Just when all of the smart people think that they have all the answers regarding former Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin , she changes the question.

As I linked to in my update to yesterday’s post, Palin will begin a national bus tour this Sunday.

Palin’s tour, the first of a series of travels that will occur over the next several weeks, will kick-start this Sunday in Washington, when Palin addresses over 500,000 Americans at the annual Rolling Thunder motorcycle rally.

Per the rally’s website:

Rolling Thunder began in 1987 as a demonstration to bring awareness to the plight of prisoners of war (POW) and to those missing in action (MIA). Rolling Thunder originated when four Vietnam Veterans, exercising the First Amendment “Right to Petition and Assemble”, organized the first group of 2500 motorcycles to ride through the streets of Washington, DC. This first Rolling Thunder run was made in an attempt to petition the government to take responsibility for the soldiers that were abandoned after the Vietnam War ended.

Today over 250, 000 motorcycles ride during the Rolling Thunder Memorial Day weekend observance, held each year in our nation’s capital. Rolling Thunder has evolved to be not only a demonstration for the POW/MIA issue but also a demonstration of patriotism and respect for soldiers and veterans from all wars.

The tour will then work its way north through the Northeast. Sarah Palin and her husband, Todd will visit other parts of the country later, stopping at historical sites along their route.

Her advisers are not linking details of her specific itinerary, nor are they spilling the beans over whether this is the launch of a presidential campaign. When a reporter asked Tim Crawford, the treasurer of Palin’s PAC, as to why Palin was beginning this journey, he said:

Because she wants to see how this nation was built and get fired up about that.

Palin herself commented on her website that:

I’ve said many times that America doesn’t need a ‘fundamental transformation,’ instead we need a restoration of all that is good and strong and free in America! So, together let’s prepare ourselves for the days ahead by reminding ourselves who we are and what Americans stand for.

Republican and Democrat strategists and pundits are all freaking out. They did not see this coming. Their fervent hope, expressed as a certainty, was that Palin would not be running in 2012, but would instead wait until 2016.

A top GOP strategist, speaking anonymously said:

If [Palin] is doing any outreach at all, it would have to be totally under the radar and not with the traditional activist crowd.

A Gallup poll released Thursday showed Palin with 15 percent among Republicans and GOP-leaning independents. The only person ahead of her is former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, coming in at 17 percent. According to Gallup, she and Romney have benefited most from the decision by former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee not to run again in 2012.

So, while Gov. Palin is rocking America’s political scene, what is the author of Romneycare,  former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney doing?

Yesterday, he traveled to Chicago for the dual purpose of raising money and putting together a state campaign team for another Presidential Campaign.

Romney, as he did in 2008, named state Treasurer Dan Rutherford as his Illinois chairman, saying:

[Rutherford] was with me last time around, and made things happen here. This time we’re going to be more successful.

Romney and Rutherford had a lunch meeting with area business owners at Gino’s East pizzeria in the Near North neighborhood.

After listening to complaints about Obama’s horrible economy, Romney proclaimed that Obama has pursued policies that have weakened the economy:

You have ticked off a number of the features [taxes and health costs] that I find very troubling. Business can handle bad news. Business has a hard time with uncertainty.

After they finished eating pizza, Romney sent the remaining pies to President Barack Hussein Obama’s Chicago reelection headquarters.

Asked if the pies actually made it to Obama’s HQ, a campaign source said that they had.

Romney tweeted a photo of a delivery boy heading out with the loot, writing:

Great deep dish at @ginoseast. Sending the extra slices to @barackobama and his Chicago HQ team.

Before the pizza parlor photo op, Romney appeared at a private fundraiser consisting of about 75 people at the Hilton and Towers across from Grant Park.

After his Illinois visit, Romney will travel to the first-in-the-nation caucus state of Iowa.

While there, he will kick-off the Greater Des Moines Partnership’s presidential candidate series on Friday. The Greater Des Moines Partnership is a business group.

Romney plans on spending a lot of time in Iowa:

I’m going to get to see some friends back in Iowa on a pretty regular basis. If this campaign goes forward, why, I certainly expect to do my effort in virtually every state in the nation.

