Stunt

I know John McCain is computer challenged, but does he not know how to use a cell phone? Can he not multi-task? If he becomes President, does he plan to get a waiver that stipulates he will only be required to deal with one crisis at a time? And, was he listening last week when the other John McCain declared the economy fundamentally sound?

There has perhaps never been a more important time for those who propose to lead to stand before the American people and answer the hard questions. Yet, the McCain camp prefers phot-ops and stunts. First, they hide Palin from the press and now they are threatening to boycott the debate. Tell John McCain that you're not buying it. Go, here, go now, and demand that he debate.

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Disappopinted

There's a lot I could say about John Edwards' admission that he has had an affair. There's no excuse and it's beyond imagination that he thought he could pursue the nomination knowing that this happened and could become public. Lots of us worked hard for John and Elizabeth, and we're all disappointed, but whatever we feel is nothing compared to what this is like for the Edwards' family. As Hillary Clinton said, my thoughts and prayers are with them.

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Fred Thompson is a Bigot

Apparently, for Fred Thompson, the most important criteria for President is whether the candidate has a penis. I would argue that a brain is more important and that since Thompson has neither, he should get out of the race now before his fast-fading campaign becomes even more of an embarrassment to his Party.

Yesterday, in the context of his remarks about Bhutto's brutal assassination, no less, Thompson observed that no women in America is up to the job of being President. No, no, this was not a slip of the tongue: he has repeated this stunningly sexist opinion twice this week, and that indicates that he is tossing out red meat for his Party faithful. Earlier this month, when Thompson was asked to name his "favorite possession," he glibly replied, "trophy wife." And yet, he continues to poll in double digits among Republicans. Amazing, really.

I can promise you this: a Democratic candidate for President who thought that it was all in good fun to refer to his wife as a "possession" or a "trophy" or who announced that women are unqualified for the nation's highest office, would have zero chance of getting elected dog catcher much less getting the Party's nomination for President. Yet, I haven't heard any Republicans-even the women-banging on podiums to disavow Thompson's remarks, have you? And there in lies the problem for the Republican Party.

There are a long list of reasons I support John Edwards in the Democratic primary, but Hillary Clinton's gender is not one of them. She, along with a long list of other women in this country, are infinitely more qualified to be President than a backwoods bigot from Tennessee who is so out of touch with mainstream America that he doesn't realize-or doesn't care-that he just royally pissed off more than half of the electorate. Fred needs to have his limo driver take him around back so he can jump in his faux-red pickup truck and drive himself back to Tennessee. Perhaps he can pick up his good friend Scooter Libby along the way.

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I Wouldn't Do This for Just Anybody

Six degrees. No, not "Six Degrees of John Edwards." Just plain old six degrees. That's the project low in Des Moines on January 1st. From January 1st through caucus day on the 3rd, the low each day is expected to be in the single digits (a toasty 4 degrees on caucus day). Did I mention that I really, really don't like cold weather, that despite growing up in the mountains, I am fully acclimated to the occasional 75 degree December day in Georgia? And, yet, a week from today, Daryl and I will be in Des Moines, joining an army of Edwards supporters from all over the country. In Iowa, where Edwards, Clinton and Obama are locked in a tight three-way race, boots on the ground make a difference. We wouldn't do this for just anybody, but we're doing it for John and Elizabeth Edwards-two of the finest people we know.

The highest temperature we expect to see is a balmy 22 degrees, on New Years Day. Yet, a couple hundred thousand or so Iowans will brave the cold and come out to one of the 1784 precincts to caucus. I have enormous respect for them, and we're going to Iowa to do whatever we can to help Edwards' supporters caucus. Look for reports from the field here, and video.(Santa left a brand new video camera under the tree.)

On the democratic side, caucusing bears little resemblance to primary voting. There's no "early caucusing" or "absentee caucusing." You have to actually show up, at a particular place, at a particular time. And, forget the privacy voting booths: it's more like neighbors getting together for coffee, discussing political issues and, incidentally, picking a presidential candidate. Iowans, after a sometimes lengthy discussion of issues and candidates, literally walk to the corner of the room, or in some cases the room of the house, designated for the candidate of their choice. For the tally, forget touch screens, punch cards or optical scans: they simply count noses. There are no hanging chads in Iowa, mind you. Finally, if your candidate of choice doesn't meet the viability threshold of 15% of those present at a particular precinct, then you'd better have a second choice in mind or be ready to go home. (Edwards is the first choice of most "second choicers, and this could prove pivotal on caucus night.) I suspect that there are very few "casual caucusers," and, again, this benefits Edwards. More of his supporters tend to be people who have actually caucused before, while both Clinton and Obama are relying heavily on first time caucus goers.

Determining the "winner" on the democratic side can require a calculator and a crystal ball. Caucus goers actually select delegates to a county convention who select delegates to a state convention who select the delegates to the national convention. For more detail on how the process works, check here.

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Mike Huckabee is So Going to Win Iowa

I'm a watching the republican YouTube debate. (Yes, I do hate myself.) What I want to say is:

Mike Huckabee is SO going to win Iowa, and probably the whole shootin' match.

We need to focus on who on our team has the capacity to stand up to Mr. "I started at age 14 working and worked my way though college. Because I was able to get an education, I am standing on this stage, otherwise I might be picking lettuce..."

Somehow, Hillary Clinton's name does not jump to mind.

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Will CNN Have the Guts to Ask This One?

Robert Parham, executive director of The Baptist Center for Ethics has submitted this question for the Republican YouTube Debate tonight. I hope they have the guts to ask the candidates this one!

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