The Presidency of America's Maverick

[OSR stands with Israel]

HHS Secretary Nancy Johnson Announces Healthcare Reform Proposal:

Cooper: The Secretary of Health and Human Services Nancy Johnson has just proposed a healthcare reform propsoal from the administration and here it is.

Reform Proposal:

- Replaces Tax-Exemption for Employer-Provided Health Benefits with a Tax Credit of $2500 for individuals and $5000 for families

- Allow people to buy insurance across state lines

- Provide Federal Funding to help expand upon high-risk pools for people who cant gain coverage through the individual market

- End Requirement that Health Savings Plans be linked to a government specified high deductible insurance plan

Cooper: With us now is former OMD Director John Kasich to discuss this proposal. So Mr. Kasich these are some of the main points but what else will have to be hammered out

Kasich: Well even if you assume all these provisions stay in a healthcare reform bill, there are some questions the congress will have to answer. One of them is replacing the exemption with tax credit means one you will have to also revise the medical deduction probably , and for American who work in companies who offer very generous health plans these changes could possibly cost them some money.

Now of course every policy you make will have people who benefit and some who dont but it is something that always is a bigger problem for congress than the President.

Cooper: Why is that

Kasich: Well cause in the Congress, you may have many representatives who represent districts where a proposal would have greater amount of people who don't benefit than benefit while for the President he just needs to worry if the overall benefits outweigh the negatives.



 

[Kahane's Grave Is A Gender-Neutral Bathroom]

The Democrats will probably throw protections for pre-existing conditions and ending lifetime maximums into the final bill.

[OSR stands with Israel]

McCain New Cabinet picks confirmed as he begins final two years of his administration:


Blitzer: President McCain new cabinet picks: Mr. Ben Bernanke for Treasury, former Senator Bob Franks for Commerce, and Mr. Robert Kagan have all been confirmed by the senate and were sworn in by Vice President John Danforth afterwards in their new positions. Ambassador Kagan in his first statement since being sworn in Indicating the US will take a far more hardline stance against Iran, Syria and North Korea in the UN over the upcoming years. His statement is not a surprise given the increase in hostilities between the US and those 3 nations in the past year and Mr.Kagan being one of the key founders of the think tank called Project for a New American Century.


Vice President John Danforth announces he will not run for President:



Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBTyjR8ElLc

Danforth: Thank You Thank You. With speculation of who will run for President heating up given the fact that President McCain is unable to run again, I know that as the incumbent Vice President there will be many questions asked over the upcoming months as the field is being formed if I plan to run or not. It is a reasonable question given how many Vice Presidents have run in the past half century and given the fact that many potential candidates may be wondering the answer to this themselves. Due to this I want to announce at this very moment that I do not intend nor will accept my party's nomination for President of the United States. It has been the highest honor of my life to serve you the people as your Vice President for the past 6 years and look forward to continue to do so over the next two years to help make our nation a better place. Thank You May God Bless You and May God Bless America

[OSR stands with Israel]

Excerpts from President McCain's 2007 state of the union address:



Souce: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/app/uploads/2019/02/RTX6LFXE-1024x683-e1549455385158.jpg

Speaker Boehner: Ladies and Gentleman , its my high honor to welcome to you , the President of the United States!!

McCain: Speaker Boehner, Vice President Danforth, members of Congress and my fellow Americans I want to start out this speech by congratulating newly elected members of the house and senate and let them know that I look forward to working with them over the next two years to make our nation a better place(Applause). Over the past 6 years we have shown to not only the people of the United States but to the world the effectiveness of our system in helping make our nation a better place(Standing ovations). Over the past 6 years we have worked together to put our nation on a good path to win the Global War on Terror(Applause), help fight for freedom around the world(Applause) and home make many reforms on issues such as our campaign system, our tax system , our tort system, the cost of prescription drugs and immigration(Applause) and those reforms along with others have truly made the state of our union stronger than it would have been without them(Applause). That does not mean our work is over as we still have many things we can do to make our nation a better place and its a job that not only will concern me but every future president after me as well(Applause).

One thing we must do is improve our healthcare system to make healthcare more affordable for the average American(Applause). Number 1 we must change our broken system which ties healthcare to to a place of employment which is why I am proposing we replace the tax exemption individual gets for employer provided healthcare with a tax credit that anyone can receive. I also believe that it should be possible for Americans to buy healthcare insurance from any place they want which is why we must remove the regulations so we can allow Americans to buy insurance across state lines which will increase competition and thus reduce prices(Mixed Applause). Doing these actions along with expanding high risk pools and health saving accounts will ensure that individual American remain in control of their healthcare coverage instead of government bureaucracy or their employer which is why I think it is important that Congress pass this plan(Applause).

Another issue that remains important and will always remain important is educating our next generation(Applause). It is an area that we must consistently work on to get better as nothing can be more important than ensuring our next generation is prepared to succeed(Applause). One thing that is critical in any education reform is by ensuring that parents can be able to track their kids progress and that doesnt only come from report cards or standardized test scores but know exactly which areas where their kids or succeeding in and struggling in(Applause). Then once we do that we must increase funding for after school programs that can help struggling kids catch up to their peers without requiring families to pay over 100 dollars a month for tutoring or learning centers which is why I ask Congress to pass a bill that allocated block grants for such after school programs(Applause).

