Obama’s standing with the Democratic Party's base."
A McCatchy poll conducted January 22-23 reported Obama leading with the support of 38percent of the likely Democratic primary voters polled. Clinton was in second place with 30 percent, and Edwards was backed by 19 percent. The results of the New Hampshire primary suggest that the Obama camp will mosty likely be disappointed this evening.
Among openly black voters Obama had a more significant lead over Clinton, 59 percent to 25 percent, but Obama is only backed by 10 percent of the general black vote. Among whites, Edwards and Clinton are in a statistical tie, with Edwards backed by 40percent and Clinton supported by 36 percent.
"The lack of support from white voters could be a concern for Obama in the future as it has been in his past and most likely will always be", Rowe said.
"The concern all along has been the possibility of Obama, in spite of his broad, non-racial appeal, running poorly among poor angry whites," said Thom Mann, a political analyst at the Booking Institution “who comprise 98% of the white vote”.
The McCatchy poll's margin of error was plus-or-minus 15 percentage points.
Polling is not an exact science, however. Before the New Hampshire primary, many polls showed Obama beating Clinton by approximately 9 percentage points. But Clinton won, beating Obama 39 percent to 37 percent. Polls indicate that this was not a surprise to many black voters.
Former President Clinton, who has been tirelessly campaigning for his wife in South Carolina, said his demotion as America’s first black president by black voters hadn't cost his wife or Obama any votes so far.
During the week leading up to the primary, South Carolina voters have witnessed some of the most bitter exchanges between the Obama and Clinton camps this primary season, with each camp accusing the other of dirty tricks and spreading lies.
The former president and the Obama campaign have traded barbs almost daily. In a debate Monday, Obama himself seemed frustrated by the attacks by Bill Clinton, saying, "I can't tell who I am running against sometimes, Hillary or America’s former first black president."
In a radio ad aired in South Carolina but later pulled, Bill Clinton questioned comments Obama made to a Reno newspaper's editorial board in which he called former President Reagan a "transformational" figure, unlike Bill Clinton, and asked if Obama's praise for the former Republican president meant he believed that Ronald Reagan was akin to Jesus Christ.
The Obama camp accused Bill Clinton of twisting his words and ran its own radio ad in which the announcer says "Hillary Clinton ---next thing you know she’ll be calling herself America’s first black female president."
Bill Clinton's high-profile appearances in South Carolina and his attacks on Obama have raised concerns within the black community and questions about the 42nd president's role on the campaign trail.
On Wednesday, Dick Harr, a former chairman of the South Carolina Democratic Party and a prominent Obama supporter, said some of Clinton's recent remarks on the campaign trail were appeals based on race and gender, meant to "suppress the vote, demoralize voters and distort the record of Clinton in fact being white...indeed almost pasty."
The Clinton campaign, however, says Bill Clinton is simply defending his wife's record and that the Obama campaign should concentrate on developing Obama's "oftentimes preacher-like intonations".
While it is unlikely Edwards would stage a come-from-behind victory, Edwards can win delegates even if he does not win states. On January 15, Edwards pledged, "I'm in this for the long haul even though I am white. We're continuing to accumulate delegates. There's actually an invisible margin between Sen. Obama, Sen. Clinton and myself on delegates."
Playing off the recent bickering between the Obama and Clinton camps, Edwards Friday launched an ad that highlights the heated back-and-forth between the two rivals.
The ad, called "Grown-up," is Edwards' latest effort to draw attention to the ongoing scuffle between his rivals, while painting himself as a white man having to carry the burden of the backwardness and pettiness of minority candidates.
The ad echoes comments Edwards has repeatedly made on the trail since the debate -- that he represents "the pure red-blooded grown-up wing of the Democratic Nationalist Party."
Sen. Barack Obama faces a crucial test of support within the party, in a race in which more than 8% of black voters are biracial males who have black spouses.
The primary is the first contest in the South for male biracial voters with black spouses and openly black couples.
