Twists and Turns- a 2012 Timeline

[NHI]

This is good! Keep it up!!

[America Needs R'hllor]

August 29th, 2011

BREAKING: Dan Quayle announces bid for the Republican nomination, shaking the field

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August 30th, 2011

Campaigning in Iowa, Bobby Jindal slams Quayle, Huntsman, Perry



Continuing his efforts to consolidate Romney's former supporters, Bobby Jindal attacked his opponents yesterday while campaigning in Iowa's rural towns. He started by tackling Vice President Quayle, who's seen as a strong contender to gain Romney's supporters, calling him "a blast from the past, and no more than that", an claiming that "Quayle will not bring a change, he'll only give us the same old Washington politics. I'm new, I'm change- and unlike some candidates who claim to bring change, I'm actually competent and have the experience to do it." He also addressed his old opponents, saying "who else is running, really? Perry, whose experience seems anulled when tackled with actualy policy? Huntsman, who should be a Democrat?"
These are considered moves to take down opponents for the Romney vote.

September 1st, 2011

It's official: Jeb Bush is running for President, announces in Tampa, Florida

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September 4th, 2011

Report: Brown, Giuliani not running for President

After forming exploratory comittees, Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts and former Mayor Rudy Giuliani of New York have decided to back out. A statement released by Senator Brown's office said "The Senator has decided that a run is not likely to succeed, and will support another candidate when the time comes." Meanwhile, Giuliani himself said in an interview that he will "not run, because I don't really think it's the right environment for me."
Meanwhile, the Republican field is bracing itself for its first debate as a, hopefully, complete field, in three days. It's the first Romney-less debate, and may cause wild swings in the polls as more and more people tune in to the Primary contest following the shocking developments in it.

[America Needs R'hllor]

September 7th, 2011, polling updates before the 2nd Republican debate- Democratic field relatively stable, Republicans shaken by new candidates

Democratic Primaries- National

Evan Bayh- 21%  (+2)
Wesley Clark- 15%  (-1)
Russ Feingold- 15%  (+1)
Howard Dean- 14%  (+1)
Mark Warner- 13%  (+-0)
Joe Lieberman- 7%  (-1)
Bernie Sanders- 4%  (-2)
Mary Landrieu- 4%  (-1)
Undecided- 6%  (+-0)

Democratic Primaries- Iowa

Russ Feingold- 22%  (-1)
Evan Bayh- 22%  (+2)
Wesley Clark- 14%  (-2)
Howard Dean- 11%  (+-)
Mark Warner- 11%  (+1)
Bernie Sanders- 10%  (+2)
Joe Lieberman- 2%  (-1)
Mary Landrieu- 2%  (+-0)
Undecided- 8%  (-1)

Republican Primaries- National

Jeb Bush- 20%  (+20)
Bobby Jindal- 14%  (-2)
Rick Perry- 13%  (-3)
Dan Quayle- 12%  (+12)
Ron Paul- 9%  (+-0)
Jon Huntsman- 8%  (+2)
Michelle Bachmann- 5%  (-1)
Rick Santorum- 4%  (-1)
Undecided- 15%  (+5)

Republican Primaries- Iowa

Ron Paul- 24%  (+1)
Jeb Bush- 17%  (+17)
Bobby Jindal- 11%  (-3)
Michelle Bachmann- 9%  (-3)
Dan Quayle- 8%  (+8)
Rick Perry- 7%  (+-0)
Rick Santorum- 5%  (-4)
Jon Huntsman- 3%  (-1)
Undecided- 16%  (+7)

[America Needs R'hllor]

September 12th, 2011

Second Republican Debate

Held in Tampa, Florida, the second debate, which for the first time did not include Governor Mitt Romney and did include the two new candidates, Jeb Bush and Dan Quayle, was pretty heated. It was the first Tea Party sponsored debate in history. While Bush and Quayle were careful not to attack each other two much yet, the veteran candidates piled attacks on both, trying to whittle down their momentum and attract the Romney supporters who are now undecided to themselves. Let us look at a few key moments:



Wolf Blitzer: ...So are you saying, that if a man did not get a health insurance for whatever reason, something happens to him and he's in comma, that the government should just let him die?
Audience (shouting) Yes!
Ron Paul: This is the true freedom- liberty to take risks. This imaginary man took a risks, it was his responsibility to purchase a health insurance, and I would strongly recommend anyone to do so. Our freedom is our most treasured resource, and so we must be free do purchase our own chosen insurance or not to do so. Access to healthcare is a right, but the government can't force it just like it can't force people to vote.
Jon Huntsman: Well, I'm as supportive as anyone else of conservative economic policy, but this is just unreasonable. We need to protect life and care for life, so I think it's very conservative to say that while a free market is the best market, we must show compassion and help people who can't purchase health insurance to do so with programs such as medicaid. But no one should be forced to do it- this is not freedom, this is authoritative government. That's why I'd repeal Clintoncare.



Wolf Blitzer: Vice President Quayle, in the last few days you've been heavily critisized by your opponents for being a candidate of a distant past, who's out of touch with the present. Do you have anything to say about that?
Dan Quayle: I certainly do. Well, I'm not the oldest candidate on this stage. This honour belongs to Representative Paul, and by the way, I'm not saying it sarcastically. In fact, I'm just 66 years old. Still young and kicking. So no, I think calling me out of touch is delusional and assumes that you need to have recently held a public office to be a presidet. I think the opposite- I'm the candidate of change, because I'm not involved in the political dealings and plottings we have today.
Rick Perry: Honestly, Vice President, I respect you, but you don't have what it takes to rule our nation. You're a relic of the past, who does not really look at the future, and there's a reason you haven't been elected before like other Vice Presidents- you're gaffe-prone and inexperienced, despite your Vice Presidency.
Dan Quayle: What you're saying is really disrespectful of the legacies of Reagen and H.W. Bush, and shows that you're really just showing such conservativeness not out of reverence to this movement, but out of electoral need. I'm the only candidate who can, and will, bring us to the glory days of Reagen- and I dare any of my opponents to say that they do not want to have those days back.
Bobby Jindal: I respect Reagen's legacy, and he was one of the best Presidents we've ever had. But the Vice President is clearly showing that he's running merely out of nostalgia, and we need to look at the future of the conservative movement. I also find it ironic that Governor Perry called Dan gaffe-prone, because it was a clear description of himself. It's pretty clear, I think- I'm the only candidate with the experience, competence, temprament, conservative bona-fides and the distanglement from D.C. politics in the field.



