Charlie Crist may want the presidency in 2012 but first he’s got to get past Marco Rubio in the GOP Senate primary next year and retain the Republican hold on Mel Martinez’s seat.

Trying to hold off an insurgent conservative candidate at a time when the party’s base is most energized is causing Crist all kinds of problems politically. Lately it seems like nothing can go his way.

In a message callers hear when they get put on hold after calling Gov. Charlie Crist, Crist transposes a couple of numbers and turns the phone number for Florida KidCare into the number you’d call for “hot, horny girls.”

Full introduction message from the sex line below:

“Hey there, sexy guy. Welcome to an exciting new way to go live, one on one, with hot, horny girls waiting right now to talk to you.”

Sarah Palin, GOP vice presidential candidate last year, rolls into Minnesota as part of her Going Rogue book tour and Mall of America officials told reporters that the former governor requested English-speaking reporters only.

Officials at the Minnesota mega-mall this week told reporters planning to cover the Minneapolis-area stop on Palin’s Going Rogue book tour they must address the 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate who resigned as governor last summer by her old title – a common honor, actually, which normally is accorded to former governors.

But the mall also was banning foreign reporters, permitting “only English speaking press.” That’s not a common requirement.

Mall officials, calling the proposed guidelines a mistake, apologized to Palin today for “an internal miscommunication” that was “inadvertently distributed.”

In other words, it got out.

The request for English-only reads as an insult to Minnesota’s growing Latino population, especially since Sarah Palin’s answer to Katie Couric in support of the bank bailouts last year reads more like jibberish than English.

COURIC: Why isn’t it better, Governor Palin, to spend $700 billion helping middle-class families struggling with health care, housing, gas and groceries? … Instead of helping these big financial institutions that played a role in creating this mess?

PALIN: Ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the health care reform that is needed to help shore up the economy– Oh, it’s got to be about job creation too. So health care reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions.

Sarah Palin Resigns

Posted by Matt Ortega on July 4, 2009

Governor Sarah Palin scheduled a press conference in Wasilla, Alaska to make a big announcement. Rumors swirled that she was, inevitably, declaring herself a candidate for president in 2012.

But the one-term governor declared that she would resign her office effective July 26 and handing over the reigns of the state government to Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell.

Palin delivered an incoherent and rambling speech describing her reasons for abandoning her post as chief executive for the state of Alaska. This press conference will be mocked across the country but not amount of snark will do service to the actual speech itself. (She’s quitting to prove she’s not a quitter?)

YouTube Preview Image

Gov. Mark Sanford Admits Affair

Posted by Matt Ortega on June 26, 2009

Stunning news as South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford admitted to an affair with an Argentine woman at a rambling press conference in Columbia after nearly a week he left town without notice.

Sanford led his staff to believe he was hiking along the Appalachian Trail but, in fact, was in Buenos Aires and was tracked down by a reporter from The State at an airport in Atlanta disembarking a flight from Argentina.

The State obtained several e-mails between Sanford and his Argentine lover.

Senator John Ensign admitted to an extra-marital affair last week. Some media described him as a “Republican presidential contender” but that was the first anybody heard of it. However, Sanford was a contender for the nomination in 2012 but this affair effectively derails that future. Besides with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani as potential candidates, is there really room for three Republican philanderers?

These latest developments bode well for former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and former Vice Presidential candidate Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, barring any future meltdown of their own. And let’s be honest: we’re talking about Romney and Palin here. The opportunities for such are enormous.

Chris Matthews hosted Mike Allen of Politico on Hardball to talk about the carrier to noise ratioSarah Palin book deal announcement with HarperCollins (no surprise as it is owned by News Corporation, the same entity that owns FOX News). Matthews exclaimed “what an embarrassment” over the deal.

Watch the video here. дивани

Mark Sanford rails against excessive government spending and waste but appears to be in the dark about waste under his own purview.

At a press conference Monday, Sanford discussed “a number of wasteful and inefficient proposals contained in the state budget.”

The governor particularly pointed out the proposed “Capitol Police Force,” which would move the 67 officers assigned to protect the Statehouse from the governor’s control to the legislature.

