Edwards Tries to Squelch Journalism Student's Srory

Long shot presidential candidate John Edwards likes to portray himself as a "man of the people." Evidently, however, Senator Edwards doesn't want folks to know that he decided to locate his Chapel Hill campaign headquarters in an affluent shopping center. Apparently he was so concerned that seeing this story might lead people to draw conclusions about which of the "two Americas" he lives in that Edwards' campaign tried to strong arm a UNC journalism student into killing her story on this very subject, according to an Associated Press story. So we know how seriously free speech and a free press will be valued in Edwards' America. He may not want you to see the story, but we do, so we've posted it here.

Can Obama Win Evangelical Votes?

Nicole Russell has an interesting post up on The American Thinker positing that Barack Obama may be able to make inroads with conservative evangelical voters who were sufficiently disenchanted with the GOP to stay home in large numbers in the 2006 Congressional elections. Russell's argument seems to be premised on the fact that Obama is young and charming, which has eeemingly endeared him to some evangelicals, and his willingness to speak openly about his faith, something of a new phenomenon for a Democrat candidate. Russell acknowledges Obama's very liberal record, but points out that he has largely been courting a bloc of evangelicals more interested in AIDS and poverty than abortion and gay marriage. As interesting as the theory is, and as appealing as I am sure the Democrat party finds the prospect of peeling away evangelical votes, I wouldn't bet too much on the likelihood of the outcome. Fact is, evangelicals, and many conservatives, deserted the GOP in 2006 because the GOP deserted the principles that got it elected in the first place. While the Rick Warren's of the world are no doubt happy to have Barack Obama sit on the dais at AIDS and anti-poverty get togethers, the likelihood that a guy with Obama's voting record - and make no mistake, it is very, very liberal - will successfully woo the evangelical rank and file, is virtually nil.

Rudy in NH? He Should Save Himself the Trip

Apparently Rudy Giuliani, presidential aspirant, is visiting New Hampshire. He should save himself the trip. He has no prayer of being the Republican nominee in 2008. He is stridently pro-abortion and is pro-gay rights. I am certainly willing to commend him for his leadership in New York City after 9/11. But what segment of the Republican primary electorate does he appeal to, aside, perhaps, from the Log Cabin types (as if they have any influence whatsoever over the nominating process)? And we can safely assume that any mainstream Republican primary voter willing to credit Gioulani for his post-9/11 leadership is likely to find almost any other possible candidate, including John McCain. More palatable. My record for predictions of late might not be the best, but I will wager my last nickle that Rudy will NOT be the nominee.