Romney faced a residency challenge, concerning his time in Utah, during his campaign for Massachusetts governor. When asked Thursday if he felt an affinity for Rahm Emanuel, who faced his own residency challenge during his campaign for mayor of Chicago, Romney said:

I wish him the very best. It looks to me like he’s getting off to a good start, working hard. I hope he does a fine job here for the people in Chicago. My residency challenge was one I was able to bat down pretty easily.

How…nice.

Romney will formally announce his candidacy for President in New Hampshire next Thursday, June 2, at a noontime barbecue at GOP stalwart Doug and Stella Scamman’s Bittersweet Farm in Stratham. Both Scammans are former New Hampshire House members. Doug Scamman is a former Speaker of the House.

Ohhh…the excitement.

A 500,000 person rally of patriotic Americans vs. an exclusive barbeque attended by the GOP Elite.

I couldn’t have painted a better comparison if I tried.

We all know the old adages:

Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched.

Slow and steady wins the race.

All of the political pundits in Washington, the Intellectually Elite, if you will, on both sides of the political aisle, all seemingly have one question on their minds right now:

Will she or won’t she?

The lady in question? Former Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin.

The action in question:  Will she declare her candidacy for the Republican Presidental Nomination?

Most of Washington’s self-proclaimed political geniuses have written Gov. Palin off, as damaged goods.

However, the reports of Sarah Palin’s political demise may have been premature.

There is speculation among these same pundits that Palin may be prepping for a presidential run.

They claim that reports that the Palins just purchased a $1.7 million home in a secluded neighborhood in Scottsdale, Arizona may be an indicator of an upcoming campaign.

Adding to the speculation is that fact that her daughter, Bristol, also recently purchased a home there.

Why would the Palins move to Arizona? Location, location, location.

Palin would be able to easily access key early voting states from Arizona as opposed to living in Alaska. Moving to Arizona would also line up her schedule more closely with that of the national media which would be covering her campaign, therefore, they could react quickly to breaking news about Palin.

The pundits’ speculation has also been fueled by the announcement of a two-hour documentary on Palin, due to be released next month…wait on it…in Iowa.

Also,Palin has also rehired two aides whose job will be to assist her with travel and public events.

Palin admitted on the Fox News Channel last week that she has the “fire in my belly” for a presidential run. However, she also said that she is concerned about

…the huge amount of scrutiny and the sacrifices that have to be made on my children’s part in order to see their momma run for president.

Sarah Palin and Mitt Romney, the author of Romneycare continue to poll at the top of the Republican field of presidential contenders.

In a gallup.com poll, released on May 17th, Palin was in the top 3 Highest Positive Intensity Scores among the previously-announced and potential Republican candidates, along with Herman Cain and Michele Bachmann.

She also scored highest in Name Recognition, followed by Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich.

Quite a turnaround from November of last year when gallup.com reported that:

More than half of Americans, 52%, now view Sarah Palin unfavorably, the highest percentage holding a negative opinion of the former Alaska governor in Gallup polling since Sen. John McCain tapped her as the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee. Her 40% favorable rating ties her lowest favorable score, recorded just over a year ago.

…Palin’s image has consistently tilted negative since July 2009, and was nearly as negative in October 2009 as it is today. Public views on her were also more negative than positive just before the 2008 election, in which President Obama handily defeated the Republican ticket. By contrast, Americans’ initial reactions to Palin after her debut at the Republican National Convention that year were mostly favorable.

Now that the 2010 midterms are over, the big question swirling around Palin is whether she will run for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination. Given her high name recognition and broad popularity among Republicans, 80% of whom now view her favorably, she is clearly in a strong position to seek it. However, her negative image among the other party groups — 81% of Democrats and 53% of independents view her unfavorably, while fewer than 4 in 10 view her favorably — casts some doubt on her viability in the general election.

As Palin mulls over whether to run for her party’s nomination or not, you can be sure that another one of the pollsters that Gov. Palin and her team are paying attention to is Scott Rasmussen.

Yesterday on rasmussenreports.com, it was reported that a Generic Republican was a mere one percentage point behind President Barack Hussein Obama (mm mmm mmmm) in a mock Presidential Ballot.

