ElephantBiz: June 2007 Archives

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Jun30	"Three Bloggers, Good Scripts and Editing Tools, and The Truth" Bill Hobbs June 30, 2007 Know More: The Online Game bloggers, hot air, hotair.com, immigration, immigration reform, Internet politics, online politics, YouTube, YouTube candidates, YouTube lawmakers, YouTube politics, YouTube video Hot Air reports on how it leveraged technology to make online ads opposing the the illegal immigrant amnesty bill. In case you missed one or more of our ads over the past week, I thought I’d put all five of our anti-shamnesty ads together in one post and explain a little bit of each one’s backstory. You know, for the benefit of the WSJ reporter who didn’t bother to email us before insinuating that there were some kind of shadowy moneybags behind us. We’ve had conspiracy-prone leftwing bloggers make the same accusation before, but we ought to be able to expect a bit more from the Wall Street Journal. ... No shadowy benefactors, no 15-man production team, no piles of money. Just three bloggers, good scripts and editing tools, and the truth. The ads were pretty good - you can see them all at the above link - and are an example of how the Right can leverage social-media and cheap digital technologies in its campaigns for and against various candidates and policy proposals. Posted at 3:16 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun30	Defeating Amnesty Bill Hobbs June 30, 2007 The Iowa bureau of the Associated Press looks at the role of grassroots organizations, the Internet and the election cycle played in the demise of the illegal immigrant amnesty bill.... Continue Reading Posted at 3:07 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun29	Walled Gardens Bill Hobbs June 29, 2007 The leftwing Mother Jones magazine has published an interview with Republican communications and new-media consultant David All that's a must-read if you want to know where the GOP needs to be headed in the use of the Internet and its various... Continue Reading Posted at 10:10 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Web: Changing the Course of Public Policy in America Bill Hobbs June 29, 2007 Mark Tapscott at the Washington Examiner says that what happened to the illegal immigrant amnesty, er, "immigration reform" bill this week demonstrates that growing power of the conservative new media.This was a classic illustration of the power of the Right... Continue Reading Posted at 6:45 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun28	The Profit of Doom Bill Hobbs June 28, 2007 Al Gore is living proof that you can make a bundle by scaring people. Fast Company says he's worth more than $100 million now, in part because of the cash rolling in from his hit documentary An Inconvenient Truth, and... Continue Reading Posted at 7:57 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Earn the People's Trust Bill Hobbs June 28, 2007 Glenn Reynolds offers some good advice for lawmakers and the White House the next time they decide to deal with illegal immigration: Earn the people's trust.(1) Make the process open, transparent, and timely, with hearings, drafts on the Internet, and... Continue Reading Posted at 7:46 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Brownback Weasel Sighted in DC Bill Hobbs June 28, 2007 The all-too-common Brownback Weasel was spotted today in the US. Senate. At the indispensable Hot Air, AllahPundit breaks down the illegal immigration amnesty bill cloture vote in chronological order and finds the vote-switchers. Most interesting: Sen. Sam Brownback, who switched... Continue Reading Posted at 2:03 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Republican Party Needs Its Own Joe Trippi Bill Hobbs June 28, 2007 Glenn Reynolds, a/k/a the Instapundit, talks with Mother Jones magazine about the Internet, blogs, and political campaigns. Here's a piece of it:MJ: Do you think either party has an early lead or advantage in harnessing these technologies? GR: I think... Continue Reading Posted at 12:06 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun26	Big Fred Buzz Bill Hobbs June 26, 2007 How big is the Fred Thompson buzz? This 15-minute interview of Sen. Thompson by Peter Robinson, a Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, has been viewed on Google Video more than 23,500 times in the last two weeks.... Continue Reading Posted at 7:13 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Fred Comes Home Bill Hobbs June 26, 2007 Fred Thompson came home to Tennessee today, for a Nashville fundraiser and to check out office space for his campaign headquarters. VolunteerVoters.com serves up the video. The old cliche of politicians kissing babies gets a new spin with Fred -... Continue Reading Posted at 3:04 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Brownback Vote Makes Amnesty More Likely Bill Hobbs June 26, 2007 Sen. Sam Brownback voted today to move the illegal immigration amnesty bill one step closer to becoming law, but a press release posted on his presidential campaign website, www.brownback.com, insists his vote doesn't mean he's supporting passage of the legislation.Senator... Continue Reading Posted at 2:45 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Trial Lawyers Caught Astroturfing Bill Hobbs June 26, 2007 The American Association for Justice - that's the big trial lawyers association, a huge friend of the Democratic Party - has been caught doing some "astroturfing." That's the term for using a website to enable supporters to send seemingly original... Continue Reading Posted at 2:31 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Coddling Illegals Bill Hobbs June 26, 2007 There is a sure route for the Republican Party to regain majority status nationally: oppose amnesty for illegal immigrants and all that goes with it - the huge "illegal immigration tax" that all of us are paying now and will... Continue Reading Posted at 1:02 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	A Good Question Bill Hobbs June 26, 2007 Erick at RedState wonders why anybody thinks the federal government can be trusted to not screw up immigration reform: If the federal government cannot process passports for its own citizenry in a competent, timely manner, how on God's good earth... Continue Reading Posted at 9:12 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	McCain on Immigration Reform Bill Hobbs June 26, 2007 John McCain's position on illegal immigration is simple - he's for it. Well, he's for rewarding it with citizenship. And that's not playing well with the voters. While McCain continues to push for the "comprehensive immigration reform" bill that will grant... Continue Reading Posted at 7:22 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun25	Giuliani Flips on McCain-Feingold? Bill Hobbs June 25, 2007 Ryan Sager says Rudy Giuliani has flip-flopped on McCain-Feingold with his statement today, in which the former New York Mayor and current Republican presidential candidate said, "I support this Supreme Court decision, which is a welcome victory for free speech and personal... Continue Reading Posted at 4:11 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Supreme Court Strikes Down Part of McCain-Feingold Bill Hobbs June 25, 2007 Ryan Sager has a round-up of reaction from candidates, bureaucrats and bloggers to the Supreme Court's decision striking down a part of the odious McCain-Feingold "campaign finance reform" anti-free-speech law. Mitt Romney: Boston, MA — Today, Governor Mitt Romney issued... Continue Reading Posted at 1:52 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Gilmore Pushes Property Rights Initiative, Slams Kelo Decision Bill Hobbs June 25, 2007 Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore is perhaps the longest long-shot in the Republican presidential field, but if his push to make restoring Americans' property rights eroded in the Supreme Court's Kelo ruling two years ago causes other candidates to take... Continue Reading Posted at 1:42 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Gilmore on Immigration Reform Bill Hobbs June 25, 2007 The two hottest issues in American politics today are the Iraq war and illegal immigration, and while former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore has a lot to say about the former on his presidential campaign website, he has very little to... Continue Reading Posted at 1:35 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Exposing the MSM's Liberal Bias Bill Hobbs June 25, 2007 Journalists who give to political candidates lean heavily to the Left side of the political divide, according to an MSNBC report that exposes the undeniable liberal bias of America's mainstream media.MSNBC.com identified 143 journalists who made political contributions from 2004... Continue Reading Posted at 1:29 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Bloggers Force Changes in Immigration Reform Bill Bill Hobbs June 25, 2007 The Washington Times reports that bloggers are having an impact on the debate over immigration reform.The top Senate Republican negotiator on immigration said he has heard the complaints of conservative talk-radio show hosts and bloggers, and will try to change... Continue Reading Posted at 1:22 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Battling the Blogs Bill Hobbs June 25, 2007 National Journal's "Beltway Blogroll" looks at the sometimes contentious relationship between political candidates and bloggers.The presidential campaign of Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., banned an Ohio blogger from covering an event he had traveled all the way to New Hampshire to... Continue Reading Posted at 1:17 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Battle, State By State Bill Hobbs June 25, 2007 The Washington Post last week published a state-by-state summary of the GOP presidential race in the early-primary states, starting with the Iowa caucuses and continuing through Nevada, New Hampshire, Florida, South Carolina and the "Mega Tuesday" multi-state primaries on Feb.... Continue Reading Posted at 9:11 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Brownback on Immigration Reform Bill Hobbs June 25, 2007 It's the hottest issue facing the U.S. Senate but U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback's presidential campaign hasn't issued even one press release about immigration reform this entire month of June, a review of his campaign website, brownback.com, shows. (I've cut and... Continue Reading Posted at 7:37 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Immigration Reform Roundup Bill Hobbs June 25, 2007 They say the federal government simply can't round up 12 million illegal immigrants and deport them, but Elephant Biz sure can round up where the presidential candidates stant on immigration reform as the legislation almost nobody wants, other than the... Continue Reading Posted at 7:09 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Inside Team Fred Bill Hobbs June 25, 2007 MSNBC's Kelly O'Donnell reports on the state of things inside the Fred Thompson campaign.Advisors say although the Thompson team has a relationship with a pollster, a source says no polling or focus groups have been done yet unlike other campaigns.... Continue Reading Posted at 7:00 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Fred's Blogging Bill Hobbs June 25, 2007 Reuters: "If Republican Fred Thompson enters the presidential race next month as expected, the actor and former senator will be aiming to add another title to a crowded resume -- blogger-in-chief."... Continue Reading Posted at 6:49 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun24	A Different Take on Ron Paul's Web Strategy Bill Hobbs June 24, 2007 Todd Zeigler of The Bivings Group, a DC-based Internet communications firm that is doing web work for Fred Thompson's campaign, reviews Ron Paul's web strategy in a blog post at The Bivings Report...... Continue Reading Posted at 8:00 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun20	PBS Credentials Bloggers for Democratic Presidential Forum Bill Hobbs June 20, 2007 PBS is working with the Media Bloggers Association to credential bloggers to cover the Presidential Forum of Democratic Candidates next week at Howard University in Washington D.C. If you are a blogger and want to cover the event, click here... Continue Reading Posted at 5:19 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun19	Rasmussen: Fred Leads the Race Bill Hobbs June 19, 2007 Former Sen. Fred Thompson now leads the race for the Republican presidential nomination by one point over former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, according to the latest Rasmussen poll. Meanwhile, the latest Mason-Dixon Poll in South Carolina shows Thompson has... Continue Reading Posted at 10:24 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Swingin' With the Libertarians (and Federalists) Bill Hobbs June 19, 2007 A new study from David Boaz, executive vice president of the libertarian Cato Institute, and David Kirby, executive director of the America's Future Foundation, have released a new study that asserts that - surprise! - libertarians are the swing vote... Continue Reading Posted at 9:37 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun18	Grading the Candidates' Websites - Recap Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 I spent some time Sunday and Monday surfing the campaign websites of the 11 Republicans currently running for president, checking out their blogs and usage of new/grassroots/social media tools. What I found was interesting.Not all of them have blogrolls. Not... Continue Reading Posted at 10:55 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Ron Paul Web Review Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 This is the Ron Paul installment of a series of 11 posts I am presenting today here at ElephantBiz.com surveying the social-media aspects of the websites of the 11 Republicans currently running for President. (See: "Grading the Candidates' Blogs.")Ron Paul's... Continue Reading Posted at 6:00 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Slamming Harry Reid Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 "Give 'em Hell Harry," they once said to Harry Truman. Now Fred Thompson is giving Harry hell as he slams Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, the leader of the defeatist Democrats, for giving aid and comfort to our enemy. And... Continue Reading Posted at 5:24 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Encyclopedia Mittannica Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 There's an interesting and very extensive pro-Mitt Romney website you might want to take a look at, The Encyclopedia Mittannica. It's built in the wiki format - think Wikipedia, only you can't edit it - and a note on the sidebar claims... Continue Reading Posted at 5:01 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Tommy Thompson Web Review Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 This is the Tommy Thompson installment of a series of 11 posts I am presenting today here at ElephantBiz.com surveying the social-media aspects of the websites of the 11 Republicans currently running for President. (See: "Grading the Candidates' Blogs.")Tommy Thompson's... Continue Reading Posted at 5:00 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Fred Thompson Web Review Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 This is the Fred Thompson installment of a series of 11 posts I am presenting today here at ElephantBiz.com surveying the social-media aspects of the websites of the 11 Republicans currently running for President. (See: "Grading the Candidates' Blogs.")Fred Thompson's... Continue Reading Posted at 4:00 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Tom Tancredo Web Review Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 This is the Tom Tancredo installment of a series of 11 posts I am presenting today here at ElephantBiz.com surveying the social-media aspects of the websites of the 11 Republicans currently running for President. (See: "Grading the Candidates' Blogs.")Tom Tancredo's campaign... Continue Reading Posted at 3:00 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Hunter Ames Elsewhere? Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and probably Fred Thompson are skipping the August 11 Ames Straw Poll in Iowa, as is second-tier candidate Jim Gilmore, but what about another second-tier GOP candidate, U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter? A check of his campaign... Continue Reading Posted at 2:30 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Mitt Romney Web Review Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 This is the Mitt Romney installment of a series of 11 posts I am presenting today here at ElephantBiz.com surveying the social-media aspects of the websites of the 11 Republicans currently running for President. (See: "Grading the Candidates' Blogs.")Romney's campaign website... Continue Reading Posted at 2:00 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Tancredo Sees Ames as Ticket to Ride Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and probably Fred Thompson are skipping the August 11 Ames Straw Poll in Iowa, but second-tier GOP candidate Tom Tancredo has been spending a lot of time in Iowa and is even offering to provide his... Continue Reading Posted at 1:30 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Too Good to Be True? Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 Rocky Mountain News columnist Mike Littwin has authored an absolutely devastating commentary on the many flip-flops of Mitt Romney, from abortion to immigration. Says Litwin, "One thing you learn quickly out here on the campaign trail: When they say Mitt... Continue Reading Posted at 1:08 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	John McCain Web Review Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 This is the John McCain installment of a series of 11 posts I am presenting today here at ElephantBiz.com surveying the social-media aspects of the websites of the 11 Republicans currently running for President. (See: "Grading the Candidates' Blogs.")McCain's campaign... Continue Reading Posted at 1:00 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Pro-Life "Trust Index" Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 John Hawkins at Right Wing News considers the "trust index" on the issue of abortion for the top-four candidates for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination. Hawkins, who, full disclosure, is also doing some consulting for the Duncan Hunter campaign, writes:First... Continue Reading Posted at 12:47 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Tommy Thompson Ames To Escape the Bottom Half Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and probably Fred Thompson are skipping the August 11 Ames Straw Poll in Iowa, but second-tier GOP candidate Tommy Thompson sees it as the last chance for his campaign to make progress.Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson... Continue Reading Posted at 12:30 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Mike Huckabee Web Review Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 This is the Mike Huckabee installment of a series of 11 posts I am presenting today here at ElephantBiz.com surveying the social-media aspects of the websites of the 11 Republicans currently running for President. (See: "Grading the Candidates' Blogs.")Huckabee's campaign... Continue Reading Posted at 12:00 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Brownback Ames to Take Down Romney Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and probably Fred Thompson are skipping the August 11 Ames Straw Poll in Iowa, but second-tier GOP candidate Sam Brownback sees it as a golden opportunity to break out of the pack and deal Mitt Romney... Continue Reading Posted at 11:30 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Duncan Hunter Web Review Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 This is the Duncan Hunter installment of a series of 11 posts I am presenting today here at ElephantBiz.com surveying the social-media aspects of the websites of the 11 Republicans currently running for President. (See: "Grading the Candidates' Blogs.")Hunter's campaign... Continue Reading Posted at 11:00 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Gilmore Ames to Save Cash Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and probably Fred Thompson are skipping the August 11 Ames Straw Poll in Iowa, and so is second-tier GOP candidate Jim Gilmore, the former Virginia governor whose conservative record hasn't helped him raise cash or his... Continue Reading Posted at 10:30 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Rudy Giuliani Web Review Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 This is the Rudy Giuliani installment of a series of 11 posts I am presenting today here at ElephantBiz.com surveying the social-media aspects of the websites of the 11 Republicans currently running for President. (See: "Grading the Candidates' Blogs.")Giuliani's campaign... Continue Reading Posted at 10:00 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Playing Defense Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 Washington Post political reporter Chris Cillizza serves up the early line on the 2008 contests for a third of the seats in the U.S. Senate, and there's not a lot of good news for Republicans.Democrats are on offense nearly everywhere,... Continue Reading Posted at 9:41 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Aiming For Ames Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 I've written a few times about various Republican candidates skipping the August 11 straw poll in Ames, Iowa, including Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Fred Thompson, and why that increases the pressure on Mitt Romney to do well in the... Continue Reading Posted at 9:30 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	"Crunchy Con" Hearts Huckabee Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 Rod Dreher, writing at BeliefNet, says he's really starting to "dig" Mike Huckabee among the crowded field of Republican presidential candidates. Dreher writes, "Read this lengthy transcript of a session GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee had at the Pew Forum... Continue Reading Posted at 9:24 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Jim Gilmore Web Review Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 This is the Jim Gilmore installment of a series of 11 posts I am presenting today here at ElephantBiz.com surveying the social-media aspects of the websites of the 11 Republicans currently running for President. (See: "Grading the Candidates' Blogs.")Jim Gilmore's... Continue Reading Posted at 9:00 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Online Strategery: Focus on the Uploaders Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 A study of Internet users in the United Kindgom by advertising giant Omnicom Group says marketers can best leverage the power of social media by focusing on what the companies' interactive agency, Agency.com, calls "uploaders" - web users "who actively... Continue Reading Posted at 8:18 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Sam Brownback Web Review Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 This is the Sam Brownback installment of a series of 11 posts I am presenting today here at ElephantBiz.com surveying the social-media aspects of the websites of the 11 Republicans currently running for President. (See: "Grading the Candidates' Blogs.")Brownback's campaign... Continue Reading Posted at 8:00 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Media Usage Data Politicians Ought to Pay Heed To Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 A handful of media usage surveys caught my eye today, and while the stories about them don't mention the political implications and applications, it doesn't take more than a few seconds to realize that those implications are there and political... Continue Reading Posted at 7:53 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Taking Notes Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 More than 20,000 people have now viewed the 15-minute interview of former Sen. Fred Thompson by Hoover Institution fellow Peter Robinson, who wrote a blog post at National Review's "The Corner" about the interview:On Monday, former senator Fred Thompson spent half a... Continue Reading Posted at 12:58 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun17	Grading the Candidates' Blogs Bill Hobbs June 17, 2007 After noticing that my other blog, BillHobbs.com, is listed on the blogroll of Fred Thompson's new pre-campaign website, ImWithFred.com, I decided to check the blogrolls on the websites of the other 10 Republicans currently running for president, and found something... Continue Reading Posted at 10:00 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun16	A Revolting Development Bill Hobbs June 16, 2007 A CNN story, Conservative bloggers in full revolt over immigration, looks at how the conservative blogosphere is working overtime to defeat the immigration reform bill that many see as little short of amnesty for illegal immigrants. It's increasingly clear from... Continue Reading Posted at 5:41 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Asbestos? That's All Ya Got? Bill Hobbs June 16, 2007 Claire Celsi, my counterpart over at Know More Media's The Demo Memo, has suggested a possible attack route for the Left against Fred Thompson. In a comment to a recent post here about Thompson, Celsi wrote:After he left the Senate... Continue Reading Posted at 5:27 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Stick a Fork In McCain Bill Hobbs June 16, 2007 I think you can stick a fork in the presidential dreams of John McCain - his campaign is sinking so spectacularly that they can see the shipreck from Canada.... Continue Reading Posted at 5:04 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Rudy Slides as Fred Surges Bill Hobbs June 16, 2007 Public support for Rudy Giuliani fell again this month in the race for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination in the United States, according to the latest poll by Hart/Newhouse released by the Wall Street Journal and NBC News. 29 per... Continue Reading Posted at 8:10 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	"Thanks, Great Question" Bill Hobbs June 16, 2007 The New York Times checks in on the Mitt Romney campaign and finds things are going, well, great - except that Romney, "polished and upbeat," is having trouble connecting with voters on a personal level.The Times looks at something I... Continue Reading Posted at 7:50 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun15	Vilsack: Don't Count Out Huckabee Bill Hobbs June 15, 2007 The Mike Huckabee campaign is so pleased with this report from KY3 in Springfield, Missouri, that it posted it on the Huckabee campaign blog. A very nice profile indeed, and Huckabee gets several good soundbites in deftly comparing his always-on... Continue Reading Posted at 1:06 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Huckabee's Hope Bill Hobbs June 15, 2007 Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee believes Iowa Republicans planning on participating in the Iowa caucuses early in '08 will, as the Sioux City Journal puts it, "take a good look at his campaign even as the media focuses on so-called... Continue Reading Posted at 12:26 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	"The Hollywood Candidate Who Doesn't Need Hollywood" Bill Hobbs June 15, 2007 Ted Johnson, managing editor of Variety, has what may be today's most interesting media story about Fred Thompson, this piece published at The Politico which looks at Thompson's Hollywood connections and how they might impact his fund-raising and campaign....Thompson is... Continue Reading Posted at 11:44 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Exclusive! Fred Thompson Remarks to Pro-Life Conference Bill Hobbs June 15, 2007 CBN News' David Brody says he's got "exclusive" video of Fred Thompson's pre-taped remarks that will be shown at the National Right to Life conference tonight in Kansas City, and you can view it here at his blog, "The Brody... Continue Reading Posted at 6:39 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun14	Feedback Bill Hobbs June 14, 2007 Yesterday I and other bloggers posted the video of a 15-minute interview of Fred Thompson by Hoover Institution fellow Peter Robinson. Thompson's proto-campaign website, ImWithFred.com, also posted it, on the Fred Files blog, and it soon drew a very interesting... Continue Reading Posted at 6:51 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Singing Louisiana's Tune? Bill Hobbs June 14, 2007 Country singer Sammy Kershaw is running for Lt. Governor of Louisiana as a Republican, challenging incumbent Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu. This is not a stunt - it's a serious campaign. From his website:I’m personally motivated to do more than just... Continue Reading Posted at 5:22 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	NRSC: Blogs are The Media Key Bill Hobbs June 14, 2007 The National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee has issued a 39-page guidebook to help Republicans running for the U.S. Senate to maximize the blogosphere and avoid a "Macaca moment." The Politico reports...... Continue Reading Posted at 10:32 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun13	Ames Still Matters ... Differently Bill Hobbs June 13, 2007 The Green Mountain Politics blogs says the Ames, Iowa, straw poll on August 11 is Mike Huckabee's big chance, given that of the Big Four GOP candidates - Rudy, Fred, Romney and McCain - only Romney is playing for keeps... Continue Reading Posted at 2:59 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Taking Down Fred Thompson Bill Hobbs June 13, 2007 Kenneth P. Vogel at The Politico looks at how Fred Thompson's rivals will try to defeat him.Opponents and their researchers have begun working -- mostly behind the scenes -- to highlight perceived soft spots in his conservative bona fides.And Thompson... Continue Reading Posted at 1:35 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	15 Minutes of Fred Bill Hobbs June 13, 2007 The Hoover Institution at Stanford University has just posted a 15-minute interview with Republican presidential almost-candidate Fred Thompson by Peter Robinson, a Fellow at the Hoover Institution, on Google Video.It's a nice serious counterpoint to Thompson's appearance on The Tonight... Continue Reading Posted at 10:19 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun12	Fred on Leno, and On His Own Blog Bill Hobbs June 12, 2007 Fred Thompson's pre-campaign website, ImWithFred.com, now has a blog, and Fred is the Blogger in Chief. His first post - just a quick invite to watch his appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno - is already drawing a... Continue Reading Posted at 10:38 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Barbour Explains How the GOP Can Get Its Groove Back Bill Hobbs June 12, 2007 One of my favorite Republicans of recent years is Haley Barbour, the current Mississippi governor who previously lead the Republican National Committee and also was once a political adviser to President Ronald Reagan. A few weeks ago, Barbour sat down with Peter... Continue Reading Posted at 8:34 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Attacking Fred Bill Hobbs June 12, 2007 Erick at RedState looks at the growing coordinated single-issue attack on Fred Thompson - He's a lobbyist! - and reveals there's less to the "damning" charge than meets the eye.This again is another example of both why Fred Thompson is running... Continue Reading Posted at 2:37 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Rasmussen: Fred and Rudy are Tied Bill Hobbs June 12, 2007 The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that Fred Thompson and Rudy Giuliani are tied atop the Republican presidential field. Thompson and Giuliani each are at 24 percent in the 11-candidate field. One week ago, Giuliani had a six... Continue Reading Posted at 2:23 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun11	Should Fred Ames to Please? Bill Hobbs June 11, 2007 A.C. Kleinheider thinks that Fred Thompson ought to compete in the Ames, Iowa, straw poll next month, in a bid to deal a knockout blow to Mitt Romney's campaign. It seems to make sense at first - Romney has placed... Continue Reading Posted at 7:48 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	How Blogs Stopped the Surrender to Illegal Immigration Bill Hobbs June 11, 2007 National Journal's "Beltway Blogroll" has an interesting post titled How Blogs Shaped The Immigration Debate. But those who say the immigration reform bill was defeated by critics yelling "Amnesty!" are wrong. Blogging critics took the bill apart piece by piece,... Continue Reading Posted at 7:32 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	A Ron Paul Surge? Bill Hobbs June 11, 2007 New Hampshire political blog Green Mountain Politics thinks it sees signs of a Ron Paul surge in the early-primary state.Rileys Gun Shop, which sits on the Daniel Webster Highway in Hooksett, New Hampshire, is a candidate photo-op just waiting to... Continue Reading Posted at 6:33 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	LAT/ Bloomberg Poll Has Fred in Second Bill Hobbs June 11, 2007 Might Fred Thompson climb into first place in the race for the Republican presidential nomination even before he declares himself officially a candidate? The latest Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll has Thompson surging to second place well ahead of the fading... Continue Reading Posted at 6:14 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Killing Bad Legislation With a Flash Mob Bill Hobbs June 11, 2007 New York Post writer John Podhoretz says the defeat of the immigration reform bill was a revolutionary moment in American political history. But there's something else notable here - something that should gladden the hearts of libertarians and all those... Continue Reading Posted at 12:42 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun10	It's the Economy, Stupid Bill Hobbs June 10, 2007 George Will notes something curious about the Democratic presidential field: They aren't talking much about the economy. There's a reason for that: the economy, thanks to the Bush tax cuts, is healthy. Very, very healthy Since the Bush tax cuts... Continue Reading Posted at 2:09 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	IPSOS Poll: Fred Thompson In Third Place Bill Hobbs June 10, 2007 Fred Thompson is in second place in the GOP presidential field, and nipping at John McCain's heels, according to the latest IPSOS poll. Ipsos asked "If the 2008 Republican presidential primary or caucus in your state were being held today,... Continue Reading Posted at 1:49 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	IPSOS Poll: America Still Leans Conservative Bill Hobbs June 10, 2007 Interesting date from the latest IPSOS poll. Although the poll's sample was heavily weighted toward Demcrats - the poll sample was 541 Democrats and 346 Republicans - more people rated themselves as "conservative" than as liberal.Does that mean Democrats still... Continue Reading Posted at 1:46 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Fred Thompson and the Abortion Issue Bill Hobbs June 10, 2007 Here's an exploration of Fred Thompson's views, past statements and Senate voting record on abortion, from Nashville's The Tennessean newspaper. So far, it looks like Thompson's Senate solidly pro-life voting record on abortion-related legislation is enough to please pro-life Republicans... Continue Reading Posted at 8:35 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun 8	The Unraveling Bill Hobbs June 8, 2007 Is John McCain's presidential campaign starting to unravel? Perhaps... Today's Washington Post reports that a key McCain adviser and fundraiser has jumped off the Straight Talk Express, and signed on with the Fred Thompson campaign...... Continue Reading Posted at 12:00 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	"Nobody Ever Won An Election Because of the Internet" Bill Hobbs June 8, 2007 Mike Turk, mentioned in the previous post as Fred Thompson's new online guru, writes the always interesting blog Kung Fu Quip, and the other day had a very interesting post refuting the claim that "nobody has ever won" an election because... Continue Reading Posted at 11:14 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Who Is John Durham? Bill Hobbs June 8, 2007 A few days ago I blogged an AdAge article about online politicking, and it quoted someone named "John Durham" as being a key guy in the Bush 2004 campaign. I'd never heard of him, but Mike Turk has - and... Continue Reading Posted at 11:09 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Fred's Online Team, and Early Fundraising Success Bill Hobbs June 8, 2007 David All at TechRepublican.com takes a look at Fred Thompson's online team and pronounces it to be strong.Of note, Thompson has tapped fellow TechPresident contributor, Mike Turk, as his "chief architect," heading up the team and wrangling the consultants. I... Continue Reading Posted at 10:52 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Odds Against a Gingrich Run Bill Hobbs June 8, 2007 The AP reports that former House Speaker Newt Gingrich says the odds are he won't run for president, though he still hasn't made a firm decision and won't until the end of September.Gingrich gives himself 4-to-1 odds against running for... Continue Reading Posted at 8:33 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun 7	McCain Skipping Ames Bill Hobbs June 7, 2007 The odds that Mitt Romney will win the big straw poll in Ames, Iowa, next month just greatly increased - but the value of that probable win just decreased big time, thanks to John McCain's announcement, on the heels of... Continue Reading Posted at 6:25 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun 6	Pew Data Suggests Rudy Has Hit a Ceiling Bill Hobbs June 6, 2007 Might abortion still be the undoing of the Rudy Giuliani campaign? According to Pew Research, among Republican voters, less than half - 43 percent - are aware of Giuliani's pro-choice position on abortion, which is out of step with the... Continue Reading Posted at 10:37 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Skipping Ames Bill Hobbs June 6, 2007 This just in: Rudy Giuliani's campaign won't be playing to win in the Ames Straw Poll, August 11 in Ames, Iowa. As I explained before, that greatly devalues the Ames Straw Poll for the eventual winner, likely to be Mitt... Continue Reading Posted at 10:13 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Amnesty Could Strain Welfare System Bill Hobbs June 6, 2007 The Center for Immigration Studies has released data that ought to give pause to fiscal-conservative/small-government Republicans considering supporting the immigration reform plan. The CIS says an analysis of the newest data from the Department of Homeland Security and 2006 Census... Continue Reading Posted at 10:07 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Where's the Fence? Bill Hobbs June 6, 2007 Last year, Congress pass and President Bush signed legislation that promised 700 miles of fence along the U.S.-Mexico border. But they never funded it - the promised 700 miles of fence was nothing but an election-year con to make you... Continue Reading Posted at 9:35 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Post-Debate Spin 6: Media Views Bill Hobbs June 6, 2007 Frank Rich of the Chicago Tribune says it is "hard to tell" who won the Republican presidential debate Tuesday night in New Hampshire, and recaps the highlights.Strong performances were put in from the three leading candidates--former New York City Mayor... Continue Reading Posted at 6:50 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Post-Debate Spin 4: 10 Losers, 2 Winners Bill Hobbs June 6, 2007 Conservative direct-mail pioneer Richard A. Viguerie, author of Conservatives Betrayed--How George W. Bush and Other Big Government Republicans Hijacked the Conservative Cause, issued the following statement regarding the Republican presidential debate in Manchester, N.H., Tuesday night:After three debates by the... Continue Reading Posted at 1:22 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Post-Depate Spin 3: McCain Won Bill Hobbs June 6, 2007 Fresh from the John McCain Campaign, a heaping helping of post-debate pro-McCain spin:NBC's Chuck Todd: "Declare McCain The Winner." "McCain was the news. It felt as if the first 45 minutes of the debate was all about McCain. From Iraq... Continue Reading Posted at 1:11 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Post-Debate Spin 2: Rudy Won Bill Hobbs June 6, 2007 Fresh from the Rudy Giuliani campaign, a heaping helping of steaming post-debate pro-Rudy spin:National Review's Rich Lowry: "'I turned around New York City, I can turn around Washington' That's the Rudy message and it's a powerful one (and Romney seemed... Continue Reading Posted at 12:59 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Post-Debate Spin 1: Fred Lost Bill Hobbs June 6, 2007 New York Sun reporter Ryan Sager on Fred Thompson:Reagan was a man with a message in search of a moment; Mr. Thompson is a man with a moment in search of a message. The moment Mr. Thompson has found himself... Continue Reading Posted at 12:54 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Who's With Fred? Bill Hobbs June 6, 2007 Friends of Fred Thompson, Inc., the official testing-the-waters committee for Fred Thompson's virtually-certain presidential campaign, has launched its website, ImWithFred.com. It's got a donations page, an a sign-up to volunteer page. In addition to offering "widgets" for bloggers to put... Continue Reading Posted at 12:20 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Pew Poll: Hagel has "No Chance." Bill Hobbs June 6, 2007 The latest Pew Research polling looks good for Fred Thompson and Rudy Giuliani - and bad news for those of you hoping for Chuck Hagel to jump into the race.Former Sen. Fred Thompson has broad potential appeal among Republican voters... Continue Reading Posted at 12:00 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun 5	Has Fred Thompson Grabbed Second Place? Bill Hobbs June 5, 2007 It appears Fred Thompson may have jumped up to second place in the race for the Republican presidential nomination. The New York Sun's Ryan Sager has the latest data from more than one poll.Among moderate Republicans, Thompson's support has increased... Continue Reading Posted at 3:43 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Duncan Hunter: Fence First! Bill Hobbs June 5, 2007 California congressman and Republican presidential candidate Duncan Hunter has issued a statement regarding the immigration reform proposal pending in the U.S. Senate:I vow to oppose this legislation supported by Senators Edward Kennedy and John McCain. It provides a vast new... Continue Reading Posted at 3:10 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	McCain's Immigration Stance Costs Him Support Among Hispanic Republicans Bill Hobbs June 5, 2007 Mickey Kaus at Kausfiles says John McCain's immigration reform plan is costing him support among Hispanic Republicans, while Fred Thompson is gaining support among the same group by opposing the plan.Kaus: McCain supports legalization of illegal immigrants, loses 5 points... Continue Reading Posted at 8:39 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Sen. Alexander Wants Border-State Governors to Verify Border Security Progress Before "Path to Citizenship" Begins Bill Hobbs June 5, 2007 Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, said Monday that he would try to amend the immigration reform legislation now pending in the Senate with a requirement that somebody other than the federal bureaucracy decide when the government has met the border security... Continue Reading Posted at 5:49 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun 4	Federal Fred Bill Hobbs June 4, 2007 Harvard University economist and blogger Greg Mankiw likes it that Fred Thompson "is a big believer in principles of federalism--a topic that in recent years has received far too little attention in the public debate."On his blog, Mankiw quotes a... Continue Reading Posted at 12:38 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	An Unorthodox Campaign Bill Hobbs June 4, 2007 John Fund says Fred Thompson "will run an unorthodox campaign, one that will challenge the conventional wisdom about how to run for president."While it was clear Mr. Thompson has found a way to excite the Republican base, his impending candidacy... Continue Reading Posted at 12:30 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Bill Hobbs June 4, 2007 VolunteerVoters.com, a political blog in Tennessee, has some video from Mitt Romney's speech Saturday night at the Tennessee Republican Party's Statesmen's Dinner. It was an awkward setting -the Tennessee GOP elite had been largely lining up behind Romney before Fred... Continue Reading Posted at 11:41 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Competent Conservative? Bill Hobbs June 4, 2007 Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich rips the Bush administration for incompetence, perhaps foreshadowing the central campaign theme of his possible presidential run would be not "compassionate conservatism" but competent conservatism."The administration has very, very high goals -- Democracy throughout the Middle... Continue Reading Posted at 11:02 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Fred's Team Bill Hobbs June 4, 2007 Ken Whitehouse at NashvillePost.com profiles Fred Thompson's "inner circles" in Tennessee and Washington D.C.These are the political operatives who have been there for him on previous campaigns, are with him now, or can be expected to play a significant role... Continue Reading Posted at 7:37 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun 3	DailyKos Slanders Fred Thompson Bill Hobbs June 3, 2007 In one thoroughly asinine post, DailyKos implies Fred Thompson is gay and, conversely, has mistresses, and says Thompson has "leukemia," a rather more scary cancer than the slow-growing lymphoma Thompson actually has.DailyKos thinks Thompson will win the Republican nomination, though:He's... Continue Reading Posted at 4:51 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun 2	The First ElephantBiz.com Presidential Reader Preference Poll Bill Hobbs June 2, 2007 I thought I'd survey my readers, see who they like in the Republican presidential field. Unfortunately, the Vizu poll service only allows for up to 10 choices, and there are now eleven in the GOP field, so I left one... Continue Reading Posted at 12:01 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	"A New Form of Fireside Chat" Bill Hobbs June 2, 2007 USA Today writer Chuck Raasch has an article out exploring the possibility that Fred Thompson's skills and experience as a peformer may give him an extra advantage in the online political arena.The crooning over Thompson has infatuated the political media... Continue Reading Posted at 11:13 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Wild West 2.0 Bill Hobbs June 2, 2007 OMMA, the magazine of online media, marketing and advertising, takes a look at the "Wild West" of the online campaign world.This is the new terrain of the men and women who hope their next business address will contain the words... Continue Reading Posted at 11:07 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Just Win, Baby Bill Hobbs June 2, 2007 The American Prospect looks at the racial and gender diversity of the managers running the campaigns of the Democrats and Republicans running for president.Election 2008 has been hailed as a milestone in American cultural evolution on account of the strong... Continue Reading Posted at 9:47 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Gingrich Slams Rove Bill Hobbs June 2, 2007 Former House Speaker and possible Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich is slamming presidential adviser Karl Rove, the New York Times reports...President Bush has presided over a Republican Party in “collapse,” and Karl Rove’s strategy in the 2004 presidential election was “maniacally... Continue Reading Posted at 9:12 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Faiths of our Candidates Bill Hobbs June 2, 2007 The Associated Press asked the 2008 presidential candidates what their religion is, whether there is a particular church that they are a member of, and how often they attend services. Here is how the Republican candidates answered:Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback:... Continue Reading Posted at 9:00 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Are Ron Paul's Supporters Spamming Online Polls? Bill Hobbs June 2, 2007 Are Ron Paul's supporters spamming online polls to create the false appearance that the congressman and presidential candidate has a lot of support? It looks that way.Matt Margolis of GOP Bloggers, an "online grassroots community with the goal of keeping... Continue Reading Posted at 8:33 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Pro-Ron Paul Website Attacks Fred Thompson Bill Hobbs June 2, 2007 Free Market Network News, a pro-Ron Paul website, has published an "analysis" asserting that Fred Thompson's entry into the race for the Republican nomination is "a desperate move by Republican leaders to offer what they consider a viable contender."Yet Ron Paul... Continue Reading Posted at 8:17 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun 1	Mitt Romney The Perfect Pre-9/11 Candidate? Bill Hobbs June 1, 2007 Time magazine's Joe Klein on the "dissapointing campaign" of Mitt Romney:Romney is on a roll right now. He jumped ahead of the pack in recent Iowa polls, a consequence of television advertising - he was on the air in Iowa before... Continue Reading Posted at 7:24 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Rasmussen Polls: Thompson Competitive as Huckabee Haunts Hillary Bill Hobbs June 1, 2007 The latest Rasmussen Poll finds that 22 percent of Americans say they will definitely vote for Fred Thompson if he’s on the ballot in November 2008, while 30 percent will definitely vote against him. Rasmussen says that "net deficit" of... Continue Reading Posted at 6:54 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Is Fred Thompson a Small-Government Conservative? Bill Hobbs June 1, 2007 The Cato Institute's blog Cato@Liberty asks the question, "Is Fred Thompson a small-government conservative?" The answer: Yes, mostly:[W]hile he is not quite the second coming of Barry Goldwater or Ronald Reagan, he may be much better on most issues than... Continue Reading Posted at 6:11 AM \| Permalink \| Comments

« May 2007 | Main | July 2007 »

Jun30	"Three Bloggers, Good Scripts and Editing Tools, and The Truth" Bill Hobbs June 30, 2007 Know More: The Online Game bloggers, hot air, hotair.com, immigration, immigration reform, Internet politics, online politics, YouTube, YouTube candidates, YouTube lawmakers, YouTube politics, YouTube video Hot Air reports on how it leveraged technology to make online ads opposing the the illegal immigrant amnesty bill. In case you missed one or more of our ads over the past week, I thought I’d put all five of our anti-shamnesty ads together in one post and explain a little bit of each one’s backstory. You know, for the benefit of the WSJ reporter who didn’t bother to email us before insinuating that there were some kind of shadowy moneybags behind us. We’ve had conspiracy-prone leftwing bloggers make the same accusation before, but we ought to be able to expect a bit more from the Wall Street Journal. ... No shadowy benefactors, no 15-man production team, no piles of money. Just three bloggers, good scripts and editing tools, and the truth. The ads were pretty good - you can see them all at the above link - and are an example of how the Right can leverage social-media and cheap digital technologies in its campaigns for and against various candidates and policy proposals. Posted at 3:16 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun30	Defeating Amnesty Bill Hobbs June 30, 2007 The Iowa bureau of the Associated Press looks at the role of grassroots organizations, the Internet and the election cycle played in the demise of the illegal immigrant amnesty bill.... Continue Reading Posted at 3:07 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun29	Walled Gardens Bill Hobbs June 29, 2007 The leftwing Mother Jones magazine has published an interview with Republican communications and new-media consultant David All that's a must-read if you want to know where the GOP needs to be headed in the use of the Internet and its various... Continue Reading Posted at 10:10 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Web: Changing the Course of Public Policy in America Bill Hobbs June 29, 2007 Mark Tapscott at the Washington Examiner says that what happened to the illegal immigrant amnesty, er, "immigration reform" bill this week demonstrates that growing power of the conservative new media.This was a classic illustration of the power of the Right... Continue Reading Posted at 6:45 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun28	The Profit of Doom Bill Hobbs June 28, 2007 Al Gore is living proof that you can make a bundle by scaring people. Fast Company says he's worth more than $100 million now, in part because of the cash rolling in from his hit documentary An Inconvenient Truth, and... Continue Reading Posted at 7:57 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Earn the People's Trust Bill Hobbs June 28, 2007 Glenn Reynolds offers some good advice for lawmakers and the White House the next time they decide to deal with illegal immigration: Earn the people's trust.(1) Make the process open, transparent, and timely, with hearings, drafts on the Internet, and... Continue Reading Posted at 7:46 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Brownback Weasel Sighted in DC Bill Hobbs June 28, 2007 The all-too-common Brownback Weasel was spotted today in the US. Senate. At the indispensable Hot Air, AllahPundit breaks down the illegal immigration amnesty bill cloture vote in chronological order and finds the vote-switchers. Most interesting: Sen. Sam Brownback, who switched... Continue Reading Posted at 2:03 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Republican Party Needs Its Own Joe Trippi Bill Hobbs June 28, 2007 Glenn Reynolds, a/k/a the Instapundit, talks with Mother Jones magazine about the Internet, blogs, and political campaigns. Here's a piece of it:MJ: Do you think either party has an early lead or advantage in harnessing these technologies? GR: I think... Continue Reading Posted at 12:06 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun26	Big Fred Buzz Bill Hobbs June 26, 2007 How big is the Fred Thompson buzz? This 15-minute interview of Sen. Thompson by Peter Robinson, a Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, has been viewed on Google Video more than 23,500 times in the last two weeks.... Continue Reading Posted at 7:13 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Fred Comes Home Bill Hobbs June 26, 2007 Fred Thompson came home to Tennessee today, for a Nashville fundraiser and to check out office space for his campaign headquarters. VolunteerVoters.com serves up the video. The old cliche of politicians kissing babies gets a new spin with Fred -... Continue Reading Posted at 3:04 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Brownback Vote Makes Amnesty More Likely Bill Hobbs June 26, 2007 Sen. Sam Brownback voted today to move the illegal immigration amnesty bill one step closer to becoming law, but a press release posted on his presidential campaign website, www.brownback.com, insists his vote doesn't mean he's supporting passage of the legislation.Senator... Continue Reading Posted at 2:45 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Trial Lawyers Caught Astroturfing Bill Hobbs June 26, 2007 The American Association for Justice - that's the big trial lawyers association, a huge friend of the Democratic Party - has been caught doing some "astroturfing." That's the term for using a website to enable supporters to send seemingly original... Continue Reading Posted at 2:31 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Coddling Illegals Bill Hobbs June 26, 2007 There is a sure route for the Republican Party to regain majority status nationally: oppose amnesty for illegal immigrants and all that goes with it - the huge "illegal immigration tax" that all of us are paying now and will... Continue Reading Posted at 1:02 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	A Good Question Bill Hobbs June 26, 2007 Erick at RedState wonders why anybody thinks the federal government can be trusted to not screw up immigration reform: If the federal government cannot process passports for its own citizenry in a competent, timely manner, how on God's good earth... Continue Reading Posted at 9:12 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	McCain on Immigration Reform Bill Hobbs June 26, 2007 John McCain's position on illegal immigration is simple - he's for it. Well, he's for rewarding it with citizenship. And that's not playing well with the voters. While McCain continues to push for the "comprehensive immigration reform" bill that will grant... Continue Reading Posted at 7:22 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun25	Giuliani Flips on McCain-Feingold? Bill Hobbs June 25, 2007 Ryan Sager says Rudy Giuliani has flip-flopped on McCain-Feingold with his statement today, in which the former New York Mayor and current Republican presidential candidate said, "I support this Supreme Court decision, which is a welcome victory for free speech and personal... Continue Reading Posted at 4:11 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Supreme Court Strikes Down Part of McCain-Feingold Bill Hobbs June 25, 2007 Ryan Sager has a round-up of reaction from candidates, bureaucrats and bloggers to the Supreme Court's decision striking down a part of the odious McCain-Feingold "campaign finance reform" anti-free-speech law. Mitt Romney: Boston, MA — Today, Governor Mitt Romney issued... Continue Reading Posted at 1:52 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Gilmore Pushes Property Rights Initiative, Slams Kelo Decision Bill Hobbs June 25, 2007 Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore is perhaps the longest long-shot in the Republican presidential field, but if his push to make restoring Americans' property rights eroded in the Supreme Court's Kelo ruling two years ago causes other candidates to take... Continue Reading Posted at 1:42 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Gilmore on Immigration Reform Bill Hobbs June 25, 2007 The two hottest issues in American politics today are the Iraq war and illegal immigration, and while former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore has a lot to say about the former on his presidential campaign website, he has very little to... Continue Reading Posted at 1:35 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Exposing the MSM's Liberal Bias Bill Hobbs June 25, 2007 Journalists who give to political candidates lean heavily to the Left side of the political divide, according to an MSNBC report that exposes the undeniable liberal bias of America's mainstream media.MSNBC.com identified 143 journalists who made political contributions from 2004... Continue Reading Posted at 1:29 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Bloggers Force Changes in Immigration Reform Bill Bill Hobbs June 25, 2007 The Washington Times reports that bloggers are having an impact on the debate over immigration reform.The top Senate Republican negotiator on immigration said he has heard the complaints of conservative talk-radio show hosts and bloggers, and will try to change... Continue Reading Posted at 1:22 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Battling the Blogs Bill Hobbs June 25, 2007 National Journal's "Beltway Blogroll" looks at the sometimes contentious relationship between political candidates and bloggers.The presidential campaign of Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., banned an Ohio blogger from covering an event he had traveled all the way to New Hampshire to... Continue Reading Posted at 1:17 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Battle, State By State Bill Hobbs June 25, 2007 The Washington Post last week published a state-by-state summary of the GOP presidential race in the early-primary states, starting with the Iowa caucuses and continuing through Nevada, New Hampshire, Florida, South Carolina and the "Mega Tuesday" multi-state primaries on Feb.... Continue Reading Posted at 9:11 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Brownback on Immigration Reform Bill Hobbs June 25, 2007 It's the hottest issue facing the U.S. Senate but U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback's presidential campaign hasn't issued even one press release about immigration reform this entire month of June, a review of his campaign website, brownback.com, shows. (I've cut and... Continue Reading Posted at 7:37 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Immigration Reform Roundup Bill Hobbs June 25, 2007 They say the federal government simply can't round up 12 million illegal immigrants and deport them, but Elephant Biz sure can round up where the presidential candidates stant on immigration reform as the legislation almost nobody wants, other than the... Continue Reading Posted at 7:09 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Inside Team Fred Bill Hobbs June 25, 2007 MSNBC's Kelly O'Donnell reports on the state of things inside the Fred Thompson campaign.Advisors say although the Thompson team has a relationship with a pollster, a source says no polling or focus groups have been done yet unlike other campaigns.... Continue Reading Posted at 7:00 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Fred's Blogging Bill Hobbs June 25, 2007 Reuters: "If Republican Fred Thompson enters the presidential race next month as expected, the actor and former senator will be aiming to add another title to a crowded resume -- blogger-in-chief."... Continue Reading Posted at 6:49 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun24	A Different Take on Ron Paul's Web Strategy Bill Hobbs June 24, 2007 Todd Zeigler of The Bivings Group, a DC-based Internet communications firm that is doing web work for Fred Thompson's campaign, reviews Ron Paul's web strategy in a blog post at The Bivings Report...... Continue Reading Posted at 8:00 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun20	PBS Credentials Bloggers for Democratic Presidential Forum Bill Hobbs June 20, 2007 PBS is working with the Media Bloggers Association to credential bloggers to cover the Presidential Forum of Democratic Candidates next week at Howard University in Washington D.C. If you are a blogger and want to cover the event, click here... Continue Reading Posted at 5:19 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun19	Rasmussen: Fred Leads the Race Bill Hobbs June 19, 2007 Former Sen. Fred Thompson now leads the race for the Republican presidential nomination by one point over former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, according to the latest Rasmussen poll. Meanwhile, the latest Mason-Dixon Poll in South Carolina shows Thompson has... Continue Reading Posted at 10:24 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Swingin' With the Libertarians (and Federalists) Bill Hobbs June 19, 2007 A new study from David Boaz, executive vice president of the libertarian Cato Institute, and David Kirby, executive director of the America's Future Foundation, have released a new study that asserts that - surprise! - libertarians are the swing vote... Continue Reading Posted at 9:37 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun18	Grading the Candidates' Websites - Recap Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 I spent some time Sunday and Monday surfing the campaign websites of the 11 Republicans currently running for president, checking out their blogs and usage of new/grassroots/social media tools. What I found was interesting.Not all of them have blogrolls. Not... Continue Reading Posted at 10:55 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Ron Paul Web Review Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 This is the Ron Paul installment of a series of 11 posts I am presenting today here at ElephantBiz.com surveying the social-media aspects of the websites of the 11 Republicans currently running for President. (See: "Grading the Candidates' Blogs.")Ron Paul's... Continue Reading Posted at 6:00 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Slamming Harry Reid Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 "Give 'em Hell Harry," they once said to Harry Truman. Now Fred Thompson is giving Harry hell as he slams Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, the leader of the defeatist Democrats, for giving aid and comfort to our enemy. And... Continue Reading Posted at 5:24 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Encyclopedia Mittannica Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 There's an interesting and very extensive pro-Mitt Romney website you might want to take a look at, The Encyclopedia Mittannica. It's built in the wiki format - think Wikipedia, only you can't edit it - and a note on the sidebar claims... Continue Reading Posted at 5:01 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Tommy Thompson Web Review Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 This is the Tommy Thompson installment of a series of 11 posts I am presenting today here at ElephantBiz.com surveying the social-media aspects of the websites of the 11 Republicans currently running for President. (See: "Grading the Candidates' Blogs.")Tommy Thompson's... Continue Reading Posted at 5:00 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Fred Thompson Web Review Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 This is the Fred Thompson installment of a series of 11 posts I am presenting today here at ElephantBiz.com surveying the social-media aspects of the websites of the 11 Republicans currently running for President. (See: "Grading the Candidates' Blogs.")Fred Thompson's... Continue Reading Posted at 4:00 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Tom Tancredo Web Review Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 This is the Tom Tancredo installment of a series of 11 posts I am presenting today here at ElephantBiz.com surveying the social-media aspects of the websites of the 11 Republicans currently running for President. (See: "Grading the Candidates' Blogs.")Tom Tancredo's campaign... Continue Reading Posted at 3:00 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Hunter Ames Elsewhere? Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and probably Fred Thompson are skipping the August 11 Ames Straw Poll in Iowa, as is second-tier candidate Jim Gilmore, but what about another second-tier GOP candidate, U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter? A check of his campaign... Continue Reading Posted at 2:30 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Mitt Romney Web Review Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 This is the Mitt Romney installment of a series of 11 posts I am presenting today here at ElephantBiz.com surveying the social-media aspects of the websites of the 11 Republicans currently running for President. (See: "Grading the Candidates' Blogs.")Romney's campaign website... Continue Reading Posted at 2:00 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Tancredo Sees Ames as Ticket to Ride Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and probably Fred Thompson are skipping the August 11 Ames Straw Poll in Iowa, but second-tier GOP candidate Tom Tancredo has been spending a lot of time in Iowa and is even offering to provide his... Continue Reading Posted at 1:30 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Too Good to Be True? Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 Rocky Mountain News columnist Mike Littwin has authored an absolutely devastating commentary on the many flip-flops of Mitt Romney, from abortion to immigration. Says Litwin, "One thing you learn quickly out here on the campaign trail: When they say Mitt... Continue Reading Posted at 1:08 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	John McCain Web Review Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 This is the John McCain installment of a series of 11 posts I am presenting today here at ElephantBiz.com surveying the social-media aspects of the websites of the 11 Republicans currently running for President. (See: "Grading the Candidates' Blogs.")McCain's campaign... Continue Reading Posted at 1:00 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Pro-Life "Trust Index" Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 John Hawkins at Right Wing News considers the "trust index" on the issue of abortion for the top-four candidates for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination. Hawkins, who, full disclosure, is also doing some consulting for the Duncan Hunter campaign, writes:First... Continue Reading Posted at 12:47 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Tommy Thompson Ames To Escape the Bottom Half Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and probably Fred Thompson are skipping the August 11 Ames Straw Poll in Iowa, but second-tier GOP candidate Tommy Thompson sees it as the last chance for his campaign to make progress.Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson... Continue Reading Posted at 12:30 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Mike Huckabee Web Review Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 This is the Mike Huckabee installment of a series of 11 posts I am presenting today here at ElephantBiz.com surveying the social-media aspects of the websites of the 11 Republicans currently running for President. (See: "Grading the Candidates' Blogs.")Huckabee's campaign... Continue Reading Posted at 12:00 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Brownback Ames to Take Down Romney Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and probably Fred Thompson are skipping the August 11 Ames Straw Poll in Iowa, but second-tier GOP candidate Sam Brownback sees it as a golden opportunity to break out of the pack and deal Mitt Romney... Continue Reading Posted at 11:30 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Duncan Hunter Web Review Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 This is the Duncan Hunter installment of a series of 11 posts I am presenting today here at ElephantBiz.com surveying the social-media aspects of the websites of the 11 Republicans currently running for President. (See: "Grading the Candidates' Blogs.")Hunter's campaign... Continue Reading Posted at 11:00 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Gilmore Ames to Save Cash Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and probably Fred Thompson are skipping the August 11 Ames Straw Poll in Iowa, and so is second-tier GOP candidate Jim Gilmore, the former Virginia governor whose conservative record hasn't helped him raise cash or his... Continue Reading Posted at 10:30 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Rudy Giuliani Web Review Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 This is the Rudy Giuliani installment of a series of 11 posts I am presenting today here at ElephantBiz.com surveying the social-media aspects of the websites of the 11 Republicans currently running for President. (See: "Grading the Candidates' Blogs.")Giuliani's campaign... Continue Reading Posted at 10:00 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Playing Defense Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 Washington Post political reporter Chris Cillizza serves up the early line on the 2008 contests for a third of the seats in the U.S. Senate, and there's not a lot of good news for Republicans.Democrats are on offense nearly everywhere,... Continue Reading Posted at 9:41 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Aiming For Ames Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 I've written a few times about various Republican candidates skipping the August 11 straw poll in Ames, Iowa, including Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Fred Thompson, and why that increases the pressure on Mitt Romney to do well in the... Continue Reading Posted at 9:30 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	"Crunchy Con" Hearts Huckabee Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 Rod Dreher, writing at BeliefNet, says he's really starting to "dig" Mike Huckabee among the crowded field of Republican presidential candidates. Dreher writes, "Read this lengthy transcript of a session GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee had at the Pew Forum... Continue Reading Posted at 9:24 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Jim Gilmore Web Review Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 This is the Jim Gilmore installment of a series of 11 posts I am presenting today here at ElephantBiz.com surveying the social-media aspects of the websites of the 11 Republicans currently running for President. (See: "Grading the Candidates' Blogs.")Jim Gilmore's... Continue Reading Posted at 9:00 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Online Strategery: Focus on the Uploaders Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 A study of Internet users in the United Kindgom by advertising giant Omnicom Group says marketers can best leverage the power of social media by focusing on what the companies' interactive agency, Agency.com, calls "uploaders" - web users "who actively... Continue Reading Posted at 8:18 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Sam Brownback Web Review Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 This is the Sam Brownback installment of a series of 11 posts I am presenting today here at ElephantBiz.com surveying the social-media aspects of the websites of the 11 Republicans currently running for President. (See: "Grading the Candidates' Blogs.")Brownback's campaign... Continue Reading Posted at 8:00 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Media Usage Data Politicians Ought to Pay Heed To Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 A handful of media usage surveys caught my eye today, and while the stories about them don't mention the political implications and applications, it doesn't take more than a few seconds to realize that those implications are there and political... Continue Reading Posted at 7:53 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Taking Notes Bill Hobbs June 18, 2007 More than 20,000 people have now viewed the 15-minute interview of former Sen. Fred Thompson by Hoover Institution fellow Peter Robinson, who wrote a blog post at National Review's "The Corner" about the interview:On Monday, former senator Fred Thompson spent half a... Continue Reading Posted at 12:58 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun17	Grading the Candidates' Blogs Bill Hobbs June 17, 2007 After noticing that my other blog, BillHobbs.com, is listed on the blogroll of Fred Thompson's new pre-campaign website, ImWithFred.com, I decided to check the blogrolls on the websites of the other 10 Republicans currently running for president, and found something... Continue Reading Posted at 10:00 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun16	A Revolting Development Bill Hobbs June 16, 2007 A CNN story, Conservative bloggers in full revolt over immigration, looks at how the conservative blogosphere is working overtime to defeat the immigration reform bill that many see as little short of amnesty for illegal immigrants. It's increasingly clear from... Continue Reading Posted at 5:41 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Asbestos? That's All Ya Got? Bill Hobbs June 16, 2007 Claire Celsi, my counterpart over at Know More Media's The Demo Memo, has suggested a possible attack route for the Left against Fred Thompson. In a comment to a recent post here about Thompson, Celsi wrote:After he left the Senate... Continue Reading Posted at 5:27 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Stick a Fork In McCain Bill Hobbs June 16, 2007 I think you can stick a fork in the presidential dreams of John McCain - his campaign is sinking so spectacularly that they can see the shipreck from Canada.... Continue Reading Posted at 5:04 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Rudy Slides as Fred Surges Bill Hobbs June 16, 2007 Public support for Rudy Giuliani fell again this month in the race for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination in the United States, according to the latest poll by Hart/Newhouse released by the Wall Street Journal and NBC News. 29 per... Continue Reading Posted at 8:10 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	"Thanks, Great Question" Bill Hobbs June 16, 2007 The New York Times checks in on the Mitt Romney campaign and finds things are going, well, great - except that Romney, "polished and upbeat," is having trouble connecting with voters on a personal level.The Times looks at something I... Continue Reading Posted at 7:50 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun15	Vilsack: Don't Count Out Huckabee Bill Hobbs June 15, 2007 The Mike Huckabee campaign is so pleased with this report from KY3 in Springfield, Missouri, that it posted it on the Huckabee campaign blog. A very nice profile indeed, and Huckabee gets several good soundbites in deftly comparing his always-on... Continue Reading Posted at 1:06 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Huckabee's Hope Bill Hobbs June 15, 2007 Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee believes Iowa Republicans planning on participating in the Iowa caucuses early in '08 will, as the Sioux City Journal puts it, "take a good look at his campaign even as the media focuses on so-called... Continue Reading Posted at 12:26 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	"The Hollywood Candidate Who Doesn't Need Hollywood" Bill Hobbs June 15, 2007 Ted Johnson, managing editor of Variety, has what may be today's most interesting media story about Fred Thompson, this piece published at The Politico which looks at Thompson's Hollywood connections and how they might impact his fund-raising and campaign....Thompson is... Continue Reading Posted at 11:44 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Exclusive! Fred Thompson Remarks to Pro-Life Conference Bill Hobbs June 15, 2007 CBN News' David Brody says he's got "exclusive" video of Fred Thompson's pre-taped remarks that will be shown at the National Right to Life conference tonight in Kansas City, and you can view it here at his blog, "The Brody... Continue Reading Posted at 6:39 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun14	Feedback Bill Hobbs June 14, 2007 Yesterday I and other bloggers posted the video of a 15-minute interview of Fred Thompson by Hoover Institution fellow Peter Robinson. Thompson's proto-campaign website, ImWithFred.com, also posted it, on the Fred Files blog, and it soon drew a very interesting... Continue Reading Posted at 6:51 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Singing Louisiana's Tune? Bill Hobbs June 14, 2007 Country singer Sammy Kershaw is running for Lt. Governor of Louisiana as a Republican, challenging incumbent Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu. This is not a stunt - it's a serious campaign. From his website:I’m personally motivated to do more than just... Continue Reading Posted at 5:22 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	NRSC: Blogs are The Media Key Bill Hobbs June 14, 2007 The National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee has issued a 39-page guidebook to help Republicans running for the U.S. Senate to maximize the blogosphere and avoid a "Macaca moment." The Politico reports...... Continue Reading Posted at 10:32 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun13	Ames Still Matters ... Differently Bill Hobbs June 13, 2007 The Green Mountain Politics blogs says the Ames, Iowa, straw poll on August 11 is Mike Huckabee's big chance, given that of the Big Four GOP candidates - Rudy, Fred, Romney and McCain - only Romney is playing for keeps... Continue Reading Posted at 2:59 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Taking Down Fred Thompson Bill Hobbs June 13, 2007 Kenneth P. Vogel at The Politico looks at how Fred Thompson's rivals will try to defeat him.Opponents and their researchers have begun working -- mostly behind the scenes -- to highlight perceived soft spots in his conservative bona fides.And Thompson... Continue Reading Posted at 1:35 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	15 Minutes of Fred Bill Hobbs June 13, 2007 The Hoover Institution at Stanford University has just posted a 15-minute interview with Republican presidential almost-candidate Fred Thompson by Peter Robinson, a Fellow at the Hoover Institution, on Google Video.It's a nice serious counterpoint to Thompson's appearance on The Tonight... Continue Reading Posted at 10:19 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun12	Fred on Leno, and On His Own Blog Bill Hobbs June 12, 2007 Fred Thompson's pre-campaign website, ImWithFred.com, now has a blog, and Fred is the Blogger in Chief. His first post - just a quick invite to watch his appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno - is already drawing a... Continue Reading Posted at 10:38 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Barbour Explains How the GOP Can Get Its Groove Back Bill Hobbs June 12, 2007 One of my favorite Republicans of recent years is Haley Barbour, the current Mississippi governor who previously lead the Republican National Committee and also was once a political adviser to President Ronald Reagan. A few weeks ago, Barbour sat down with Peter... Continue Reading Posted at 8:34 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Attacking Fred Bill Hobbs June 12, 2007 Erick at RedState looks at the growing coordinated single-issue attack on Fred Thompson - He's a lobbyist! - and reveals there's less to the "damning" charge than meets the eye.This again is another example of both why Fred Thompson is running... Continue Reading Posted at 2:37 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Rasmussen: Fred and Rudy are Tied Bill Hobbs June 12, 2007 The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that Fred Thompson and Rudy Giuliani are tied atop the Republican presidential field. Thompson and Giuliani each are at 24 percent in the 11-candidate field. One week ago, Giuliani had a six... Continue Reading Posted at 2:23 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun11	Should Fred Ames to Please? Bill Hobbs June 11, 2007 A.C. Kleinheider thinks that Fred Thompson ought to compete in the Ames, Iowa, straw poll next month, in a bid to deal a knockout blow to Mitt Romney's campaign. It seems to make sense at first - Romney has placed... Continue Reading Posted at 7:48 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	How Blogs Stopped the Surrender to Illegal Immigration Bill Hobbs June 11, 2007 National Journal's "Beltway Blogroll" has an interesting post titled How Blogs Shaped The Immigration Debate. But those who say the immigration reform bill was defeated by critics yelling "Amnesty!" are wrong. Blogging critics took the bill apart piece by piece,... Continue Reading Posted at 7:32 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	A Ron Paul Surge? Bill Hobbs June 11, 2007 New Hampshire political blog Green Mountain Politics thinks it sees signs of a Ron Paul surge in the early-primary state.Rileys Gun Shop, which sits on the Daniel Webster Highway in Hooksett, New Hampshire, is a candidate photo-op just waiting to... Continue Reading Posted at 6:33 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	LAT/ Bloomberg Poll Has Fred in Second Bill Hobbs June 11, 2007 Might Fred Thompson climb into first place in the race for the Republican presidential nomination even before he declares himself officially a candidate? The latest Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll has Thompson surging to second place well ahead of the fading... Continue Reading Posted at 6:14 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Killing Bad Legislation With a Flash Mob Bill Hobbs June 11, 2007 New York Post writer John Podhoretz says the defeat of the immigration reform bill was a revolutionary moment in American political history. But there's something else notable here - something that should gladden the hearts of libertarians and all those... Continue Reading Posted at 12:42 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun10	It's the Economy, Stupid Bill Hobbs June 10, 2007 George Will notes something curious about the Democratic presidential field: They aren't talking much about the economy. There's a reason for that: the economy, thanks to the Bush tax cuts, is healthy. Very, very healthy Since the Bush tax cuts... Continue Reading Posted at 2:09 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	IPSOS Poll: Fred Thompson In Third Place Bill Hobbs June 10, 2007 Fred Thompson is in second place in the GOP presidential field, and nipping at John McCain's heels, according to the latest IPSOS poll. Ipsos asked "If the 2008 Republican presidential primary or caucus in your state were being held today,... Continue Reading Posted at 1:49 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	IPSOS Poll: America Still Leans Conservative Bill Hobbs June 10, 2007 Interesting date from the latest IPSOS poll. Although the poll's sample was heavily weighted toward Demcrats - the poll sample was 541 Democrats and 346 Republicans - more people rated themselves as "conservative" than as liberal.Does that mean Democrats still... Continue Reading Posted at 1:46 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Fred Thompson and the Abortion Issue Bill Hobbs June 10, 2007 Here's an exploration of Fred Thompson's views, past statements and Senate voting record on abortion, from Nashville's The Tennessean newspaper. So far, it looks like Thompson's Senate solidly pro-life voting record on abortion-related legislation is enough to please pro-life Republicans... Continue Reading Posted at 8:35 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun 8	The Unraveling Bill Hobbs June 8, 2007 Is John McCain's presidential campaign starting to unravel? Perhaps... Today's Washington Post reports that a key McCain adviser and fundraiser has jumped off the Straight Talk Express, and signed on with the Fred Thompson campaign...... Continue Reading Posted at 12:00 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	"Nobody Ever Won An Election Because of the Internet" Bill Hobbs June 8, 2007 Mike Turk, mentioned in the previous post as Fred Thompson's new online guru, writes the always interesting blog Kung Fu Quip, and the other day had a very interesting post refuting the claim that "nobody has ever won" an election because... Continue Reading Posted at 11:14 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Who Is John Durham? Bill Hobbs June 8, 2007 A few days ago I blogged an AdAge article about online politicking, and it quoted someone named "John Durham" as being a key guy in the Bush 2004 campaign. I'd never heard of him, but Mike Turk has - and... Continue Reading Posted at 11:09 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Fred's Online Team, and Early Fundraising Success Bill Hobbs June 8, 2007 David All at TechRepublican.com takes a look at Fred Thompson's online team and pronounces it to be strong.Of note, Thompson has tapped fellow TechPresident contributor, Mike Turk, as his "chief architect," heading up the team and wrangling the consultants. I... Continue Reading Posted at 10:52 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Odds Against a Gingrich Run Bill Hobbs June 8, 2007 The AP reports that former House Speaker Newt Gingrich says the odds are he won't run for president, though he still hasn't made a firm decision and won't until the end of September.Gingrich gives himself 4-to-1 odds against running for... Continue Reading Posted at 8:33 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun 7	McCain Skipping Ames Bill Hobbs June 7, 2007 The odds that Mitt Romney will win the big straw poll in Ames, Iowa, next month just greatly increased - but the value of that probable win just decreased big time, thanks to John McCain's announcement, on the heels of... Continue Reading Posted at 6:25 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun 6	Pew Data Suggests Rudy Has Hit a Ceiling Bill Hobbs June 6, 2007 Might abortion still be the undoing of the Rudy Giuliani campaign? According to Pew Research, among Republican voters, less than half - 43 percent - are aware of Giuliani's pro-choice position on abortion, which is out of step with the... Continue Reading Posted at 10:37 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Skipping Ames Bill Hobbs June 6, 2007 This just in: Rudy Giuliani's campaign won't be playing to win in the Ames Straw Poll, August 11 in Ames, Iowa. As I explained before, that greatly devalues the Ames Straw Poll for the eventual winner, likely to be Mitt... Continue Reading Posted at 10:13 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Amnesty Could Strain Welfare System Bill Hobbs June 6, 2007 The Center for Immigration Studies has released data that ought to give pause to fiscal-conservative/small-government Republicans considering supporting the immigration reform plan. The CIS says an analysis of the newest data from the Department of Homeland Security and 2006 Census... Continue Reading Posted at 10:07 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Where's the Fence? Bill Hobbs June 6, 2007 Last year, Congress pass and President Bush signed legislation that promised 700 miles of fence along the U.S.