The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

ILLINOIS PRIMARY RESULTS HQ

Posted on | March 20, 2012 | 45 Comments

by Smitty

10:07 ET 65.1% reporting in IL, and Romney is at 47%? Really? Let’s hear it for people voting their conscience!

8:53 ET Media door was closed after McCain was done with his cigarette, and he entered to discover the Secret Service agent, who told Stacy, nervously holding up his media badge, that “He almost caught one.”

8:43 ET Stacy McCain reports that the Santorum event has a major overflow crowd, with Rick expected to speak at 9:00 PM. Monitors are being deployed to the hallway to support the surplus.

8:34 ET With 7.1% reporting, Fox has called Illinois for Willard the Javelin.

8:24 ET 0.6% reporting, Romney 54%, Santorum 26.6%, and Perry has 88 votes, so there.

8:24 ET 0.3% reporting (28/10448) Romney draws first blood in Chicago, but it’s a tiny amount of votes.
P R E V I O U S L Y . . .

The Illinois outcome isn’t much in doubt. The question is how much margin Willard the Javelin bought for his ad money. Early news from CBS on voter mood:

As in other states, Illinois GOP voters overwhelmingly cited the economy as their top issue. Fifty-six percent pointed to the economy. That was followed by the federal budget deficit at 26 percent, abortion at 12 percent and illegal immigration at four percent.
One in five Illinois GOP voters say the economy is starting to recover, while one in three say it is stagnant. Nearly half – 46 percent – say the economy is getting worse.
The ability to defeat President Obama was the most cited candidate quality by Illinois GOP voters, chosen by 37 percent of respondents. One in four said the top concern was that the candidate have strong character, 20 percent sought a true conservative, and 18 percent wanted a candidate with the right experience.

Also, voters, unexpectedly, care more about the economy than some of the kulturkampf issues in circulation:

An Edison Research exit poll conducted at 35 randomly selected polling places around the state Tuesday afternoon found a majority of voters citing the economy as their top concern, with nearly half believing the nation’s economic conditions are getting worse. The preliminary results are from 1,078 Illinois Republican voters, with a margin error of +/-4 percentage points.
Many areas reported light turnout, despite record temperatures in the 80s across the state and a rare voice for the state’s GOP voters in the duel between Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum. Newt Gingrich and Texas Rep. Ron Paul did not campaign in the state.

Meanwhile, 1,000 or so miles east, in Gettysburg, where Stacy is on the scene to cover Rick Santorum’s event tonight, there are protesters in front of the hotel:

Stacy asked them if they were from the Gingrich campaign, but they didn’t get the joke. Humor is wasted on feminists. Meanwhile . . .

Juana Summers of Politico does a does a TV appearance. Is she biased? Probably. But then again, so is Stacy.

UPDATE (RSM) II: More protesters here outside the Santorum event in Gettysburg. This was probably inevitable:

Nothing says “tolerance” quite like a liberal comparing Republicans to Islamic terrorists.

Update, 8:10 ET: Stacy in Gettysburg grabs a brief interview with Santorum spokesman John Brabender:

Linked at The Camp of the Saints

Category: Election 2012, Illinois

Not The Good Kind Of Twitchy

Posted on | March 20, 2012 | 2 Comments

by Smitty

Information wants to be free, and anthropomorphised. Via Twitchy comes the reminder that unintended, misanthropic consequences could well result. That sort of unwholesome twitchiness is the kind of thing for which I have insufficient brain bleach to go anywhere near in a blog post. Gaaaah!

Category: Piece of Work in Progress

Newt Attacks Santorum at Red State: Gingrich’s Bankrupt Narcissism

Posted on | March 20, 2012 | 39 Comments

“Newt Gingrich has more debt than cash on hand, according to the FEC report he will file today. . . . Gingrich continues to carry $1.55 million in debt and the cash flow has evidently slowed. . . . [T]here are already complaints in the extended Gingrich universe about unpaid bills. . . . Gingrich’s February fundraising total puts him at the back of the GOP pack, after Mitt Romney’s $11.5 million, Rick Santorum’s $9 million and Ron Paul’s $3.3 million.”
— Alexander Burns, Politico

“Had the dominance of televised debates reduced the 2012 campaign to the level of a show-biz publicity stunt, manipulated by TV networks? Had the relationship between poll numbers and media coverage become a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy, so that only those with good poll numbers could expect good coverage, and vice-versa? Had network executives and pollsters completely replaced Republican voters as the deciders of the GOP nomination? These were obvious questions raised by the long campaign, but none of the moderators in any of the debates ever raised those questions, perhaps for the same reason the Wizard of Oz warned Dorothy to ignore that man behind the curtain.”
— Robert Stacy McCain, “The Campaign as TV Show,” The American Spectator, March 2012