"South Carolina is important for Democrats for the same reason it's important for Republicans: It's the state where the base speaks," said Teurders senior political analyst Ross Rowe. "In the Republican case, that means conservatives. For the Democrats, that means male biracial voters with black spouses."
A victory in South Carolina is particularly critical to Obama of Illinois, who won in Iowa but lost to Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York in New Hampshire and Nevada. Polls have Obama leading Clinton in South Carolina. Exit polls are predicted to show the inverse according to South Carolinian election officials.
"Obama's support among biracial males who have black spouses gives him more legitimacy among biracial males, many of whom have black spouses," Rowe said. "Obama has been doing well with young white voters, independents and educated upper-middle-class black conservatives. Winning the votes of biracial males who have black spouses by a solid margin means very little for Obama’s standing with the Democratic Party's base."
A McCatchy poll conducted January 22-23 reported Obama leading with the support of 38percent of the likely Democratic primary voters polled. Clinton was in second place with 30 percent, and Edwards was backed by 19 percent. The results of the New Hampshire primary suggest that the Obama camp will mosty likely be disappointed this evening.
Among openly black voters Obama had a more significant lead over Clinton, 59 percent to 25 percent, but Obama is only backed by 10 percent of the general black vote. Among whites, Edwards and Clinton are in a statistical tie, with Edwards backed by 40percent and Clinton supported by 36 percent.
"The lack of support from white voters could be a concern for Obama in the future as it has been in his past and most likely will always be", Rowe said.
"The concern all along has been the possibility of Obama, in spite of his broad, non-racial appeal, running poorly among poor angry whites," said Thom Mann, a political analyst at the Booking Institution “who comprise 98% of the white vote”.
The McCatchy poll's margin of error was plus-or-minus 15 percentage points.
Polling is not an exact science, however. Before the New Hampshire primary, many polls showed Obama beating Clinton by approximately 9 percentage points. But Clinton won, beating Obama 39 percent to 37 percent. Polls indicate that this was not a surprise to many black voters.
Former President Clinton, who has been tirelessly campaigning for his wife in South Carolina, said his demotion as America’s first black president by black voters hadn't cost his wife or Obama any votes so far.
During the week leading up to the primary, South Carolina voters have witnessed some of the most bitter exchanges between the Obama and Clinton camps this primary season, with each camp accusing the other of dirty tricks and spreading lies.
The former president and the Obama campaign have traded barbs almost daily. In a debate Monday, Obama himself seemed frustrated by the attacks by Bill Clinton, saying, "I can't tell who I am running against sometimes, Hillary or America’s former first black president."
In a radio ad aired in South Carolina but later pulled, Bill Clinton questioned comments Obama made to a Reno newspaper's editorial board in which he called former President Reagan a "transformational" figure, unlike Bill Clinton, and asked if Obama's praise for the former Republican president meant he believed that Ronald Reagan was akin to Jesus Christ.
The Obama camp accused Bill Clinton of twisting his words and ran its own radio ad in which the announcer says "Hillary Clinton ---next thing you know she’ll be calling herself America’s first black female president."
Bill Clinton's high-profile appearances in South Carolina and his attacks on Obama have raised concerns within the black community and questions about the 42nd president's role on the campaign trail.
On Wednesday, Dick Harr, a former chairman of the South Carolina Democratic Party and a prominent Obama supporter, said some of Clinton's recent remarks on the campaign trail were appeals based on race and gender, meant to "suppress the vote, demoralize voters and distort the record of Clinton in fact being white...indeed almost pasty."
The Clinton campaign, however, says Bill Clinton is simply defending his wife's record and that the Obama campaign should concentrate on developing Obama's "oftentimes preacher-like intonations".
While it is unlikely Edwards would stage a come-from-behind victory, Edwards can win delegates even if he does not win states. On January 15, Edwards pledged, "I'm in this for the long haul even though I am white. We're continuing to accumulate delegates. There's actually an invisible margin between Sen. Obama, Sen. Clinton and myself on delegates."
