3/9: A Case In Point?

Does recent netroot 's joy over the outing of CPAC Jeane Kirkpatrick Academic Freedom Award winner Cpl. Matt Sanchez as a former gay porn star/male escort provide insight into social conservatives embrace of Rudy Giuliani? Whether inspired by the viciousness of the netroots attacks or true Christian forgiveness, either way, conservative bloggers have leapt to fully embrace Sanchez since the revelations first surfaced. As media elites try to figure out how Giuliani's liberal social views could possibly jibe with conservative voters, its worth noting some similarities between Giuliani and Sanchez. Both gained notoriety fighting 'liberals' in NYC and both appeal to conservatives on foreign policy grounds (Rudy through 9/11 and Sanchez through his support of military veterans). Is this just more evidence that the GOP base will let national security trump social issues next winter?

GIULIANI: He'd Actually Fire People, Unlike Some Presidents We Know

A Daniel Casse post at Contentions on Rudy Giuliani'a ability to use the current conservative crack-up as an opportunity "to take on the task of realignment-and break the red/blue split that forces the GOP to place all its bets on 100,000 votes in Ohio," inspired a lengthy Rudyathon at The Corner 3/8.

Casse argues Rudy has not yet "delivered a personal vision of what the Republican party ought to embrace. His speeches have been full of anecdotes but lack the ideas that ought to guide Republicans and the conservative movement over the next ten years." Not articulating what that 'vision' might be, but still offering a glimpse of what it could be, Cornerites shared the following pro-Giuliani thoughts in response to Casse:

• The Corner's John Podhoretz: "The man is an anti-liberal, as the word "liberal" has been defined since the late 1960s. That doesn't make him a social conservative. But it makes him an opponent of anything-goes liberalism, which is a position he shares with a great many social conservatives.
• NRO's David Frum: "No matter what liberal positions Giuliani endorses, he just feels right-wing."
• A 'clever friend' of The Corner's Kate O'Beirne: "One thinks, if the wife of 15 years and mother of his two children could be so summarily, publicly and ruthlessly fired, it would be likely that the Man as President similarly would not hesitate to fire at a moment's notice deranged and incompetent old blowhard Secretaries of Defense or generals who don't use enough troops. He also would be unlikely to award Medals of Freedom to spectacular failures like Paul Bremer or Tommy Franks. The public now hungers for it.
• The Corner's Rich Lowry: "There is certainly an opening for Rudy to run a powerful campaign based on cleaning up and running Washington. He can make a good case that he has the record, the executive abilities, and the toughness to do it."

When The Corner's Yuval Levin points out "most Republican voters do not yet realize that Giuliani is very liberal on social issues," J-Pod responds: "But then what accounts for Giuliani's extremely respectable showing in the CPAC straw poll? I don't think such things matter except that it suggests voting for him is not in the least unthinkable for very self-conscious conservatives. ... I get the feeling ... that there's a certain degree of desperate hope in this argument by now ... But there's no evidence it's going to. In fact, the evidence is running in the other direction so far."

Lowry fires back with WSJ polling data showing: "Fully three of four Republicans-including a majority of those backing the former New York City mayor say they would have reservations if they learned Mr. Giuliani supports abortion rights and supports civil unions for gay and lesbians couples."

Not referencing The Corner discussion, Townhall's Matt Lewis posts audio of Southern Baptist Convention Dir. Dr. Richard Land hitting Rudy for the way he treated his firs wife.

HUNTER: Only Candidate With Son Who Served In Fallujah

Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) sat down for a podcast session with Instapundit. Topics covered include: "Iraq ... gun control, stem cell research and cloning ... Plus, what his son learned serving in Fallujah."

ROMNEY: Best...Staff...Ever

Tons of staffing praise for Mitt Romney 3/8. Robert Bluey describes incoming Dir. of eStrategy Mindy Finn as "the key piece of the puzzle" who will bring "a holistic approach that includes more synergy to the campaign's online message, money-raising and mobilization efforts."

At Townhall, Hugh Hewitt lauds "Romney's Economic Team" blogging: "[N]o one in the field, on either the Republican or Democratic side, can approach Romney's credentials on understanding the economy and how it can be kept growing both in overall productivity and also in crucial areas in which America must lead. The top rate team of advisors Romney has attracted is a testament to this."