While we have many issues to deal with here at home we cannot and must not forget our responsibilities abroad as well. Thanks to our troops we have crippled international terrorism(Applause), and freed the people of Iraq and Afghanistan from Tyrants(Applause) and I can tell you that the greatest honor I have of being President is being the commander in chief of such great men and women(Applause) and it makes me proud to be an American too(Standing Ovation and chants of USA USA). That does not mean our goal is finished though as we must continue to ensure that Iraq and Afghanistan can become successful democracies(Applause), we must continue to ensure that international terrorism does not get the ability to bounce back(Applause) and we must remain vigilant of enemies of freedom all across the world(Applause). It is why I ask this body to pass a bill that imposes stricter sanctions on Iran, Syria and North Korea and make it clear to those regimes that we will not tolerate them having nuclear material(Applause) and any loosening of sanctions must be accompanied with them increasing the freedoms of their people(Applause). Doing so would not only make it clear to those regimes but regimes all around the world that the United State of America is and will remain the greatest beacon of liberty the world has ever seen(Standing Ovation)

May God Bless You, May God Bless our Troops and May God Bless America


 

[OSR stands with Israel]

Former Democratic Nominees Al Gore and Joe Biden decline Presidential Bids:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T-yqlH67_4

Blitzer : The two previous  Democratic nominees , Al Gore and Joe Biden, both announced today that they would not make another bid for president. These were statements released by the both of them earlier today

Gore : I had the honor of my life to be your Vice President for 8 years and be the Presidential nominee of such a great party in 2000 and while those are memories I will cherish for the rest of my lifetime , I will not be making another bid for President. Our party has many great potential candidates and i am confident in their ability to win the next presidential election and make our nation a better place


Biden : While it was a great experience running for president 4 years ago and I feel we did bring up many important issues in that campaign, I will not be making another bid for president in 2008. It is time for someone new to take up the banner of our party and I will do all I can to help whoever our nominee is win the next election


Blitzer: While I dont think will come as a surprise , this is still some major news.

Greenfield: Yes it is and I think at this point that can only be good news for Senator Hillary Clinton who most people believe is the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination with two of the more establishment candidates ruling out runs. It also sets up what many people expect to be a two way race between Mrs.Clinton and the Democratic Run-ups from 2004, Russ Feingold.

Blitzer: Are there any other candidates that can disrupt that

Greenfield: Oh of course just cause the both of them are the frontrunners at this moment does not mean it cant change as its just way way to early to say anyone is a solid frontrunner. There are many names who could be potential wildcards such as Don Siegleman, Bill Richardson, Brian Schweitzer or
Barack Obama who could completely shake up the dynamics of the race and once that happens, the nomination becomes anybody's ball game

Blitzer: Their are some rumors some celebrities may run

Greenfield: Yes there are rumors some celebrities such as Stephen Colbert who is the host of a comedy program the Colbert Report, or Donald Trump the businessman and the host of the Apprentice who in recent years has caused a lot of controversy by questioning President McCain's War Hero status could make a run. Though the question for the both of them would be if they run they would have to end their tv shows due to rules about equal coverage . Given the fact that they would be heavy underdogs , making a run for President could be a tough financial decision.

[2016]

Hilarious if Russ Feingold thinks he can beat Hillary Clinton! Hillary will walz into this Nomination I think.

[OSR STANDS WITH PALESTINE]

Colbert 2008!

[OSR stands with Israel]

New York Senator Hillary Clinton announces Presidential Bid:



Source:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0KQ9wj8liE

Clinton: Thank You Thank You. Our nation today stands on a crossroads with our nation on brink of recession, tens of millions of Americans who are uninsured, and a changing landscape in our world which requires new solutions and it is critical that we meet these challenges if we are to make our nation a better place in the future(Applause). Instead what we have gotten is an administration that instead of proposing a plan that would provide universal healthcare is telling us all we need to do is just make some few minor changes and everything will be fine(boos), that the economy will be just fine(Boos) and all I can say is the President and his party are wrong(Applause).

As everyone knows I greatly respect the President for the sacrifice he made in Vietnam and thank him for his heroism as well as his uniting our nation to fight the war on terrorism after 9/11(applause) but that does not change the fact that he is wrong on these major issues which is why we need to move in a different direction. Keep in mind it was the Democratic party that produced great presidents such as FDR, Harry Truman, JFK and of course Bill Clinton whose policies greatly improved the lives of millions of people all across the country and it is time we once again renew that mission which is why I have decided to run for President of the United States(Applause).

Thank You may God Bless You and May God Bless America


Congressman Ron Paul announces Presidential Bid:



Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOv1K8ikz5E

Paul: Thank You Thank You. For the past 6 years we have seen our great Republican Party that once used to speak out against foreign interventionism fully embrace the type of interventionism previous Republican Presidents such as Calvin Coolidge used to speak out against, have embraced big government interventionism in our economy with us expanding the welfare state and have sold out our sovereignty to international organizations such as the United Nations, the WTO, Kyoto and many more(boos). Instead of opposing attempts to subvert our constitution, we have seen the Republican Party become a willing participant with the Democrats in that undertaking(boos) and it is time we put a stop to it which is why I am running for President(Applause).

It is time that our nation once again puts the interests of Americans first rather than getting involved in every world problems(applause), stop taxing and spending all our hard earned money(Applause), return the power to the people, and most importantly uphold the constitution we swear and oath to defend(Applause). While many people may doubt our ability to win, I can tell you that if we unite in this mission we can win and truly restore the nation our founders built(Applause). Thank You, May God Bless You and May God Bless America(Applause).

