Can Huckabee Win?

While most of us think that John McCain, the party leaders' choice to win the Republican Primary, is on his way to an easy win, conservatives in the Midwest and south said their man, Mike Huckabee, will nto be ignored. Of the three February 9th contests, the former Arkansas governor won two of them: the louisiana primaru and the Kansas caucus -- the latter by a landslide.

Huckabee is still far behind, yet can he motivate former Romney supporters to vote for him? He would have to virtually sweep the rest of the primary in a run similar to the 2007 Colorado Rockies' playoff push and still try to sway Romney delegates to go his way. It is possible and interesting, but not what party bosses want. Republicans are used to coronations during primary season. Their only hope is that Obama and Clinton hammer at each other enough to deplete their campaign warchests before the general election and both contests go down to the wire.

Although I still believe this will be a stroll for McCain either the honest way or the party manipulation way, I will still have the popcorn ready for this. Huckabee's support is sending a clear message to the party bosses: "Don't forget the conservative base." The recent tallies for Huckabee and Ron Paul combined also do not about to a fringe group: the Washington Caucuses were so close that McCain, the conventional frontrunner, was voted against by nearly 75% of those taking part. This is not just the extreme whacko vote, these are people who thought they signed on to a party that stood for smaller government and the strength of the middle class taxpayers.

Obama and Clinton in Dogfight; McCain Struts Toward Finish

Republicans and Democrats wanted coronations for their respective front runners. As McCain is living out the mainstream GOP fantasy, Democrats will see their candidates' campaign money depleted for the general election if The Obaminator keeps going. He and Clinton are only a few delegates apart, and they will spend enough time hammering at each other while McCain will save his war chest as he leaves his three opponents in the dust.

What gave McCain the win while more hardcore Conservatives tossed their support behind either Romney or Huckabee? According to several sound bites from local voters and radio talk show callers, it was the national security issue: McCain is the only one of the four who many rank and file GOPers saw as Commander-In-Chief material. McCain's win, however, is not a mandate on his political positions and actions. Enough conservatives are still offering clear messages that they need to be paid attention to when the general election comes. Several religious Christians selected Huckabee or Romney, depending on geography. There is also a considerable argument that there are more Ron Paul platform supporters than Ron Paul voters. While he will win the Republican Party nomination, McCain is being sent a message that fiscal and (to a degree) social conservatism should still have a powerful place in the party. McCain needs to pay attention when it comes to a potential choice for Vice President.

On the Democratic side, John Edwards knew it was time to drop out when he found that the primary on his side had devolved into a group of sheep who will do anything Bill Clinton tells them to do versus a group of clones who will do anything Ted Kennedy tells them to. Their rich donors had, for their sake, better fork over more cash soon or else their nomination winner may be borrowing money from Mike Gravel's campaign war chest./p>

Super Tuesday Is Here!

Several states are holding primaries today. Will is be a cakewalk or a dogfight for the front-running candidates? This season, so far, had revealed a "Tale of Two Parties." While the vast majority of Democrats have been enamored with either of the party's establishment candidates (Clinton, Obama and Edwards), there is a significant amount of Republican voters going against the media and party favorites. One such candidate prematurely deemed a "front-runner" by insiders and media types, Rudolph Giuliani, struggled to register Dennis Kucinich-like approval from those casting primary ballots. Even though the other two mainstreamers, Mitt Romney and John McCain, lead in the race for delegates, significant finishes amongst the two other opponents still standing (Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul) and actor Fred Thompson show that a large amount of grass-roots republicans are resisting dictation from party leaders.

Huckabee's strong finishes in Iowa and South Carolina, as well as his still being in striking distance of the lead going into today shows the current party leadership that enough of their own still believe that faith is a positive trait for a candidate and should not be suppressed. In addition, Huckabee's presence and support is also a reminder to both parties that the United States remains strong thanks to the Judeo-Christian ethic it was built upon.

Although the media and Republican leaders have tried hard to dismiss Ron Paul, his following should not be ignored. His presence in the primary -- and support among younger Republicans -- is proof that there is still a great deal of respect amongst the citizenry for the true ideals of our Constitution. While the mainstream media marginalizes him, Paul has persevered thanks mainly to his platform and regard toward the truest principles of conservatism: a smaller government, states' rights, a stronger currency standard and putting our own country first.

Thompson, though his campaign was flawed, showed that the older generation of conservatives wanted someone with more traditional party leanings as well.

While there may not be enough final support for Paul or Huckabee to win the Republican nomination, they successfully combined to fend off more favored challengers to last this long and send a message to Republican Party leaders that they are becoming dangerously more out of touch with the voting public.

New York Regional Inteconnect Trying to Play NIce? Hold the Nose On That

Hudson Valley Times-Herald Record Reporter Steve Israel recently interviewed Chris Thompson, President and CEO of New York Regional Interconnect on their project to run wires fro Ohio to New York City by way of several villages and towns although other viable options were available. The company is also fighting citizens groups and some grandstanding politicians on this issue. Reading the interview, one might think that Thompson was always concerned about the ramifications of the proposed route without looking for alternatives. Some history and some reading into the interview would prove the opposite.

When the NYRO project was first unveiled, the understanding was that significant amounts of unused power in the midwest can be channeled to the New York Metropolitan and surrounding region, where it would soon be in short supply relative to the population. Rather than building more plants in crowded area, it would be logical to wire in existing unused energy. The route, however, was the problem: the people who Thompson arrogantly calls "NIMBY's" were concerned over more than just big power lines. With the NYRI project would come lines that would slice villages in half and run through residential property, heavily knocking down property values. In addition, while the energy would benefit New York City, it would be the very residents who would have to deal with the structure who would have to foot the bill with higher utility costs (along with the price hike already looming at the time).