DEM FIELD: No George Left to Hate

First reminding readers that despite his unpopularity Pres. Bush "won't actually be running for re-election" in '08 Atrios blogs: "while a lot of the political internet was focused on the presidential race in '04, in '08 the focus will be much more on House and Senate races, at least in relative terms. There most likely won't be a Dean-like figure who emerges this year to provide the focus of that support, and after the primaries there won't be the sense that netroots support is needed by the nominee."

Earlier Atrios tells readers he is "trying to stay out of the intra-party primary food fight as much as possible" but still likes to reward "good behavior" when he finds it.

DEM FIELD II: Fox Making Bloggers Unhappy

The CBC seems intent on dragging themselves in between the netroots and their campaign to delegitimize Fox News. DailyKos' founder Markos Moulitsas recounts past Fox sins against Barack Obama and directs readers to voice their concerns with the CBC. MyDD's Chris Bowers hopes the CBC deal "will spur more conversations and organizing among progressive African-American leaders."

Jill Tubman of Jack and Jill Politics comments: "I hope no one is taking some kind of under the table kickback from Fox News at the CBC. I really do. I think our CBC brothers and sisters are better than that though. I want to think that the new CBC wants to show America how strong we really are and represent. Let's hope they make a different choice."

Back in NV, Reno and Its DiscontentsMyrna Minx bemoans the public nature of the current fight among NV Dems but also comments: "It means we are having a healthy debate about the way our state party functions. ... I know that Tom Collins and the party leadership are stuck between a rock and a hard place created by the media consultants they hired, and I sympathize with them-really I do. But that doesn't mean the right decision has been made, and it doesn't mean I have to be happy about it."

Also unhappy, Markos reacts to news Bill Richardson has committed to the NV Fox debate: "Sigh. Here I was hoping that Richardson would make the leap to the top tier. ... He was threatening to be my favorite in the race. ... But by being the first to agree to this debate, it shows his utter lack of understanding of the right wing propaganda machine and tone deafness to party activists in the trenches fighting the VRWC. Instead, he apparently thinks appeasing right-wing operations is his path to victory."

DODD: Be Prepared

At MyLeftNutmegChris Dodd promoted the introduction of his bill allocating $38 bil. to the National Guard to address reports showing "88% of Army National Guard units are not adequately equipped for combat and unprepared for domestic emergencies." Bob Geiger and CT Blog both thanked Dodd for his efforts.

EDWARDS: What Is Netroot's Love Worth?

TAPPED's Garance Franke-Ruta claims reports that the CBC is in negotiations to host WH '08 debates with Fox News explain why most Dem campaigns (other than John Edwards) have not yet announced whether they will be skipping NV's 8/14 Fox debate. Franke-Gupta praises Edwards for his courage and comments on the other candidates: "It's not that they are slow or afraid of being leaders. They've been waiting for the CBC Institute to make its final decisions and announcement before giving a public answer to the netroots, in order to avoid alienating allies."

Fellow TAPPEDer wonders if Edwards properly calculated his decision: "In the end, the question for Edwards will be whether the base appreciates this action enough to increase his chances of getting the nomination by the same amount that Fox's fury will decrease his shot. And on that, I'm unconvinced. Edwards undoubtedly did the right thing here, but I just don't know that the netroots have the power or focus to make it worth his while."

OBAMA: The Organic Candidate

Netrooters are impressed with reports Barack Obama has earned more than $6 mil online. Atrios calls it "pretty amazing for a variety of reasons," and MyDD's Chris Bowers adds: "However, if this report is true, and Obama has indeed raised half of his $12M online, he would already equal the peak of the Howard Dean campaign despite the Iowa caucuses still being ten months away. As Matt has repeatedly pointed out, he has not even done this through repeated asking--it seems fairly organic organizing done on his behalf."