Wolf Blitzer: Senator Santoum, do you still stand behind your claim that you're the only candidate who truly stands beside the moral and conservative values of America?
Rick Santorum: Certainly, I do. What changed? Governor Romney, who I really respect but who I did think was not the right candidate, left, and the two new candidates who entered are certainly not standing besides American values and the American people. Dan Quayle is basically a lobbist now, and Jeb Bush? Jeb has shown support to harming our values, and more than that, he's the biggest Washington insider on this stage.
Jeb Bush: Well, I think that Senator Santorum's fanatic repitition of the phrase 'traditional values' is really getting old. It won't convince the American people to vote for him. We need a competent and efficient conservative in the White House, and I've shown myself as all three when I became one of the most successful governors of Florida in recent weeks. And that's why I entered- Mitt would've made a good candidate, but there's no one else in this field who can really fight for the American people.
Michelle Bachmann: This is laughable. Really, this is laughable. Jeb is not a true conservative, Jeb is a Washington insider who is bought by establishment politicians. All his life, he was loved and favoured by the political class of Washington, advanced and funded by them. We can't trust him to fight for us, and he'd be the second coming of Hillary Clinton!



All in all, this debate did not really gravely harm or greatly aided anyone, but it'll certainly have an effect. Jon Huntsman and Ron Paul both managed to articulate their unique message very capably, and isolate themselves from the field. Meanwhile, Governor Jindal decisively defeated Governor Perry in their exchanges, positioning himself as a solid conservative candidate. Michelle Bachmann continued in her fiery way of debating, but there is a sense that she didn't really manage to make a breakthrough, an the same is true for Santorum.
Bush and Quayle both faced, as mentioned, heavy fire.  Both handled it pretty well, but it seemed like Quayle managed to do better, making a solid appeal to the conservative base, while Bush came off as an elitist insider.

Author's note: As you might have noticed, I've cut the amount of Republican debates, mainly to allow the Democratic ones space. Hope you don't mind

[America Needs R'hllor]

September 14th, 2011

Republican post-debate polling update: Quayle climbing; Paul, Bush keep lead in Iowa

Republican Primaries- National

Jeb Bush- 19%  (-1)
Dan Quayle- 15%  (+3)
Bobby Jindal- 15%  (+1)
Rick Perry- 12%  (-1)
Ron Paul- 8%  (-1)
Jon Huntsman- 8%  (+-0)
Michelle Bachmann- 5%  (+-0)
Rick Santorum- 5%  (+1)
Undecided- 13%  (-2)

Republican Primaries- Iowa

Ron Paul- 24%  (+-0)
Jeb Bush- 18%  (+1)
Bobby Jindal- 11%  (+-0)
Dan Quayle- 10%  (+2)
Michelle Bachmann- 8%  (-1)
Rick Perry- 8%  (+1)
Rick Santorum- 7%  (+2)
Jon Huntsman- 3%  (+-0)
Undecided- 10%  (-5)

Republican Primaries- New Hampshire

Jeb Bush- 18%
Ron Paul- 16%
Rick Perry- 11%
Jon Huntsman- 11%
Dan Quayle- 8%
Bobby Jindal- 7%
Michelle Bachmann- 4%
Rick Santorum- 3%
Undecided- 22%

Republican Primaries- South Carolina

Jeb Bush- 24%
Bobby Jindal- 16%
Rick Perry- 15%
Dan Quayle- 12%
Michelle Bachmann- 9%
Ron Paul- 8%
Rick Santorum- 5%
Jon Huntsman- 2%
Undecided- 9%

[Confused Democrat]

BERNIE 2012!

[MAINEiac4434]

This is really well done. Personally pulling for Feingold.

[America Needs R'hllor]

14th September, 2011

Second Democratic Debate

The debate, held in Charleston, South Carolina, was a relatively calm one without many major highlights or controversies. However, one big moment was when the Progressive Champions, Russ Feingold and Bernie Sanders, clashed and then proceeded to attack Vice President Bayh. Let's look at this moment:



Anderson Cooper: Senator Feingold, why do you think that you're the best candidate to represent the interests of Progressive Democrats?
Russ Fenigold: Well, Anderson, I think it's fairly clear. I can get things done, and I've already shown it. By using pragmatism, compromise and hard work, I managed to hammer through many policies that are very important for progressives, for example, the campaign finance reform bill sponsored by myself and Senator McCain. Senator Sanders is a great and progressive guy, but he just isn't in a position to accomplish actual things. He isn't willing to think of solutions which aren't ideologically pure.
Bernie Sanders: I'm sorry, Senator, but this is wrong. If pragmatism, compromise and hard work means bowing before corporate interests in order for them to allow you to accomplish anything, then no thanks. I have a lot of respect for Russ, but he's too beholden to the interests of the Democratic Establishment and just wouldn't be in a position to accomplish progressive goals. We need someone new, without ties to the establishment, who can shake up the system and, yes, get things done, which I showed I can during my tenure as Mayor of Burlington and Senator from Vermont.
Evan Bayh: You can call yourself a progressive all you want, but that rings hollow when you critisize the most progressive administration ever all the time.
Bernie Sanders: Vice President, what you don't seem to understand or are pretending not to is that I'm critisizing the current administration exactly because I'm a progressive. President Clinton had some great cabinet members, not including the two standing on-stage today, and congressial majorities until 2010. She could've ushered in a new progressive era after the Bush administration's darkness, but instead she chose to bow before corporate interests, and cause stagnation instead of progress, and you were a big part of it, Vice President. Students are being crushed by crippling debts, jobs are moving overseas at an alarming pace, and we need this fixed. President Clinton did not seem willing to fix it, and you, Evan, are a part of the problem, not the solution.
Russ Feingold: I agree with Senator Sanders here. Vice President Bayh was and is getting many donations from donors and corporations with clear interests, and it showed during his time in the Vice Presidency. We need someone who can stand up to corporate interests and fight for the regular American's interests.



So, this was a particularly good debate for Bernie Sanders. Russ Feingold, Mark Warner and Howard Dean managed to shine as well, getting quite a lot of attention and enthusiasm, while Lieberman and Clark continued trading blows in their continued bitter rivalry which is harming both. Landrieu didn't do badly, but didn't particularly shine either. Evan Bayh, on the other hand, will probably not wish to rewatch footage from tonight.

Author's note: the next debates will probably have less details than before. Writing something for each candidate in each debate is probably pointless after the first few, so though there will be some very important highlights in the coming debates (is Perry still doing well in the polls? ), they won't be so big.

