Santa Anita at Hollywood

[richiebee]

I knew who you were talking about immediately, but was going to twist your horns and ask you if it was the Alou brothers

[marcus]

I can recommend a great pool hall in Beil-Bien that\'s perfect until things settle down from the election  ...  Rudy could make the ticket IMO - not impossible . New Hampshire (No. Mass) is a lark from either side now although this time Mac could consolidate his win and woo the independents .

[fkach]

One thing I clearly missed about the republican primary race is the fact that independents and even democrats can actually vote in some of the republican primaries. That appears to be having a very positive impact on McCain\'s chances because the things that more conservative republicans tend to dislike about McCain are things that democrats actually like.

[TGJB]

Again-- the main reason McCain was always the favorite to win was by default.

A guy who used to work here had an expression: Larry Bird good looking. From a distance Bird looked okay, but the closer you got...

None of the Republican nominees other than McCain could stand up to any kind of scrutiny from the usual Republican voters. Romney not only has the Mormon thing, he has flip flopped on BIG Republican issues. Huckabee has a lot going for him (and is the likely Vice Presidential candidate), but his resume is lacking, especially in foreign policy. And Guliani-- aside from the isues already raised here, and Kerik, and the NY firefighters and cops and 9/11 widows following him around to explain that he was no hero at all on 9/11, and his anti-party positions on abortion and gays, three marriages, and keeping secret his client list since he left office, and not attending the meetings of the 9/11 Commission and getting asked to leave (or quitting, depending on who you believe)...

The one guy who actually could derail McCain in the unlikely event he ever gets any traction is Thompson. He\'s completely by-the-book in his positions, acts and looks the part, and if he ever gets going the big money from the party establishment will come pouring in. I took a little of him at 22-1 as a saver.

There\'s a pretty good story on Guliani in the 1/7 New Yorker for anyone who wants an overview.

[fkach]

The bottom line if that you clearly made a great bet and I should stick to horses. ;-)

[Michael D.]

TGJB Wrote:
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> None of the Republican nominees other than McCain
> could stand up to any kind of scrutiny from the
> usual Republican voters. Romney not only has the
> Mormon thing, he has flip flopped on BIG
> Republican issues.



the biggest issue tonight was the economy.

this is wide open.

[fkach]

McCain\'s weaknesses are on immigration, among the religious right, and on taxes. Those are actually strengths among some independents and democrats who are also participating in some of these republican primaries.  I think Romney has actually won every primary among \"registered republicans\".

[TGJB]

Iowa, New Hampshire and Michigan were the three states where Romney had the best shot, and he needed to win at least two to have a strong chance going forward. Michigan was the state where the economy was going to be most important (until the general, by which time we\'ll be in a recession).

The most interesting two things that happened on the Republican side yesterday were a) Romney splitting the evangelical vote with Huckabee, and b) Huckabee saying the Constitution should be changed where it conflicts with the Bible. That may work in a Republican South Carolina primary, but will come back to haunt him later. As it should.

Florida will be the single most important (though not necessarily conclusive)primary.

[richiebee]

TGJB Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

 
> The most interesting two things that happened on
> the Republican side yesterday were a) Romney
> splitting the evangelical vote with Huckabee, and
> b) Huckabee saying the Constitution should be
> changed where it conflicts with the Bible. That
> may work in a Republican South Carolina primary,
> but will come back to haunt him later. As it
> should.

Huck might be realizing that he was a one hit wonder. Now he is working on
increasing the size of his flock for an inevitable entry into the world of major
league Religion, where he might find more wealth, power and influence than he
would have as Prez.