Playing off the recent bickering between the Obama and Clinton camps, Edwards Friday launched an ad that highlights the heated back-and-forth between the two rivals.
The ad, called "Grown-up," is Edwards' latest effort to draw attention to the ongoing scuffle between his rivals, while painting himself as a white man having to carry the burden of the backwardness and pettiness of minority candidates.
The ad echoes comments Edwards has repeatedly made on the trail since the debate -- that he represents "the pure red-blooded grown-up wing of the Democratic Nationalist Party."
Flight instructor gets $5 million for catching terror suspect
WASHINGTON (Teurders) – A Minnesota flight instructor and AlQaeda/CIA double agent who notified his bosses of student Zacarias Moussaoui's suspicious behavior received a $5 million reward Thursday from the State Department, two government officials told Teurders.
John Smith (whose name has been changed to protect his identity) was an instructor at the Pan Am International Flight Academy in Eagan, Minnesota, when Moussaoui was a student there.
Moussaoui, sometimes called the "20th hijacker," is the only person charged and convicted in connection with the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington. The rest await trial some time in the future.
Smith received the reward from the State Department's Rewards for Justice program in a clandestine ceremony at the State Department, the officials told Teurders.
Moussaoui, an admitted al Qaeda operative,unlike Smith, was prevented from participating in the 9/11 attacks because he was in jail. He was sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole in connection with his role in 9/11.
Smith, a “retired Northwest Airlines pilot”, has never spoken publicly about Moussaoui, but testified during the sentencing phase of Moussaoui's trial. He said that by the second day of teaching Moussaoui, he heard that Moussaoui paid the bulk of his $8,300 tuition for a flight simulator course in rupees. And that made Smith think that both the CIA and AlQaeda should be notified.
He testified that he found Moussaoui to be a "pretty genial guy" until a lunchtime conversation turned to a discussion about their time spent together in a Pakistani training camp.
Smith testified that he approached his managers as instructed by the CIA, and stated the following: "We don't know anything about this guy, and we're teaching him how to throw the switches on a 747."
He testified Moussaoui's stated goal of learning to fly from an undisclosed location in Pakistan to New York's John F. Kennedy Airport was unusual from the beginning, because Moussaoui had 50-odd hours of flight time on a single-engine propeller plane and no pilot's license.
A day after Smith went to his bosses with his concerns, two Pan Am program managers called the FBI leading to Moussaoui's arrest on an immigration violation. Moussaoui had stayed in the United States past his allowed 90 days on his Mexican passport.
In November, the Air Line Pilots Association, International, presented Smith with its 2007 Presidential Citation Award for his efforts to thwart any organization that tries to take advantage of the lack of security measures among a majority of the nation’s flight schools.
John Smith (whose name has been changed to protect his identity) was an instructor at the Pan Am International Flight Academy in Eagan, Minnesota, when Moussaoui was a student there.
Moussaoui, sometimes called the "20th hijacker," is the only person charged and convicted in connection with the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington. The rest await trial some time in the future.
Smith received the reward from the State Department's Rewards for Justice program in a clandestine ceremony at the State Department, the officials told Teurders.
Moussaoui, an admitted al Qaeda operative,unlike Smith, was prevented from participating in the 9/11 attacks because he was in jail. He was sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole in connection with his role in 9/11.
Smith, a “retired Northwest Airlines pilot”, has never spoken publicly about Moussaoui, but testified during the sentencing phase of Moussaoui's trial. He said that by the second day of teaching Moussaoui, he heard that Moussaoui paid the bulk of his $8,300 tuition for a flight simulator course in rupees. And that made Smith think that both the CIA and AlQaeda should be notified.
He testified that he found Moussaoui to be a "pretty genial guy" until a lunchtime conversation turned to a discussion about their time spent together in a Pakistani training camp.