Per the article:

These results are consistent with the fact that the president’s job approval rating has hovered in the high 40s for most of the past 18 months. “On Election Day in 2012, it is reasonable to assume that the president’s vote total will be close to his job approval,” Scott Rasmussen explains. “What is impossible to determine at this point is where the president’s job approval will be in the fall of next year.”

An incumbent who earns support below 50% is generally considered politically vulnerable. In every matchup tested so far this year against potential GOP challengers, the president’s support has stayed between 42% and 49%.

Given the way that Obama has been self-destructing over the last week in the field of Foreign Affairs, with his history and statesmanship lesson from Bibi Netanyahu, and his gaffe-tastic time in the UK (I didn’t know that it was still 2008.),those numbers from Rasmussen are in the process of changing as I write this post.

Gov. Palin could jump into the race, or she could remain a kingmaker, a phrase often heard from her detractors, in an effort to discourage her from running.

I, like you, Gentle Reader, have no clue as to what she will do.

However, allow me to leave you with one more old adage:

Never underestimate the power of a woman.

KJ UPDATE 1:14 PM – It looks like I was right.  Sarah will be traveling with the Rolling Thunder on a bus tour.  Hold on to something.  Here we go.

Yesterday, a great leader, a man of courage of conviction, spoke up in defense of his nation before the Congress of the United States of America.  It was not the President of these United States, Barack Hussein Obama (mm mmm mmmm).  It was the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu.  Here are some excerpts of of his dynamic speech:

We recognize that a Palestinian state must be big enough to be viable, to be independent, to be prosperous. All of you — and the president too — have referred to Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people, just as you’ve been talking about a future Palestinian state as the homeland of the Palestinian people. Well, Jews from around the world have a right to immigrate to the one and only Jewish state, and Palestinians from around the world should have a right to immigrate, if they so choose, to a Palestinian state.

And here is what this means. It means that the Palestinian refugee problem will be resolved outside the borders of Israel.

You know, everybody knows this. It’s time to say it. It’s important.

And as for Jerusalem, only a democratic Israel has protected the freedom of worship for all faiths in the city. (Applause.) Throughout the millennial history of the Jewish capital, the only time that Jews, Christians and Moslems could worship freely, could have unfettered access to their holy sites has been during Israel’s sovereignty over Jerusalem.

Jerusalem must never again be divided.  Jerusalem must remain the united capital of Israel.

I know this is a difficult issue for Palestinians. But I believe that, with creativity and with good will, a solution can be found.

So this is the peace I plan to forge with a Palestinian partner committed to peace. But you know very well that in the Middle East, the only peace that will hold is the peace you can defend. So peace must be anchored in security.

In recent years, Israel withdrew from south Lebanon and from Gaza. We thought we’d get peace. That’s not what we got. We got 12,000 rockets fired from those areas on our cities, on our children, by Hezbollah and Hamas. The U.N. peacekeepers in Lebanon, they failed to prevent the smuggling of this weaponry. The European observers in Gaza, they evaporated overnight. So if Israel simply walked out of the territories, the flow of weapons into a future Palestinian state would be unchecked, and missiles fired from it could reach virtually every home in Israel in less than a minute.

I want you to think about that, too. Imagine there’s a siren going on now and we have less than 60 seconds to find shelter from an incoming rocket. Would you live that way? Do you think anybody can live that way? Well, we’re not going to live that way either.

The truth is that Israel needs unique security arrangements because of its unique size. It’s one of the smallest countries in the world. Mr. Vice President, I’ll grant you this: It’s bigger than Delaware.  It’s even bigger than Rhode Island. But that’s about it.  Israel under 1967 lines would be half the width of the Washington Beltway.

Now, here’s a bit of nostalgia. I came to Washington 30 years ago as a young diplomat. It took me a while, but I finally figured it out: there is an America beyond the Beltway.

But Israel under 1967 lines would be only nine miles wide. So much for strategic depth. So it’s therefore vital — absolutely vital — that a Palestinian state be fully demilitarized, and it’s vital — absolutely vital — that Israel maintain a long-term military presence along the Jordan River.