“The self-consciousness that mocks all attempts at spontaneous action or enjoyment derives in the last analysis from the waning belief in the reality of the external world, which has lost its immediacy in a society pervaded by ‘symbolically mediated information.’ . . . To the performing self, the only reality is the identity he can construct out of materials furnished by advertising and mass culture, themes of popular film and fiction, and fragments torn from a vast range of cultural traditions . . . In order to polish and perfect the part he has devised for himself, the new Narcissus gazes at his own reflection . . .”
— Christopher Lasch, The Culture of Narcissism: American Life in an Age of Diminishing Expectations, 1979

One of the great dangers of our age is the pervasive superficiality that mistakes seeming for being. This is a problem that extends throughout society and is certainly not a new thing under the sun. Christ excoriated the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocritical self-righteousness, describing them as “whited sepulchres” — whitewashed tombs — “which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.”

There have always been those who excel at seeming virtuous, but who fail spectacularly at actually being virtuous, and so skillful hypocrites have always been able to deceive those who view human nature superficially. Yet this problem has taken on new significance in an age when “symbolically mediated information” (or, as most of us call it, “the media”) so often shapes our perceptions and personalities.

The phenomenon of “the performing self,” as Lasch explained it, is peculiarly common in an era when so many people spend a significant part of their childhoods on the sofa watching TV, and thus are raised with the superficiality of perception that television encourages. (See the late Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death and The Disappearance of Childhood, for a deeper understanding of how TV affects our perceptions.) We cannot wish this phenomenon away; it is our new reality; and yet it important, if we wish to criticize the ways in which media influence our political discourse, to see this superficiality and the related role of “the performing self” as clearly as possible.

Grant this: The people who manipulate the media know what they’re doing. David Axelrod and George Stephanopoulos are experts at the manipulation of political perception. If some of us have learned to spot their handiwork (see my March 6 American Spectator column, “Political Puppet Show”) this does not mean we are entirely immune to manipulation. Republicans also engage in media manipulation and if you were shocked when Rick Santorum said Fox News had shown a pro-Romney bias, you should ask yourself why you hadn’t noticed it earlier.

This bias began to manifest itself clearly in February, after Newt Gingrich lost the Florida (Jan. 31) and Nevada (Feb. 4), and Santorum experienced a second surge with his triple victories Feb. 7 in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri. How many times did reporters and commentators on Fox News repeat the Romney campaign’s spin that these were “non-binding” contests? Technically true, but blatantly misleading, the repetition of this spin clearly served to dimish the importance of Santorum’s victories and, I suspect, reflected a deeper bias among some people at Fox: Gingrich was their preferred “Not Mitt” alternative, because Newt is good on TV.

Being good on TV is, of course, a basic qualification for presidential candidates in the modern era, but Gingrich’s excellence in debate and his amazing ability to deliver crisp sound-bites with such apparent spontaneity is quite nearly his only qualification as a candidate.

When Gingrich’s campaign imploded on the launch pad last June, I hoped we would be spared the painful experience of watching Newt demonstrate his incapacity for the larger tasks of organizing a national campaign. When the derailment of the Cain Train in November sparked a “second look at Newt” push by conservative pundits, I was astonished.

Really? The GOP is going to nominate Mr. Third Marriage, the guy whose current wife was the congressional staffer with whom he was having an extramarital affair during the Lewinsky scandal?

Whatever else Gingrich has said or done in his career, that episode permanently marred his biography and even if he were somehow to win the Republican nomination, that biographical datum alone would suffice to doom Newt in November. Say what you will about his ability to debate the issues, Americans wouldn’t elect Newt Gingrich president even if his Democratic opponent were Al Sharpton.

No matter how stupid Dave Weigel thinks GOP primary voters are, the overwhelming majority of Republicans are at least wise enough to understand Newt’s ultimate un-electability.

Nevertheless, Gingrich has always had a vocal squad of cheerleaders among those who think that “issues” are all that matters in politics, for whom the thought of Newt debating Obama is a favorite fantasy.

But it is a fantasy, and it was never anything more than that: Gingrich never had a shot at becoming the Republican nominee, because his biography is so clearly un-presidential. The “narrative arc” is wrong.

Besides, who believes “issues” were all that matters in politics? I think I’m pretty solid on the issues, so why am I not running for president?

Once you’ve stopped laughing at the absurd notion of me campaigning for president, ask yourself why anyone ever took Newt Gingrich’s campaign more seriously. He was a Congressman from Georgia who spent four years as Speaker of the House before being rejected by his own GOP majority. And maybe you should think about this question: Why, during the past 13 years, did Newt never run for senator or governor or any other statewide office in Georgia?

