Blood, Sweat, and Gore Gameplay Thread

[VirginiaAaron]

NBC Democratic Presidential Town Hall

All Images from Wikimedia Commons

Good evening and welcome to NBC's first presidential town hall of the 2008 election. I'm Tim Russert, coming to you from Iowa State University in beautiful Ames, Iowa. Tonight, I'll be serving as your moderator for the Democratic presidential candidates. Tomorrow night, my colleague Brian Williams will be live from the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina with the Republican candidates for president. Later on this week, Rachel Maddow will be at the University of Nevada in Los Vegas, Nevada hosting Independent candidate Donald J. Trump.

For the last few weeks, we've asked the audience to send in questions that you would like to be asked to our presidential candidates, and the audience has delivered. Tonight's rules are simple. Each candidate will have a few moments for opening remarks. Questions will be posed by voters in the audience tonight, voters from across the nation who sent in videos, or by myself.

Responses will be judged based on clarity, length, and of course response from you, the voters. Let's get started and one at a time introduce the Democratic candidates for President of the United States...

Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen...

New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton...

South Dakota Senator and Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle...

Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold...

Former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel...

Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer...

California Congresswoman Barbara Lee...

Vice President Joe Lieberman...

Arkansas Senator Blanche Lincoln...

Former Georgia Senator Sam Nunn...

Illinois Senator Barack Obama...

and finally, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius

Questions for All Candidates

Typical political wisdom would say that after 16 years of Democratic control in the White House, that the American people would opt for a Republican candidate. How are you best equipped to win over independents and Republicans to keep the Democrats in the White House for another 4 years?

In 2006, Congress repealed Don't Ask, Don't Tell which did not allow gay, bisexual, or transgender people to serve in the military. Do you agree with this action by Congress, and if elected, would you be in favor of repealing the Defense of Marriage Act?

Some critics of President Gore have said that the Department of Homeland Security isn't needed because there have only been small terror attacks, which aren't worthy of creating a whole new federal government department. Where do you stand on the Department of Homeland Security?

Questions for Specific Candidates

For Governor Bredesen: As Governor of Tennessee, you made significant reforms to how your state runs Medicaid, reforming to a system known as TennCare which automatically enrolls all eligible Medicaid recipients into managed care. Would you try to bring this type of reform to a national scale, and if so what would you change that would better fit the national platform rather than Tennessee?

For Senator Clinton: Your husband, President Bill Clinton, signed Don't Ask, Don't Tell in 1993 and the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996. How can the LGBT community trust you in the White House?

For Senator Daschle: You currently have a 50% vote rating from NARAL, the pro-choice advocacy group. Can you set the record on where you stand on abortion?

For Senator Feingold: In the Senate, you along with Arizona Senator and GOP presidential candidate John McCain passed a major campaign finance reform known as McCain-Feingold. Would you push for further campaign finance reform if elected?

For Senator Gravel: In 1971, you filibustered on the Senate floor to remove the military draft to thereby end the Vietnam War. If elected, will you repeal the draft?

For Governor Schweitzer: Some on the left have criticized your position on gun control. You have an A rating from the NRA. Can you elaborate more on your position on guns?

For Congresswoman Lee: For quite a long time, you've been on the frontlines of the movement to legalize marijuana. Could you please lay out your position on drugs in general, but specifically marijuana?

To Vice President Lieberman: In the Senate, you were a vocal critic of the Chinese government. What will you do to change the relationship between the Chinese government and the American government to make sure American workers are given a fair shot?

To Senator Lincoln: Many times in the Senate, you've voted with and worked with Republican Senators. Some on the left have called you a "traitor". Do you see this as an advantage or disadvantage you have over your opponents?

Senator Nunn: In 2001, you founded the Nuclear Threat initiative, working to end the production and use of nuclear weapons. Would you bring this fight to the White House if elected?

For Senator Obama: Critics have said that you're not qualified to serve as President of the United States. You were elected to the Senate 3 years ago, and before that you were in the Illinois State Senate for 7 years. What makes you qualified to seek the presidency?

For Governor Sebelius: In 2003, the death penalty was outlawed for federal crimes. Do you agree with this action taken by the federal government and the Gore administration?