[OSR stands with Israel]

Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold announces Presidential Bid:



Source: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/x7BUlS0KPI8/hqdefault.jpg

Feingold: Thank You Thank You. Today our nation is at a crossroads on whether we either can choose to confront the problems of income and wealth inequality, being the only developing nation in the world not to have universal healthcare and millions of decent paying jobs being outsourced overseas or we can choose to continue down the direction we have for the past few decades which has let these problems become as bad as they are(Applause). We can choose whether the Democratic Party will once again be the party that stands strong for the working men and women of this country and restore the legacy of Franklin Roosevelt or whether we can continue to be let the policy debate be set by the Republicans(Applause) and I can tell you it is time we once again reembrace FDR's legacy and that is why I am running for President(Applause).

As President I pledge to stand up for the American worker to help them bargain for better working conditions, prevent more jobs from being outsourced overseas, and finally ensure that every American regardless of income can have quality healthcare(Applause). It may not be easy and we may face many roadblocks on the way but if we fight for what is right I am sure we can win in our vision to make our nation a better place(Applause). Thank You, May God Bless You, and May God Bless America


Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee Announces Presidential Bid:



Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Huckabee_2008_presidential_campaign

Huckabee: Thank You Thank You. It is great being back in Little Rock where I had the honor of serving this great state as your governor for more than 10 years and I am proud of what we were able to accomplish in my tenure here. We were able to bring both parties together to balance the budget for 10 years and do it while improving our state's education system, healthcare system and infrastructure(Applause). I also believe that if we could do it here in Arkansas, that we can do it for our nation as a whole as well which is why I am running for President(Applause).

In this election it is important that we not only continue down the solid foundation the President has built over the past 6 years but also expand upon it to ensure that we can strengthen the American dream for our families, restore traditional family values that are important in society , improve our education and healthcare systems and yes do all of that while balancing the budget(Applause). While people can say it is impossible all I have to say is first that no it isnt cause many states in our union have done just that, and two 6 years ago many said the same thing about the President's reform agenda and guess what he turned the impossible into possible(Applause). Thank You May God Bless You and May God Bless America


Former General Wesley Clark Announces Presidential Bid:




Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcWs4TFSjrY

Russert: General Clark thank you for coming on and I do hear you have an important announcement to make

Clark: Yes Tim and that is that I will be running for the Democratic Party's nomination for President of the United States.

Russert: Why is that General Clark

Clark: Well I believe that my role and tenure as a general in our military does prepare me to be commander in chief of our military and in times like this I believe that that experience is important. It is important to remember that while we are winning the war on terror , the war has not been won yet and winning the war requires us to work with the world community to ensure that nations such as Iran and Syria do not get nuclear weapons under any circumstances.

Russert: What do you think the current administration is doing wrong in that regard

Clark: I think that number 1 they are too focused on using unilateral power in hopes of intimidating the Iranians and Syrians into abandoning their nuclear program and the fact is I dont think that approach will work. The reason is logistically invading Iran and Syria would be a nightmare given that we already have hundreds of thousands of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan meaning we either will have to exit our missions there too early in order to have the troops needed to invade those nations or reinstate the draft which I dont think anyone believes should happen. Second unlike Iraq, going to war with those nations could also increase the changes of a confrontation with the Russians which is something we have to avoid at all costs so due to these reasons I dont think either the Iranians or Syrians will be intimated into the President's demands.

The only way we can get them to backdown is if we work with the United Nations, NATO and the world community more in putting enough pressure on them that they come to the bargaining table and make a deal.


Russert: Ok in that case given that you have identified as an independent your whole life why did you decide to run as a Democrat

Clark: Well first the fact is I am someone who believes we should move towards a system where all Americans can afford healthcare, believe the wealthy should pay more in order to support programs that help working families in this nation and consider my self pro choice as well. So due to those reasons I clearly am a Democrat and will push towards policies that meet those goals.

Russert: Thanks for coming on General Clark and good luck

[OSR stands with Israel]

Former Alabama Governor Don Sieglman announces Presidential Bid:



Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Nl6DaZD8jo

Sieglman: Thank You Thank You. 4 years ago when I stood here and announced my presidential bid many doubt we would get within 10% in any state but we almost managed to win the South Carolina primary which could have given our campaign the momentum needed to win the nomination(Applause). In that campaign It was my honor meeting Americans of all backgrounds and meeting them you come to realize how similar the concerns of Americans regardless of race, gender , or political party is similar and that was the underlying belief of mine as governor of Alabama and will be mine as your next President as well(Applause).

Too much we hear from the press that its impossible for Democrats to win in the deep south now and all I can say is that is just untrue(Standing Ovation). Voters in Alabama just like in other states want to have good jobs and wages, decent healthcare for their family, and want their kids to have a good education(Applause). In this campaign we will bring Americans into the political process from all sorts of backgrounds as we believe the future of America rests in the hand of not the politicians but you the people(Applause). Thank You, May God Bless you and May God Bless America


Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney announces Presidential Bid:



Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb5c5KBXSvk

Romney: Thank You Thank You. Today our nation faces many issues from rising costs of energy , an over bearing bureaucratic state , to rising healthcare costs, to rising powers such as Russia and China and it is time we tackle these issues head on(Applause). As Governor I worked with both parties to solve the many problems of our state including of the issue on healthcare reform and I believe in can bring the same experience I gained both as governor and in the private sector to Washington to tackle these problems which Is why I have decided to run for President of the United States(Applause).