[America Needs R'hllor]

17th September, 2011

Democratic Post-Debate Polling Update: Sanders surging, Bayh falling; New Hampshire a Dead-heat; Frontrunner Uncertain

Democratic Primaries- National

Evan Bayh- 17%  (-4)
Howard Dean- 15%  (+1)
Wesley Clark- 14%  (-1)
Mark Warner- 14%  (+1)
Russ Feingold- 13%  (-2)
Bernie Sanders- 9%  (+5)
Joe Lieberman- 7%  (+-0)
Mary Landrieu- 4%  (+-0)
Undecided- 7%  (+1)

Democratic Caucuses- Iowa

Russ Feingold- 19%  (-3)
Evan Bayh- 17%  (-5)
Bernie Sanders- 14%  (+4)
Wesley Clark- 13%  (-1)
Howard Dean- 12%  (+1)
Mark Warner- 11%  (+-0)
Joe Lieberman- 3%  (+1)
Mary Landrieu- 3%  (+1)
Undecided- 10%  (+2)

Democratic Primaries- New Hampshire
Evan Bayh- 16%
Howard Dean- 16%
Bernie Sanders- 15%
Russ Feingold- 14%
Joe Lieberman- 13%
Mark Warner- 8%
Wesley Clark- 7%
Mary Landerieu- 2%
Undecided- 9%

Democratic Primaries- South Carolina
Evan Bayh- 22%
Mark Warner- 20%
Mary Landerieu- 12%
Wesley Clark- 9%
Joe Lieberman- 9%
Howard Dean- 7%
Russ Feingold- 6%
Bernie Sander- 3%
Undecided- 12%

[America Needs R'hllor]

18th September, 2011

Wesley Clark campaigns in New Hampshire, bashes Lieberman



Attempting to expand his map and revive his weakening poll numbers, Retired General Wesley Clark campaigned yesterday in the Granite State with a message of steadiness and security, calling himself "the candidate you can trust when that phone rings in the middle of the night" and "a sensible outsider who did not dirty his hands in Washington and actually cares about the people." However, further confirming the rumours of simmering tensions between the Secretary of State and Defense Secretary Joe Lieberman, Clark attacked the former Senator, calling him "an unreliable, opportunistic, petty politician, who would have us go to war over any reason and sides with conservatives to further his political goals."

19th September, 2017

Bernie Sanders campaigns in Michigan, draws large crowd



Drawing a surprisingly large crowd to his rally in Detroit, Michigan, Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders drew cheers by promising crowd "a more just, compassionate society with a just, compassionate government that you can trust." He hinted at his fellow candidates, calling himself "the only candidate who is not part of the dirty swamp of Washingtom, D.C., the only candidate who will drain that swamp!".

21st September, 2011

Businessman Donald Trump calls Governor Bush 'a mess'



In an intreview, businessman and reality star show Donald Trump called Republican frontrunner Jeb Bush 'a mess, a total waste, who looks too weak and low energy to protect America.' When asked which of the candidates he did prefer, Trump answered that 'Rick [Perry] seems ok, maybe Jon [Huntsman], and on the Democratic side I like Evan [Bayh], but this is a weak field, very sad.' Asked by the interviewer whether he plans to run a third party, Trump replied, laughing, 'maybe I should.'

22nd September, 2011

Third Republican debate: Perry, Quayle lackluster; Paul, Bush give solid performance



In the third Republican debate, held in San Diego, California, the Republican field met once again for the usual bloodbath. This time, polls showed Ron Paul narrowly won the debate, where he successfully attacked Michelle Bachmann by calling her "a surfer, a candidate without any real plans, who just tries to ride the biggest wave" and himself "someone who was out there, fighting to preserve the constitution and the liberty of American people all my life." Surprisingly, Governor Bush also managed to do well for himself, successfully deflecting attacks and boasting of his record. On the other hand, Dan Quayle's performance brought back memories from the 1990's, while Rick Perry seemed unfocused and angered conservatives when he called other candidates "heartless" after they critisized the Texas DREAM act, that provides tuition discounts to children of illegal immigrants.

23rd September, 2011

Santorum's debate answer to a gay soldier sparks controversy



There responses were mixed when Rick Santorum replied in the debate to a gay soldier, who asked about whether the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy should be re-enacted, that "I would say any type of sexual activity has no place in the military."
While many conservatives applauded the response, fellow candidate Jon Huntsman said on the debate stage that Santorum's answer was "laughable and ridiculous, a weak excuse to discriminate soldiers who chose to sacrifice for this nation, its security and yes, Senator Santorum, your security too, based on sexual orientation."
On the other side of the aisle, Democratic candidates attacked the answer. Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold called Santorum "grossly homophobic, not even bothering to use a veil to hide the language of hatred and incitement." Howard Dean said that the debate audience booing the soldier was "shameful, disgusting, and disrespectful of this brave soldier who only wants to protect his nation." White House Press Secretary Howard Wolfson said that "President Clinton continues to support the lgbt community, and believes that the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy is wrong and belongs in the past."

[America Needs R'hllor]

September 23rd, 2011

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas formally requests recognition of Palestinian statehood in UN



After an intense diplomatic campaign, the Palestinian authority has officially requested statehood in the UN General Assembly. The initiative, opposed by US President Hillary Clinton and supported by the Arab League and Russia, is not expected to succeed despite left-wing figures, both in Israel and the world, warning of "a diplomatic tsunami".
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the attempt "disgraceful and hypocritical" and said that "Israel opposed and will keep opposing any and all one-sided moves." Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper also announced opposition to the measure, saying that "we will stand with our Israeli friends against unproductive one-sided moves."
Most candidates for the 2012 US Presidential elections came out in fierce opposition to the measure, with Republican candidate Michelle Bachmann noteable saying that "the terrorist organizations leading the Palestinians have no right to statehood, and should come to the negotiating table and make concessions if they want it." On the other hand, Representative Ron Paul said that, while he opposes the attempt, "US intervention will only make it worse." Meanwhile, Vice President Bayh said that he agrees with the President's position and that "one-sided moves are unnesessary, aggressive, and harm the peace process."

25th September, 2011

Two days before a crucial Democratic Primary debate, Vice President Bayh makes short trip to Canada, meets PM Harper



Despite the looming primary debate, Vice President Bayh met yesterday with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper in Ottawa. They discussed the Palestinian UN request and the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement that President Clinton and Prime Minister Harper, as well as other world leaders, are trying to negotiate. Vice President Bayh has been a strong advocate of the agreement.
A statement from the Bayh campaign said that "The Vice President puts his job before any political purposes, and that's why he did not hesitate to miss hours of debate preperation."

September 27th, 2011

Third Democratic Debate: Israeli-Palestinian conflict, gay rights, dominate discussion



Breaking record viewership ratings, the third Democratic debate was considered a big success. Aside from a few brushes between Secretaries Joe Lieberman and Wesley Clark, the candidates refained from personal attacks and debated on substance and landed some very strong attacks on the Republican party, especially on the issue of gay rights. Using the controversy caused by Rick Santorum in the previous debates, the Democrats banded on the Republicans and reaffirmed their support for the lgbt community. Vice President Bayh quoted President Clinton by saying that "gay rights are human rights", and Governor Dean delivered a scathing attack on the "hate and incitement spewed by Santorum and other Republican politicians in the name of religious values, while completely contradicting basic Christian values like basic human decency and love." Most candidates, including Bayh, Dean, Feingold, Lieberman, Sanders and Clark, affirmed their support for same-sex marriage. Mary Landrieu and said that the issue should be left to the states, while Mark Warner, who did not endorse gay marriage until the debate, made headlines by saying that "after opening my mind and evolving my views, like every thinking person must do in his life, I've decided that I believe gay marriage to be the just, honorable thing to do, and so I support it."



