Category Archives: politics

Gingrich, Clinton Trade Careful Praise in Fox News Interview

Posted by on 12/21/2011 2 comments

NYT Reports: A virtual lovefest broke out on Fox News Tuesday night as former President Bill Clinton and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich offered respectful praise for each other, neither rising to the bait tossed out by the host, Bill O’Reilly.

Mr. Clinton said he enjoyed working with Mr. Gingrich in the 1990s and that he had good ideas.

In a separate interview that followed, Mr. Gingrich, who is running for president now, called Mr. Clinton “durable” and a serious person and praised him for a “positive post-presidency.”

Mr. O’Reilly had provocatively asked both if they respected each other “as a man.”

“I respect his ability to think and do,” Mr. Clinton said. “And I eventually hammered out a really productive relationship with him.”

Pressed, he added: “I don’t disrespect anybody who works with me in good faith. I think he was way more political than I would have been. He’s defended what he calls ‘scorched earth politics’ and I certainly was the beneficiary of it.”

Asked the same question, Mr. Gingrich compared Mr. Clinton favorably with President Obama, noting that Mr. Clinton had 12 years of experience as a governor before going to the White House, worked effectively with his legislature and had moved his party to the center.

Mr. Clinton had faulted Mr. Gingrich during an earlier interview on NBC’s “Today” show Tuesday morning, saying that he should not be taking all the credit that he is for balancing the budget and overhauling welfare in the 1990s.

“I had a decent working relationship with him,” Mr. Clinton told NBC. But he said Mr. Gingrich had opposed “the vast lion’s share of balancing the budget” and that “90 percent of the budget was balanced before the Balanced Budget Act was ever passed.”

Report: NJ State Sen Codey May Run for Governor in 2013

Posted by on 12/17/2011 1 comment

NJ Ledger Reports: One of state Sen. Richard Codey’s closest allies appeared on Channel 12 today to stoke speculation that the former governor will seek the top office in 2013, and to express outrage anew over what Assemblyman John McKeon called Gov. Chris Christie’s “vindictiveness and mean-spiritedness.”

“Maybe this is the first salvo of the 2014 gubernatorial race, Codey verse Christie,” McKeon (D-Essex) said on the six-minute TV spot.

The fight started last week when Christie accused Codey and other Essex County senators of blocking confirmation of his education secretary. Codey (D-Essex) said the governor was mistaken; he had signed off on the appointment nearly a year ago. Days later the Christie administration pulled Codey’s security detail and fired a close friend and his cousin.

“It’s beneath the office to conduct one’s self this way,” McKeon said. “In my moral code, you don’t go after one’s family and friends to settle a political score regardless of what may have happened.”

The governor’s spokesman Michael Drewniak said: McKeon is a Codey ally. What do you expect? He’s carrying his water. And, please, since when did Dick Codey sprout angel wings.”

Rahm Emanuel: ‘Not Interested’ in Running for President

Posted by on 11/21/2011 No comments

The Hill Reports: Chicago Mayor and former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel insisted that he is “not interested” in seeking higher office, denying any plans to run for president.

“No, not, not interested,” said Emanuel in an interview with NBC’s “Rock Center with Brian Williams” released Monday.

“No higher office?” asked NBC reporter Harry Smith.

“Done,” responded Emanuel.

The NBC reporter continued to press Emanuel on whether he would seek higher office, to no avail.

“Not! What part of it am I not getting across?” Emanuel added.

To make his point even more clear, he said he would sign a piece of paper denying his interest in a run for the White House.

In the interview, which is set to air on NBC Monday night, Emanuel discusses his current role as mayor. He also shows his softer side when he speaks about the challenges he faces trying to raise living standards for children in Chicago.

NRCC Edges DCCC in October Fundraising

Posted by on 11/20/2011 No comments

National Journal Reports: The National Republican Congressional Committee edged out its Democratic counterpart during the month of October, bringing in $4.56 million in contributions to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s $4.18 million.

The NRCC’s haul was a rebound from the previous month, when the DCCC outraised the GOP by nearly $3 million. The House Democrats’ campaign committee also won the third fundraising quarter.

Last month marked the GOP House campaign arm’s best off-year October since the Federal Election Commission began tracking records electronically in 1995. The NRCC also has more cash on hand, ending the month with $13.8 million to the DCCC’s $9.81 million.

But despite Democrats’ minority status in the House, the DCCC has still raised more total this year, bringing in $52.08 million to the NRCC’s $48.73 million.