As President I will continue the successful policies of the President in the War on Terror and against corrupt interests here at home(Applause) but also build upon the work of the President to help our nation make the changes it needs(Applause). It is time we take advantage of our energy resources here at home to be energy independent and doing so not only will help lower energy prices here at home but also help us against Russia as well. Similarly taking on the unfair trade policies of the Chinese Government will not only help our businesses but ensure China can never threaten the US as well(Applause). Thank You, May God Bless You and May God Bless America

Massachusetts Senator John Kerry announces Presidential Bid:



Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYJjOCYmi-A

Kerry: Thank You Thank You. Today we stand looking at the horizon where we can see many crises emerging but we can also see a way to stop them if we take the necessary actions needed to do so(Applause). Our healthcare system is on the verge of crises, our economy is on the precipice on recession and we could be on brink of war with nations such as Iran, Syria and North Korea if proper preventive action is not taken. To solve many of these issues requires us to move in a different direction and do so in a competent way where we can keep the good of the present without keeping the bad which is why I have decided to run for President(Applause).

While the President is someone who i view as a honorable man and a friend, it does not change the fact that his economic polices are not working for the average American with the median income barely going up over the past 6 years once you account for inflation(boos), has failed to deliver on education reform(boos) , and his healthcare proposal doesnt come close to fixing our problem(boos). I believe instead we should repeal the President's tax cuts for corporate America and use it to expand Medicaid to make it easier to working class American to afford healthcare(Applause), and pass real and substantive education reform so we can ensure every kid in America has a decent education(Applause). Thank You, May God Bless You and May God Bless America

[OSR stands with Israel]

Pacific Northwest Big Winners as Seattle, Washington chosen as venue for RNC while Portland, Oregon chosen as venue for DNC:




Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multnomah_Falls

Blitzer: The Pacific Northwest are the big winners in the convention sweepstakes as both the RNC and DNC have decided to host their conventions there with the RNC deciding to host their convention in Seattle, Washington and Democrats in Portland, Oregon. Here is the full schedule for both conventions including the venue of both places


2008 Democratic National Convention:

Dates: August 25th - August 28th
Host: Portland, Oregon
Venue: The Rose Garden

2008 Republican National Convention:

Dates: September 1st - September 4th
Host: Seattle, Washington
Venue: Key Arena


Blitzer: The Venues of both these conventions are the NBA arenas of the Portland Trail Blazers and Seattle Supersonics. So John why were these cities chosen to host the conventions

King: Well the reason is that both Oregon and Washington have been swing states in the past two elections and if you see the sites chosen, they are chosen in the Pacific Northwest state both parties lost in 2004.

Blitzer: How big of a deal is this for the two cities

King: This is very big news for both cities but especially Seattle who were on the verge of potentially losing their NBA team and we heard that the state of Washington agreed to help fund the renovations of Key Arena due to getting to host a convention and that will almost certainly save their NBA team.

As for Portland, well this will give the often ignored city on the West Coast some attention for the first time really since the Blazers won the NBA Championship back in 2000.

[OSR stands with Israel]

Of Course the real reason for this update , was that last answer by John King

[OSR stands with Israel]

Healthcare Reform Plans hit Roadblock in Senate due to Dem filibuster

Blitzer: The President's Healthcare Reform Plan has a hit a roadblock in the senate due to a successful filibuster led by liberal stalwart Senator Ted Kennedy who called the plan inadequate and a cover to make Americans think that something is done on the issue. We are told their speeches pretty much rallied the vast majority of the Democratic caucus which made it impossible for the Republicans to get the 9 Democratic votes they need to pass this bill. So Anderson what are you hearing from negotiations on this bill.

Cooper: We are hearing that Senator Kennedy plans to filibuster any non universal healthcare bill and the issue for the President and the Republicans is him doing so puts pressure on other Democrats not to vote for cloture unless that condition is met.

[President Johnson]

I'd probably support John Kerry here, aat least so far. Too bad Al Gore isn't running.

[OSR STANDS WITH PALESTINE]

Come on Colbert!

[OSR stands with Israel]

DNC Chair Howard Dean Talks about Democrats and part of their strategy to take back power in 2008:



Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9Mh6DHr1js

King: Governor Dean, their are many rumors floating that you requested possible Democratic candidates enter the race as soon as possible. Why is that

Dean: Well one of the most hardest thing for a party that is not holding the White House or either House of Congress , is getting our message out and the fact is as an opposition party being able to hold these debates and townhalls on national tv is a good way to get our message out and present a counter to the narrative the Republicans otherwise would set.

King: Such as

Dean: Well right now the President and his party is setting the narrative that this healthcare bill being proposed is great and that we are the one obstructing it and the fact is that is just not true. Our debates and townhalls I believe will send a message that to the American people that 1 we believe we can do better than a minor reform bill intended to fool the people into thinking the problem is solved, and two show that we have concrete solutions too. Hopefully this will get the President and the Republicans to negotiate a truly universal healthcare bill with us but if we dont well we have many candidates on our stage that can and will do better than they are currently.

King: So you will not be a candidate

Dean: Nope I promised when I took this job that I would not run for President so I can truly focus on this job which is to help rebuild this great party of ours.

King: As DNC Chair you have implemented what you call a 50 state strategy which many credit with Democrats being able to narrow the gap more than people would have thought but my question is 1. its one thing to narrow the gap and one thing to actually win control 2. one thing to do it in a 6th year itch where the out of power party makes gain and another to actually do it in a presidential level when many candidates are carried by the top of the ticket

Dean: I disagree with the notion that every candidate is carried by the top of the ticket, as keep in mind in 2000 that  now Senator Schweitzer unseated then Senator Conrad Burns in a state the President won by over 10 points and we picked up Missouri as well which was another seat the President won by 10 points. So while it wont be easy I believe we can compete and win in senate races that might easily go Republican at the Presidential election.


