Anybody Have a Question for the Smartest Man in American Politics?
Well, one of the smartest--that's for darned sure. I refer to Ricochet's own, the Governor of Mississippi, Haley Barbour.
On Friday morning, I'll be interviewing Gov. Barbour for an episode of Uncommon Knowledge. Now in the second year of his second and final term of office as governor (Mississippi limits its chief executives to two terms), Gov. Barbour now serves as chairman of the Republican Governors' Association. In re which, Karl Rove:
Under the remarkable leadership of the Republican Governors Association chairman, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour...the RGA has turned into a political juggernaut.
At the end of June, the RGA had $40 million in cash, even after spending nearly $11 million earlier this year to aid GOP challengers. In Ohio, for example, the RGA spent $2.8 million to blunt a $3 million Democratic effort to trash former Ohio Congressman John Kasich. Mr. Kasich now leads Democrat incumbent Ted Strickland by eight points.
And in Wisconsin, the RGA has helped put Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker ahead of Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett by eight points in the latest Rasmussen poll by outspending the Democrats 3 to 1 on television ads.
Political change comes more powerfully from the bottom up, not from the top down. The election of reform-oriented conservative Republican governors can shake America's political firmament.
If you've got a question for Gov. Barbour--no, wait. If y'all've got a question, I'll do my best to fit it in.
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May '10
Re: Anybody Have a Question for the Smartest Man in American Politics?
If, as seems not unlikely, the GOP takes both houses of Congress in the fall, can they be trusted to press an serious, aggressive legislative agenda? What will they do when Obama starts vetoing things left and right? Could this set up a dynamic where Obama's kept from doing unpopular things and he thereby becomes a better candidate in 2012?
Jun '10
Re: Anybody Have a Question for the Smartest Man in American Politics?
Why?
Bible Belt most generous in charitable giving
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-11-20-national-giving_x.htm
New Englanders remain among the most tightfisted in the country when it comes to charitable giving while Bible Belt residents are among the most generous, according to an annual index. For the fourth year running, New Hampshire was the most miserly state, according to the Catalogue of Philanthropy's Generosity Index. Mississippi remained at the top for generosity. The index, which takes into account both "having" and "giving," is based on average adjusted gross incomes and the value of itemized charitable donations reported to the Internal Revenue Service on 2003 tax returns, the latest available. However, its methodology has been criticized and has helped give rise to new studies of charitable giving. "We believe that generosity is a function of how much one gives to the ability one has to give," said Martin Cohn, a spokesman for the Catalogue for Philanthropy, a Boston-based non-profit that publishes a directory of non-profit organizations. Using that standard, the 10 most generous states were, in descending order, Mississippi, Arkansas, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, Utah, South Carolina and West Virginia.
May '10
Re: Anybody Have a Question for the Smartest Man in American Politics?
One of the most frustrating things in this election cycle is the lack of enthusiasm from the leadership of the Republican party. Is there any chance you will again lead the Republican party as it's chairman?
Jun '10
Re: Anybody Have a Question for the Smartest Man in American Politics?
Ask Mr. Barbour if he's aware of the 70 Democratic members of Congress who are card-carrying socialists and if intends to use this information in campaign advertising.
May '10
Re: Anybody Have a Question for the Smartest Man in American Politics?
If we take back both the House and the Senate how can everyday citizens best "keep watch" over our legislators so they don't go off track again? Should we call/write/e-mail when they show signs of heading off track, or is that even the most effective way to express our displeasure? The challenge is most people on our side actually WORK for a living so it's difficult to organize marches on Washington or even to our state capitols very often. It's also tough to keep up that level of engagement over the long run. Should we make occasional encouraging phone calls to our legislators when they are doing the right thing, or would that just tie up their phone lines? We're awake, we're ready to mobilize on election day, and we want to prevent this kind of disaster from ever happening again. Your advice?
May '10
Re: Anybody Have a Question for the Smartest Man in American Politics?
Yeah, when ya' coming back to the five and dime? That is, when can the Governor take back the reigns of the RNC? Can he do that from Mississippi?
Aug '10
Re: Anybody Have a Question for the Smartest Man in American Politics?
Guess we needed to set up a parallel org to the RNC. Good idea as Barbour certainly has better connections than Steele, more experience, and a reasonable distance from DC.
It's alot easier to recognize and understand the Tea Party force when you're surrounded by folks who just want to "get by on their own".
Barbour was great on the podcast. Class and experience really show.
Thanks
Jul '10
Re: Anybody Have a Question for the Smartest Man in American Politics?
"Governor Barbour, would a Sarah Palin nomination in 2012 be a disaster? Or a calamity?"
Jul '10
Re: Anybody Have a Question for the Smartest Man in American Politics?
What happens to politicians from our side when they go to Washington? Democrats stay Democrats and their beliefs seem to harden, but after a few terms a lot of Republicans turn into deal-making RINOs. John McCain is a good example. So is Lindsey Graham. They run as conservatives and then swerve left.
Re: Anybody Have a Question for the Smartest Man in American Politics?
Ah, but these are beautiful. (If disconcerting. I guess I hadn't realized--more fool me--just how suspicious many of us remain of the GOP.)
Mississippi, the poorest state in the nation, but also the most generous. Thanks for that one, Etoile.
Confucius, a marvelous question. Now may I ask one? Could you explain your avatar? What is that?
Jul '10
Re: Anybody Have a Question for the Smartest Man in American Politics?
Peter Robinson: Ah, but these are beautiful. (If disconcerting. I guess I hadn't realized--more fool me--just how suspicious many of us remain of the GOP.)