But under Sanford’s oversight, the Bureau of Protective Services assigned one in every five of those officers to administrative positions in Blythewood — something the governor said he was unaware of when asked at the press conference.

“Shouldn’t the Governor know about his own Cabinet agencies,” the reporter asked?

“If your numbers are accurate, then [the administrative assignments] are a little excessive,” Sanford replied after a long pause.

Steele on Romney’s Failed Bid

Posted by Matt Ortega on May 11, 2009

RNC Chairman Michael Steele’s troubles with the Republican base continued this week when the embattled party leader insulted GOP primary voters as bigots that harbor ill feelings towards Mormons. Steele made the comments on the radio while guest hosting for conservative commentator Bill Bennett.

STEELE: Yeah, but let me ask you. Ok, Jay, I’m there with you. But remember, it was the base that rejected Mitt because of his switch on pro-life, from pro-choice to pro-life. It was the base that rejected Mitt because it had issues with Mormonism. It was the base that rejected Mitch, Mitt, because they thought he was back and forth and waffling on those very economic issues you’re talking about. So, I mean, I hear what you’re saying, but before we even got to a primary vote, the base had made very clear they had issues with Mitt because if they didn’t, he would have defeated John McCain in those primaries in which he lost.

Romney spokesman Eric Ferhnstrom said the comments “miss[ed] the target” and cited primary votes cast for the former governor and that Romney won the CPAC straw poll the last three years running.

Palin’s Star Fades in Alaska

Posted by Matt Ortega on May 11, 2009

Sarah Palin’s sky high approval numbers were much touted during the general election last year but her numbers in Alaska have plummeted from May 2008. The former vice presidential candidate was on the rise when the fledgling McCain campaign added her to the ticket but her star has since dimmed.

A new poll shows that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s popularity among Alaskans has plummeted in a year’s time. According to the poll conducted by Hays Research, about 54% of Alaskans have a “very positive” or “somewhat positive” view of the Republican governor.

Meanwhile, about 41.6% say they have a “somewhat negative” or “very negative” view of the former vice presidential nominee, according to the poll.

Compare that with numbers from May 2008 from the same group, when about 86% of those polled said they had a “very favorable” or “somewhat favorable” opinion of Palin. About 9% said they had either a “somewhat unfavorable” or “very unfavorable” view of the governor.

Mitt Romney free video poker how to play backgammon no deposit bonus online casino 888 no download casino play roulette craps game black jack download american roulette play video poker baccarat free casino game no download online casino free money on line casino wagering roulette online online casino betting free online casino slots free craps best casino roulette gambling internet casino gambling uk best casino online full pay video poker no deposit casino code best craps game black jack tournament best online casino site craps online game newest online casino free slots no download play blackjack online free dueces wild video poker black jack gambling online video poker game free casino cash no deposit video poker tutorial play free video poker how to win at black jack casino roulette casino guide how to win at roulette rules of craps casino game online real money backgammon baccarat casino online free video poker game play free video poker video poker odds video poker tournaments aired 10,000 ads in New Hampshire by October 2007 in his failed quest for the Republican nomination.

It appears Romney plans to get a head start on the campaign by setting up his primary residence in the Granite State.

The Hotline reports that Mitt Romney (R) is making his primary residence at the family home in New Hampshire, the site of the first-in-the-nation presidential primary.

“Establishing residency in NH could raise expectations for Romney’s performance in the state’s 2012 primary, but the state is also flush with important contests in the upcoming 2010 midterm elections, where Romney could lend a hand.”

Just out of curiosity: does this mean that the former Massachusetts governor will be referred to as “Mitt Romney (R-New Hampshire)”?

Never Too Early for Robo-Calls

Posted by Matt Ortega on March 25, 2009

Roughly sixty days into the Barack Obama presidency, automated phone calls were placed to Iowa and New Hampshire for SarahPAC, the political action committee of the 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate, Governor Sarah Palin (Alaska).

KCCI confirmed Tuesday that some Iowa Republicans have received automated phone calls from Sarah Pac, governor Palin’s political action committee.

The calls asked Iowans several questions including whether they have a favorable opinion of Palin.

Some Iowans received the calls over the weekend as did some voters in New Hampshire.