King: Last question, their are rumors that celeberties such as Stephen Colbert or Donald Trump may run for President. What is your reaction to them running and will they be allowed on the debate or townhall stage

Dean: Listen one of the best things about our democracy is anyone can run for President and as the chair of the party we will not put in rules such as you must have held prior elective office to be on the debate or townhall stage. We will let that be decided by Democratic voters in polls conducted by polling organizations to see if they qualify as they are the ones who will be deciding who are nominee is and they should also decide who makes it to our major events.

King: That You Governor

Dean: Always a pleasure to be on Larry

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If Colbert doesn’t run…

[OSR stands with Israel]

North Carolina Senator John Edwards announces Presidential Bid:



Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wS8Pl9D4-vQ

Edwards: Thank You Thank You. It has been a great honor to serve as the senator of the great state of North Carolina for the past 8 years and to fight for the poor children, and working class parents all across this state and it is high time we have someone in the Oval Office who will do the same thing which is why I have decided to run for President(Applause). For so long we have heard candidates talk about the American Dream but the fact is for many families that dream is no longer attainable and that to me is unacceptable and it is high time we change that(Applause).

It is critical that in this moment when our economy is going through such major changes, that could disrupt the lives of so many families that we ensure that if that happens they can still have health insurance, feed their kids and themselves, and have the ability to send their kids to college(Applause). It is why as a senator I have made it clear that I will not under any circumstance support this current healthcare bill that tries to create the impression that reform is happening but in reality doenst achieve universal healthcare because the fact is universal healthcare is a must and it is what I will continue to fight as a Senator, on this campaign and if we win as your next President(Applause). Thank You May God Bless You and May God Bless America


Congressman Duncan Hunter announces Presidential Bid on Fox News Sunday:



Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duncan_L._Hunter

Wallace: So Congressman Hunter I heard you have an announcement to make

Hunter: Yes and that is I am running for President. The reason is that it is important that we have a President who understands the importance of border security as the fact is yes we have passed enforcement provisions but they will mean nothing if we dont actually enforce them and I as President will absolutely do that.

Wallace: Well many would argue wasnt an immigration bill passed already so why is that an issue in this campaign

Hunter: The fact is we need a President who would actually ensure the 1000 mile fence is built,  a strict employment verification system is built to make sure this time the problem actually gets built and the illegal immigrants who committ crimes while in this nation and those who have been less than 5 years get deported.

Wallace: Didnt you oppose the Z-Visa provision and as President would you grant them

Hunter: Listen I oppose those Z-Visas and fought against it but the law is the law and as President I will uphold the law which means those Z-Visas will be granted. I will make it clear though if 500 miles of the fence arent built by December 2011 like the law states that it must then Z-Visas will not be granted and I will not extend the protections from deportation.

Wallace: Thank You for coming on Congressman Hunter

Hunter: Anytime

Senator Chris Dodd announces Presidential Bid:



Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8G5hsS8XA98

Dodd: Thank You Thank You. Today our nation once again stands at a critical moment in our history with us on the verge of recession, is debating healthcare reform and faces a potential war with Iran or Syria that we must avoid to the best of our abilities which is why I have decided to run for President(Applause). As a senator I have fought to improve health care and as President I will fight to enact a bill that can make sure every American can afford healthcare(Applause) , voted against Free Trade Deals that outsource our jobs and will put a pause on all new potential free trade agreements until we can first ensure our current ones work for the working people of this nation(Applause).

As President I will do all in my power to ensure we can avoid war with Iran and Syria and yes that means understanding that we need to proper negotiations with those nations. Yes we may not get everything we want but that is better than getting involved in another war when we could have stopped it(Applause) . It is also time that we work with the Iraqi Government to make sure that we can get our troops out as soon as possible as the fact is we have accomplished most of our goals in Iraq and we need to do the same in Afghanistan as well(Applause) and also so we can spend some of that money at home as well(Applause). Thank You, May God Bless You and May God Bless America



Florida Senator Jeb Bush announces he will not make a Presidential Bid



Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIbTgCiLNz0

Blitzer: We have some breaking news to report and that is Senator Jeb Bush has announced he will not make a run for President. So Bill does this mean the Bush family have decided that Texas Senator George W Bush will be the one to run for President

Schneider : Yes I do think that is part of the calculation given that since he is more well known given he ran in 2000 he has a better chance of winning the nomination but I also think there is more to that. There are rumors that Republican Leadership is grooming Jeb to take the number 3 role in senate party leadership after the next election and eventually potentially be the Senate Leader for the Republicans and I think Jeb would rather focus on attaining that then making a run at the White House.

[OSR stands with Israel]

President McCain signals that he will abandon healthcare fight as he signs executive order on issue:

Blitzer: The President earlier signed an executive order that will deregulate the healthcare markets in an attempt to increase competition in insurance markets. Many believe this is a sign the President and the Republicans are abandoning the healthcare fight as they believe they no longer they can get 9 Democrats to sign off on any bill they would view acceptable. Jeffrey what was in the executive order

Toobin: The President really is trying to do a hail mary here as he is trying to use the regulatory powers of the executive branch to make it possible for people to buy health insurance across state lines but its questionable whether or not the courts will allow that to stay into effect. We will see though



Breaking News: McCain's Healthcare Order struck down by the courts claiming it violates separation of powers


Blitzer: We have some breaking News and that is the United States District Court for the Northern District of California has just struck down the President's executive order regarding healthcare. California Attorney General Jerry Brown brought the matter to the court by suing the President and saying his executive order has no legal basis. So Jeffrey what did the court find

Toobin: Well the Court said given that much of the prohibition on purchasing insurance across states lines came from written law, the President has no power to get rid of that regulation and for that reason it has been struck down. Now the President has said he will appeal but its hard too see either an Appeals Court or Supreme Court reversing this decision.