The issue currently on the news dominated a big part of the debate- the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. All candidates were opposed to the one-sided step, but varied in level of opposition. Senator Mark Warner said that as President, he will "not support any one-sided step, and implore the Palestinians to come to the negotiating table and make concessions, as well." When asked how she would bring the Palestinians to the table, Senator Mary Landerieu said that "we might take away some of their aid if they decide to remain stubborn and choose war." Russ Feingold, positioning himself to the left of Bayh, said that while the attempts to force a Palestinian statehood through the UN is "unproductive and does only harm to the two-state solution, we must remain absolutely clear that this solution is the only way to secure Israel's existence as the democratic home of the Jewish people, and the settlements are also an obstacle to this solution."
However, Senator Sanders positioned himself far to the left of the field, saying that "while this is not the way and does no good to anyone, the Palestinians have every right to demand their own state and peace talks have to resume." These words prompted an attack by Secretary of Defence Joe Lieberman, who accused Sanders of betraying traditional American alliances and favouring "dark dictatorships over a democracy." He added that it's clear from Sanders' comments that the Senator is "not an ally of Israel, and does not care for its security as an independent nation."

[America Needs R'hllor]

28th September, 2011

Democratic debate fall-out: Warner, Bayh, Dean performance praised; other candidates unremarkable

Following an intense debate, dominated by gay rights and Israel, the polls showed that voters believed Warner to be the winner by a narrow margin, with Bayh and Dean right behind him. Feingold, Clark, Sanders, Landrieu and Lieberman, in that order, all had good lines, but got themselves into damaging fights and did not manage to appear as energized as the victors. This is expected to impact the polls- the Sanders campaign is especially worried that the debate will halt his momentum.

October 3rd, 2011

Polling update: Republican polls steady, Democratic race tight and uncertain

Republican Primaries- National

Jeb Bush- 19%  (+-0)
Dan Quayle- 14%  (-1)
Bobby Jindal- 14%  (-1)
Rick Perry- 12%  (+1)
Ron Paul- 9%  (+1)
Jon Huntsman- 7%  (-1)
Rick Santorum- 7%  (+2)
Michelle Bachmann- 5%  (+-0)
Undecided- 12%  (-1)

Republican Primaries- Iowa

Ron Paul- 23%  (-1)
Jeb Bush- 18%  (+-0)
Bobby Jindal- 13%  (+2)
Dan Quayle- 9%  (-1)
Michelle Bachmann- 9%  (+1)
Rick Santorum- 9%  (+2)
Rick Perry- 8%  (+-0)
Jon Huntsman- 2%  (-1)
Undecided- 8%  (-2)

Republican Primaries- New Hampshire

Jeb Bush- 17%  (-1)
Ron Paul- 16%  (+-0)
Rick Perry- 11%  (+-0)
Jon Huntsman- 11%  (+1)
Dan Quayle- 8%  (+-0)
Bobby Jindal- 7%  (+1)
Michelle Bachmann- 4%  (+-0)
Rick Santorum- 3%  (+-0)
Undecided- 21%  (-1)


Democratic Primaries- National

Evan Bayh- 17%  (+-0)
Howard Dean- 15%  (+-0)
Mark Warner- 15%  (+1)
Wesley Clark- 13%  (-1)
Russ Feingold- 12%  (-1)
Bernie Sanders- 10%  (+1)
Joe Lieberman- 7%  (+-0)
Mary Landrieu- 4%  (+-0)
Undecided- 7%  (+-0)

Democratic Caucuses- Iowa

Russ Feingold- 18%  (-1)
Evan Bayh- 17%  (+-0)
Bernie Sanders- 13%  (-1)
Wesley Clark- 13%  (+-0)
Howard Dean- 13%  (+1)
Mark Warner- 11%  (+-0)
Joe Lieberman- 3%  (+-0)
Mary Landrieu- 3%  (+-0)
Undecided- 11%  (+1)

Democratic Primaries- New Hampshire
Bernie Sanders- 17%  (+2)
Howard Dean- 16%  (+-0)
Evan Bayh- 15%  (-1)
Joe Lieberman- 14%  (+1)
Russ Feingold- 13%  (-1)
Mark Warner- 8%  (+-0)
Wesley Clark- 6%  (-1)
Mary Landerieu- 2%  (+-0)
Undecided- 9%  (+-0)

[Confused Democrat]

Drain that swamp Bernie, and pull off an Iowa upset! We're all rooting for you!

I'm way too into this TL. Great job!

[America Needs R'hllor]

October 6th, 2011

Senator Biden endorses Howard Dean, cites experience and progressive values



At an event in Flint, Michigan, popular Senator Joe Biden (D-DE) endorsed Democratic Presidential candidate former Vermont Governor Howard Dean. In his speech at a crowded rally, Biden called Dean "a proven fighter, who was always a fierce and competent voice advocating progressive values and battling special interests for those who weren't so fortunate to be born rich." This is one of the first endorsements by major Democratic figures, following Minnesotta Senator Al Franken's endorsement of Russ Feingold.

October 9th, 2011

Campaign focuses sharpen as primaries get nearer

With the Iowa caucuses only a few months away, the various campaigns are getting sharper and sharper in their focus. The frontrunners on both sides, Governor Jeb Bush and Vice President Evan Bayh, as well as others with broader appeal like Dan Quayle and Wesley Clark, are aiming for all of the early states and their campaigns seem to not be giving up on any of them. The Republican candidates who are trying to appeal to evangelists, mainly Santorum and Jindal, give Iowa a heavy focus, while moderate Jon Huntsman is campaigning all over New Hampshire and Rep. Ron Paul, who is in a uniquely strong position in Iowa and New Hampshire, is giving equal attnetion to both. Meanwhile, the thre Democratic candidates from New England, Dean, Lieberman and Sanders, are giving New Hampshire a priority, while Wisconsinite Russ Feingold is focusing on Iowa. Southern candidates Mark Warner and Mary Landrieu are bracing for an all-out battle in South Carolina.

October 11th, 2011

Republican economical debate in NH fairly uneventful; polls indicate a tight 3-way split on who won



In a debate described as "about spending and taxes, deficit and debt, about the present and the future, about rich and poor, and about the role of government", the Republican candidates managed to articulate the party's position about the economics without too many clashes. While it was not very eventful, the debate was described as very successful. The polls conducted after the debate indicated that Ron Paul, Jeb Bush and Jon Huntsman did best, Paul slightly edging out the other two, with all three appearing competent and responsible to a NH focus-group.