Since this is not a debate format, there will be no rebuttal. Answers are due June 10. Good luck!

[VirginiaAaron]

NBC Republican Presidential Town Hall

All Images from Wikimedia Commons

Good evening and welcome to NBC's GOP presidential town hall. I'm Brian Williams, coming to you from the College of Charleston in beautiful Charleston, South Carolina. Tonight, I'll be serving as your moderator for the Republican presidential candidates. Yesterday night, my colleague Tim Russert was live from Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa with the Democratic candidates for president. Later on this week, Rachel Maddow will be at the University of Nevada in Los Vegas, Nevada hosting Independent candidate Donald J. Trump.

For the last few weeks, we've asked the audience to send in questions that you would like to be asked to our presidential candidates, and the audience has delivered. Tonight's rules are simple. Each candidate will have a few moments for opening remarks. Questions will be posed by voters in the audience tonight, voters from across the nation who sent in videos, or by myself.

Responses will be judged based on clarity, length, and of course response from you, the voters. Let's get started and one at a time introduce the Republican candidates for President of the United States...

Virginia Senator George Allen...

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg...

Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher...

Utah Governor Jon Huntsman...

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal...

Arizona Senator John McCain...

New York Governor George Pataki...

Texas Congressman Ron Paul...

Former Defense Secretary Colin Powell...

and lastly, Florida Congressman Adam Putnam...

Questions for All Candidates

Typical political wisdom would say that after 16 years of Democratic control in the White House, that the American people would opt for a Republican candidate. How are you the best candidate to make sure that there is a Republican in the White House for the first time in 16 years?

In 2006, Congress repealed Don't Ask, Don't Tell which did not allow gay, bisexual, or transgender people to serve in the military. Do you agree with this action by Congress, and if elected, would you be in favor of repealing the Defense of Marriage Act?

Some critics of President Gore have said that the Department of Homeland Security isn't needed because there have only been small terror attacks, which aren't worthy of creating a whole new federal government department. Others have said that this didn't go far enough. Where do you stand on the Department of Homeland Security?

Questions for Specific Candidates

For Senator Allen: During your 2006 re-election campaign, you referred to someone who was a staffer for your opponent, Jim Webb, as a "macaca," a Portuguese word that's translated to 'monkey'. (Here's the exact quote: "This fellow here over here with the yellow shirt, Macaca, or whatever his name is. He's with my opponent. He's following us around everywhere.") What do you say to your critics that say that your remarks are racist?

For Mayor Bloomberg: In 1995, one of your employees filed a complaint that alleged that after she told you that she was pregnant that you told her to "kill it." Are these allegations true and what do you say to pro-life Republicans who may be weary of a Bloomberg nomination and Bloomberg presidency?

For Governor Fletcher: In 2005, the Kentucky Attorney General opened an investigation into your administration about your office allegedly firing government employees based on political loyalties. You and several staff members from your office were indicted and you pardoned your staff members. Since announcing your presidential campaign, the investigation was dropped. However, that still has not ended the comparisons to Richard Nixon's watergate. How can you assure voters across the nation that you will run a competent administration and that you can be trusted in the White House?

For Governor Huntsman: Utah has one of the highest rates of growth in the nation, frequently landing in the the top 5 of growth rankings by state. How do you plan to bring this rate of growth to the federal government, if elected?

For Governor Jindal: The American Civil Liberties Union has recently criticized you and your campaign for running an ad implying that immigrants should be required to be fluent in English in order to have American citizenship. If you're elected president, what specifically will you do to change the immigration process in this country?

For Senator McCain: Conservative groups are reluctant to support your candidacy because of your streak of voting with Democrats in the Senate on some pieces of legislation. Some have referred to you as a RINO. What will you do as president to make sure that conservatives made the right choice for president, if elected?

For Governor Pataki: You frequently disagree with the GOP platform. You're pro-choice, pro-gay rights, pro-medicaid expansion. As Governor, the deficit in New York also went up. How can you assure the party that you will govern as a Republican with Republican policies?