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Stephen Colbert announces Presidential Bid:



Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Tnq4TJYN7A

Colbert: Thank You Thank You. It is had surely been an interesting start to the presidential season where we have seen many candidates enter the race this early with all of them giving their usual speeches about how they are the right candidate for the future(laughter). All we hear are the same debates we have heard all my life, and no debate about the issues that will matter to future generations such as global warming, ensuring our nation remains on the cutting edge of the technological revoultion without hurting the average American(Applause).

That is why I have decided to run for President so we can have an honest debate on issues regarding global warming which will impact the next generation if we dont act(Applause). While many pundits may think we may have no chance let me tell you this, one that anything is possible and two the issues we raise in this run is more important than the run itself(Applause). Thank You, May God Bless You and May God Bless America(Applause).



Senator Fred Thompson announces Presidential bid



Source:https://youtu.be/CpMGTz6IZ_8

Thompson : Thank You , Thank You . It is a great honor to be back in Tennessee where I had the great honor of serving as your senator for 8 years(Applause). During those 8 years I learned a lot about Washington and while there are of course good things about it , one thing we all can agree on is it lacks common sense (laughter) and the will to take on tough problems. For example our deficit currently stands at a little over 100 billion dollars and all we here are the same old debates about cutting this or cutting that when the fact is that over 70% of our budget is spent on entitlement programs, defense spending and interest on the debt so the fact is if we want to have a balanced budget in the long run we must make tough reforms to these programs(Applause).

As President I will one order an extensive audit done on these programs So we can have a detailed report on what money is being wasted and that will be cut right away and two what inefficiencies their are in the system and then propose reforms to them right away (Applause). Many may say it is unpopular or political suicide  to propose these tough reforms and my answer is yes it may be but great leaders aren’t those who don’t make tough decisions just to keep their popularity but those  who make the tough decisions to improve the long run health of our nation even if doing so may cost them re-election(Applause). I can tell you that I am not really that fond of politics as I am with other things but I believe that is something I can bring to the table as your next president because I won’t be worried about the next election as leaving a safe and prosperous future to my children and grandchildren(Applause).

Thank You May God Bless you and May God Bless America

Businessman Donald Trump announces Presidential Bid



Source : https://youtu.be/bmhSnhNfskU


Trump :  Thank You Thank You , I have to say though that  I have never seen a great crowd like this before . The reason we are here though is cause the fact is our nation is in serious trouble with us being ripped of by nations such as China , Japan , Germany , Mexico and others who  thanks to our terrible leaders are laughing at us while they take our jobs and businesses(Applause) . We are paying hundreds of billions of dollars a year in Iraq which by the way is more than our annual defict  despite the mission being completed years ago and we haven’t gotten anything from it , not an oil deal or really anything. This by the way is happening the same time millions of Americans don’t have healthcare either and many Americans have to worry from Crime and gangs here at home(Applause).

It is time we move on from decades of failed leadership especially the failed leadership of the worst president in American history , John McCain which is why I am running for President and believe me we will win cause all I ever do is win(Applause). When we win , I can promise you our nation will start winning on trade , on healthcare as we will expand Medicare to every American ,  and we will make American great again and take this nation back from the war criminals , the idiots , and losers who have sold our nation out(Applause). Thank you May God Bless you and May



Blitzer : This past week we basically have seen what many call the celebrity candidates on either side announce their runs . So Bill what do you think of these candidates

Schneider : First I’d say it is unfair to call Mr.Thompson a celebrity candidate as well because while he may be now with law and order , he was a senator for 8 years . Now I’d say he’s still a wild card given everyone thinks the nomination will come down better Governor Giuliani and Senator Bush who both are expected to announce soon but he could have the Hollywood factor to break in and become a potential front runner as well .

As for the other two it seems like Mr.Colbert is more interested in brining  issues such as global warming , and technology issues to the fore front and that could happen given his celebrity status . With Mr.Trump it’s hard to say given he did refuse to sign on for a celebrity spin off of the Apprintice but many are  saying  he could be angling for creating a political tv program and a presidential run could help him do that . Also if he really is interested in politics keep in mind that the 2009 Mayoral Office will be an open seat and if either Mrs.Clinton or Mr.Giuliani win he could make a potential run at their senatorial or gubernatorial seats as well .

Now many democrats are afraid his past comments he made on President McCain questioning his war record could cause issues for their party as while they do want to denounce that their are people on some blogs who have said similar stuff as well so it could create a wedge in their party they don’t want or need .

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Colbert ‘08

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Texas Senator George W Bush announces Presidential Bid:



Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCPLpP6NI-w

Bush: Thank You Thank You. Its great being back in the great state of Texas which is the best state in our great nation(Applause) and it has been a great honor to represent this great state as your senator for the past 4 and a half years and previously as your governor for 8(Applause). It has been an honor to work with a President as great as John McCain to help make our nation a safer and more prosperous place and it is important that we not only continue the work he has done but expand upon it which is why I have decided to run for President(Applause). It is my belief that we continue to be vigilant of the enemy we face which is why it is critical we do not declare victory too early(Applause) as we do not want to give terrorists the opportunity to grow in strength once again(Applause). We must continue to lead the effort in the global war on terror in order to ensure that a repeat of the September 11th attacks can never happen again and the only way to do that is to destroy terrorism(Applause). Over the past 6 years we have done that by removing the Taliban from power in Afghanistan, by creating a democracy in Iraq(Applause) and by putting pressure on the Iranians and Syrians to stop aiding and abetting Terror(Applause) and as President I will continue that policy.

Here at home we have seen many great reforms passed from reforms to our tax system, or legal system, to our immigration system, to lower the cost of prescription drugs and it is important that we continue to make those reforms work(Applause) so we can keep up the good work. It is also important that we reform our education system so we can make it the envy of the world and as President it will be my number one priority because nothing is more important in the long run for our nation than ensuring our kids have the tools they need to succeed(Applause). We also must appoint judges to the courts who will uphold the law how it is written rather than legislating from the bench(Applause) and as President I will ensure those are the judges that get on the bench(Applause). Thank You May God Bless You and May God Bless America.


New York Governor Rudy Giuliani Announces Presidential Bid:


Attribution : 1DmkIIN, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Giuliani: Thank You Thank You. It is great being back in the greatest city in the world where I had the great honor of being your mayor for 8 years(Applause) and its been a great honor being the governor of the great state of New York for the past 4 and a half(Applause). I can tell you that I have never been more proud to be a New Yorker than these past 6 years where in the darkest moment ever for this great city, I got to see upfront the great character and courage the people of this city and state showed in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks and how we managed to rebuild in such adversity(Applause). It also was clear that day that we as Americans can no longer ignore evil around the world as doing so resulted in the worst terrorist attack in our history and we must remain determined to ensure that it never happens again(Applause). It is why I am proud to have backed the President in 2000 as his leadership during this war has been nothing short of extortionary and it is critical that we continue his work to keep our nation safe(Applause).

While many may want to declare victory now , it is important we must not cause doing so is exactly what our enemies that currently are losing ground every day want(Applause). We must ensure that Afghanistan like Iraq can become a democracy , and the enemies of freedom never take control of Iraq again(Applause). We must continue to improve our intelligence agencies to ensure that we have the ability to find out and intercept the plans of terrorists before they can attack. There is no issue we face more pressing than winning a complete victory in the War on Terror which is why I am running for President of the United States(Applause) . Thank You, May God Bless You and May God Bless America


President McCain announces he will not endorse any candidate until the Primaries are over:



Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrnRU3ocIH4


McCain: As everyone may know the 2008 Presidential Race is heating up and due to that many in the media have wondered if I will be offering my support to any of the candidates. My answer is I will not be endorsing any candidate until the primary process is over nor will I assist any campaign in a private manner as well. It is critical that we let our process go on from townhalls, to debates to rallies to interviews and let Republican voters pick who our nominee is come 2008 not me and once that happens I will gladly do whatever is necessary to help them win the general election.

Media Member: Will you be voting in the primaries given your state will be on Super Tuesday.

McCain: Yes I will be but who I vote for will remain a secret to everyone outside my family

Media Member: Is there anything you will be looking for in a Republican Candidate before you vote for them

McCain: Well some things I will be looking for is how ready they are to lead our nation to win the war on terror as there is no issue more important than that. Then I will also be eagerly watching the campaign to see which candidate has the best policies too help improve our economy, fix our healthcare system and other issues.

One thing I hope to see on this campaign is too see all the candidates not only in our party but in the Democratic Party is a substantive debate over why they have the best policies rather than seeing cheap political tricks and games being played to fool voters into voting for them. To me that will be more healthy for our nation and that is what I hope to see

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Breaking News : Economy in recession after collapse of many community banks and due to high interest rates


Blitzer: The market earlier today dropped a record 711 points today as the economy officially fell into recession. Lou what are some of the reasons for this recession

Dobbs: Well the fact is a combination of interest rates having gone up by a lot in the past few years, many community banks closing has resulted in a recession as banks a whole are not giving out loans at the same rate as before.

Blitzer: How severe is the recession expected to be.

Dobbs: Nobody knows for sure but most experts believe it will be around the level we faced in the early 1990s and the effects can be a little bit worse or better depending on what the response is

Blitzer: Ok thanks Lou for coming on now, and I am sure many people will be more interested in CNN Money than they have in a long time. We look forward to seeing you on there


President McCain gives statement about state of the economy:


McCain: Good Evening. The news that our nation officially entered a recession understandably has led many Americans to wonder about their and their families economic future . Recessions can and in the past have made it harder for many Americans to find jobs , make tough cuts to their family budget and I fully understand why you are worried about this recession as well. Many are also asking why this recession has come upon us and according to top economic experts across the spectrum they believe this recession has come upon us for multiple reasons and they are : 1. an increase in interest rates in an attempt to slow down a major bubble from being created 2. and the failure of many community banks across the country .

It is why also when dealing with this recession we must have both a short term solution to help our nation recover from this recession as swiftly as possible which is why I am requesting congress pass a stimulus bill that offers American businesses and workers tax relief they need as well as an energy program that will help us achieve energy independence, deal with global warming and provide jobs at the same time. It is also my belief we pass legislation that makes it easier for small and community banks to thrive in the long run so we dont get into a recession like this again. Thank You May God Bless You and May God Bless America

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CNN's Very Early look at the 2008 map:

Blitzer :When CNN covers the upcoming presidential election this year we will have a new feature to make following the election easier . Let’s go over to John King who will explain more about

King : Yes the feature is something we are calling the magic wall and as you can see right now it’s showing you the map of the 2004 election but we can show you every election map going back to 1980. Let’s just do that right now , as you can see 1980 and 1984 were massive landslides for President Reagan , 1988 was a semi landslide for President Bush , 1992 and 1996 were pretty decisive wins for President Clinton , 2000 was a close win for President McCain and 2004 was a solid win for the President.