October 12th

High-profile endorsers on both sides of the aisle mum; President Clinton will support anyone the Democrats nominate


President Clinton in an interview where she called Joe Lieberman and Wesley Clark "both fantastic secretaries"

The high-profile officials in both parties have been slow on making endorsements. Though some endorsements have been trickling, most major figures have been staying mum, making vague statements on their support for the party. On the Democratic side, the most major endorsement is obvious- Hillary Clinton, the bruised President of the United States, who is still very popular inside the party, especially since she announced her intention not to seek a second term. In interviews and statements, the President voiced her support for the three members of her administration running for President- Vice President Bayh, Secretary Clark and Secretary Lieberman, but refused to choose one of them. Other high-profile Democrats such as House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter Carter, former nominees Al Gore and John Kerry, and Senator Barack Obama have all refused to make an endorsement yet.
On the Republican side, major figures have been slow to make endorsements- other than the obvious ones, such as the endorsements of former Presidents George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush of Jeb Bush, no major endorsements were announced yet from figures such as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Speaker John Boehner, former nominees John McCain and Bob Dole, former VP nominee Sarah Palin and popular Governor Chris Christie.

October 14th

Fourth Democratic debate passes without major incidents; Dean is the winner according to polls



Mimicking the fourth Republican debate, the Democratic one, held in Las Vegas, Nevada, was fairly uneventful. The usual suspects- Bayh, Warner, Dean, Sanders and Feingold- did well, with Dean winning decisively according to the polls, holding the only truly memorable line in the debate: "We need a true progressive, who will be a warrior for liberalism. We need a man who can get things done, who has experience. We need a man who can bring the Democrats back to strong majorities in congress. We need a man who can unite the party, and  the country. Some of my fellows here have one, or even several of those qualities. I proved in the past that I am the only candidate who has all."

[America Needs R'hllor]

October 18th, 2011

Leaks: Cabinet Meetings tenser than ever; Sec. Lieberman, Clark throw barbs at each other



The simmering tensions and rivalry between the Clark and Lieberman campaigns affect cabinet meetings, accodrding to an anonymous source in the Clinton administration. The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defence keep throwing barbs at each other and disagree on everything, which, according to the source, has a negative effect on decision-making. Another source claimed that "President Clinton is extremely displeased".

October 19th, 2011

Sec. Lieberman answers reports: "Anonymous source can only be Vice President Bayh"



During a campaign event in New Hampshire, Secretary of Defence Joe Lieberman claimed that fellow Democratic contender Evan Bayh was responsible for the leaks yesterday about the cabinet meetings. He called Bayh "an opportunist who's trying to derail fellow candidates by the merits of his position," and added that "Clark is the one responsible for any tensions in cabinet meetings."
Vice President Bayh's campaign refused to comment, while Secretary Clark's campaign spokesman said that "it's sad to see Secretary Lieberman stooping so low."

October 23rd, 2011

Jeb Bush: Democratic party full of plotting and in-fighting, Republicans must unite



Appearing before a large crowd in Iowa, Republican fruntrunner Jeb Bush critisized the recent clashes between Democratic Presidential candidates, saying that "the Democratic Party today, home to a failed President, is full of plotting and in-fighting." Using the message to rally Republicans around him, he said that "we must be different- the Republican Party must unite, and I am the only candidate who can unite it."

October 27th, 2011

President Clinton: "Cabinet Meetings going well, Lieberman and Clark great Secretaries"



In a press conference, President Hillary Clinton claimed that the reports about tensions within her cabinet were "exaggerated". She also said that "I fully trust Secretaries Lieberman and Clark, who are performing their jobs admireably."
Asked whether she will endorse any of the Democratic candidates, President Clinton said that she will not make an endorsement "at this time."

October 29th, 2011

Ahead of gubernatorial elections, Bobby Jindal heads to Louisiana to campaign



Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, who is simultaneously seeking re-election as Governor and the nomination of the Republican Party for President, returned to his home state to campaign ahead of the November 8th elections. In a campaign event, he said that "I'm running again because I want to make sure Louisiana will continue to prosper, and wish to continue helping it prosper even if I am not elected President." He also claimed that attempts to de-legitimize his campaigns for President and Governor are "undemocratic and discriminatory against Louisians Governors, who always face elections at these dates."
Democratic challanger Caroline Fayard, who has been gaining steam, said that "Jindal is an opportunist who only uses Louisiana as a springboard." She added that "Louisiana needs a Governor who will devote all his time to it, and not to Iowa and New Hampshire."
The Louisiana Gubernatorial elections, to be held in November 8th along with the hotle contested Kentucky Gubernatorial elections, will be the second elections this year after Democrat Earl Ray Tomblin narrowly defeated Republican Bill Maloney in the West Virginia special elections for Governor, held in October 4th.

[America Needs R'hllor]

November 7th, 2011

Final polls before Louisiana, Kentucky gubernatorial elections: incumbents could be in trouble



Tomorrow, November 8th 2011, will be held three elections for the governors of three states- Louisiana, Kentucky and Mississippi. While in Mississippi Republican Phile Bryant is almost assured an easy victory against Democratic Mayor Johnny DuPree, the situation in the other two races seems to be a bit different.

In Kentucky, Governor Steve Beshear is considered very popular, with an approval rating close to 50%. However, he's weighed down by the extreme unpopularity of President Hillary Clinton in the Bluegrass State, and his Republican challenger, State Senator David L. Williams, is trying to make the race about her. Governor Beshear, who's attempting to distance himself from the President, is considered favourite for reelection, but his campaign is still not completely confident.

Meanwhile, in Louisiana, Governor and Presidential Candidate Bobby Jindal, a popular governor who was considered a shoe-in for reelection, has been facing a surprisingly tough campaign, his run for President attracting challengers. His main challenger, Democrat Caroline Fayard, has been gaining steam, but the real worry for the Jindal Campaign is Republican Buddy Roemer. The former one-term Governor of Louisiana, seeing an opening, decided to make a political comeback and run against Jindal, and though he was not taken seriously at first, he did manage to gain a substantial support that could endanger Jindal's chances of winning without a runoff.



Let's look at the final polling averages before each of the gubernatorial elections:

Mississippi Governor- Bryant (R) vs DuPree (D)

Phil Bryant- 58%
Johnny DuPree- 36%
Undecided- 6%

Kentucky Governor- Beshear (D) vs Williams (R) vs Galbraith (I)

Steve Beshear- 46%
David Williams- 41%
Gatewood Galbraith- 8%
Undecided- 5%

Louisiana Governor- Jindal (R) vs Roemer (R) vs Fayard (D) vs Georges (I)

Bobby Jindal- 53%
Caroline Fayard- 22%
Buddy Roemer- 12%
John Georges- 6%
Undecided- 7%

Author's note: I noticed that the Louisiana election was held in October 22nd and not November 8th, but for the sake of the timeline, it will be held along with the other race.

[America Needs R'hllor]

November 8th, 2011

Anderson Cooper: Welcome back to CNN's coverage of the 2011 election night! Today, we will be watching three key race for the governorship of three states: Mississippi, Louisiana and Kentucky. For those just tuning in, the polls in the eastern half of Kentucky are about to close, and we will be able to get some clue about the results- will Governor Steve Beshear win re-election as expected, or will there be an upset? We will see soon. For a key race alert, let's go to Wolf Blitzer.