IRAQ: Feingold Is All The Approval Kos Needs To Know

Early netroots reviews of the latest Senate Dem plan for Iraq are tentatively supportive. DailyKos' founder Markos Moulitsas admits, "all the Iraq proposals in the House and Senate have my head spinning" and complains, "it seems everyone is happy to introduce bills (especially the presidentials), but no one seems to push them," but finally vouches for credibility of the effort: "I forgot to mention that Feingold is one of the key architects of this legislation, along with the rest of the Democratic leadership. This one has progressive 'cred'."

Cross posting everywhere, David Sirota says the plan "appears - for the first time - to be binding" and calls it a "a solid (though certainly not perfect) step." Former Levin-Reed Amendment critic, Big Tent Democrat of Talk Left calls the compromise "a start of a long political road" but also reminds readers: "The Spending Power, or NOT Spending Power, as I will now refer to it, will be the key."

The House plan also received some positive posts. The Left Coaster's Steve Soto congratulates Dems for "finally taking a position demanded by their base and that is supported by over 60% of the public. ... Democrats are cleverly now offering their GOP counterparts the opportunity to go on record in support of getting out of Iraq before their next election."

Not everyone is happy however. TPM Cafe's Greg Sargent recounts an "awkward moment" from 3/8's pre-press conference closed door House Dem meeting: "The source says that while Nancy Pelosi was addressing the assembled Dems, a bunch of liberal Dem members stood up and walked out to get to their previously scheduled press conference at which they unveiled their own approach."

Sargent also reports that despite the withdrawal of language forcing an end to funds at the behest of Blue Dogs, enough "folks who were supportive of the [liberal position] seemed to have heard the magic words they needed to hear from the leadership to get on board with their approach ... There was some erosion of support for the Progressive/Out Of Iraq position.""

For a window into what the Progressive/Out Of Iraq caucus is facing, see this video of a Rep. David Obey (D-WI) telling a 'military mom' and her male companion: "I am the sponsor of the bill that's going to be on the floor and that bill ends the war. If that isn't good enough for you you're smoking something illegal. ... We don't have the votes...do you see a magic wand in my pocket...how the hell are we going to get the votes for it. ... if you guys would stop screwing it up we do have the votes for ending the legal authority. That's the same as defunding it."

Already frustrated by a lack of Dem resolve to fully fund troop withdrawal, MyDD's Chris Bowers strategized for the future: "If we can get a list of members in favor of fully funding withdrawal, and those opposed, then at least we have the beginnings of potential accountability on Iraq. If we know who is opposed to it, then we can run activist, electoral and other challenges against the members who are opposed to it. If we don't know who is opposed to ending the war, then we don't know where to focus our pressure. This is why I support the Out of Iraq caucus strategy to force a vote on an amendment to fully fund withdrawal. Floor votes with roll calls on measures like that are the only ways to generate a list of which members are serious about ending the Iraq war, and which members are not."

On the right, RedState Insider hits House Dem leaders for turning down "a chance to meet with General Petraeus" to meet with "Labor Unions and Moveon.org" instead.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Maybe They Should Just Unionize The Mullahs?

"By no means begrudge airport baggage screeners their newfound union rights" Matthew Yglesias contrasts "the speed, alacrity, and daring with which the Democrats pushed forward on this issue" to the "sloth and timidity in taking the progressive side in other fights about national security issues." Yglesias details: "To stop a war with Iraq? To halt torture? Illegal surveillance? Suddenly you see a lot less speed, a lot less determination, and a lot less backbone."

Yglesias does not "begrudge the unions their influence" since they "won it fair and square -- with organizing, with money, with volunteers, with discipline, with clear requests, etc." Instead, Matt concludes: "Sadly, there are virtually no institutions of any consequence organized around providing a progressive take on the substance -- as opposed to labor procedures -- of national security issues. And until that changes, you'll keep having what we have today; a Democratic Party with very clear ideas about whether or not airport screeners should be represented by unions, but very hazy ideas about how to deal with Iran."

LEST WE FORGET: Sports Illustrated To Solve Global Warming?

Noting that SI contributor Alexander Wolff wrote both the current front page cover story on global warming and "the definitive meditation on the 'SI Jinx'" Blog P.I.'s Bill Beutler asks: "What does this mean? Does the SI Jinx apply to global warming, thus signifying happy days ahead? Or to planet Earth, signifying a cloudier future than Ron Artest's?"