First thoughts

Posted: Wednesday, July 25, 2007 9:16 AM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: First Thoughts

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Carly Zakin
*** Clinton vs. Obama: The two Democratic front-runners have finally engaged, rather than simply allowing their staffs to go back-and-forth. The only thing that strikes us odd about yesterday’s skirmish is that the candidates launched their attacks and counterattacks via such a small media venue (the Quad City Times). It's like two major deciding to go to war ... over the Falkland Islands. Yesterday our producers in New Hampshire tried to get Clinton to say her criticism on camera and she demurred. And neither candidate granted an interview to any other media on this issue. If neither candidate chooses to put their words on camera today, does this mean the skirmish is over?

Video: Clinton and Obama take off the gloves in 2008 spat

*** More On The Spat: Both sides appear to be going overboard on this issue: Obama's camp thinks this idea that they would do anything different than Clinton would on which world leaders they'd talk to (or even appear with) is absurd, while the Clinton camp believes Obama's answer at the debate is an example how he doesn't get that words matter and that should be a legit issue. Who was the biggest loser in yesterday’s renewed focus on Clinton versus Obama? So far, it might be the rest of the Democratic field. Indeed, how odd is it that a debate about preparation to be commander-in-chief is taking place and the three candidates with the lengthiest resumes for the job (Biden, Dodd, and Richardson) are no where to be found on the debate?

*** Fred’s Shakeup: So let us get something straight: Fred Thompson is not yet a candidate, and he's already had to shake up his leadership? (Maybe that's the lesson to be learned from McCain -- get your shakeup out early!) That said, the choice of Spence Abraham is something that should make establishment Republicans happy. He's got a good reputation as a strategist -- remember, before he served in the Senate, Abraham ran the GOP House campaign committee. Still, the shakeup before the campaign started only fuels speculation among some that Thompson's fledgling candidacy has gotten off to a rocky start (mixed reviews of his speeches, questions about his conservative credentials, delays in his campaign kickoff) before it truly has begun. There’s additional speculation that Thompson’s campaign is being micro-managed by his wife, Jeri.

*** Things That Make You Go, Hmmmm: A Bloomberg presidential candidacy has always seemed remote to many of us. But this mike2008.com Web site is already more detailed about this potential candidacy than the one Fred Thompson started (imwithfred.com). The Bloomberg folks say this was done to prevent cyber-squatting, but come on. Why shouldn't we start referring to Bloomberg as officially "exploring" a presidential campaign?

*** DLC, Yeah You Used To Know Me: The AP writes that none of the Democratic presidential candidates will be attending the centrist Democratic Leadership Council’s conference this coming weekend. The news service says it’s "a snub that says less about the centrist DLC than it does about a nomination process that rewards candidates who pander to their parties' hardened cores while ignoring everybody else.” But perhaps more importantly, the DLC turned out to be wrong -- in most Democrats’ eyes -- on the Iraq war. For better or for worse, the Democratic Party is now the party of Dean and Daily Kos (in fact, at least five of the top six ’08 Dems have confirmed they’ll attend next month’s Yearly Kos conference). It worked for them in 2006… Will it be true again in 2008?

*** The E-Word: Today is as good of a day as any to understand why Giuliani is so resilient as one of the GOP front-runners. The Washington Post/ABC poll suggesting that electability is trumping questions about Giuliani's socially liberal views is one way. Then there's the LA Times’ Brownstein insightful column that pinpoints just how Giuliani has avoided getting trapped in a death spiral for those liberal social views: he's a pure federalist, advocating for states to decide on their own what social issues to legislate and how to legislate them. And then there's Hillary Clinton. As long as she's the Democratic front-runner, the electability argument will always work for Rudy, right? That's what the campaign is banking on.

*** On The Trail: Brownback is in Iowa; so is Edwards, who participates in the Des Moines Register’s Annual Bicycle Ride Across Iowa with Lance Armstrong; Huckabee is also in Iowa; McCain campaigns in New Hampshire; Obama is in New York then DC; Richardson stumps in Iowa; Romney makes a whopping seven stops in New Hampshire; and Fred Thompson travels to Houston and Dallas.

Countdown to the Ames Straw Poll: 17 days
Countdown to MA-05 Special Election: 40 days
Countdown to LA GOV election: 87 days
Countdown to Election Day 2007: 104 days
Countdown to LA GOV run-off (if necessary): 115 days
Countdown to Iowa: 172 days
Countdown to Tsunami Tuesday: 194 days
Countdown to Election Day 2008: 468 days
Countdown to Inauguration Day 2009: 545 days

EMAIL THIS

Comments

Jerry,
Gravel? I didn't think you would be in favor of decriminalizing drugs. Oh but then again you do agree with everything that Rush drug guy says.

Ken Mesle (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 12:40 PM)

Michael - No need to pity me, as I see very clearly, thank you very much. I disagree completely with Bush's "my way or the highway"/"with us or against us" approach to diplomacy. However, I'm not convinced that Obama is the right person for the job right now. I don't dislike him, I don't think he is a bad person or a bad candidate; I just think he is not ready. I've said that from the day he entered the race, and I have yet to see anything that has given me reason to believe I am wrong.

Carrie, Eastern Iowa (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 12:45 PM)

Always funny to see Liberals try and discredit people on the right with things that make heros on the left.

Dave, Tn (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 12:55 PM)

All responsible leaders speak to each other, whether they like each other or not... whether their politics and culture are different... if we are not talking to each other, then how in the world can we correct anything...

Talking grants one another to share their truth, not talking turns to gossip for the truth.

M. Rose Corvallis OR (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 12:55 PM)

Some of you should be reading the blogs on the Daily Kos website. They write some pretty scary stuff about Hillary and some of it concerns her personal safety. I don't wish harm on anyone, I leave that to the liberals.

jerry/corpus christi texas (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 1:00 PM)

IRAQI PARLEMENT (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 1:08 PM)

Daily Kos: That site is stupid. Are they all descendents of the 60's era Hippies are what? Man it shocks me that people will not let the 60's go. This is not VIETNAM and 1968.

c-low, Arkansas (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 1:09 PM)

Hey Ryan, Michigan:

In your post regarding the SCHIP plan I think you left out a significant point. The mother of two making $20k a year was also helping to pay for her own health care. It's not like see was getting completely stiffed.

I'll definately agree that all sin taxes are regressive and counterpoductive to society as a whole. However, I have to ask, are you against the SCHIP plan or just how they are paying for it?

John Doe, The Peanut Gallery (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 1:20 PM)

What happened to the Fairness Doctrine to shut down right wing radio? We have to shut them up before everyone gets the word. The surge is working. Iraqis are turning in the insurgents. The economy is roaring with low unemployment and interest rates. The stock market is at an all time high. Our friends in the media can only keep this a secret for so long. We have to keep screaming: "Bush Sucks", "Cheney Sucks".We have to surrender NOW before it is too late!!!!!!!!!!

Mel Harris, Elkhart, IN (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 1:20 PM)

Daily Kos: That site is stupid. Are they all descendents of the 60's era Hippies are what? Man it shocks me that people will not let the 60's go.

1960's, or 1860's? Now you know why they can't even let 2000 go.

Adam Piazza (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 1:21 PM)

Jerry - Once again. YOU CAN LINK TO THE DAIRIES YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ON DAILY KOS! If you think that people believe what you say just because you post it, you are deluding yourself. It doesn't who for the Attorney General, it certainly doesn't work for you...

John Doe, The Peanut Gallery (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 1:24 PM)

Jerry - as an example of how to link to supporting evidence here is the response to BillO's baseless statments straight from Daily Kos. http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/7/25/14044/5057

See? It's a simply copy and paste. You should try it next time you want to say they have said something instead of just parroting BillO.

John Doe, The Peanut Gallery (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 1:28 PM)

John - Thanks for pointing that out. I obviously realized that but forgot to include that in the post.

In regards to SCHIP, I'm torn. Mainly because our current health system is broken. We've tried this hybrid approach to healthcare, not really a free market system, although it leans that way, but it also has some aspects of socialized medicine and high regulation. To me we have two options, one make it more of a free market system (i.e. make prices for procedures and doctor's visits well known, start to treat health insurance like we treat auto insurance (higher deductible/lower premium HSA policies), medical lawsuit reform, focusing on prevention rather then treatments once the problem develops, less regulation of insurers and the FDA, etc.) or more of a government run system (i.e. much more regulation and essentially universal healthcare).

For me, I would prefer the former rather then the later. However I realize that that kind of change can't be made overnight and will require several years to educate people about their options and implement some of the changes. So, in answer to your question, I guess I'm alright with it, as it stands now. Helping families that make less then 200% of the poverty level. I am not in favor of any kind of expansion of the current program. However, longer term I would hope to get many of the healthcare cost problems resolved by turning more and more of the system over to the free market. Thus making insurance and healthcare in general much more affordable.

Ryan, Michigan (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 1:38 PM)

John Doe LOL! I didn't do anybody else's homework growing up. Suggest you do. I'll give you a hint to help your poor preparedness techniques. Google the story INFOUSA and you can pick your story. It was on FIRST READ, yeah, you know, the thing you are currently reading. Read my reply to the story! Any other lessons I need to teach you today. Did you know Elizabeth Edwards is trying to destroy the food industry???? Stay on here, First read will bring it up in a while.

jerry/corpus christi texas (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 1:43 PM)

Oppss..Jerry your alter egos are starting to repeat themselves.

CJ (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 1:52 PM)

Ryan, Michigan (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 1:38 PM)

Well state. Indeed, one of the first questions we must decide is if we think healthcare should be based on the free-market system - decide if it should be viewed as a for-profit industry.

The answer to that question will drive the type of solution we will have. If we avoid that question, we will continue to get proposals that a hastily compiled mish-mash of idealism and marketing and doomed for failure.

We need to fish or cut bait on that point.

Independent, Texas (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 2:13 PM)

Jerry - Thanks for the "lesson". First off I already know the InfoUSA story. It was a non-issue in December and it is a non-issue now. The lawsuit is primarily about shareholders claiming that Gupta wasted company money and has very little to do with the telemarketing angle. Second off, I was reading First Read in December so you'll excuse me if I wasn't aware of a site that wasn't reading. Additionally, Google doesn't return any hits on the first page for any news articles about this issue. Noone but you has referenced it in almost 7 months! Maybe you should stop beating a dead horse.

My overall point is that if you want to be taken seriously when you come in here with your wildeyed, kool aide induced, conspiracy theories you should link. It's not hard to do and only shows you intellectual laziness when you don't. Every time a state a non opinion, verifiable fact that is contentious I link.

EXAMPLE: The Democratic leadership in Congress has a much higher approval rating than the Bush administration (http://www.pollingreport.com/BushJob.htm http://www.pollingreport.com/cong_dem.htm)

It's not hard. Stop being lazy. Thanks.

John Doe, The Peanut Gallery (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 2:15 PM)

Jerry-time to go to work! The drive thru is backing up and the fries are getting cold!

Just Saying, Here, Now (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 2:24 PM)

Hey Jerry,
Rush Lumpybaugh wants to know if you would clean his house and score him some oxycotin on the way over.

Ken Mesle (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 2:39 PM)

jerry dosent belive what he says he just wants to get arise out of people much like the bafoons who write that stuff on the kos well it worked what now some more hate your neighbor speak.Who wants us so divided in this time when we should come together what do these people really want.HATRED AND DIVISION .The americans I drive with cant coopperate merging on a highway how can you expect to win a war The great Decider has become the great divider .United we fall.

keno (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 2:50 PM)

Ryan - I freely admit that healthcare is not an issue I pay much attention to...yet. Having just turned 30, and not having any children, it's really not something that has affected me personally. My parents had great, affordable health care, so it was never an issue in our house as I was growing up either.

That being said, and fully admitting my ignorance on the subject, where does this "families that make less than than 200% of the poverty level" come in? Is that your figure or is that something official? I find it disturbing either way. I have issues of where the poverty level is placed as it is, but I especially have issues with having to be twice as poor to be entitled to some sort of medical assistance program.

Maybe I lean more towards the universal health care side of the fence, but I don't think you should have to make a truckload of money to get medical care. And believe me, in many cases you do. I have a friend, an attorney, who got hired by a smaller firm that is not required to offer benefits. For she and her husband to have the most basic health insurance would be close to $1000 a month. Who can afford that? I know I couldn't.

Carrie, Eastern Iowa (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 2:57 PM)

Boy - health care is jumping thread! This is also being discussed (thanks Ken Mesle) on an older thread at (it's gone over 2 pages already.)

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/07/23/284484.aspx?p=0

Independent, Texas (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 3:04 PM)

Hi Ryan, I think you are onto something or on something. hahahah Healthcare is a very serious subject to me. I agree that just taxing commodities will not resolve this issue. We will eventually have a system similar to military. Our military is socialized medecine. Remember we are the only industrial nation that does not provide universal healthcare. We can look at how other countries are doing it. Find what works best and bring those ideas to our own health insurance. The single payer plan is by far the cheapest and most efficent. This will cover the most americans with basic coverage like in the military. You go to general doctor first like the old days. Then they assess where to go next. It works great in the military. I have a hard time with private entities running the healthcare industry. I want all profit removed from the healthcare industry. As long as private entities run the health care system like now, they can discriminate against sick/unhealthy people. I know this from personal experience. if it wasn't for Minnesota Care, my wife and son would not have health insurance. To get on MinnesotaCare you have to be denied by 3 insurance carriers. You still pay a premeium, but at least my family is insured. Now this does not apply to all states. Wisconsin, for example, has a terrible state run insurance and we would not have even qualified due to the restrictions. The private entities run the healthcare industry just like the car insurance industry. They only want profittable people to apply. In other words, if you are healthy and young, they will insure you. If you have any disability, pre-existing condition, or bad health these insurance company can deny you and go on to the next person. This is what really frustrates me. We will all need health insurance at some point in our lives. Like Education , which we all agree is a necessity, is run the way that our insurance should run. I am sorry, but if insurance companies can deny my wife and kid for medical reasons then the current system is broken and needs to be fixed.

bobf (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 3:05 PM)

Carrie tell that to Lisha in Washington...she does not get it.
But Lisha only appers when MORE than one or two start discussing the health care mess.(system?)
Your friends are young and healthy and are made to carry the burden of high costs.

H P Boston (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 3:09 PM)

Carrie - "families that make less than than 200% of the poverty level", those are the families that are eligable for the state sponsered coverage. Not that they need to make more then that but if they make less they are currently eligable. Sorry, I must've worded that wierd or something.

As far as your friend goes, where does she live? If her and her family is generally fairly healthy has she thought about a Health Savings Account plan? When I was unemployed in the suburbs of Chicago my COBRA coverage was great coverage and I paid $925 a month for a family of four. Not that that's cheap but it was really good coverage.

Ryan, Michigan (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 3:22 PM)

Ryan - There are very few instances where I won't agree that the free market should decide the issue when it comes to goods and services (this comes with the caveat that the free market gets manipulated by companies all the time and we do NOT live in an economic structure that Adam Smith would have approved of). Healthcare, however, is one of those. I presonally believe that the right to see a doctor when you get sick should be undeniable. It should also not kill your financial future if you are unlucky enough to have a major medical issue arrise when you are either uninsured or have poor coverage. The only way I can see to solve that problem is to make medical services gauranteed by law. If that means socializing the medical industry so be it.

Capitalism is great when it is making our industry more effecient and making our country a leading competitor in the world economy. It's not so great when it is denying someone the necessary care they need to get back to being a healthy, productive member of society because it might hurt an insurance company's bottom line.

I agree that we can probably find better and more fair ways to pay for universal health care (which I think is the long term goal SCHIP) without regressively taxing people though.

John Doe, The Peanut Gallery (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 3:22 PM)

Carrie: I stand corrected. It was 29 Democrats for war and 21 Democrats against war. Hillary voted with Senators Brownbacxk, George Allen, McCain, McConnel, Lieberman.
Some great company your candidate runs with.
It was 'irresponsible' of her to vote for a war that was unjustified. She did it out of political expediency.
Hillary was 'naive' of she actually beleived in WMDs.
She was stupid if she beleived in WMDs or she was evil if she voted to send thousands to their death to ensure her political 'viability'.

Carrie, how do you explain her vote against Sen. Levin's amendment calling for Bush to exhaust diplomatic means before invading Iraq ?
Why did she vote against this amendment ?
Was she 'naive' ? 'irresponsible' ? or 'evil' ?
Carrie ? Carrie ? Carris ?
Where are you Carrie ?

Sierra, San Francisco (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 3:30 PM)

this is funny http://www.drudgereport.com/flash2rc.htm

out of my mind caucus (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 3:33 PM)

Ryan - She lives in NW Iowa, and I think eventually she and her husband saw a broker who suggested an HSA. Fortunately, he is no longer self-employed so they get affordable insurance through his job.

Carrie, Eastern Iowa (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 3:41 PM)

John - Thanks for the great post. I really enjoy this sight when intelligent people that happen to disagree have a good discussion about the issue.

I'm assuming that if you are essentially for socializing the medical industry then you are for paying for it as well. I point you towards this article from yesterday's Journal.

http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110010374

Now I know that this is just one state's experiment with universal healthcare. However, the news isn't very positive for me. I'd be interested in what your thoughts were.

Ryan, Michigan (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 3:53 PM)

LOL John: Yeah, and Bill Clinton did not have sex with that woman either. You are not looking that hard. The storey has been in the Washington Post, New York Post, USA Today. Keep looking. I noticed that the Clinton's did back away from INFOUSA once the story broke and yet they did not mention the money the company paid them ($180,000 a year) when Hillary filed her financial reports. Why didn't Hillary put that in the reports? Was she scared bcause she knew her husband was working for a bad guy? Who knows? You have to dig deeper John, I know more then you think. The liberal press will not go after the story because they want Hillary President. That makes for good press and all the scandels that would plague the Hillary White House and her husband.
do your homework son!

jerry/corpus christi texas (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 4:46 PM)

H P Boston - I'm all for Universal Health Care for you. You need all you can get, mostly on the mental side of the ledger.

Lisha Washington (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 4:53 PM)

Wow. Sierra, when you can act like an adult rather than a screaming two year old begging for attention, I'll consider answering you. I merely thought you should know that you were, in fact, wrong. Some people like to be accurate. Apparently you just like to be heard.

Carrie, Eastern Iowa (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 5:15 PM)

Oh, but I will say another thing, Sierra. She also voted with Edwards, Dodd, and Biden. Where was Obama? Not in the Senate. So his "coulda shoulda woulda" doesn't mean squat to me. He can talk until he is blue in the face about how he would have voted no, but the bottom line is, he was not faced with that decision at that time.

Personally, I think it's time people got over the vote. 77 Senators screwed it up; a few hundred in the House screwed it up as well. Instead of pointing fingers at who voted which way 5 years ago, why not spend your energy advocating a way to get out of Iraq now? But hey, if you want to spend the next year and a half screaming at the wind about how wrong those who voted yes were, by all means...go right ahead. Meanwhile, responsible people will be focused on how to get out of the mess that was created.

Carrie, Eastern Iowa (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 5:21 PM)

Colon cancer is the second leading cause of death of americans today;guess what folks; most of all HMO'S refuse to pay for the needed colonostopy that the Shrub got free at tax payers expense. I work as a utilization review specialist/case manager at a hospital whereby I have to either joke with them to soften them up and/or plead with them on behalf of the patient and their families. Too often, they do not care; these people are just a name and number to them. They are pressured by Ceo's and shareholders to bring up profits for the company at the expense of millions of Americans who worked their asses off for years thinking they got coverage. I live this everyday at my job. For all you right-wingers who are so influenced by the spin I just hope you do not come down with a pre-existing conditions like a yeast infection and years later come down with cancer and be rejected by the insurance companies because of PROFIT. The leading cause of bankruptcy in this country is the result of medical hlth issues by individuals who thought they had insurance. Call us bleeding heart liberals and/or perpetrating THE LIE from Corporate thugs; our government is allowing middle class Americans to die everyday.Where is your so called conservative compassion?

juan,ft lauderdale,fl (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 5:35 PM)

Where was Obama? Not in the Senate. So his "coulda shoulda woulda" doesn't mean squat to me. <<<<

People are catching on to this guy. He sure is good at cherry picking, isn't he?

Obama has yet to make a hard decision in his political life.

Mary Strom, Fargo ND (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 5:40 PM)

Ryan the HSA's are great tools but they are only for bills and copays. You can not use HSA'a to pay for your premiums. Do not get me wrong, I love the HSA's and my wife and I will max ours out this year. You can put 2850.00 dollars per person in a HSA Tax free. Even if you do not use all the money, you can roll it over or convert to a 401K savings plan. This year on the tax form the second line down will be HSA deductions. Thus the HSA takes directly from your gross income. So if you can afford it a family can tuck away 5700 dollars tax free and not be penalized for not using up the balance. HSA's are a tax tool. They do not alleviate the health care questions that currently exist. Ryan, I just do not trust the open market to keep costs down. There is not enough competition and not everyone will get covered. Why is everone so afraid of the single payer system. It works that is all I have to say. The military uses this system, but we can not ourselves. The bottom line Ryan is as long as people/private entities must make money/profits, the consumer will not get the cheapest cost possible. As a consumer only the single payer system will funnel all the money back into the medical industry instead of paying out dividends to stockholders. Think about this, a single payer system is all about providing the consumer the cheapest insurance possible. An open market is always looking for ways to increase profits to shareholders. So are the private entities doing what's best for the cunsumer or what's best for the stockholders. PEOPLE JUST TAKE THE PROFIT OUT OF THE HEALTH INDUSTRY. Now if private entitie want to jump in fine, bUt they will have to be non profit. We all need health care. I just do not want people profitting off my misery.

bobf (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 5:49 PM)

Juan your post is fairly accurate as I am dealing with it now. year and a half ago, my primary even told me I needed a PET scan but not enough symptoms so the insaurance would not pay for it and it would cost 8000 dollars. I will know more in two weeks if they need to take more colon out or not.

leon (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 6:38 PM)

I don't know, Mark. The Quad City Times makes sense to me. Its July, and outside of Iowa, New Hampshire and the D.C. beltway, the only folks paying attention are probably posting messages on this blog.

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 8:43 PM)

leon, I am so sad to hear of your illness,please know that I will be hopeful for a fast recovery.
I have lived the nightmare of colon cancer and insurance battles with two brothers.
You will be in my thoughts every day, I hope you have a strong family to love and support you.

H P Boston (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 10:46 PM)

Look it's simple folks. Anyone would be a better president then our current "puppet" thats in there now. Sorry I can't vote for Hillary Clinton. First off she's a Lawyer. Honesty goes strait out the window there. Plus her stand on Second Amendment is less then desirable in my "OPINION" Forget that she voted to send troops into a lie from the current "Puppet" show.
Obama might be just what our country needs. A smart guy that has not been in the BS long enough to have been "Corrupted by Pact groups or Lobbist groups" I would not care if he was Green with yellow dots. He has my vote. Get real people. The Repubs have run our counrty into the ground and LINED there pockets before sending all the middle class jobs overseas. Time for a change, not a hot button issue like <Immagration> or <Abortion> or <Terrorist are coming> type BS and Lies.

Juan Lopez, Hogansville, GA (Sent Thursday, July 26, 2007 12:13 AM)

$8000 for a PET scan? Seems rather high. Work in the industry in the greater Chicago-land area. PET scans price range out from $3000 to $6000 with the range depending on the amount of body scanned and the area scanned. Even though it is quite expensive compared to CT, doctors and insurance companies like PET over CT because it is a better diagnostic tool. Better diagnosis reduces long-term costs.

Your milage may vary. Certainly I don't know your particulars.

Good luck.

Jane, Hoffman Estates IL (Sent Thursday, July 26, 2007 9:39 AM)

Foreign policy?
If the quotes were accurate...........Hillary says "she would not meet with world dictators without preconditions........."
Obama says.......he would be willing to meet with the leaders of Syria, Iran, etc. with preconditions.......

DOES THAT NOT SAY THAT THEY BOTH WOULD MEET WITH WORLD DICTATORS WITH PRECONDITIONS??????????
OR HAS MY USUAL UNDERSTANDING OF WRITTEN ENGLISH FAILED ME?

Betty Schaub.........Van Buren, AR (Sent Thursday, July 26, 2007 12:34 PM)

Bout time.. Ears are open!

Tz, England (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 3:38 PM)

How do you measure electability? Would a rough estimate be the number of times a candidate was elected US Representative, US Senator, Governor, or Vice President? How do the candidates stack up?

Scott, Albuquerque, New Mexico (Sent Tuesday, July 31, 2007 12:16 AM)

Fred Thompson is the real deal!

Fred Thompson (Sent Monday, September 10, 2007 6:33 AM)

<< Previous

SEND A COMMENT

PLEASE READ: All comments must be approved before appearing in the thread; time and space constraints prevent all comments from appearing. We will only approve comments that are directly related to the blog, use appropriate language and are not attacking the comments of others.

Message (please, no HTML tags. Web addresses will be hyperlinked):

Your name, city and state (John Doe, Seattle, Wash.):

Your e-mail address (jdoe@msnbc.com):

Your website (it's okay if you don't have one):

Remember me? (We'll keep it private) Remember me?

TRACKBACKS

Trackbacks are links to weblogs that reference this post. Like comments, trackbacks do not appear until approved by us. The trackback URL for this post is: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/trackback.aspx?PostID=289143