Wolf Blitzer: Indeed, Anderson. At poll closing time, we can say that the race for Kentucky Governor is too early to call. Let's look at the early results coming in:

Kentucky- Governor
5% reporting
David Williams- 47%
Steve Beshear- 43%
Gatewood Galbraith- 10%


Blitzer: The hour is 7 pm Eastern Time, and the polls in the western half of Kentucky have just closed. We are still unable to call the race in this hour, but the results so far seem to indicate an unsurprising race, especially with many areas more favourable to the incumbent Governor just beginning to report:

Kentucky- Governor
36% reporting
Steve Beshear- 46%
David Williams- 43%
Gatewood Galbraith- 11%


Cooper: Welcome back. The hour is 8 pm eastern, and the polls in the State of Mississippi have just closed. At this time, CNN has two major projections to make. For more on this, let's go to Wolf Blitzer.



Kentucky Governor: Steve Beshear re-elected



Wolf Blitzer: Indeed, we can confirm that Steve Beshear was re-elected as Governor of Kentucky. This is despite fears that President Clinton's unpopularity in the state could drag him down.

Kentucky- Governor
56% reporting
Steve Beshear- 50% ✔
David Williams- 41%
Gatewood Galbraith- 9%

Mississippi Governor: Phil Bryant elected



Blitzer: Meanwhile, Phil Bryant will comfortably be elected Governor of Mississippi.

Mississippi- Governor
1% reporting
Phil Bryant- 68% ✔
Johnny DuPree- 32%


Blitzer: It's 9 pm eastern, and the polls in Louisians have closed. In what must be a disappointment for the Jindal campaign, we are unable to call this race at poll closing time.

Louisiana- Governor
1% reporting
Bobby Jindal- 54%
Buddy Roemer- 19%
Caroline Fayard- 16%
John Georges- 11%


Blitzer: This is going to be a major setback for Bobby Jindal's Presidential ambitions. Three hours after the polls closed in Louisiana, we can project that the Louisiana Gubernatorial Race will go to a runoff in December 6th, and that the incumbent governor, Bobby Jindal, will take part in them. We are still unable to project who will be his rival in the runoff, this looks like a close race for the second place between attorney Caroline Fayard and Former Governor Buddy Roemer.

Louisiana- Governor
92% reporting
Bobby Jindal- 48% ✔
Caroline Fayard- 22%
Buddy Roemer- 22%
John Georges- 8%

[America Needs R'hllor]

November 9th, 2011 (morning)

Jindal campaign reeling from blow in the Louisiana gubernatorial elections



On the same day of an important Republican Presidential debate, the popular Louisiana Governor and Presidential candidate, was denied yesterday an easy reelection after scrutiny of his two simultaneous campaigns, dealing a major blow to his presidential prospects. Despite speculations that he will withdraw from one of the campaigns to focus on the other, the Jindal campaign is mum about the subject.
He will now have to compete in the November 29th runoff. While it is still unknown who will compete against him, with Democrat Caroline Fayard and Republican Buddy Roemer locked in an extremely tight battle and a recount expected, sources within the Jindal campaign were nervous at the prospect of a Roemer vs Jindal battle, citing that a Democrat will have a much harder time to win in Louisiana.

November 9th, 2011 (evening)

Perry in Republican Presidential Debate: "oops"



The fifth Republican debate, in Auburn Hillis, Michigan, was fairly eventful- it had a clash between Michelle Bachmannand Jeb Bush, in which she described him as a "low energy candidate without any message", it had a brush between Jon Huntsman and Dan Quayle about the meaning of being a conservative, and Bobby Jindal's gubernatorial loss was looming over all, with the other candidates jumping on the chance, Ron Paul even calling him "an ambitious opportunist". But none of these were well-remembered, because one moment captured all of the attention and after-debate coverage: Rick Perry's major gaffe.
In an embarrassment later described as "Perry's oops moment", the Texas governor drew a blank on the third department he wished to abolish. After saying that he would abolish three, naming Commerce and Education, he did not manage to name a third one and said "I can't, the third... Sorry. Oops." This comes after a recent string of bad speeches, one of which he was speculated by some to give while drunk.

November 12th, 2011



Governor Rick Perry's "oops moment" is refusing the leave the news, causing immense damage to his campaign. I has become a favorite subject of Late Night jokes, SNL sketches and internet memes, making Perry's candidacy ridiculous in the eyes of many voters. According to the polls, supporters are fleeing him, while donors are doing the same. Sources close to the Texas Governor said that he will continue running for the Republican nomination, but this moment might've been the end for him.

November 13th, 2011

Buddy Roemer wins recount, will advance to the runoff



Major upset in the Louisiana Gubernatorial elections: After Caroline Fayard initially won the second place, positioning herself to combat Governor Jindal in the runoff, a recount gave the advantage to former Governor Buddy Roemer. Fayard conceded, but did not yet make any endorsement.

Louisiana- Governor
100% reporting
Bobby Jindal- 48.5% ✔
Buddy Roemer- 21.82% ✔
Caroline Fayard- 21.80%
John Georges- 8.06%

November 18th, 2011

Democratic Debate sharpens the Landrieu, Warner, competition for southern voters



The Democratic candidates for President gathered in Atlanta, Georgia for their fifth debate, and it was a fairly eventful one. While Bernie Sanders attacked Evan Bayh for his centrist tedencies and Russ Feingold Clashed with Joe Lieberman on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (Lieberman calling former Senator Feingold 'a person who seems ready to side with the Palestinians over the only democracy in the Middle East, a country that is so crucial for the Jewish people's continuity'), the ones who seemed to recieve the biggest attention when the debate was covered were Mary Landrieu and Mark Warner.
Landrieu had her best debate performance until that point, without a doubt- polls indicated that she came second, after Warner, in polls asking who won the debate. She had a few of the most memorable line in the debate, appealing to southern democrats, women and independents. When asked whether she saw women's issues as important, she replied that "I am the only woman in this contest, which I think is definitely a problem. If we want to continue the progress of President Clinton, who broke that highest glass ceiling, we must show that she was not a one-off event, and that the Democratic party is a champion for women." Later, asked how she would bring in new voters, she said "I understand the concerns of people in the south, and I really think they should be addressed. It's time to bring the Democrats back to competitiveness in the south, and take the party away from the coastal elite!"
Meanwhile, Warner appealed to southerners too, saying that "The South of the United States, where we are today, needs an economic uplifting. The Republicans can't do it. We can- but only if we elect someone who has the experience and the understanding necessary to solve these problems. I am the only one on this stage who has a unique combination of both."

[President of the great nation of 🏳️‍⚧️]

Meanwhile, Warner appealed to southerners too, saying that "

RIP Warner.

[America Needs R'hllor]

Meanwhile, Warner appealed to southerners too, saying that "

RIP Warner.

