Question Period Musing

How many times have you heard that QP is too partisan?

Often, critics of the "hour of power" talk about how the participants have to show better restraint and rise above the debate.

Many would be reformers talk about how it could be changed, and why those changes would be for the best.

Few of them, however, talk about how the nature of QP itself contributes to the partisanship lamented to as a condition precedent.

Iron Lady

While Mrs. Streep was excellent, this is not a wonderful film. Anyone who goes to see this film thinking that they will learn much about Mrs. Thatcher will be woefully disappointed. Basically, this is a work of fiction because the director/screenplay author fixated on what life is like today for Mrs. Thatcher, as opposed to what she did accomplish as the PM of England.

It basically focused on her current prison - being trapped in an allegedly demented mind with constant apparitions.

If there is one word of it which is not true, I would sue the bejessus out of the producers. A Lady of her standing deserves much much better.

Eerie Quiet

There hasn't been anything from the Newtonians lately, except a Herman Cain endorsement. I would imagine that is about as helpful as my endorsement would be.

While I do honestly believe that Mitt will win Florida, I am actually quite intrigued by the next suite of contests. I think Mitt is going to have a tough time keeping up with Newt's intellect - and even though he may be a better candidate - I think there are a lot of conservatives who don't want a better candidate - they want a better intellectual leader.

Julius Newton

That speech was WAY over the top.

But, to his credit, at least he is consistent.

Florida is going to be fun to watch.

The Most Important Endorsement in America

Would would Norris do?

Vote Newt, apparently

http://www.wnd.com/2012/01/my-endorsement-for-president/

He is so tough that by voting for Newt, he kills a voter for every other candidate.

Newt's Attack on Mr. King

In South Carolina, it might have been Dr. King, but in this case it was John King.

There is no doubt that Newt Gingrich is probably the best debater (soundbite or otherwise) that the US political scene has seen in a long time. He probably could - and did - go toe to toe with Clinton.

Last night was a little embarrassing because you KNOW that it was coming down the pipe (so to speak.) I am not sure I disagreed with John King (I?- CNN) raising it in the exact way he did, but he absolutely did Newt a favour. It was a fastball over the inside part of the plate and Newt hit it out of the park.

That said - is it relevant? I still don't care what someone did 12 years ago with his wife. Unlike Mr. Clinton, at least Newt asked about the open marriage. It probably matters to values voters -but I am more interested in knowing what they will do in the future as opposed to what they have done in the past. His hypocrisy aside, he didn't lie under oath like the President did. Many people think - after the fact - the perjury should stand alone as a reason for impeachment irrespective of what he was lying about.

So, back to the main point, Newt defended himself by denying the accusation, lambasted the media, the moderator's deliberate choice. And he did it without looking too angry, and he even got a few laughs.

Frankly, what kind of an idiot didn't expect that? Was the purpose to think Newt would go apoplectic and make himself (even more) unelectable? It didn't work dude.

Baseball, Baseball, Baseball!

2012 Yankees fan is really excited about the changes to the rotation - two new SOLID arms to compliment a 6 man rotation. Move Joba back to the pen. Have Hughes do long relief. It is a great thing.

2015-22 Yankees fan thinks we just traded Babe Ruth, who is actually named Jesus.

Yanks certainly need at least 1 more "on base guy" whether it is a very old Johnny Damon or a mid-priced career player. My biased rankings of the team are

Pitching - A. A solid work-horse starter and

Relief Pitching A+. Adding Hughes and Joba to the pen full time, and arguably the best 3-2-1 combo to close (Robertson, Soriano, Rivera.)

Infield: A. I know Derek Jeter is old. Old Jeter is still better than most others. I know A-Roid is busted. A busted A-Roid is still better than most others. Robinson Cano is the best second basemen in the game - I don't care about the dork that plays for the Sox. Tex is either the best or second best to an over-rated Red Sox first baseman. The only reason we talk about first base is because of Pujols, who couldn't field a turnip, and this is about gloves - not bats.

Outfield: A - very deep defensively. Johnny Damon's Arm makes this a C if he is forced to play out there if he joins the team.

Front end bats - (on base) A. There is no better line-up for getting people on base and in scoring position.

Big Bats (SLG) A. When your fourth best power hitter is Alex Rodriguez, this are looking up for you. Cano and Granderson both deserved MVP votes last year. Tex is a SLGing machine.

Line of the Decade - Fidel Castro

I just finished re-reading this book, a review of the Chretien Era in Canada by Lawrence Martin.