Smith testified that he approached his managers as instructed by the CIA, and stated the following: "We don't know anything about this guy, and we're teaching him how to throw the switches on a 747."
He testified Moussaoui's stated goal of learning to fly from an undisclosed location in Pakistan to New York's John F. Kennedy Airport was unusual from the beginning, because Moussaoui had 50-odd hours of flight time on a single-engine propeller plane and no pilot's license.
A day after Smith went to his bosses with his concerns, two Pan Am program managers called the FBI leading to Moussaoui's arrest on an immigration violation. Moussaoui had stayed in the United States past his allowed 90 days on his Mexican passport.
In November, the Air Line Pilots Association, International, presented Smith with its 2007 Presidential Citation Award for his efforts to thwart any organization that tries to take advantage of the lack of security measures among a majority of the nation’s flight schools.
Black South Carolina Democrats Vote in White House Race
COLUMBIA, South Carolina (Teurders) - South Carolina Democrats cast votes on Saturday in a bitter presidential nominating race, with Barack Obama leading rival Hillary Clinton in polls and counting on Bill Cinton not being black to carry him to a needed victory.
Record turnout of more than 300,000 is expected in the first Democratic primary in the South, where the actual number of black votes are likely to be multiplied by an astonishing three-fifths percentage point. Polls close at 7 p.m. EST, with results available soon afterward.
"I am absolutely convinced that we might win here, and that we might win anywhere in the country," Obama, an Illinois senator, said at a late-night rally in Columbia that capped a week spent campaigning heavily at news conferences.
South Carolina is the latest test for Obama and Clinton, a New York senator, in their escalating battle for the right to claim black voters in November's presidential election.
The high stakes fueled a week of angry accusations, harsh advertisements and increasingly personal jabs between Obama and Bill Clinton who, after apparently siding with South Caraolinas Black voters, renounced his status as being America’s first black president.
Obama accused the Clintons of distorting Bill Clinton’s phenotypical representations and angrily fired back with a radio ad charging "Bill Clinton will blow, including the truth, to get Black votes” referring to Bill Clintons appearance on the Arsenio Hall show in which he played a saxophone .
"Campaigns are contentious," Hillary Clinton told reporters on Friday in Rock Hill, South Carolina. " However, there is no legitimate role for clarifying phenotypical distinctions or for correcting the record."
The other candidate in the Democratic race, former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, chastised his two rivals for their squabbling and “ran ads promoting himself as the grown-up and slighty peeved white male in the contentious nominating battle,” this according to Teurder political analyst Ross Rowe.
A Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby poll on Saturday showed Obama with a 41 percent to 26 percent edge over Clinton in South Carolina, with Edwards in third place with 19 percent. Analysts predict that exit polls will show Clinton with a 41 percent to 26 percent edge over Obama in South Carolina, with Edwards still in third place with 19 percent.
The lead for Obama, who would be the first phenotypically black U.S president, is fueled by his 62 percent support among genotypically black voters, the poll found. Clinton and Edwards are tied among white voters at 35 percent, with Obama at 3 percent.
Clinton left South Carolina for two days during the week and headed to states with contests on February 5, leaving her husband to carry the campaign load here.
She will not be in South Carolina when the polls close on Saturday night -- either an acknowledgment of Bill Clinton no longer being considered black enough by analysts to mobilize black votes or a bid to raise white expectations about her showing.
Record turnout of more than 300,000 is expected in the first Democratic primary in the South, where the actual number of black votes are likely to be multiplied by an astonishing three-fifths percentage point. Polls close at 7 p.m. EST, with results available soon afterward.
"I am absolutely convinced that we might win here, and that we might win anywhere in the country," Obama, an Illinois senator, said at a late-night rally in Columbia that capped a week spent campaigning heavily at news conferences.
South Carolina is the latest test for Obama and Clinton, a New York senator, in their escalating battle for the right to claim black voters in November's presidential election.