LOL, sorry, will edit that in. Oops

[America Needs R'hllor]

November 21st, 2011

Polling update:

Republican Primaries- National

Jeb Bush- 23%  (+4)
Dan Quayle- 16%  (+2)
Bobby Jindal- 11%  (-3)
Ron Paul- 10%  (+1)
Michelle Bachmann- 7%  (+2)
Rick Perry- 7%  (-5)
Jon Huntsman- 7%  (+-0)
Rick Santorum- 6%  (-1)
Undecided- 13%  (+3)

Republican Primaries- Iowa

Ron Paul- 22%  (-1)
Jeb Bush- 20%  (+2)
Michelle Bachmann- 11%  (+2)
Bobby Jindal- 11%  (-2)
Dan Quayle- 10%  (+1)
Rick Santorum- 9%  (+-0)
Rick Perry- 8%  (-3)
Jon Huntsman- 2%  (+-0)
Undecided- 7%  (-1)

Republican Primaries- New Hampshire

Jeb Bush- 20%  (+3)
Ron Paul- 18%  (+2)
Jon Huntsman- 13%  (+2)
Dan Quayle- 10%  (+2)
Bobby Jindal- 6%  (-1)
Rick Perry- 5%  (-6)
Michelle Bachmann- 4%  (+-0)
Rick Santorum- 3%  (+1)
Undecided- 21%  (+-0)


Democratic Primaries- National

Evan Bayh- 18%  (+1)
Mark Warner- 17%  (+2)
Howard Dean- 14%  (-1)
Russ Feingold- 13%  (+1)
Wesley Clark- 10%  (-3)
Bernie Sanders- 10%  (+-0)
Joe Lieberman- 6%  (-1)
Mary Landrieu- 6%  (+2)
Undecided- 6%  (-1)

Democratic Caucuses- Iowa

Evan Bayh- 18%  (+1)
Russ Feingold- 18%  (+-0)
Howard Dean- 14%  (+1)
Bernie Sanders- 13%  (+-0)
Mark Warner- 11%  (+-0)
Wesley Clark- 11%  (-2)
Mary Landrieu- 4%  (+1)
Joe Lieberman- 2%  (-1)
Undecided- 9%  (-2)

Democratic Primaries- New Hampshire
Bernie Sanders- 19%  (+2)
Howard Dean- 19%  (+3)
Evan Bayh- 15%  (+-0)
Russ Feingold- 13%  (+-0)
Joe Lieberman- 11%  (-3)
Mark Warner- 8%  (+-0)
Wesley Clark- 5%  (-1)
Mary Landerieu- 3%  (+1)
Undecided- 7%  (-2)

[America Needs R'hllor]

November 23rd, 2011

BREAKING: Caroline Fayard endorses Buddy Roemer for Governor



The Louisiana Gubernatorial runoff, scheduled to be held in November 29th, is heating up- Jindal, in what must be harmful to his Presidential campaign, is campaigning all over the state, while Roemer is dedicating all his time to the campaign. While most Republican officials are supporting Jindal, Democrats and Independents are angry at Jindal for his simultanious Presidential and Gubernatorial campaigns, and are looking for an alternative. Roemer, a former Governor who runs on a 'Louisiana first' platform, seems to be just the alternative, as evident by his recent endorsements by former Independent Gubernatorial candidate, John Georges, and the recent endorsement by former Democratic candidate Caroline Fayard, coming just one day before the debate scheduled despite the Jindal campaign's opposition.

Louisiana Governor- Bobby Jindal (R) vs Buddy Roemer (R)

Bobby Jindal- 57%
Buddy Roemer- 43%

November 24th, 2011

Louisiana Gubernatorial Debate pits Governor Jindal against insurgent Buddy Roemer



While both candidates for Louisiana Governor, incumbent Jindal and insurgent Buddy Roemer, performed decently in the New Orleans debate, with Bobby Jindal appearing more polished and competent, Buddy Roemer did achieve one major victory- he presented his arguments before the people of Louisiana, and effectively showed himself as a true alternative. This is expected to elevate him in the polls.
A major moment in the debate were when Jindal called his rival "a voice of the past, trying to bounce back into relevancy without any understanding of the future", and Roemer responded by accusing Jindal that he's "not one to speak of the future, in which the Governor does not envision himself as Governor of Louisiana, but as Commander-in-Chief, ridiculing the post of Governor and making it into a joke."

November 28th, 2011

Landrieu on Louisiana Gubernatorial race: Jindal is not right for the state or the country



Louisiana Senator and Democratic Presidential candidate Mary Landrieu has commented in an interview on the surprisingly competitive Louisiana Gubernatorial race, saying that she "will vote for former Governor Roemer in a day, despite obvious reservations." Landrieu added that she is disappointed Caroline Fayard, "a wonderful candidate and friend", did not advance to the runoff, but that "Governor Jindal's rhetoric on the campaign trail and his opportunistic and cynical runs for two offices at the same time prove he is not right for the state or the country."

Louisiana Governor- Bobby Jindal (R) vs Buddy Roemer (R)

Bobby Jindal- 51%
Buddy Roemer- 49%

November 29th, 2011



Wolf Blitzer: Hello, and welcome to CNN's coverage of the Louisiana Gubernatorial election runoff. I am Wolf Blitzer, and I will report the results tonight as they come in. This race has been made competitive by incumbent Governor Bobby Jindal's run for President, which caused opposition to arise against his percieved opportunism in running for two offices. The popular Governor has been locked in a tough fight with former Governor Buddy Roemer, in a race which was very much nationalized because of Jindal's candidace. It's a make or break for Jindal's political career- if he wins, though the damage to his presidential campaign was already done, his political career will be secured, but if he loses, he will certainly be struck a fatal blow in the presidential race, too. It's 9 pm, which means the Lousiana polls have closed and we have some first results:

Louisiana Governor
1% reporting
Buddy Roemer- 56%
Bobby Jindal- 44%


10 pm

Wolf Blitzer: Welcome back to our coverage of the Lousiaian elections for Governor. We still cannot call the race, but after a great beginning for former Governor Roemer, we're seeing Jindal starting to gain serious ground.

Louisiana Governor
31% reporting
Buddy Roemer- 51%
Bobby Jindal- 49%


11 pm

Wolf Blitzer: The Louisiana Gubernatorial race is still close to call, but we can report that Governor Jindal is now at the lead. If this trend continues, it might turn out to be a good night for him.

Louisiana Governor
44% reporting
Bobby Jindal- 50.4%
Buddy Roemer- 49.6%


12 pm



Wolf Blitzer: CNN can now make a major projection:

Louisiana Governr: Bobby Jindal re-elected



Louisiana Governor
61% reporting
Bobby Jindal- 53% ✔
Buddy Roemer- 47%


Wolf Blitzer: Governor Bobby Jindal will win reelection! This comes after a surprisigly tough and wounding campaign for him, but now it looks like he might be able to continue his Presidential run, though it will not be easy.