Solid security arrangements on the ground are necessary not only to protect the peace; they’re necessary to protect Israel in case the peace unravels, because in our unstable region, no one can guarantee that our peace partners today will be there tomorrow. And my friends, when I say tomorrow, I don’t mean some distant time in the future; I mean tomorrow.

Peace can only be achieved around the negotiating table.

The Palestinian attempt to impose a settlement through the United Nations will not bring peace.  It should be forcefully opposed by all those who want to see this conflict end. I appreciate the president’s clear position on these — on this issue.

Peace cannot be imposed. It must be negotiated.

But peace can only be negotiated with partners committed to peace, and Hamas is not a partner for peace.   Hamas — Hamas remains committed to Israel’s destruction and to terrorism. They have a charter. That charter not only calls for the obliteration of Israel, it says: Kill the Jews everywhere you find them.

Hamas’ leader condemned the killing of Osama bin Laden and praised him as a holy warrior. Now, again, I want to make this clear:

Israel is prepared to sit down today and negotiate peace with the Palestinian Authority. I believe we can fashion a brilliant future for our children. But Israel will not negotiate with a Palestinian government backed by the Palestinian version of al-Qaeda. That we will not do.

So I say to President Abbas: Tear up your pact with Hamas! Sit down and negotiate. Make peace with the Jewish state.  And if you do, I promise you this: Israel will not be the last country to welcome a Palestinian state as a new member of the United Nations; it will be the first to do so.

My friends, the momentous trials over the last century and the unfolding events of this century attest to the decisive role of the United States in defending peace and advancing freedom. Providence entrusted the United States to be the guardian of liberty. All people who cherish freedom owe a profound debt of gratitude to your great nation. Among the most grateful nations is my nation, the people of Israel, who have fought for their liberty and survival against impossible odds in ancient and modern times alike. I speak on behalf of the Jewish people and the Jewish state when I say to you, representatives of America: Thank you.  Thank you. Thank you for your unwavering support for Israel. Thank you for ensuring that the flame of freedom burns bright throughout the world.

May God bless all of you, and may God forever bless the United States of America.

Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you.

Compare and contrast the following  examples of apologies given by the President of the United States in his first four months of office as they relate to foreign policy and national security issues, to the outstanding example of leadershhip and statesmanship given yesterday by Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Apology to France and Europe (“America Has Shown Arrogance”) Speech by President Obama, Rhenus Sports Arena, Strasbourg, France, April 3, 2009.

So we must be honest with ourselves. In recent years we’ve allowed our Alliance to drift. I know that there have been honest disagreements over policy, but we also know that there’s something more that has crept into our relationship. In America, there’s a failure to appreciate Europe’s leading role in the world. Instead of celebrating your dynamic union and seeking to partner with you to meet common challenges, there have been times where America has shown arrogance and been dismissive, even derisive.

Apology to the Muslim World (“We Have Not Been Perfect”)  President Obama, interview with Al Arabiya, January 27, 2009.

My job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy. We sometimes make mistakes. We have not been perfect. But if you look at the track record, as you say, America was not born as a colonial power, and that the same respect and partnership that America had with the Muslim world as recently as 20 or 30 years ago, there’s no reason why we can’t restore that.

Apology for the War on Terror (“We Went off Course”) President Obama, speech at the National Archives, Washington, D.C., May 21, 2009.[5]

Unfortunately, faced with an uncertain threat, our government made a series of hasty decisions. I believe that many of these decisions were motivated by a sincere desire to protect the American people. But I also believe that all too often our government made decisions based on fear rather than foresight; that all too often our government trimmed facts and evidence to fit ideological predispositions. Instead of strategically applying our power and our principles, too often we set those principles aside as luxuries that we could no longer afford. And during this season of fear, too many of us–Democrats and Republicans, politicians, journalists, and citizens–fell silent.

In other words, we went off course. And this is not my assessment alone. It was an assessment that was shared by the American people who nominated candidates for President from both major parties who, despite our many differences, called for a new approach–one that rejected torture and one that recognized the imperative of closing the prison at Guantanamo Bay.

I would ask if we could arrange a swap of national leaders, but I couldn’t do that to Israel.  God’s chosen people have suffered enough.

