Update on Cain's Campaign in Iowa

Here's a good NRO profile of the new head of Herman Cain's campaign in Iowa:

"Thanks, George!" Love, Obama

In case you missed it, I wrote a post about a month ago debunking the myth that George LeMieux was a "conservative" during his few months in the Senate:

Sunshine State Sarah | Reality check on LeMieux's "conservative" voting record 

Well, looks like I have an addendum to that post. Check out this press release from the Adam Hasner campaign earlier this week...it doesn't sound so conservative when Obama is thanking LeMieux for breaking ranks with Republicans, does it?

Herman Cain: Positively Pro-Life

Positively Pro-Life

The past twenty-four hours were a whirlwind of controversy for Herman Cain, as statements  he made on Piers Morgan's CNN show appeared to suggest that he was pro-choice.

While that may not have been a great interview, and his words could have been chosen with more clarity, the accusation that Cain is pro-choice or a waffler on the issue is completely incorrect.

Here's an easy 1-2-3 on why I know that Herman Cain is pro-life:

First of all, here's the statement that Cain issued yesterday:

Aggressively Stupid: WaPo Attacks on Marco Rubio

Rubio: Proud of his family's history

The Washington Post published a ridiculous hit piece on Marco Rubio yesterday, claiming that "documents show" that Rubio had "embellished the facts" about his family's history, specifically how they came to America from Cuba.

You can pinch your nose and read the article here.

Because Rubio's family emigrated to America from Cuba in 1956, and Fidel Castro did not officially take power until 1959, writer Manuel Roig-Franzia claims that Rubio should not be able to say he is part of the Cuban exile community, and accuses Rubio of exaggerating his family's history for political gain.

I have decided I will not call this article journalistic malpractice, because that would imply that what Roig-Franzia published yesterday was journalism, instead of an egregious attempt at character assassination. Roig-Franzia's belligerent distortions of history makes him a prime candidate to create the next campaign video for Alan Grayson (of "Taliban Dan" fame).

Well, that makes sense.

If I tried spending money like this, I'd end up in jail...

(Click image to enlarge)

(Hat tip: @rachelveronica, via Facebook)

Harry Belafonte not a fan of Cain, but Castro's OK?

"You shall judge of a man by his foes as well as by his friends."

- Joseph Conrad, Lord Jim

This quote applies well to actor Harry Belafonte, who attacked presidential candidate Herman Cain as a "bad apple" and "false Negro" (are you kidding me?!) in a recent television appearance. Of course, Belafonte has no problem waxing poetic about Fidel Castro:

Babalú Blog | Herman Cain insulted by Harry Belafonte, who hails Fidel Castro

Staying awake for an interview though, seems to present more of a challenge.

Happy Warrior Redux

Erick Erickson has an excellent post over at RedState this morning, calling Herman Cain a "happy warrior:"

The Las Vegas Debate aka Conservative Slap Fight

Well, that was entertaining.

The Republican presidential candidates met in Las Vegas last night for the latest debate. As appropriate for the location, it was a wild evening with some of the nastiest fights ever between the candidates yet and even an appearance by Wayne Newton.

I've got the Twitter trending topics (from right after the debate ended) for you, and then some random little thoughts about the debate itself:

Sean Penn: The Tea Party just wants to get the black man out of the White House

I'm not sure what is making Sean Penn so cranky. Did the Castro brothers forget to send him a birthday card? Well, since he couldn't hang out with his favorite murderous Cuban communists, he went on Piers Morgan's CNN show instead:

"Cut Spending Now" event tonight in Orlando

~ TODAY ~ 5:30 - 6:30 pm ~

Sheraton Downtown Orlando Hotel

400 W. Livingston St.

Orlando, FL 32801

More details here.

RedState coming to the Sunshine State in 2012!