Some politicians made the fight a huge political issue. State Senator John Bonacic, who voters have barely hears a "peep" from over most of his tenure, screamed "No NYRI, No NYRI" to gain media face-time and win favor with the voters. It was no matter to him to help come up with alternative solutions to an inevitable project (see: current abuse of eminent domain case Kelo v. New London) without offering alternatives. Bonacic's opponent, Susan Zimet, brought up with two feasible routes to install the NYRI project where any aesthetic and economic damage would be minimized: the Thruway and New Jersey Corridors. Although Bonacic called Zimet "uninformed" on a local cable TV news program, those are the alternatives Thompson is finally exploring.

During the 2006 election cycle, Bonacic's only accomplishment was earmarking one million dollars for lawyers to fight NYRI. I doubt when he called Zimet "uninformed" about the situation that he understood that Congresswoman and fellow Republican Sue Kelly had already been on the case at the federal level a few months ago. She tried to keep NYRI from using the eminent domain provisions allowed in that legislation for that route.

It should also be noted that Thompson was somewhat evasive with Israel's questioning of him on issues such as burying the lines and if they are seeking alternatives in good faith rather than offering the proverbial "lip service." He conveniently placed the onus on the Public Service Commission for the final decision.

In truth, America's heavily-populated areas are going to need more power in the future and planners should be commended for at least having such foresight to pump some more energy in before a crisis strikes. Unfortunately, they forgot that real people were living in the "flyover territory" where the power lines have to go and that there are serious economic ramifications that could be minimized with a little compromise.

Media Bias Watch: New York Times PR Piece on Teddy!

It did not take long for Liberal newsletter The New York Times to have a reporter stump for Ted Kennedy's "I Loev Obama" tour. While most of America already knows how out-of-touch this career politician is, The Times continues to try and convince us otherwise -- simply because of his last name and his ability to con young idealists into beliving his hollow words.

It is easy, however, to be considered "hip" again in Liberal circles by grabbing the coattails of the latest "falvour de jour," like Obama is (at least until after Super Tuesday). While Times writer Mark Liebovich was gushing over Kennedy, he failed to ask the question on the minds of those who know of his work: "What is his angle?"

As I had written in a previous post, if Obama keeps preaching about "change' in Washington, why would the man who represents the most self-absorbed and despicable aspects of today's political culture want to side with him? The best answers I could come up with are:

Obama is just blowing smoke about change because he had not yet come up with any udeas anyway.
In an America where Ted Kennedy is becoming increasingly more irrelevant, he needs a spotlight and some fanfare from friends in the media to stroke his ego.
Kennedy has something against one or more of the Clintons.

I would suggest a combination of all three, but the latter provokes some interest. While the RFK kids are siding with Hillary Clinton and could be a big help in her inevitable nomination, Ted spent the past few days railing against her. This blogger says it was likely beacuse of her praise for President Lyndon Johnson's work on the Civil Rights Act of 1964 without mentioning Kennedy. As an overgrown spoiled child, this is likely. Also, in Liberal circles, the Clinton name has become virtual royalty in the way the Kennedy name has enamoured the Leftist establishment for years. This might make little Teddy jealous, as he (unlike the rest of the family) has become less relevant in the Democratic party's future. I would go as far to say that Ted Kennedy's disdain for women, considering his past treatment of them, could be a factor. While gender should have no place in this discussion, Kennedy's philandering and other issues with women are well-known, but well-forgiven amongst Liberal special interest groups who think The Tedster owes them for their continued blind eye.

Clearly, the Democrats have spoken in their primary: they prefer to play the politivs of gender and race, hoping it can work in the general election against the Republican nominee's own establishment candidate. Such political strategy may have worked in the 1990s, but Liberals will find out soon that this kind of ploy has less effect than it did in the Bill Clinton era.

"The Cordan Project" Set To Go Back On the Air

The Cordani Project will be back on the air in March. We are working with WTBQ AM/FM on two very different weekly programs. Mew Details will be available on this blog in the coming weeks.

Obama's Newest Vote Repellent: Ted Kennedy's Endorsesment of Him

While Barack Obama's supporters may be celebrating the news that might land their candidate a Democratic Primary win, they should still worry. As Barack Obama may have fooled plenty of Americans into believing he is the man who can bring change and hope to American politics, he has just been endorsed by the man who symbolizes virtually everything that's disgusting and wrong about the Beltway: Senator Ted Kennedy.

The slovenly Leftist, who has become the very model of a modern career politician, says he will actively campaign for the political newbie. Of course, Obama will get a free pass from the mainstream media as he has had throughout the campaign (see: Association with Cornel West, being married by a black separatist minister, etc). Unfortunately for Obama, most of America outside of Massachusetts sees Kennedy as the stereotype elitist, dishonest, criminal Ultra-Liberal whose very presence is a pox on the United States government. So much for "change" from politics as usual; Kennedy's embracing of Obama's campaign insures the same plague will cloud our leadership if Oprah's favorite candidate wins. This might actually make Hillary Clinton look like the anti-establishment choice for the Democrats.

Will Obama's candidacy be scrutinized for this alliance? It's not likely, but one can be sure that when the general election comes, Kennedy's endorsement will become an albatross around Obama's neck (should he get the nomination) that moderates would see him as something of a "vote repellent" come November.