Politics Blog

Bush cast in bronze? Now that would really drive some people crazy. (Link via Drudge)

OK, here it is: George “Father of Our Country” Washington versus Ronald “Won the Cold War” Reagan.

The run-up has been great fun for everyone, and here is the title match, football style. The voting begins right now, and will run through Sunday night. Only one vote per person, e-mail address, or I.P. address. There was a problem a few people trying to punch in extra votes the last couple rounds, so now there’s a penalty - any IP address which votes more than once will have all of its submissions disqualified.

Remember also, this is about learning History, so if you can, be sure to include any interesting historical points, especially ones which would be relevant in a comparison between Washington and Reagan.

Also, in case your particular favorite President didn’t do that well in the Football-style matchups, don’t forget we’ll be running all 42 in a March Madness Tourney (the scores will likely be more appopriate to a basketball setting anyway). I’m opening the floor to a discussion on how we’ll seed the 42 (with such a number, there will be likely 20 1st-round matchups, with 22 getting a 1st-round bye). Suggestions with merit so far have included giving precedence to 2-termers, and allowing reader votes to decide rankings.

But for now, choose your captains for the coin toss, and call it in the air!

One of this blog’s thread barons, Elisa, has started up a new blog: Boxer Watch.

And, in light of Babs’ recent actions – “decertify the results,” the tears, the hair style from Planet Egg Beater – who can blame her for doing so?

Additionally, Elisa is looking for bloggers to help with the site. So, if you’ve got some extra time on your hands, and would like to keep track of California’s wackiest politician (and that’s saying a mouthful, eh?), please go to the site, let Elisa know you’re interested in blogging on it, and I’m sure she’ll take care of the rest.

John Kerry still has millions of dollars left over from his presidential run.

I doubt any of those Kos-ian donors will be getting a refund check in the mail.

You can watch the Iraq election coverage on MSNBC and listen to the question “What will it take for these elections to be considered legitimate?” every 60 seconds or you can watch it on Fox News and see an ecstatic Geraldo comparing the sight of men and women voting in the first free elections ever to the first blacks voting during the Civil Rights era. Fox also has news of the suicide bombings which have taken place at various polling places across Iraq, but the mood is decidedly different, as was the coverage during the first weeks of the war.

It really is okay for journalists to be happy about seeing people vote for the first times in their lives. It is okay for a journalist to praise the courage of those people risking their lives and those of their families to vote. It is okay that news of the bombings is balanced with the statistics which put them into perspective. It is okay to show the proud Iraqi man marching to the polling place holding a huge Iraqi flag as his elderly mother and father walk alongside him. It is a moving sight, and it is a remarkable feat that elections are taking place today at all. Congratulations to the brave Iraqis casting their first votes today and to our brave men and women risking their lives to make it possible.

UPDATE: Deacon at Power Line has info I had not heard before about Iraqi expatriates in Syria being allowed to vote there.

Bulldog at Ankle Biting Pundits has compared the voter intimidation in Iraq to that experienced by voters in Ohio.

Bless Roger Simon’s heart for live blogging the Iraqi election. He seems to have the same opinion of the job Geraldo is doing at Fox News as I expressed in my post below.

UPDATE: Roger Simon commented on Susan Estrich’s statement that we didn’t go into Iraq to spread democracy, but for WMD. He told her to speak for herself. That reminded me that before we found there were no stockpiles of WMD in Iraq, there was quite a bit of criticism of Paul Wolfowitz. One attack against Bush was that he didn’t really go into Iraq because of any “imminent danger” from WMD, but because he bought into Wolfowitz’ wacky plan to spread democracy to the Middle East. Funny how now everyone wants to say Bush only belatedly stated democracy as a reason for the invasion.

UPDATE: More live blogging at Adventures of Chester.

Democrats have criticized Bush for not admitting mistakes in Iraq. How much credibility do they have to ask that question when they can’t admit any successes in Iraq?

“Iraq is George Bush’s Vietnam” - Ted Kennedy

Well Ted, here’s an Iraqi lady telling you what she thinks.

“Iraqi Voting Disrupts News Reports of Bombings”