Sarah wasn't so successful in helping her dad. She will be even less successful helping Tim. Box sccore. Wins = 0 Loses = 2. Not too great if you are a campaign manager.

Forgive my ignorance. What does a "senior campaign adviser" do, and how much does it pay?

Can I retire on it? I couldn't do any worse than some of these folks.

Anna Molly:

I am so sorry to tell you that the Senior Campaign Adviser does not attain this position through seniority, but rather by being closest to being perfectly devoid of morals. A candidate knows this is an excellent trait in an adviser.

In this particular instance, Pawlenty has recognized the value of Huckabee's daughter relative to the possible votes that would have gone to her father. Ahhhhh yes, I can smell money even as I type.

Anna - what is it about you today? First I agree with your post in First Thoughts... and now you make me chuckle with your comments here? How can we disagree when we find agreement and humor in each others posts? Is it a full moon? LOL!

DBO -

Back in the day, the Philadelphia Flyers used to have a saying about our goalie that "Only the Lord saves more than Bernie Parent". At this point, I'm not sure even Bernie could save Pawlenty's campaign, but Huckabee's daughter is welcome to try.

Oh, and if you think New York and Boston's fireworks accompaniment is bad, stay away from ours - all theme from "Rocky" and "Philadelphia Freedom", no Sousa, no Irving Berlin. I usually stick with "A Capitol Fourth" on PBS. While we still have PBS, I mean.....

Let me get this straight David Walker - Are you saying that David Axelrod is devoid of morals? He was Obama's chief campaign adviser in 2008. If the application for Pawlenty, according to your terms exists, then it has to apply to Axelrod. Right is right, wrong is wrong... correct?

@ Brianb ~ Could be. I'll have to remember to look up tonight and see. Glad I made you chuckle. ;-)

David:

the Senior Campaign Adviser does not attain this position through seniority, but rather by being closest to being perfectly devoid of morals.

Really?! Well, then I'm all in. I'm a lawyer, remember, as Joe so eloquently reminded me this morning.

AM - I think a Senior Campaign Advisor is kind of like a Sports Psychologist. They are responsible for telling the candidate that they look good, everything is great and to keep focused. Davis Axlerod, Sarah Sanders, pretty much all the same.

Guessing it is a pay grade that one could retire off of, or at least get a good book deal out of.

Ann molly ...it isnt what you know in politics ... its who you know ... Daddy couldnt give her a job so TPaw did .. in return (false witness bearer almost a christian) Huckabee... will pray that TPaw wins .. the $$$paycheck comes from donations to TPaws campaign .. to earn all this $$$$ you have to be able to make stuff up about the other guys

White Collar, I actually liked Mike Huckabee better than Pawlenty although I wouldn't vote for either one of them.

Gentlemen, you've convinced me even more to try it. In fact, I think I was made for Newt Gingrich.

Like I said, I couldn't do any worse. ;-)

Anna Molly said: Gentlemen, you've convinced me even more to try it. In fact, I think I was made for Newt Gingrich. Like I said, I couldn't do any worse. ;-)

And the hits keep on coming! Did you change your brand of coffee this morning? You keep this up and I'm going to have to pinch myself. I may have misjudged you Anna... you are a hoot! (smile)

Brian: And the hits keep on coming!

Be sure to save me a dance at the sock hop.

You keep this up and I'm going to have to pinch myself.

Pinching oneself is never any fun. But I imagine that you have someone to do that for you.

I may have misjudged you Anna.

Ditto.

you are a hoot! (smile)

Absolutely. And ditto on the smile. ;-)

Anna - over the weekend, on the Romney discussion, I stated that you and I have disagreed on many issues, but I respect you. I believe the level of maturity has a lot to do with this degree of respect. A lot of misinformation occurs on these boards due to personal opinions and biases... sorting through the rubbish cast by both sides causes a lot of frustration.

If more people would just extinguish the personal attacks and name calling (moron, idiot, right winger, leftist, etc.), make their points short and sweet, we might find that meaningful dialogue can be accomplished. Thanks for the laughs today. You are appreciated.

And thank you, Brian, for making my day.

#1 through #1.15 nothing important said just a lot of drivel. You all should be locked away in a paddd room.

Ira Lapin said: Why not join the Pawlenty campaign? He is exactly like her father, a right wing social extremist who is anti-abortion, anti-gay, anti-same sex marriage, etc. He would repeal DADT and ask for a constitutional amendment to ban same sex marriage.

And hence the problems with liberal thinking. A right wing social extremist - as opposed to a left wing social extremist? who is anti-abortion - as opposed to pro abortion? anti-gay - as opposed to a man and a women being married capable of producing offspring?

It sounds to me Ira, like you are either gay, or pro gay. Does this mean that you are against heterosexual people, thinking they are deviates from society? I'm wondering where you are going with your line of thinking. So what if people are not pro-gay? Do we have to be by some sort of new morays established by the liberals? Why do all people have to accept the gay lifestyle? Not all people live their lives out placing sex as a number one priority.

"Why do all people have to accept the gay lifestyle? Not all people live their lives out placing sex as a number one priority."

=========

And hence the problem with 'conservative' thinking? The laws at issue aren't going to enable them to have sex with one another. They can already do that. It's about having the same rights as heterosexual couples who are married.

Funny you "rights" fighters seem real picky when it comes to applying those same rights to all. You know why the GOP supports a constitutional amendment to define marriage as between a man and a woman...that's correct, because it doens't say so.

The issue isn't being pro-gay Mr. Brilliant, it's being pro-rights. I'm a man of mixed ethnicity. I'm no fan of the Klan and they are no fan of mine but at a rights level, they have just as much ground to stand on as I. With freedom and rights comes many shades of gray my friend. It's not a zero sum game.

It'd be an advancement for mankind if the level of concern you had for freedom and liberty were was high as your bigotry for those who are gay.

@Brianb:

I'm DEFINITELY not gay, I have no gay family members of whom I am aware -- although one that I suspect; ironically, he's a RAGING Republican, and possibly in denial -- but I'm not opposed to gay rights.

The trouble with conservative thinking is that you can't see past your own point of view. Even if you don't place sex as a number one priority in your life, you should be able to understand that there is more than one way to have it, even among heterosexuals.

No one has a right to tell anyone else whom they can love. Not even conservatives, Brianb.

To the state, marriage is merely a contract, although there are some science issues that go along with that, mostly dealing with procreation and incest. But trying to limit marriage to man/woman comes dangerously close to attempting to impose your religious views on others. You are not the arbiter; although, on the other hand, you are also completely free not to accept the gay lifestyle.

Just leave them be. That's all you need to do.

Brianb-999431,

Not gay but believe in gay rights and gay marriage.

Where does it say in the Constitution that marriage is between a man and a woman? Is there an amendment I missed that passed that said that?

Doesn't the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and all amendments thereto protect gay men and women?

I'm for a woman's right to choose. Pretty sure Roe v Wade settled that. It's the law.

Sounds to me like you're homophobic and have no regard for the law or the Constitution.

Way to represent your conservative point of view.

@Ira Lapin

Just curious...you seem to be very liberal, so it begs the question....with your name being what it is (Ira), where do you stand on this liberal administration's stance on Israel returning to the 1967 borders? Does your liberal stance outweight that position?

I'm Conservative and never understood the oppositon to gay marriage. Who cares what other people do in their private lives? Doesn't effect me, so why shoud I care?

I will admit that the parades are bit off the wall, but then again, so is the St. Pat's Parade, and I'm Irish.

AMERICAN!!!!!

@Ira Lapin

Just curious...you seem to be very liberal, so it begs the question....with your name being what it is (Ira), where do you stand on this liberal administration's stance on Israel returning to the 1967 borders? Does your liberal stance outweight that position?

Are you asking cause you think I'm Jewish or are you just a bigot?

I'm asking because I think you are Jewish. Is there something wrong with that? It's a pretty important issue and if you are jewish, don't you think your opinion is important? Does your liberal stance outweight your Israel stance?.....simple question

What exactly is being AMERICAN? Are you Native?

Oh, I don't know Allen...what is being Omaha?

...but to be more specific, it is being non-partisan, it is being an independent thinker, it is being thankful to live in the only country on earth that allows for personal freedoms of all kinds, it is living in the only country on earth that gives me the right to defend myself against the government, etc. etc.

AMERICAN!!!!!

I'm asking because I think you are Jewish. Is there something wrong with that? It's a pretty important issue and if you are jewish, don't you think your opinion is important?

Why didn't you ask me as an American who happens to be a liberal? What does my religion, if any, have to do with it?

If you have to ask if there's something wrong with it, then there's something wrong with it.

Moving on.

Let's apply the same reasoning to the argument as you're trying to apply to me. I as an individual, have a huge problem with the gay lifestyle. When society is telling me that a man making love to another man is ok, something churns in my insides that really disturbs me. Tell me how to fight that repulsion. To me, it's a natural reaction to something I know isn't natural because I don't have the same reaction about it when a man makes love to a woman. My inner sense knows what is right and what is wrong. This is something we are all born with.

So, Allen from Ok... what you are saying is that this natural repulsion I feel is wrong? Also, you are saying that I can't express this natural feeling about homosexuality? You label me as a bigot because of something that naturally occurs inside of me. I know I am not alone with this feeling. Are all those who have the same repulsion bigots? I guess you think I should just ignore the intuition I have about something being right and something being not right. That would serve me well in all my decisions, eh?

Even if the basis of my repulsion is religious in nature, who gives you the right to tell me that I am not allowed to have these feelings? I don't care what your background is, because it doesn't matter in this discussion. What does matter is that you call me a bigot because of your outrage that I express my God given intuition in knowing the difference between what's right and what's wrong. Men were designed for a purpose and women were designed for a purpose. They not only fit together, they have a natural attraction. I guess your purpose is to call anyone that has enough intelligence to see the fit, a bigot.

...it is also being unafraid to ask perfectly legitamate questions that you know will scare others into twisting your question into something bad......try being unafraid to ask the hard questions Allen.

So, Ira....you are afraid. I get it.

"Even if the basis of my repulsion is religious in nature, who gives you the right to tell me that I am not allowed to have these feelings?"

Perhaps you should re-read my post Brian. I didn't tell you you couldn't have your feelings, but rather that your defense of freedom and liberty might have the same level of passion as your bigotry towards those who are gay. Because if it did, I think you post would provide your personal level of disdain, while at the same time championing the rights they are afforded by the Nations' founding documents.

"...try being unafraid to ask hard questions Allen"

So let me get this straight...we have a couple second exchange in a chat room and you've some how came to the conclusion that I am afraid to ask difficult questions?

Are there any other facts that you picked up that I should be aware of?

Allen - I see. Their rights are more important than mine. By who's standard? They have the right to protest, but I don't. They have the right to express their feelings, but I don't. They can state their position but I can't? I'm still labeled a bigot by you because you disagree with my views and my intuition. Who's being a bigot Allen?

BTW - I do have homosexual acquaintances. They are treated, by me, the exact same way as I treat everyone else. I have had good friends that were gay. No difference from those who were not gay. We never discussed sexuality. It wasn't an issue. If I am a bigot, Allen, prove it.

My position is, marriage is between a man and a woman, for the purpose of nurturing a family and create a unit based on the necessary components for procreation in the natural sense. I guess this makes me a bigot in your world.

Yes, I picked up the fact that you couldn't ask me the question you really wanted to ask because you were afraid to, so you had to find a way to try and get under my skin by asking about "what an American is"....did you NOT like my question to Ira?

Ah yes, the always faithful...'I have friends...'

Maybe you should reread your own post. Out of one side of your mouth you speak of how much your stomach churns at the thought of 2 men getting jiggy with one another and out of the other side of your mouth make the bold face claim that you treat the gay people in your life the exact same way you treat the non-gay people in your life. You can no more prove that you treat all people the same than you're asking me to prove you're a bigot. I think your writings fit the definition below quite well, but that is just me.

From my vantage, I don't even know if it is humanly possible to treat everyone the same, but you do, so I'm sure there is plenty of evidence out there to support your thesis.

Why you continue to make the leap that because I call you a bigot means I am taking a right away from you, I don't know. I'm taking no right away from you, but I am asking you why you are taking a right away from them being married and enjoying the same STATE and FEDERAL recognized benefits as heterosexual married couples do.

You can march up and down the street screeming what you want. But it doesn't make your position not bigoted and it still doesn't speak to why you have a 'right' has a male and what benefits you would enjoy if you were to marry a woman when NONE of the Nation's founding documents speak to that 'right' off of the basis that you are a male and your partner would be a female.

Please slow down, read and separate the two arguments.

Definition of BIGOT

: a person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance

— big·ot·ed \-gə-təd\ adjective
— big·ot·ed·ly adverb

See bigot defined for English-language learners »

See bigot defined for kids »

Examples of BIGOT

1. He was labeled a bigot after making some offensive comments.
2. <an incorrigible bigot who hasn't entertained a new thought in years>
3. “It's scandalous,” he said, in the tones once used by Colonel Blimp, Britain's best-loved bigot, who adorned the pages of the Evening Standard throughout the 1930s. —Nicholas Fraser, Harper's, September 1996
4. A bigot is a hater, she said. A bigot hates Catholics. A bigot hates Jews. … It's no sin to be poor, she said. It is a sin to be a bigot. Don't ever be one of them. —Pete Hamill, A Drinking Life, 1994
5. One had always to be mindful, moreover, that being a black scholar did not exempt one from the humiliations and indignities that a society with more than its share of bigots can heap upon a black person, regardless of education … —John Hope Franklin, “John Hope Franklin … ,” 1988, in Race and History, 1989
6. [+]more[-]hide

Origin of BIGOT

French, hypocrite, bigot
First Known Use: 1660

Related to BIGOT

Synonyms: dogmatist, dogmatizer, partisan (also partizan), sectarian

"Yes, I picked up the fact that you couldn't ask me the question you really wanted to ask because you were afraid to, so you had to find a way to try and get under my skin by asking about "what an American is"....did you NOT like my question to Ira?"

Don't quit your day job playa.

...but if you need to be asked a question, who else did you ask the borders question to? You didn't ask me what my opinion was, but you asked Ira. Why because you are interested in the question allow you to make that leap that because you thought Ira was of Jewish descent that he would care?

Am I supposed to half care about who shot Biggie and Tupok because I'm half Black?

Definition of BIGOT

: a person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance

Allen -

I explained why I'm against homosexual marriage in a calm, rational and precise manner. Even doing so, you are doing your level best in claiming I am a bigot. My position has no bigotry in it at all. First I am not intolerant of homosexuals. I have to live with them and for me to treat them any different would be plain wrong.

I don't have to agree with the activist homosexuals that want their lifestyle to represent a family unit. I wouldn't agree to having a marriage between a human and an animal either. Does that make me intolerant? I don't agree with multiple partner marriages either... so am I a bigot about that as well? I don't like raspberry flavor, so I'm a raspberry bigot too.

I haven't once condemned you about your position even though you are doing it to mine. Your intolerance lies in the fact that you don't tolerate anyone disagreeing with you. I've seen it time and again on these boards.

Let's take this one step further... I am intolerant when it comes to bank robbery.. that makes me a bank robbery bigot. I am intolerant when it comes to getting a sun burn... guess that makes me a sun burn bigot as well. Your labeling me is ineffective.

Sweet Father...how does saying something in a calm, rational and precise manner have to do with whether or not the thing that is said qualifies as bigoted?

You're too all over the place for me sir. When you have a coherent argument as to why the State and Federal government should grant a male and female with marriage rights and not do the same for same sex couples when there is no State or Federal level documents that speak to supporting a difference between the two get back at me.

Brianb:

When society is telling me that a man making love to another man is ok, something churns in my insides that really disturbs me. Tell me how to fight that repulsion. To me, it's a natural reaction to something I know isn't natural because I don't have the same reaction about it when a man makes love to a woman.

In light of our newly pledged mutual respect, I'll resist the obvious temptation to ask you how you feel when you think about a woman making love to another woman. Many heterosexual men become aroused by watching that.

But my answer to your question ("tell me how to fight that repulsion") is simply to ignore it. I didn't go to see BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN. Not my deal. But not a big deal, either, as it doesn't affect me.

It's not my right -- or yours, either -- to impose my own sexual preferences on others, dooming those who don't share mine to a life of frustration and unfulfillment, such as many gay Republican men experience, forced to live their true lives in the shadows and taught to be ashamed of what comes naturally to them.

God forbid that you ever have a gay son. Whatever would you do?

I wouldn't call you a bigot because name-calling doesn't help, and because you are honestly trying to work out your feelings as the world you knew literally changes before your eyes.

I understand this completely.

It is telling that the very definition posted for "bigot" above specifically calls out "racial or ethnic group" and not "sexual orientation". Just sayin.

So tell me PaulRyanKilledGrandma - do you have anyone you know that is rich where you can beg a job off of? No? So since you don't, it's your objection that others that do, shouldn't get jobs from their rich relations/friends? Maybe you aren't qualified to hold a job and that makes you angry. Blame the rich is your mantra?

Noooo... you'd much prefer complaining about it and not doing the hard work it takes to get a decent job. Blame the rich instead of yourself. Do you know exactly how childish you sound?

If he reads your comment, he'll have the general idea. ;-)

Brianb-
Typical Republican - Because Huckabee's daughter has any qualification other
than being Huckabee's daughter and working on daddy's or daddy's friends
campaigns. What BS. The rich are leeches and we all know it. So stop with the
trickle down economic fox news bologna. No one is falling for it anymore.

"American Girl" ("American?") You must live in a vacuum. I bet there are plenty of closet Republicans in your life, doing nice, productive things and you think they are Democrats!

Arlin Carlson,

No! It would be nice if former Gov. Pawlenty from Minnesota (the state that shut down last week) could find HIS OWN thoughts on "aliens" and the financial markets. As you point out, he apparently has none.

Consider the current state of the federal government. Consider that Tim Pawlenty surrendered the Governorship of Minnesota in January. By July 1, the state had to shut down virtually everything but law enforcement and support payments. Pawlenty raided every "unspent" fund in the state for 8 years and has left it bankrupt.

Yes, Let's give him the NATIONAL BUDGET, as well.

Bill are you really that clueless. You need to get some facts and try the truth. The budget issue in MN is for the next 2 years. Not the last 8. It is state law that the budget MUST be balanced evry fiscal period. Pawlenty did exactly as he stated he would. I am so happy that he stood up to the Demos and we are not in the failed, tax and spending spree that has been such a failure on the national level. Really, clueless.

This group of Independents for Tim Pawlenty and the repeal of the great american liar and his mess of a health care plan...................

caradjt...you are the clueless one. The budget is for the next two years, yes, but they wouldn't be in this status if it were not for Pawlenty running the state into bankruptcy. Please get a clue.

caradjt,

No, I am not clueless, but apparently you may be. If you are NOT IN a FAILED state, go to a state park on July 4. Actually, I am starting to cheer for all the anarchy. The sooner that all these systems, including Minnesota's and Indiana's, fail the sooner that you will realize that you want a free lunch AND someone to pay you to eat it. Well some of us old middle road Democrats and Republicans are damn tired of this "libertararian" diatribe. And I, for one am now willing to go down with to ship, just to watch you drown in your damn greed.

LOL. All of America is facing a financial crisis due to the mismanagement in Washington and you are trying to blame Pawlenty. What a joke. At least 90% of the states are at or near default and you pick Pawlenty as your scape goat, yet another joke. Facts people, Mn has one of the lowest UE rates in the nation. Certainly not because the Demo's in the state want to tax and spend our way out, but because Pawlenty stood up and did as he promised. Hey lets follow the failures of Washington, yes it will work locally, jokes, all a big joke. In todays political climate I will always support a Politician that will do as they state. Some thing the White house hasn't been doing for years. Think outside the box people and vote for a true American.

This group of Independents for the repeal of Obama and his mess of a health care bill. WE, the middle class can not afford it...................

Iowa. Huckabee won Iowa, winning Iowa is the only way Pawlenty can get put on the map as a serious contender. It is like pulling the goalie in a desperate attempt to score a goal.

"BO" are you really that clueless. You need to get some facts and try the truth. The budget issue in MN is for the next 2 years. Not the last 8. It is state law that the budget MUST be balanced evry fiscal period. Pawlenty did exactly as he stated he would. I am so happy that he stood up to the Demos and we are not in the failed, tax and spending spree that has been such a failure on the national level. Really, clueless.

This group of Independents for Tim Pawlenty and the repeal of the great american liar and his mess of a health care plan...................