The line of the book - possibly the decade - is an encapsulation of a meeting that happened between Chretien and Fidel Castro, who was in town for Mr. Trudeau's funeral. What is funny about the line is that Fidel Castro has never stood for a "free" or "fair" election in his lifetime.

Mr. Castro - So, Jean, I just met the Leader of the Opposition Stockwell Day.

Mr. Chretien - Well, what did you think?

Mr. Castro - You should call the election as soon as possible.

Gold, Jerry. Gold.

The Ticket

Apparently, my previous prediction about the Democratic Ticket was not totally insane.

The NYT Staff and Robert Reich agree.

390ish Electoral votes?

I am so mad I could spit

I am not a fan of international files, but I am a fan of whining to ambassadors.

Your Bootstrapping has woken a slumbering giant.

Oh, Pablo

Well, it was a good run Mr. Rodriguez - his bill, C-288 was a problem before, and it looks like it will be repealed. Thank God- it was a total waste of everyone's time. It started as a tool to humiliate the government. It worked- but, they don't care now, and they didn't care then.

Daniel Turp isn't finished

I like Daniel - always have. Smart Guy. Couldn't win a by-election in poor downtown Montreal riding against an unknown opponent, but a nice guy.

Good luck to him with his lawsuit - should be at first instance by the time KPIA is deleted.

Iowa is over and New Hampshire is MOSTLY irrelevant

I have a lot of observations:

The first is that you could fit all of the Iowa caucus goers into the Michigan University football stadium. I honestly don't know why we place so much emphasis on this caucus. That said, Rick Perry (TPR- Texas) spent over $800 for every vote he got. Santorum (SCR- Pennsylvania) spent $1.65.

The second is that there are some important primaries left, but none of them are "traditional" primary states. New Hampshire is not one of them. Mitt should win by 3-1 margin because he LIVED IN BOSTON FOR 8 YEARS and has his gubernatorial team running his campaign in NH. If he gets less than 40 percent, it will only be seen as a loss. If he gets 60% it will only be seen as a "duh, of course he did.

After NH, South Carolina is next - also, not relevant to Mitt Romney. He has no chance of winning there unless the vote splits perfectly between five other candidates. I think this result will be the same tie in Iowa, except it will be between Newt and Santorum (if he is still viable in two weeks.)

Florida is a toss up. Latinos will love Newt's immigration reality. The older folks will love Santorum because he reminds them of their grandchildren. Romney will have trouble picking up many voters here.

Nevada is key for Romney. He can, and should, win that state. No one else except Ron Paul will do well there. Michigan should vote 60-70% for Romney.

Super Tuesday will be a total toss up - with each candidate having a state they can claim as their own. In April, New York can push Mitt well ahead of everyone else, but who cares - its New York! He can't hope to win that state in the general.

Conclusion - unless Mitt wins soon, we will have a brokered convention. If he shows up at the convention with 35-45% of the delegates, there is absolutely no guarantee that he will win the nomination. First of all, on the second ballot, his delegates will be the most nervous. Second of all, you might see a real galvanizing force pull them all together. Or, as Newt would say, a true Reagan Republican. The longer the nomination lingers, the more likely the forces opposed to Romney will win little snippets of votes - and they will all have their chip in the game come August. I don't by this malarkey that by staying in the race, all the others are helping Mitt. He has to win 50% of the delegates or he will not be the nominee. He isn't going to convince anyone to come to him.

There is a catch-22 in play. Absent a game-changing event/campaign, on paper, Mitt Romney (LD-Mass) is the only candidate who can give Obama a run for his money. Except that he can't, because his candidacy will create at least one third party candidate, if not two. The WAY-right e-conservatives (C) will find their Ross Perrot (D- Arkansas) and the Tea-vangelicals (C) will do the same. That will shave 2 points off on either side. Obama wins 36-8 states, maybe more.

Newt Gingrich (R- Reagan) can stop Romney with his serious full frontal attack on him. It is not likely that he can win the nomination, but he would make an excellent Dick Chaney (R - 43*) to whomever is the nominee - and ironically, would compliment Romney the best.

Santorum and Newt both guarantee Obama's re-election because they will motivate Obama supporters to come out and work again. This is Obama's biggest problem - motivate the 10% of non-voters who voted last time and the 100,000 or so volunteers to GOTV. Romney doesn't scare them the same way either of the others do. Right now, a lot of former Obama activists are not thrilled with their President. Motivating them is the last thing the republicans want to do.