For Congressman Paul: In the 1990s, you wrote a series of newsletters in a Texas newspaper. Recently, some racist and homophobic comments in those newsletters have arose. One quote says "Given the inefficiencies of what DC laughingly calls the criminal justice system, I think we can safely assume that 95 percent of the black males in that city are semi-criminal or entirely criminal." You also said "even in my little town of Lake Jackson, Texas, I've urged everyone in my family to know how to use a gun in self defense... for the animals are coming." You said that New York City should be renamed to "Welfaria", "Zooville", "Rapetown", "Dirtburg", and "Lazyopolis". Do you stand by these comments?

To Secretary Powell: Conservative activists are weary of your candidacy due to your previous support of some Democratic politicians and the Powell Doctrine, which would limit U.S. military action abroad. What do you say to those critics and do you stand by the Powell Doctrine?

To Congressman Putnam: Activisits have called you a "sell out" to the NRA because of your A+ rating. Can you elaborate what you would do regarding gun control if elected President?

Since this isn't a debate, there will be no rebuttals. Responses are due June 11. Good luck!

[VirginiaAaron]

BREAKING NEWS: REP. KING (R-IA) TO CHAIR COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE GORE AND IRAQ

Images from Wikimedia Commons

Good evening, I'm Wolf Blitzer from the CNN newsroom in New York City. Tonight we begin from an update from the House of Representatives. A few moments ago, Iowa Congressman Steve King began a press conference announcing the formation of a committee to investigate President Gore and the Gore administration to see if the administration is hiding reports that there are indeed weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. A group of Republican lawmakers led the effort to create this committee, particularly Congressman Steve King of Iowa, Congressman Jim Jordan of Ohio, Congressman Peter Roskam of Illinois, and Congressman Lynn Westmoreland of Georgia. On a party line vote, the committee was established.

Members of the committee were announced today with all of the Republicans previously stated along with Congressman Eric Cantor of Virginia, Congressman Virgil Goode also of Virginia, and Congressman Joe Barton of Texas. On the Democratic side, Congressman Elijah Cummings will serve as Ranking Member of this committee. The other Democrats on the committee include Congressman Adam Smith of Washington, Congressman Adam Schiff of California, Congresswoman Linda Sanchez of California, and Congresswoman Gabby Giffords of Arizona. Chairman King has already promised that there will be several subpoenas if necessary, lots of testifying, and that he would like to see President Gore himself testify on the matters of Iraq.

Meanwhile, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's office recently commented on these "unknown reports" that some Republican members of the House, "There are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, period. We've had peaceful discussions with the President of the United States and that's that. There's nothing to this story."

[VirginiaAaron]

REP. KING SUBPOENAS POWELL, HAMILTON, SCHWARZKOPF TO TESTIFY BEFORE IRAQ WMDS COMMITTEE

Today, Congressman Steve King, Chairman of the U.S. House Select Committee on Iraqi Weapons of Mass Destruction, announced he would seek to issue subpoenas on former Secretary of Defense and GOP presidential candidate Colin Powell, Secretary of State Lee Hamilton, and Secretary of Homeland Security Norman Schwarzkopf. The committee, whose creation was mostly led by Republican Congresspeople on the far-right, however there are some moderate and conservative Democrats such as Rep. Collin Peterson of Minnesota, Rep. Rick Boucher of Virginia, and Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI).

Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi of California criticized the committee, calling it "foolish" and "a waste of time." Meanwhile, Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois has stayed neutral on the committee. Speaker Hastert's office hasn't put out a response other than wishing Chairman King "the best of luck."

The Democratic presidential candidates have universally condemned the formation of this committee, while the Republican candidates have stayed mostly silent. Chairman King appeared on Fox and Friends this morning in an attempt to increase public attention for when the live hearings begin airing on news stations across the United States. Here are some of King's words:

The goal of this committee is to provide something that has not yet happened during this session of Congress. We are going to hold Al Gore and this administration accountable. These last 8 years with Al Gore in the White House have been nothing but a bunch of environmentalist hokum, more government overreach, and increased efforts to turn this country away from capitalism. We also have to hold Iraq accountable. If they do have weapons of mass destruction, you can bet your bottom dollar, we'll have our men on the ground in Iraq, defending our freedom, defending liberty, and protecting our nation.