Mississippi, the poorest state in the nation, but also the most generous. Thanks for that one, Etoile.
Confucius, a marvelous question. Now may I ask one? Could you explain your avatar? What is that? · Aug 18 at 10:48am
My "suspicions" about the GOP will alleviated when GOP members of Congress stop saying "My esteemed colleague" and start acting like the South Korean legislature, where clouting and hair-pulling are the norm.
Michelle Bachmann vs. Maxine Waters - Girl Fight! Girl Fight!
May '10
Re: Anybody Have a Question for the Smartest Man in American Politics?
I may not know much but I do know a Tusken Raider when I see one.
May '10
Re: Anybody Have a Question for the Smartest Man in American Politics?
How reliant are governors and state legislators on federal politicians for protecting and reclaiming states' rights? What can states do to secure our freedoms without federal aid?
Peter Robinson:
Confucius, a marvelous question. Now may I ask one? Could you explain your avatar? What is that? · Aug 18 at 10:48am
Don't you watch Star Wars? It seems Jonah has been a poor mentor.
Re: Anybody Have a Question for the Smartest Man in American Politics?
Tusken Raider? I can identify Jabba and Jar-Jar, and until today that had always struck me as enough.
G.A. Dean, you remind me of a marvelous story. Thomas Pryor Gore served as a senator from Oklahoma from 1907, which Oklahoma became a state, until 1921. (He was the grandfather of Gore Vidal and the great-grandfather of Al Gore, but you'll forgive him when you hear the rest of the story.) A brilliant speaker, Sen. Gore was blind. On floor one day, a senator became so infuriated with Gore that he shouted, "If you weren't blind, I'd beat you to within an inch of your life." To which Gore replied, "Blindfold the son-of-a-bitch and point him in my direction!"
Re: Anybody Have a Question for the Smartest Man in American Politics?
C'mon, Peter: Tusken Raiders were in the first Star Wars, on Tatooine. Obi-Wan rescued Luke from them. In the 6th movie Anakin Skywalker went to a Tusken camp to rescue his mother, and killed the whole lot of 'em, even the children. For this he was consoled by Natalie Portman. I think she kinda dug it. Or did she? Ask Haley.
Jul '10
Re: Anybody Have a Question for the Smartest Man in American Politics?
Correct!
And don't forget: Tusken Raiders ride Banthas in single file to hide their numbers. And the blast points from their attacks are not very precise. Precision blast points are more indicative of Imperial Stormtroopers.
Tusken Raiders, nee Sand People, frighten easily, but may return in greater numbers.
And you never, ever, want to end up at the business end of a Gaffi Stick.
May '10
Re: Anybody Have a Question for the Smartest Man in American Politics?
That is indeed a marvelous story, and Gore's Wikipedia entry contains an equally marvelous quote.
"Much as I value votes I am not in the market. I cannot consent to buy votes with the people's money. I owe a debt to the taxpayer as well to the unemployed." After dictating these words, the blind senator was led to the Senate floor to cast the lone vote against the WPA."
Quite a statement from a Democrat. And he was born in Mississippi, so there's your link back to Gov. Barbour.
May '10
Re: Anybody Have a Question for the Smartest Man in American Politics?
It seems to me that these days, it is very difficult for a Northern Democrat to be elected president (Obama was the first since Kennedy) because of the perception of being more "moderate" (Jimmuh? Image was everything). I think it is equally difficult for a Southern Republican to be elected- the "Texan" Bushes are really associated more with Connecticut/Yale and Maine in the popular perception. Before FDR, everyone was New England and Ohio, then Nixon, Reagan, GHW, and W, none of whom have the Deep South drawl or image.
Haley Barbour doesn't quite fit that image. What does he think is needed for someone from So. Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Oklahoma, etc. to be nationally appealing? Does the heavy Southern drawl turn off the mushy middle that actually elects?
Ask this right as a generic inquiry, and we can flush him out on his intentions....
May '10
Re: Anybody Have a Question for the Smartest Man in American Politics?
I'd like to know if the GOP retakes the House and Senate, does that bode well for a second-term for Obama? He can just blame the GOP for his problems, after all. What exactly should be the GOP strategy for 2010 - 2012, for instance, regain Congress by a small margin, large margin, keep Obama from getting re-elected or all of the above? While I doubt a Southerner would get elected in this age of identity politics, I have great confidence in the power of the southern drawl. In the days following 9/11, I listened to a lot of radio C-SPAN coverage of the House/Senate. I noticed that even the Northern congress members adopted a southern accent. I think it puts people at ease. I can personally attest to the persuasive powers of my Tennessee drawl after living in Maryland for 5 years. So, I hope that even if Barbour decides not to run, I hope he inserts himself in these campaigns and debate, not only for his political know-how and intelligence, but his disarming drawl. It works, y'all. I promise.
May '10
Re: Anybody Have a Question for the Smartest Man in American Politics?
John Davey
Correct!
And don't forget: Tusken Raiders ride Banthas in single file to hide their numbers. And the blast points from their attacks are not very precise. Precision blast points are more indicative of Imperial Stormtroopers.
I think Obi-Wan's intelligence might had been a tad bit faulty. As we know from observation. Imperial Stormtroopers can't hit the broad side of a YT-100 with their first shot (and sometimes their second or third).
So, if Ben was right, the Tusken Raiders may be the worst shots in the universe. I'd like to think he was wrong, since he didn't have a lot of experience with Stormtrooper marksmanship. What Stormtroopers did a lot of shooting on Tattoine before the droids arrived anyhow?