GOP Convention: From Rivals To Allies

September 3, 2008, 11:15pm

ST. PAUL — The three leading Republican rivals to John McCain during the GOP presidential primary all took the stage here tonight to publicly and eagerly throw their support behind the Arizona senator.

For much of the race, McCain was considered an underdog to two of those men, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. The third, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, stayed in the race against McCain the longest after scoring a handful of surprise victories in the primary himself.

Here are excerpts and video clips of their speeches at the convention:

Giuliani

This is not a personal attack, it’s a statement of fact: Barack Obama has never led anything. Nothing. Nada. The choice in this election comes down to substance over style. John has been tested. Barack Obama has not.

Tough times require strong leadership, and this is no time for on the job training. It’s about who can answer that crisis call — yes, Hillary, at 3:00 in the morning. Well, no one can look at John McCain and say that he is not ready to be commander-in-chief.

So, our opponents want to reframe the debate. They would have you believe that this election is about “change versus more of the same.” But that’s really a false choice. Because “change” is not a destination, just as “hope” is not a strategy.

Romney

Did you hear any Democrats talk last week about the threat from radical, violent jihad? Republicans believe that there is good and evil in the world. Ronald Reagan called out the Evil Empire. George Bush labeled the terror-sponsor states the Axis of Evil.

And at Saddleback, after Barak Obama dodged and ducked every direct question, John McCain hit the nail on the head: radical violent Islam is evil, and he will defeat it!

Republicans prefer straight talk to politically correct talk!

Huckabee

John McCain doesn’t want the kind of change that allows the government to reach deeper into your paycheck and pick your doctor, your child’s school, or even the kind of car you drive or how much you inflate the tires.

He doesn’t want to change the very definition of marriage from what it has always meant throughout recorded human history. It is not above John McCain’s pay grade to grasp the simple fact that human life begins at conception, and he is committed to protecting it.

Maybe the most dangerous threat of an Obama presidency is that he would continue to give madmen the benefit of the doubt. If he’s wrong just once, we will pay a heavy price. John McCain will follow the fanatics to their caves in Pakistan or to the gates of hell. What Obama wants to do is give them a place setting at the table.

Categories: New York, Arkansas, Massachusetts, Producer's Picks, Politics, Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, Republican Convention

The ‘Bitter’ Politics Test

April 15, 2008, 9:29pm

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has been under fire for days because of his statement that small-town Americans “cling” to guns, religion and bigotry because they are “bitter” about their economic circumstances. But other candidates may be tested by Obama’s “bitter” comments, too.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee is trying to attach Obama’s words to Democratic Senate candidates Al Franken of Minnesota and Mark Warner of Virginia. The NRSC issued a video press release that all but dares them to endorse Obama.

The video releases also target Democratic convention “superdelegates” John Kerry of Massachusetts, Mary Landreiu of Louisiana, Mark Udall of Colorado and Tom Udall of New Mexico.

Categories: Virginia, Colorado, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, Producer's Picks, Gun Rights, Politics, John Kerry, Mary Landrieu, Religion, Tom Udall, Race, Mark Warner, Al Franken, Mark Udall

Obama Wins The Kennedy Vote

January 28, 2008, 6:50pm

Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., today joined Caroline Kennedy, his niece and the daughter of former President John F. Kennedy, in endorsing Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination.

The Obama campaign understandably was quick to get the video of those potentially influential endorsement speeches online, along with Obama’s speech accepting the endorsements.

Categories: Massachusetts, Politics, Edward Kennedy, Barack Obama

The Bush administration today defended its decision to allow oil and gas exploration in the Chukchi Sea off Alaska despite concerns that such activities could threaten the future of the polar bears.

The testimony came at a House hearing by a special panel on energy independence and global warming. Democratic Reps. Jay Inslee of Washington and Edward Markey of Massachusetts were among the lawmakers who warned of the consequences for polar bears.

Categories: Massachusetts, Washington, Producer's Picks, Environment, Edward Markey, Natural Resources, Jay Inslee, Nature

Sen. Kerry Endorses Obama For President

January 11, 2008, 4:35pm

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