We've reached out to Chairman King, Secretary Powell, Secretary Hamilton, and Secretary Schwarzkopf for comment and we'll get back to you when we have that. From the ABC newsroom in New York City, New York, I'm George Stephanopoulos, good night.

All Images from Wikimedia Commons

[VirginiaAaron]

BREAKING: AP NEWS POLL SHOWS CLINTON, SCHWEITZER WIN DEM TOWN HALL WHILE MCCAIN, ALLEN WIN GOP TOWN HALL

A few nights ago, NBC held town halls for the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates in Ames, Iowa and Charleston, South Carolina. On the Democratic side, all of the Democratic candidates were in attendance except for Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen, former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel, Vice President Joe Lieberman, and Arkansas Senator Blanche Lincoln. On the GOP side, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Governor Ernie Fletcher, Governor Jon Huntsman (who has now left the race), Governor George Pataki, and Secretary Colin Powell were not in attendance.

A flash Associated Press poll shows that New York Senator Hillary Clinton and Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer gave the best responses of the night on the Democratic side. Meanwhile, Virginia Senator George Allen and Arizona Senator John McCain were both seen as the victors. However, between the town hall and the poll being conducted, Senator McCain announced he was leaving the race due to a cancer diagnosis.

Among independent voters, putting all of the candidates together onto one poll, Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer leads there, here are the results:

WINNER OF NBC PRESIDENTIAL TOWN HALL AMONG INDEPENDENT REGISTERED VOTERS

Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D-MT): 27%

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ): 16% (Campaign Suspended)

Sen. George Allen (R-VA): 10%

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY): 10%

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA): 9%

Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-LA): 8%

Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX): 7%

Sen. Tom Daschle (D-SD): 3% (Suspended Campaign)

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D-KS): 3%

Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI): 2%

Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL): 1%

Sen. Sam Nunn (D-GA): 1%

Here's the response among Republican voters with Republican presidential candidates

WINNER OF NBC GOP PRESIDENTIAL TOWN HALL AMONG REPUBLICAN REGISTERED VOTERS

Sen. George Allen (R-VA): 32%

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ): 29% (Campaign Suspended)

Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-LA): 18%

Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX): 17%

Here's the response among Democratic voters with Democratic presidential candidates

WINNER OF NBC DEM PRESIDENTIAL TOWN HALL AMONG DEMOCRATIC REGISTERED VOTERS

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY): 37%

Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D-MT): 35%

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA): 11%

Sen. Tom Daschle (D-SD): 7% (Suspended Campaign)

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D-KS): 6%

Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI): 5%

Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL): 2%

Sen. Sam Nunn (D-GA): 1%

[VirginiaAaron]

Jessica Feingold Lieberson gives exclusive CNN Interview, claims she has been poisoned with mercury

During an exclusive CNN Interview, the daughter of Senator Russ Feingold, Jessica Feingold Lieberson has claimed that what Rabbi Dena Feingold wrote in her book was only the tip of the iceberg, and that there are many things that she (the Rabbi) does not know which happened during the campaign. Jessica recalls living in terror as well, with death threats, 24/7 surveillance and receiving multiple knifes and guns as a so-called gift. However, she also claimed that more direct attempts at her life were made. She said that in mid November she started feeling very sick so she went to a doctor to do some tests. The results said that she had a high level of heavy metals in her blood, mostly caused by an abnormally high level of mercury. The doctors helped her with treatments to lower the levels back to normal, but at tests made in December, the mercury seemed to continue to rise. According to her, her father and sister had similar problems, with too much mercury in their blood. And this was not the only explosive statement made by Feingold Lieberson. She also said that she has no idea as to the whereabouts of Russ Feingold, who was not available to comment on the recent revelations. She is worried about a possible abduction, but says it is more likely for him to be hiding somewhere. However, she made a public call for anyone who sees her father to report to the Police or to CNN. The last public appearance of Senator Feingold was at a campaign rally for Hillary Clinton in Des Moines, Iowa, and no one has seen him since the night before the book of Rabbi Dena Feingold has been released.

Uhhhhh...I'll just leave this here...

[VirginiaAaron]

Guess I'm not doing graphics anymore..