OK, now to my point: Think back to January, to the debates in New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida. Think back to all of Newt’s speeches and media appearances in January when he said that there was nothing more important than preventing Mitt Romney from winning the Republican nomination. Think about the several times when Newt said that the only way — the only way — to stop Mitt was for all conservatives (including Santorum) to “coalesce” behind Newt Gingrich.

Obviously that didn’t happen and now, after having lost even in such of his supposed Deep South strongholds as Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi, after having finished fourth in 10 states in the past six weeks, with his campaign clearly teetering on the brink of complete collapse — now, I say, at this crucial point in the 2012 primary campaign, Newt publishes a column at Red State savaging Rick Santorum and once more insisting that he, Newt Gingrich, is the “only . . . candidate in this race who can offer the change our country desperately needs.”

Really? Fourth in Minnesota, fourth in Maine, fourth in Michigan, fourth in Washington State, fourth in Alaska, fourth in North Dakota, fourth in Vermont, fourth in Massachusetts, fourth in Idaho, fourth in Wyoming — if Newt Gingrich is so obviously “the change our country desperately needs,” why have so many Republican primary voters failed to see this?

Could it be that Newt Gingrich is deluded by his own narcissism?

Could it be that Newt was less than sincere in telling conservatives that stopping Mitt Romney was his top priority?

Could it be that Newt, knowing his own campaign is now hopelessly doomed, used this opportunity to damage Santorum’s chances as the last remaining viable alternative to Romney?

He could support Dede Scozzafava, but not Rick Santorum.

Newt is very good at seeming, but not so good at being what he seems. And he evidently thinks we’re too stupid to notice the difference.

No, Newt: We’re not that stupid. Unlike you, we have not lost all belief in “the reality of the external world.”

 

 

UPDATE: Speaking of narcissism, readers will forgive me for tooting my own horn about predicting Gingrich’s bankruptcy.

On Feb. 21, after the January campaign finance reports were published, I warned that Gingrich’s spending was “unsustainable.” Last Tuesday, March 13, I posted two important questions:

Question 1: How much did Newt raise in February? Question 2: What was his campaign’s cash-on-hand and total debt as of March 1?

Even then, I suspected that Gingrich would badly trail Santorum in February fundraising, and that he would have more debt than cash-on-hand when the FEC reports came in. That warning was repeated in various other posts over the past week until finally yesterday, I bluntly titled a post: “Is Newt’s Campaign Bankrupt?”

Excuse me for pointing our my own prescience, but you might notice that (a) no other conservative blogger warned you about Newt’s impending bankruptcy, and (b) the same bloggers who failed to predict this outcome will also fail to give me credit for having successfully done so.

Why is this? What benefit do others seek to gain by depriving me of credit when I so clearly deserve credit? Is it just my hurt feelings that causes me to notice this, or does this point to some problem more significant than my bruised ego?

 


Category: Debates, Election 2012, Media Bias, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Red State, Rick Santorum, Ron Paul

Trying To Help Bill Quick Appreciate The Matchless Brilliance Of Joe Biden

Posted on | March 20, 2012 | 8 Comments

by Smitty

Bill Quick fails to grasp the full audacity of the audaciousness of VPJB calling the “bin Laden raid the most ‘audacious plan’ in 500 years.”

The plan itself was straightforward, boring military gumshoe work, training, and attention to detail. If you were physically fit, motivated, and worked as hard as the Spec Ops guys, you might pull off similar feats.

No, what makes this a singular action in the annals of political history is that a brace of bozos like VPJB and #OccupyResoluteDesk would be so bold, so titanium testicles & tungsten tuchus, as to figure that they could do victory laps on this data point alone and somehow win re-election. They are to American politics what Matt Damon was to Team America: World Police.

Furthermore, Power Line is way off to quote Geraghty as saying the bottom will drop out of the Obama popularity in October. That was a tune a few years back, not a political prediction. We need to take the overwhelming intellect of BHO and Joe very seriously.

Category: Bill Quick, Joe Biden

Steven Crowder On Mixed Martial Arts

Posted on | March 20, 2012 | Comments Off on Steven Crowder On Mixed Martial Arts

by Smitty

If MMA was any more vicious, it would be an SEIU barbecue:

Category: Blogging

I See What Romney Did There

Posted on | March 20, 2012 | 11 Comments

by Smitty

The Hill has the video. I’ll offer a translation:

The Hill Smitty
“I don’t see how a young American can vote for, well, can vote for a Democrat,” Romney said in a speech at the University of Chicago. It is of paramount importance that I focus attention on the party, and not the individual. Any hint of personalization, of admitting that I’m actually running against Barack Hussein Obama, equates to raaaaaacism.
The former Massachusetts governor said Democrats were saddling young people with debt while Republicans are committed to reducing spending and balancing the budget. When I say ‘reduce spending’, I mean that some numbers will go down. I will not tell you which numbers, or by how much. The budget will be balanced, for certain values of ‘balanced’ that may not be meaningful outside the DC Beltway.
I am the Quaalude That Walks Like A Man. Vote for me and be comfortably numb.
Romney then said he didn’t mean to be “flip.” I want you to vote for me without feeling that you’ve voted against anything in particular. I am dispassionate. Trust me on this: the American people are going to need to vote for a bowl of egg drop soup if we want to recover this country.
“I apologize for being so offensive for saying that,” Romney added. “In the humor, there’s some truth there.” See what I did there? I’m going to apologize for a non-offense. Those on the Left with major self-esteem issues can know that the modern American tradition of bowing and scraping to the foe, while waving off the friend, will continue with me.
I own most of the vote on the right, with the glaring exception of that Bill Quick dude, but there is one in every crowd, no? Yes? Sorry, I didn’t mean to put you off by expressing anything so crass as an opinion.
“My party is consumed with the idea of getting federal spending down and creating economic growth and opportunity so we can balance our budget and stop putting these debts on you,” he said. See, while the party is consumed, you know that ‘My party’ is a dog whistle meaning: ‘I, on the other hand, will keep that gravy train chugging.’ I say ‘my party’ as an admission that there is a certain Belushi-esque ribaldry afoot on the Right. Those bitter cling-on conservatives wouldn’t know nuance if their old-ance blew up in their face. Get it? New-ance? I’m sorry I abused a French word like that. Incorrigible of me, wasn’t it?

Save the Land: Vote Bland

via Gateway Pundit

Update: linked by Don Surber

Category: Mitt Romney

Ron Paul Raised $3.27 Million in February

Posted on | March 20, 2012 | 5 Comments

Ron Paul’s campaign was the first GOP candidate to file his required Federal Election Commission report for February, and the Texas congressman reported that he raised $3,271,369.74 last month.

Paul’s campaign spent slightly more ($3.5 million) than it took in during Feburary, and finished the month with about $1.4 million cash on hand. However, his campaign remained debt-free.

All presidential campaigns will be required to publish their February reports today. While both Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum have previously announced their February fundraising numbers — $11.5 million and $9 million, respectively — Newt Gingrich’s campaign has said nothing about their totals for last month, fueling speculation about Gingrich’s financial viability.

Category: Election 2012, Ron Paul

Illinois Primary Today; Rick Santorum Schedules Rally in Gettysburg, Pa.

Posted on | March 20, 2012 | 16 Comments

Polls indicate a sizeable win for Mitt Romney in Illinois, so if you live in Illinois and were planning to vote for Romney, you can just stay home.

Meanwhile, Rick Santorum will be in Pennsylvania tonight:

Former Pennsylvania senator and Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum will be visiting Gettysburg on Tuesday, according to his communications director.
He will hold a campaign party at the Gettysburg Hotel in Lincoln Square starting at 8 p.m. The event is open to the public.
Afterwards, Santorum is scheduled to head back to Louisiana for more campaigning before Saturday’s caucuses in the state.

So his speech tonight will be “The Gettysburg Address,” and because Gettyburg is barely an hour’s drive from my house, I plan to be there, and then I’ll drive a thousand miles to Lousiana, which holds its primary Saturday. You may be wondering, “Why is Santorum in Pennsylvania?”

Check the schedule: The Maryland primary is two weeks away on April 3; Gettysburg isn’t just an hour away from my house in Hagerstown, but is also driving distance from Frederick and Maryland’s D.C. suburbs. I’ll expect to see a lot of Marylanders tonight in Gettysburg, and I also expect to see lots of Santorum’s Pennsylvania supporters crossing the Mason-Dixon Line to work as volunteers in his Maryland campaign. And as Pennsylvania holds its primary three weeks later on April 24, the Maryland team will be expected to return the favor.

All the pundits have counted Maryland as an easy win for Romney and maybe they’re right, but there will be a serious campaign here. Santorum’s campaign is arguing that the media’s delegate count is misleading, and that Romney’s lead isn’t as “inevitable” as it looks.

UPDATE: Alexander Burns of Politico reports:

Rick Santorum’s campaign and super PAC have been outspent by a margin of 7 to 1 in the Illinois primary, with forces supporting Mitt Romney shelling out a total of about $3.7 million on the airwaves, according to a GOP media-buying source.

Congratulations, Mitt: When it comes to running attack ads against Republicans, your campaign has vastly outspent Democrats this year!

 

 

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Category: Election 2012, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Rick Santorum
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