RedState editor Erick Erickson announced yesterday that the 2012 RedState Gathering will be in Jacksonville, Florida on August 2 - 5, 2012:

Karen Diebel signs "No Climate Tax" Pledge

Congressional candidate Karen Diebel won praise last week from Americans for Prosperity's Florida Chapter after she joined more than 550 bipartisan lawmakers and candidates in signing the group's "No Climate Tax Pledge," agreeing to "oppose legislation relating to climate change that includes a net increase in government revenue."

AFP Florida Newsroom | AFP-FL Applauds US House Candidate Karen Diebel for Signing "No Climate Tax" Pledge

AFP's "Cut Spending Now" Tour in Florida this week [UPDATED]

Americans for Prosperity's "Cut Spending Now" Tour kicked off in Florida today. Here's the link to all the details on AFP  Florida's website, and here's the next few stops:

News about DeMint's endorsement "a fabrication"

Heh. Looks like Romney's consultants were caught being too clever by half:

RedState | Erick Erickson | Jim DeMint Is NOT Endorsing Mitt Romney

Roll Call is running a story that Jim DeMint may endorse Mitt Romney. Here’s what you need to know about it. 

A number of DeMint past and present consultants in South Carolina work for Mitt Romney. I’m not sure the reporter knew just how heavily he was being spun, but he was. 

The story is mostly wishful thinking by Romney consultants in South Carolina who have ties to DeMint. If you need further proof the story is bogus, consider DeMint’s own office calling the story “a fabrication”...

Marco Rubio and Florida's Primary Date: Are We Looking at the Wrong Conspiracy?

Florida's controversial decision to move our presidential primary election to January 31 continues to inspire headlines, most notably in several articles last week by Robert Stacy McCain, in which he reported that his sources told him that Cesar Conda, Senator Marco Rubio's chief of staff, had sought to influence the primary date in order to give an advantage to Mitt Romney, and also Rubio on the unreliable presumption that he would be Romney's choice for a running mate:

The Other McCain | Top Rubio Staffer Reportedly Pushed for Early Florida Primary to Help Romney

American Spectator | Robert Stacy McCain | Republican Campaign Apocalypse

Javier Manjarres at The Shark Tank responded with his own article detailing Rubio's emphatic denial that Conda had been involved in influencing the primary date:

The Shark Tank | Senator Marco Rubio Denies Staffer's Collusion with Romney Campaign

Now, I like a good juicy political scandal as much as anyone, but after spending the last week making phone calls to my own sources around the state, I'm wondering if we're not looking at this story from the completely wrong angle.

More brainy people showing love for 999

I have to say, I find it pretty amusing to hear the political pundits stamp their collective feet and declare that Herman Cain's "999 Plan" can't possibly work...

...and in the meantime, more economists, policy wonks, and other brainy people come forward and say they like what they see...

Here's Reagan economist Art Laffer, who is famous for the "Laffer Curve", who calls 999 a "wonderful plan" and addresses the criticisms both from the left that it's a regressive tax and from the right that it's a risk to institute a new tax:

"It's your right...but..."

 
'Nuff said.

Can someone please tell George LeMieux how a blogroll is supposed to work?

Oh, George LeMieux. You may not be much of a conservative, but you sure are funny.

I had heard that LeMieux had some sort of "Bloggers for George" group on his campaign website, and I was curious to see who might be listed.

Shocking! Never thought I'd see the day...

...that Scott Plakon and Dennis Baxley disagreed on anything.

The two Republicans serve together in Florida's House of Representative, have very similar solidly-conservative voting records, have co-sponsored legislation, both endorsed Adam Hasner for Senate, and describe themselves as "good friends."

So I was surprised - nay, shocked! - to read in yesterday's Palm Beach Post that the two were on opposite sides on an issue:

Team Hasner!

Exciting news! Starting this month, I'll be the Conservative Media Outreach Director for Adam Hasner's Senate campaign. I thought it was fitting for "Florida's Top Political Tweeter" to break the news on Twitter: