Is Barack Obama panicking? Some progressive bloggers certainly think he is. The idea some have is that his campaign is preparing the troops for a disappointing DMR poll, which will be released later today. This poll (published so shortly before the caucuses) is relatively accurate (history has shown). If the new poll has Clinton in the lead by more than 3% followed by Edwards and Obama (or Edwards in the lead, followed by Clinton and then Obama) it’ll spell great trouble for the Senator from Illinois. If Hillary wins Iowa she’ll have the momentum going and, chances are, she’ll go on to win in New Hampshire. If Edwards wins in Iowa with Hillary finishing in second place, she’ll still have a better shot at winning in the Granite state than Obama. If Obama wins neither Iowa nor New Hampshire, well, I don’t see how he can still win the nomination considering the fact that Clinton is doing way better nationally and especially in the big states.

OK, this is extremely awkward: Governor Mike Huckabee held a press conference today in which he would, among other things, show a new ad that would air all throughout Iowa. In the ad, he attacks Romney: not a bit, but very aggressively.

Reporters ran to the conference, looking forward to seeing the ad. However, when they arrived Huckabee said that he had changed his mind and that he had decided not to air the ad in Iowa. He did, however, show the ad to reporters who then happily reported it, which means that it’ll be broadcasted, for free, nonetheless. (more…)

I use a couple of browsers, but my favorite is Netscape. I’m aware of the fact that most Internet users don’t use Netscape - someone even called Netscape simple - but that’s fine with me: in fact, I like simple. My browser doesn’t have to be too complicated. It has to be reasonably fast, it has to be easy in use, and it has to be stable. (more…)

Kenya is one of the most developed, prosperous, stable and democratic countries in Africa. It’s one of those countries that are a good example to other countries in the region. Well, until recently that is: after the recent elections, riots have broken out. The opposition leader (Raila Odinga) says that the current president (Mwai Kibaki), who won the elections, cheated.

The result? Massive riots. (more…)

At PoliGazette we’d like you to choose the person of the year. Instead of telling you who the person of the year is according to us, we’d like you to decide. Fill in our poll and determine who the person of the year of 2007 is.

UPDATE: We’ve changed the poll. The other poll screwed up the entire page, making it impossible for people to leave comments. This poll should function better (more…)

Here’s Hillary Clinton’s latest ad. It seems to me that it’s somewhat weaker than most ads of the Republican candidates. Having said that, it does deal with a very important subject, that touches many lives.

Acting in the name of academic freedom, the Modern Language Association, a professional association of professors largely from English departments, has substituted moderate resolutions for at least some of its usual slate of radically leftist causes. What makes this a “man bites dog” story is that an organization that has recently been interested in academic freedom only as rhetorical underpinning for those causes selected and favored by its “radical caucus” as politically correct has abruptly turned a corner and chosen instead to place the general principle ahead of selective partisan causes. Specifically, where the MLA once joined the charge against pro-Israel speakers and advocates while claiming the mantle of academic freedom for opponents and critics of Israel, it has now approved a substitute resolution that explicitly refuses to favor either side of the political divide over Israel: (more…)

Although Huckabee is still the favorite candidates of Evangelicals (in Iowa), he has lost considerable support from them in the last couple of weeks. Rasmussen reports that where 62% of Iowa Evangelicals planned to vote for him once, that number has fallen to 49%.

That’s still significant, but from a man who needs Evangelicals to support his candidacy, it may not be enough. Evangelicals are his base. The more divided Evangelicals are, the less chance Huckabee has to win the nomination. (more…)

This is just silly: Dallas News has declared “the illegal immigrant” person (Texan) of the year.”

He breaks the law by his very presence. He hustles to do hard work many Americans won’t, at least not at the low wages he accepts. The American consumer economy depends on him. America as we have known it for generations may not survive him,” Dallas News reports. (more…)

Tariq Ali says that Pakistan deserves more from its opposition - and its ruling government - in the aftermath of Benazir Bhutto’s assassination. 

A triumvirate consisting of her husband, Asif Zardari (one of the most venal and discredited politicians in the country and still facing corruption charges in three European courts) and two ciphers will run the party till Benazir’s 19-year-old son, Bilawal, comes of age. He will then become chairperson-for-life and, no doubt, pass it on to his children. The fact that this is now official does not make it any less grotesque. The Pakistan People’s Party is being treated as a family heirloom, a property to be disposed of at the will of its leader.

(more…)

The PoliGazette crew wishes you and yours a very happy, healthy and successful new year! (more…)

Here’s Mike Huckabee’s latest ad (in Iowa):

His ad is clearly an attack against Mitt Romney - once again calling him “dishonest” - which is something he has to do. After all, if he doesn’t win in Iowa, he could very well slip in polls in other states as well. Reasonably good ad, but less powerful than Romney’s ads attacking Huckabee and McCain (probably also due to the fact that Romney can spend much more money on his ads). Below the fold Romney’s ad.  (more…)

If anyone’s still wondering whether the NYT’s editorial board is extremely liberal or not, well, I’d say just read this editorial.

Although I agree with the Times on a few issues, I can’t help but think “yeah, yeah. Yeah.” to myself when reading the article. (more…)

The question of whether Barack Obama was a Muslim as a boy is still lurking around in some people’s minds, as demonstrated by Daniel Pipes’ Christmas Eve questions about Obama’s potential apostasy and Ben Smith’s reply calling the article a smear tactic.

In a country of John Smiths, Barack Obama’s name carries with it an inherent liability, one that is not necessarily deserved but does raise questions - including some legitimate ones - in the minds of Christian voters.

(more…)

Although some say that Fox may have invited Ron Paul for the forum it will hold on January 6, only two days before the primary of New Hampshire, the Ron Paul campaign website has the following to say:

On December 27, the Associated Press reported: “The New Hampshire Republican Party is sponsoring a forum for Republican presidential candidates on Jan. 6, two days before the state’s first-in-the-nation primary.” Later in the article, the AP stated: “Participating in the forum will be Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, John McCain, Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson.” (more…)

Robert Novak says yes:

The assassination of Benazir Bhutto followed two months of urgent pleas to the State Department by her representatives for better protection. The U.S. reaction was that she was worried over nothing, expressing assurance that Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf would not let anything happen to her. (more…)

Ah, those peaceful Fatah terrorists are at it again:

 Fatah’s armed wing, the Aksa Martyrs Brigades, on Sunday called for the murder of Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salaam Fayad for “collaboration” with Israel and the US.

This was the first time the group has openly called for Fayad’s assassination. In the past, the group distributed leaflets strongly condemning Fayad and calling for his dismissal. (more…)

Don Surber brings the news that French President Nicholas Sarkozy has stood up to Syria: “After meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Sarkozy cut off diplomatic relations with the Syria over Syrian interference in Lebanon,” Don writes.

The BBC adds that Sarkozy said that “[l]Links will be restored only when France has proof that Syria is not blocking progress towards installing a consensus president in Lebanon.” Instead of talking the talk, Syria must now walk the walk. (more…)

In a last attempt to convince Iowa Republicans to vote for him this coming Thursday, Fred Thompson has put a video on YouTube in which he speaks to them for 17 minutes. (more…)

 The British newspaper the Telegraph has declared US General David Petraeus “Person of the Year.” The quite conservative newspaper explains:

He has been the man behind the US troop surge over the past 10 months, the last-ditch effort to end Iraq’s escalating civil war by putting an extra 28,000 American troops on the ground. (more…)