November 30th, 2011

Victorious Governor Jindal addresses supporters in Louisiana

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Louisiana Governor
100% reporting
Bobby Jindal- 54.8% ✔
Buddy Roemer- 45.2%

[President of the great nation of 🏳️‍⚧️]

Honestly, part of me really wanted Roemer to pull it off.

[America Needs R'hllor]

December 1st, 2011

Source in the cabinet: President Clinton told Secretary Lieberman, arguing with Secretary Clark, to 'shut up and stop disrupting the meeting or get out'



The Clark vs Lieberman fiasco continues: confirming previous reports about tension between the two Secretaries which harm cabinet meetings, a source in the Clinton administration said that the two do not budge and, despite attempts by figures such as Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Vice President Evan Bayh to reach reconcilation between them, continue throwing barbs and even undermining each other. This has caused an unsustainable condition, according to some in the administration, one even reporting an incident when President Hillary Clinton grew so frustrated with the two that she had to shut Lieberman down, telling him to 'shut up and stop disrupting the meeting or get out'.
Secretary Clark said, in a campaign event in Michigan, that 'Joe Lieberman's continued attacks against me are disappointing, but I promise you, I will NEVER let such a petty business overshadow my duty, just like I never did in my time as general.' Meanwhile, the Lieberman campaign denied the reports and said that 'any tensions between the two are caused by Secretary Clark, Secretary Lieberman and President Clinton have a great working relationship.'

December 3rd, 2011

Mitt Romney on the state of the Republican race: I would've easily won



Interviewed to the New York Times, former Presidential candidate Mitt Romney commented on the state of the Republican race for the first time since he withdrew due to his wife's health. He said that he would not make an endorsement 'at this time', but noted that 'look, all I'll say is that I would've easily won this, and I truly wish the Republican party luck and hope the eventual nominee will turn out better than I expect.' This is considered a surprisingly icy comment from the former Massachussetts Governor and frontrunner for the nomination.

December 6th, 2011

Jon Huntsman in New Hampshire: Rick Perry is a joke

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December 8th, 2011

Bobby Jindal, campaigning in South Carolina: I took this risk because I care

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December 9th, 2011

Jeb Bush in The Late Show: ready to seal the deal in tomorrow's debate; time for Republicans to unite

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[America Needs R'hllor]

December 10th, 2011

Sixth Republican Presidential Debate

The sixth, and second-to-last Republican debate before Iowa was held in Des Moines, Iowa, and the closeness of the Primary season was well-feeled in the heated debate.
After rivals Rick Perry and Bobby Jindal tanked in the polls, the first one due to a horrible debate and the second one due to a hard-fought campaign for re-election as Louisiana Governor, frontrunner Jeb Bush started to look stronger and stronger. Polls indicated that the only one close to him was Dan Quayle, and attack ads against Quayle featuring his past gaffes started airing, harming him too. That was the last poll, by CNN, released before the debate:

Republican Primaries- National
Jeb Bush- 31%
Dan Quayle- 15%
Bobby Jindal- 10%
Ron Paul- 10%
Michelle Bachmann- 6%
Jon Huntsman- 6%
Rick Perry- 5%
Rick Santorum- 5%
Undecided- 12%

Polls in Iowa started showing Bush leading Paul, too, for example, this was the Des Moines Register poll before the debate:

Republican Primaries- Iowa
Jeb Bush- 24%
Ron Paul- 20%
Dan Quayle- 14%
Michelle Bachmann- 10%
Bobby Jindal- 9%
Rick Santorum- 7%
Rick Perry- 6%
Jon Huntsman- 2%
Undecided- 8%

So, it was understandable that Jeb Bush's rivals would be worried. It was clear that if he could cruise to the nomination if not stopped soon. And so, Jeb Bush came under heavy fire.

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Jeb Bush, standing in the center of the stage because of his frontrunner status, was the center of the discussion, too, constantly having to deflect and fight off attacks. Sometimes he succeeded in doing it, but sometimes he did not. Some pundits even claimed later that he 'buckled under pressure', and clearly, he lost the debate, with his relative lack of charisma and enthusiasm clearly showing.
In one instance, for example, Bush tried to critisize Ron Paul's foreign policy, but the Texas Representative shot right back: "How can you speak of foreign policy, when your brother is the one who dragged us into a bloody, unnecessary war, which you supported? How can you speak of it when your own foreign policy is identical to his, a foreign policy of state-building and war?" In another, he got into a verbal battle with Rick Santorum and Dan Quayle from the other about his moderate immigration policy, where they attacked him from two sides, making him come out as a clear loser of the debate.

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During the debate, Dan Quayle didn't really manage to rise up as much as his campaign has hoped. He came off as a bit boring and uncharismatic, causing some to speculate that he lost some of his youth's energy, and made a few mistakes that brought back memories of the late 80s and early 90s. He just didn't manage to present enough of an alternative to Jeb Bush, and entered some mutually harmful personal arguments with him.

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Bobby Jindal's star shone bright during the debate. Coming off a tough few weeks culminating with a victory for him, the Louisiana Governor managed to bring his triumph into public attention and appeared charismatic and re-energized. Additionally, he stayed above the fray, critisizing Quayle and Bush over 'bringing back petty rivalries from the 90s that the American people want to stay there.'

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Ron Paul was always good in debates, and this time was no different. He fiercely attacked his opponent's positions, especially Jeb Bush's, and clearly presented himself as a candidate with views that are very different than those of the rest, for better or worse, some of his responses drawing strong cheers from the audience.

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Despite entering the campaign with great hope of riding the Tea Party wave into victory, Michele Bachmann is struggling to gain in the polls, only recently rising a bit after Perry tanked in support. She tried her normal tricks in the debate, giving fiery and controversial statements with appeal to religious right voters, but it just didn't seem to work- Paul beat her in controversial, Jindal in fiery, and Santorum in appeal to the religious right.

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After Rick Perry's disastrous debate, the next one seemed like the only chance for a recovery. Perry did do much better than in the previous debate, but that is an extremely low bar- he did not manage to properly deflect attacks on his performance and was clearly too careful to make statements that would draw attention to him, remaining pretty invisible during much of the debate.

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Governor Huntsman, doing surprisingly well during the campaign for a moderate, bipartisan candidate during partisan times, managed to do very well in the debate- he articulated his positions well, had sharp responses against attacks, and took a lot of attention, in part because he was used as a target for attacks many times. This was certainly one of his best debates.

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Basically taking a full mantle as the religious right's candidate, Rick Santorum didn't have a bad debate, but it wasn't particualarly good either. The former Senator boasted of his ground operation in Iowa and promised to win there, but it seems unrealistic for him at this point.

Post-debate poll: Who Won?
Bobby Jindal- 31%
Jon Huntsman- 24%
Ron Paul- 20%
Rick Santorum- 7%
Rick Perry- 6%
Michele Bachmann- 5%
Dan Quayle- 5%
Jeb Bush- 2%