Political Review – realoutlook.com

Governor Mike Huckabee took time to garner hunting garb for the photos appearing in the local media before tomorrow’s Iowa Caucuses. Image is everything in his campaign to capture the votes of Evangelical Christians and gun rights advocates that dominate Republican politics in the state of Iowa, particularly among caucus goers. When substance finally comes into play the folksy vanier will wear thin and his support will wither. (more…)

Benazir Bhutto returned to Pakistan on October 18th of this year greeted by welcoming crowds of political supporters estimated to reach 200,000. Her procession in a staged rally for her homecoming was attacked by a suicide bomber killing 140 of her supporters but missing Benazir. She would not be so fortunate this last Thursday when she was assassinated with another 20 supporters dying from the bomb blast little two months after her triumphant return. (more…)

Consider, if you will, the political fallout from the outing of Valerie Plame. Unless you’re a regular attendee at Georgetown cocktail parties you may not have known that this compelling blond was once a covert CIA agent. If not, the January 2004 cover photo on Vanity Fair with husband Joe Wilson in a Jaguar convertible could have given you a clue. Hard to identify with those shades though. Since Ms. Plame hasn’t been part of any mission within a time frame that would qualify her as outed by the story Jim Novak released no one was really subject to prosecution. Scooter Libby’s sentence, after all, was the result of his questionable testimony. As Special Prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald described it Libby “told a dumb lie and got caught.” But a special prosecutor had been appointed none the less and someone had to hang. (more…)

In her first political appearance Oprah Winfrey addressed Iowa’s voters beaconing them to embrace a new vision of America with Barack Obama. There is no doubt that Obama’s star has been on the rise recently while the other Democratic presidential candidates languish in a sea of negativity. But how much is Oprah contributing to this trend? (more…)

Mitt Romney delivered his “Faith in America” speech this morning powerfully owning to his own faith and the responsibility of the political office he seeks to respect the faith of others. Like Kennedy, Romney made the speech to erase doubts about his allegiance to a Christian faith considered out of the mainstream, particularly among Iowa’s Evangelicals who have favored the former Baptist minister and Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. Though many comments were made today regarding the two men and their speeches the difference in political circumstances and the part their beliefs played in the way they lived their lives couldn’t be more different. (more…)

Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul stands true to the libertarian credentials that earned him the Libertarian Party Presidential nomination for the 1988 election. Back then he promoted a global policy of non-intervention, abolishing the Federal Reserve and retuning to the gold standard, and stopping Federal involvement in primary education. Move forward nearly two decades and he opposes the United Nations, NATO and, as a Texas Congressman, he voted against the Iraq War Resolution. He has now expanded his opposition to the Fed to abolishing most Federal agencies including the IRS. Always a free trader he opposes NAFTA calling it “managed trade.” (more…)

Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards recently escalated his condemnation of Hillary Clinton for the support she receives from corporate contributers. He has also criticized her for accepting money from lobbyists and, last month, stated he would ban lobbyists from giving money to any federal candidates. Not surprising from someone whose fund raising has fallen off a cliff forcing him to opt for public financing of his campaign. The plea on his website reads

“This deadline could not be more important. After November 30, we’ll submit our second filing for federal matching funds. As a part of that submission, a contribution you make today will go directly to the resources we need to compete and win in the critical early states. This is crunch time – your contribution now counts more than ever. And with federal matching funds, your contribution can count double! So don’t wait – help us double our strength by making a contribution today.”

He has further stated he would expand public campaign financing to include congressional candidates. (more…)

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid brought Senator Dick Durban’s “Dream Act” [ S.2205] to the Senate floor last Wednesday in hopes of quickly passing what is a segment of the immigration bill soundly rebuked in June when calls from an outraged public brought down the Senate phone system. No summary was offered on the new bill, no hearings and no committee discussions. (more…)

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi seems to have stepped off a cliff with her timing for a House vote on a resolution declaring the World War I era killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks an act of genocide. There is no doubt any act of genocide should be recognized and condemmed. However, the timing of her actions can only be explained by the congressional leaderships transparent attempts to embarrass the Bush Administration at any cost. (more…)

The President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has no justification to go anywhere near the site of our greatest national tragedy. The driving force behind state sponsored terrorism, self proclaimed enemy of America and the man harboring bin Laden’s son, he represents the very Jihadist mentality behind the 9/11 attacks. His request to lay a wreath would only be played out in Al Jazeera as honoring the terrorists who perpetrated the attacks. (more…)