-Mexico border. But they never funded it - the promised 700 miles of fence was nothing but an election-year con to make you... Continue Reading Posted at 9:35 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Post-Debate Spin 6: Media Views Bill Hobbs June 6, 2007 Frank Rich of the Chicago Tribune says it is "hard to tell" who won the Republican presidential debate Tuesday night in New Hampshire, and recaps the highlights.Strong performances were put in from the three leading candidates--former New York City Mayor... Continue Reading Posted at 6:50 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Post-Debate Spin 4: 10 Losers, 2 Winners Bill Hobbs June 6, 2007 Conservative direct-mail pioneer Richard A. Viguerie, author of Conservatives Betrayed--How George W. Bush and Other Big Government Republicans Hijacked the Conservative Cause, issued the following statement regarding the Republican presidential debate in Manchester, N.H., Tuesday night:After three debates by the... Continue Reading Posted at 1:22 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Post-Depate Spin 3: McCain Won Bill Hobbs June 6, 2007 Fresh from the John McCain Campaign, a heaping helping of post-debate pro-McCain spin:NBC's Chuck Todd: "Declare McCain The Winner." "McCain was the news. It felt as if the first 45 minutes of the debate was all about McCain. From Iraq... Continue Reading Posted at 1:11 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Post-Debate Spin 2: Rudy Won Bill Hobbs June 6, 2007 Fresh from the Rudy Giuliani campaign, a heaping helping of steaming post-debate pro-Rudy spin:National Review's Rich Lowry: "'I turned around New York City, I can turn around Washington' That's the Rudy message and it's a powerful one (and Romney seemed... Continue Reading Posted at 12:59 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Post-Debate Spin 1: Fred Lost Bill Hobbs June 6, 2007 New York Sun reporter Ryan Sager on Fred Thompson:Reagan was a man with a message in search of a moment; Mr. Thompson is a man with a moment in search of a message. The moment Mr. Thompson has found himself... Continue Reading Posted at 12:54 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Who's With Fred? Bill Hobbs June 6, 2007 Friends of Fred Thompson, Inc., the official testing-the-waters committee for Fred Thompson's virtually-certain presidential campaign, has launched its website, ImWithFred.com. It's got a donations page, an a sign-up to volunteer page. In addition to offering "widgets" for bloggers to put... Continue Reading Posted at 12:20 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Pew Poll: Hagel has "No Chance." Bill Hobbs June 6, 2007 The latest Pew Research polling looks good for Fred Thompson and Rudy Giuliani - and bad news for those of you hoping for Chuck Hagel to jump into the race.Former Sen. Fred Thompson has broad potential appeal among Republican voters... Continue Reading Posted at 12:00 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun 5	Has Fred Thompson Grabbed Second Place? Bill Hobbs June 5, 2007 It appears Fred Thompson may have jumped up to second place in the race for the Republican presidential nomination. The New York Sun's Ryan Sager has the latest data from more than one poll.Among moderate Republicans, Thompson's support has increased... Continue Reading Posted at 3:43 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Duncan Hunter: Fence First! Bill Hobbs June 5, 2007 California congressman and Republican presidential candidate Duncan Hunter has issued a statement regarding the immigration reform proposal pending in the U.S. Senate:I vow to oppose this legislation supported by Senators Edward Kennedy and John McCain. It provides a vast new... Continue Reading Posted at 3:10 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	McCain's Immigration Stance Costs Him Support Among Hispanic Republicans Bill Hobbs June 5, 2007 Mickey Kaus at Kausfiles says John McCain's immigration reform plan is costing him support among Hispanic Republicans, while Fred Thompson is gaining support among the same group by opposing the plan.Kaus: McCain supports legalization of illegal immigrants, loses 5 points... Continue Reading Posted at 8:39 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Sen. Alexander Wants Border-State Governors to Verify Border Security Progress Before "Path to Citizenship" Begins Bill Hobbs June 5, 2007 Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, said Monday that he would try to amend the immigration reform legislation now pending in the Senate with a requirement that somebody other than the federal bureaucracy decide when the government has met the border security... Continue Reading Posted at 5:49 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun 4	Federal Fred Bill Hobbs June 4, 2007 Harvard University economist and blogger Greg Mankiw likes it that Fred Thompson "is a big believer in principles of federalism--a topic that in recent years has received far too little attention in the public debate."On his blog, Mankiw quotes a... Continue Reading Posted at 12:38 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	An Unorthodox Campaign Bill Hobbs June 4, 2007 John Fund says Fred Thompson "will run an unorthodox campaign, one that will challenge the conventional wisdom about how to run for president."While it was clear Mr. Thompson has found a way to excite the Republican base, his impending candidacy... Continue Reading Posted at 12:30 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Bill Hobbs June 4, 2007 VolunteerVoters.com, a political blog in Tennessee, has some video from Mitt Romney's speech Saturday night at the Tennessee Republican Party's Statesmen's Dinner. It was an awkward setting -the Tennessee GOP elite had been largely lining up behind Romney before Fred... Continue Reading Posted at 11:41 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Competent Conservative? Bill Hobbs June 4, 2007 Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich rips the Bush administration for incompetence, perhaps foreshadowing the central campaign theme of his possible presidential run would be not "compassionate conservatism" but competent conservatism."The administration has very, very high goals -- Democracy throughout the Middle... Continue Reading Posted at 11:02 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Fred's Team Bill Hobbs June 4, 2007 Ken Whitehouse at NashvillePost.com profiles Fred Thompson's "inner circles" in Tennessee and Washington D.C.These are the political operatives who have been there for him on previous campaigns, are with him now, or can be expected to play a significant role... Continue Reading Posted at 7:37 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun 3	DailyKos Slanders Fred Thompson Bill Hobbs June 3, 2007 In one thoroughly asinine post, DailyKos implies Fred Thompson is gay and, conversely, has mistresses, and says Thompson has "leukemia," a rather more scary cancer than the slow-growing lymphoma Thompson actually has.DailyKos thinks Thompson will win the Republican nomination, though:He's... Continue Reading Posted at 4:51 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun 2	The First ElephantBiz.com Presidential Reader Preference Poll Bill Hobbs June 2, 2007 I thought I'd survey my readers, see who they like in the Republican presidential field. Unfortunately, the Vizu poll service only allows for up to 10 choices, and there are now eleven in the GOP field, so I left one... Continue Reading Posted at 12:01 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	"A New Form of Fireside Chat" Bill Hobbs June 2, 2007 USA Today writer Chuck Raasch has an article out exploring the possibility that Fred Thompson's skills and experience as a peformer may give him an extra advantage in the online political arena.The crooning over Thompson has infatuated the political media... Continue Reading Posted at 11:13 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Wild West 2.0 Bill Hobbs June 2, 2007 OMMA, the magazine of online media, marketing and advertising, takes a look at the "Wild West" of the online campaign world.This is the new terrain of the men and women who hope their next business address will contain the words... Continue Reading Posted at 11:07 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Just Win, Baby Bill Hobbs June 2, 2007 The American Prospect looks at the racial and gender diversity of the managers running the campaigns of the Democrats and Republicans running for president.Election 2008 has been hailed as a milestone in American cultural evolution on account of the strong... Continue Reading Posted at 9:47 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Gingrich Slams Rove Bill Hobbs June 2, 2007 Former House Speaker and possible Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich is slamming presidential adviser Karl Rove, the New York Times reports...President Bush has presided over a Republican Party in “collapse,” and Karl Rove’s strategy in the 2004 presidential election was “maniacally... Continue Reading Posted at 9:12 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Faiths of our Candidates Bill Hobbs June 2, 2007 The Associated Press asked the 2008 presidential candidates what their religion is, whether there is a particular church that they are a member of, and how often they attend services. Here is how the Republican candidates answered:Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback:... Continue Reading Posted at 9:00 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Are Ron Paul's Supporters Spamming Online Polls? Bill Hobbs June 2, 2007 Are Ron Paul's supporters spamming online polls to create the false appearance that the congressman and presidential candidate has a lot of support? It looks that way.Matt Margolis of GOP Bloggers, an "online grassroots community with the goal of keeping... Continue Reading Posted at 8:33 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Pro-Ron Paul Website Attacks Fred Thompson Bill Hobbs June 2, 2007 Free Market Network News, a pro-Ron Paul website, has published an "analysis" asserting that Fred Thompson's entry into the race for the Republican nomination is "a desperate move by Republican leaders to offer what they consider a viable contender."Yet Ron Paul... Continue Reading Posted at 8:17 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jun 1	Mitt Romney The Perfect Pre-9/11 Candidate? Bill Hobbs June 1, 2007 Time magazine's Joe Klein on the "dissapointing campaign" of Mitt Romney:Romney is on a roll right now. He jumped ahead of the pack in recent Iowa polls, a consequence of television advertising - he was on the air in Iowa before... Continue Reading Posted at 7:24 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Rasmussen Polls: Thompson Competitive as Huckabee Haunts Hillary Bill Hobbs June 1, 2007 The latest Rasmussen Poll finds that 22 percent of Americans say they will definitely vote for Fred Thompson if he’s on the ballot in November 2008, while 30 percent will definitely vote against him. Rasmussen says that "net deficit" of... Continue Reading Posted at 6:54 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Is Fred Thompson a Small-Government Conservative? Bill Hobbs June 1, 2007 The Cato Institute's blog Cato@Liberty asks the question, "Is Fred Thompson a small-government conservative?" The answer: Yes, mostly:[W]hile he is not quite the second coming of Barry Goldwater or Ronald Reagan, he may be much better on most issues than... Continue Reading Posted at 6:11 AM \| Permalink \| Comments

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