Both campaign committees have continued to pay down debt from the 2010 election cycle. The NRCC now carries only $500,000 in debt, compared to $1.33 million in debt for the DCCC. But that’s down significantly from the $19.6 million in debt House Democrats were carrying at the beginning of this election cycle.

At Facebook HQ, Christie Discusses Education, GOP 2012 Chances

Posted by on 11/14/2011 4 comments

Science and math teachers should be paid more than gym teachers, Gov. Chris Christie told a national audience today during a live online chat on Facebook. “You have to pay them more than we pay the gym teacher. I’mnsorry, in today’s society they’re more valuable,” he said.

In an interview also touching on taxes, and his decision not to run for president, Christie spoke about reforming education in New Jersey — “if I’m able to get it done” — as the “most important thing I’ll do as governor.”

Christie also cautioned Republicans not to underestimate President Obama in next year’s election, referring to him as a “formidable” candidate. “Anyone who underestimates the president underestimates at
their own peril,” Christie said. “(Democrats) know how to campaign, they know politics. … People who believe he’s a shoo-in loser are wrong.”

(Read More at NJ.com)

Lawmakers Propose Ban on Violence-Linked Political Terminology

Posted by on 01/10/2011 2 comments

Following the tragic shooting that took place in Arizona just days ago, a group of Democrats in the House are proposing a ban on using terminology in political debates, reporting and ads that can strike as a call to violence.

In fact, the term ‘strike’ is among the words placed in the draft of the bill to be banned. Words such as, ‘Used his Campaign Arsenal;’ Has no Ammunition Left;’ ‘Is a Target of a new Attack ad,’ will all be banned. In addition, ‘A Fire fight Erupted;’ ‘Caught in the Crosshairs;’ ‘Take out political opponent;’ ‘The other side Shot Back,’ and ‘The President drew Sharp criticism,’ are all on the chopping block.

“We don’t want people to get ideas of using sharp objects to hit others,” a Congressional Aid close to the writing of the bill tells me. “Even the word ‘Hit’ may be banned since we can’t afford people to hit each other at campaign rallies,” says the aid. According to this aid, violent words standing alone and/or used in context of a larger phrase, will all be banned and likely enforced by the Federal Election Commission.

On the question if this is not called stepping on Freedom of Speech, a Senior Democratic aid tells me that people – for example – have a right to Freedom of Speech, yet they can still be arrested and charged if they use these freedoms to, say, threaten the President. “Rights have limitations,” says the aid.

Since Congressional votes are halted for this week, it is unclear when the new bill will be placed into schedule for a Committee vote, or which Committee altogether will take it up, since the Democratic Leadership has yet to be consulted at this time.

A source close to the deliberations who spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of being a target (…) by potential opponents, says that if Phase One of the bill – Political Discourse Reform – will pass successfully, then Phase Two will be introduced. It will focus on Commercial Terminology, such as the retail store ‘Target’ that potentially incites violence, and Lyrics mostly popular in the African American Entertainment world that potentially leads people to commit wild acts. However, opposition by the Congressional Black Caucus to the latter is expected to be fierce.

While the story until here is satire, it is rooted in a true report by the Washington Post of this Sunday, as follows: “A Democratic lawmaker plans to introduce legislation that would make it a federal crime to use language or images that could be interpreted as inciting violence toward members of Congress or federal officials. Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Robert Brady told The Washington Post Sunday night that he plans to introduce the legislation as soon as possible.”

Our news story was only to illustrate the absurdity of creating such laws.

contact yossi@yossigestetner.com

Wise Words…

Posted by on 06/01/2010 No comments

On the political site/blog Free Republic, someone posted that he lost a few friends over defending Palin, while his friends hated her.

Here is a comment that was posted by someone with the net-name “Melas.” Worth reading. Here it is:

“Look, I’m going to tell you this as an aging man to a young man:

“You obviously have a lot of emotion vested in Palin; let it go. it’s not mutual. I was young and on fire once. I loved Ronald Reagan as a president, but Ronald Reagan didn’t love me. He didn’t have my picture on his desk; he didn’t work for me in the hopes that he might shake my hand; he didn’t write me letters of support when I had to testify in court; and he didn’t even know my name.

“As I got older, I realized that the relationship between a President and the citizens is a professional one, not a personal one. The go into office and make life better, worse, or fail to have an effect at all Then they go home to their friends, and the people that they care about, and chances are you won’t be one of them.

“Save your emotional attachments for those who return them. Don’t idealize celebrities, political or otherwise.”

Wise words indeed.