King : Now what we can also do is click on a state , and given many of our hosts  are from New York more than any other state let’s go with that . As you can see New York went to Senator Biden by a solid 13 point margin in 2004 and the last time a Republican won that state was back in 1984. As you can see there was a lot more red on the map in 1984 than 2004 and now lets look at some of the counties in the New York and Long Island Areas. One county is Nassau county which is a county which was basically 50/50 in 2004 while if you go back to 1984 , you can see Ronald Reagan won that county by nearly a 24 point margin. By the way from 1984 to 2004 the entire state moved 21 points towards the Democrats so there you begin to see why New York is so Democratic now. Now lets look at Queens one of the 5 broughs in New York and you can see while yes in 1984 the Democrats won that county it was only by 7 points while fast forward 20 years later the Democrats won that county by a whopping 39 points.

So now looking at this map you can see why New York has become so solidly Democratic and on these election nights when we are going through these battlegrounds we will go through these counties coming in and then compare it to how those counties were like in not only 2004 but in previous elections as well. This will give us a good idea of how actually a state is going versus just relying on the overall numbers.

Blitzer: So John how is next year's presidential election map shaping up to be

King: Keep this in mind that we are still a long way out so things can change massively especially since we dont know how the economy will look like then but if I had to roughly move every state that I believe could be winnable outside a landslide this is how Id just the map so let me move these states to tossup.




King: Now while some may argue that Colorado isnt really a battleground and neither is West Virginia my response is while yes most likely Colorado will lean Republican by the general election campaign and the same is true in reverse for West Virginia but I could potentially see scenarios where there are tossups.

Blitzer: If assuming the election were this November instead of next what would you say states from here are likely to lean one parties way regardless of candidate in a close race


King: Well in a close race Id say you most likely would see the Republicans win states such as Florida, Tennessee , Colorado and Nevada which would move them up to 219 electoral votes and the Democrats would win states such as West Virginia, Arkansas, Michigan , Maine state wide, and either  which would give the Democrats 184 electoral votes. Now yes that does make their path to 270 harder but keep in mind that the path this far out of an election always looks harder for the party not holding the White House so I wouldnt read much of it especially since a close race means that one of Pennsylvania or New Jersey for sure would lean towards them and for the sake of this argument lets say New Jersey since it was closer in 2004 which would mean Democrats would start out with 199 electoral votes only 20 behind.

Blitzer: Im seeing that a lot of the battleground is in the Midwest a region which many say almost always votes on the economy

King: Yes which is why I will say much of this election depends on how the Republicans deal with this recession cause if they dont deal with it well it could sink them in the Rust Belt and Midwest . If that happens and now suddenly Democrats become favored in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa the Democrats now suddenly have 267 electoral votes meaning they only need one state from the rest of the map to win the presidency.


So while candidates yes matter, Ill say how the McCain Administration and Republican Congress deal with the economy matter more cause if they handle it badly it likely wont matter how good the Republican nominee is.

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Treasury Secretary Ben Bernanke releases Administration's Economic Recovery Plan:



Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lw0lDFmkymA


Blitzer: Secretary Bernanke released the White House's Economic Recovery Plan to help the nation recover from this recession we are facing. Here are some key provisions:


Economic Stimulus Plan:


- Suspend the Federal Gas Tax for the rest of the year

- Expands Earned Income Tax Credit

- Raises Standard Deduction to 7,500/15,000

- Make Child Tax Credit Refundable

- Create A Deduction that lets non-corporate taxpayers to deduct up to 20% of their qualified business income plus up to 20% of qualified real estate investment trust dividends and qualified publicly traded partnership income



Blitzer: We are told the President plans to move his economic program in two parts with his stimulus package just outlined being the first priority and his energy plan second. So Former OMD Director Kasich what do you think about that

Kasich: Well my belief is that it is a smart strategy as while yes it is important we pass a comprehensive energy program that will create millions of jobs in the long run, what is higher priority at the moment is to ensure the negative effects of the recession are minimal as possible and to have a fast as recovery as possible as well. I believe this proposal does that as one it puts more money in families with the suspension of the gas tax credit, increase of the standard deduction and expansion of the child and earned income tax credit. That along with a new tax break to put more money in the hands of small business owners is exactly what we should be doing and I think we should pass this as soon as possible.

Blitzer: How soon can it pass cause many Democrats probably would want to make changes to the package and congress is currently in its recess

Kasich: Well I think that recess should be ended immediately and any bill should be passed within a month and I think it can cause every provision of this bill can be passed using the reconciliation process.

Blitzer: Ok thanks



Trump and Feingold Call for Iraq Withdrawal and money used for Iraq to be used for Economic Stimulus:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcP7Xm4ictw

Trump: It is absolutely ridiculous that President McCain and the Republicans are spending hundreds of billions of dollars in Iraq instead of spending that money here at home. It is time for these imperial globalists to stop enriching their defense contractors in efforts to maintain their empire and start actually spending money to enrich Americans at home .


Feingold: Listen the fact is we have accomplished all our goals in Iraq and it is time we leave so we can spend the hundreds of billions of dollars we spend there here at home. Spending that money here at home would ensure millions of currently uninsured Americans get healthcare coverage, make it easier for families to send their kids to college or trade schools, and improve our infrastructure. So due to that it is high time we start the Iraq withdrawal process so we can spend that money here at home.