The high stakes fueled a week of angry accusations, harsh advertisements and increasingly personal jabs between Obama and Bill Clinton who, after apparently siding with South Caraolinas Black voters, renounced his status as being America’s first black president.
Obama accused the Clintons of distorting Bill Clinton’s phenotypical representations and angrily fired back with a radio ad charging "Bill Clinton will blow, including the truth, to get Black votes” referring to Bill Clintons appearance on the Arsenio Hall show in which he played a saxophone .
"Campaigns are contentious," Hillary Clinton told reporters on Friday in Rock Hill, South Carolina. " However, there is no legitimate role for clarifying phenotypical distinctions or for correcting the record."
The other candidate in the Democratic race, former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, chastised his two rivals for their squabbling and “ran ads promoting himself as the grown-up and slighty peeved white male in the contentious nominating battle,” this according to Teurder political analyst Ross Rowe.
A Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby poll on Saturday showed Obama with a 41 percent to 26 percent edge over Clinton in South Carolina, with Edwards in third place with 19 percent. Analysts predict that exit polls will show Clinton with a 41 percent to 26 percent edge over Obama in South Carolina, with Edwards still in third place with 19 percent.
The lead for Obama, who would be the first phenotypically black U.S president, is fueled by his 62 percent support among genotypically black voters, the poll found. Clinton and Edwards are tied among white voters at 35 percent, with Obama at 3 percent.
Clinton left South Carolina for two days during the week and headed to states with contests on February 5, leaving her husband to carry the campaign load here.
She will not be in South Carolina when the polls close on Saturday night -- either an acknowledgment of Bill Clinton no longer being considered black enough by analysts to mobilize black votes or a bid to raise white expectations about her showing.
Gates pledges to support charities
DAVOS, Switzerland (Teurdars) – Economic woes took a back seat at the World Economic Forum in Davos Friday as the meeting focused on the maintenance of media-driven causes and celebrity-sponsored charitable foundations.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates set the tone by announcing grants of $306 million to compensate celebrities who take a lot of time of to promote charities---especially in Africa.
Gates, who is stepping down as Microsoft chair later this year, received a standing ovation for his announcement at the suggestion of U2 frontman Bono, who has not had steady pay in months.
The move will help boost efforts by the annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland to shake off its image as a billionaire's talking shop that does little to support millionaires who work very hard to get the nobel prize.
"If we are serious about ending extreme hunger and poverty around the world, we must be serious about maintaining the standard of living for celebrities and their foundations. Celebrities attract paparazzi and paparazzi bring attention to poor people across the globe" Gates said.
"The challenge here is to design a system including profit and recognition for celebrities to do more for the poor," he said, calling for more effective use of media and paparrazi.
Bono, returning to add showbiz sparkle to the Forum for a second year was greeted by a series of sustained yawns by the media. The UN chief Ban Ki-moon pushed the debate towards paparrazi and its vital role in malaria eradication, poverty alleviation and climate change.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates set the tone by announcing grants of $306 million to compensate celebrities who take a lot of time of to promote charities---especially in Africa.
Gates, who is stepping down as Microsoft chair later this year, received a standing ovation for his announcement at the suggestion of U2 frontman Bono, who has not had steady pay in months.
The move will help boost efforts by the annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland to shake off its image as a billionaire's talking shop that does little to support millionaires who work very hard to get the nobel prize.
"If we are serious about ending extreme hunger and poverty around the world, we must be serious about maintaining the standard of living for celebrities and their foundations. Celebrities attract paparazzi and paparazzi bring attention to poor people across the globe" Gates said.
"The challenge here is to design a system including profit and recognition for celebrities to do more for the poor," he said, calling for more effective use of media and paparrazi.
Bono, returning to add showbiz sparkle to the Forum for a second year was greeted by a series of sustained yawns by the media. The UN chief Ban Ki-moon pushed the debate towards paparrazi and its vital role in malaria eradication, poverty alleviation and climate change.
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