As more unlikely winners throw their hat in the ring for the Republican Presidential Campaign, I believe that it’s important that we know who they are and what they stand for.

Today, during an Internet Townhall Meeting, former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty will throw his hat into the ring.

Other than seeing him on Fox News every now and then, I really did not know a whole lot about him.

Per his official website, timpawlenty.com:

…Tim’s leadership style is rooted in his family. One of five children, Tim grew up near the stockyards of South St. Paul. His father was a truck driver and his mother passed away when he was young. Tim worked while attending the University of Minnesota, becoming the first in his family to graduate from college. He went on to earn his law degree and become a criminal prosecutor.

He was elected to the local city council in 1989 and to the state House of Representatives three years later. In the state House, Tim quickly rose to become the Republican majority leader, and led efforts to enact the largest tax cuts in Minnesota history. After being elected governor in 2002, Tim kept his campaign promise and balanced the budget every year without raising taxes. In fact, Tim cut taxes by nearly $800 million, moving Minnesota out of the top 10 highest taxed states – a goal of every Minnesota governor for over 30 years.

While keeping a lid on taxes, Tim has championed innovative education and health care reforms that are national models. A firm believer in the power of competition, Tim’s health care reforms made price and quality more transparent for patients, moving the health care system towards paying for and achieving better health care outcomes. And to make sure Minnesota school children are prepared for the modern economy, Tim’s education reforms hold teachers accountable, rewarding the best with a groundbreaking performance-pay system.

Tim and his wife, Mary, also led efforts to support Minnesotans serving in the military. In addition to traveling several times to the war zones in Afghanistan and Iraq to visit with commanders and troops, he led efforts to create one of the nation’s most comprehensive programs to support veterans, military members and their families.

Tim has been married for over 20 years to his wife, Mary, a former district judge. The Pawlentys have two teenage daughters, Anna and Mara, and attend Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

Tim has run the Twin Cities Marathon and is a fervent hockey fan. He plays in a regular pick up hockey game. Tim’s ipod includes Bruce Springsteen and Kenny Chesney.

You already know what’s coming next, don’t you, Gentle Reader?

Let’s measure Governor Pawlenty using the three-legged stool of Reagan Conservatism:

1.  Fiscal Conservatism – In a article at economist.com, posted on March 22, 2011, Pawlenty’s Fiscal Conservatism is assessed in the following way:

…Minnesota has come through the recession quite well, with an unemployment rate of 6.7%, well below the national average. And although Mr Pawlenty left his state with a $6 billion deficit, he has some fiscal-conservative bonafides. (Let’s be honest, fiscal conservatism nowadays has everything to do with lowering taxes and spending and little to do with actual deficits.) He won a fight with a public-employees’ union long before Scott Walker did, and he made liberal use of his veto pen when it came to spending bills, something he likes to brag about. Elected twice, most would at least say he had an uncontroversial two terms in office. Many would even call his tenure a success.

However, he’s not perfect.

At one time, Pawlenty was in favor of Cap and Trade. In fact, he appeared in a Public Service Announcement for the Environmental Defense Fund with then-Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano where he pleaded:

Come on Congress. Let’s get moving. Cap greenhouse gas pollution now.

He’s since done an about-face on the issue, saying:

Everybody in the race, at least the big names in the race, embraced climate change or cap-and-trade at one point or another, every one of us, so there’s no one who has been in executive position whose name is being bantered in a first or second-tier way who hasn’t embraced it in some way.

Really, Governor?

The question is in my case, I’ve said, ‘Look, I’ve made a mistake.’ I think cap-and-trade would be a ham-fisted, unhelpful, damaging thing to the economy. It’s misguided. I made the mistake. I admit it. I’m not trying to be cute about it. I just come out and tell you it was a mistake.

2.  Social Conservatism – Formerly Catholic, now an Evangelical, Pawlenty is solidly Pro-Life , and, as noted earlier in this post,  his campaign claims that his focus is on the family.

According to lifenews.com:

During his time as governor, Pawlenty built up a sterling pro-life record and worked closely with Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life to advocate the pro-life position. Following Governor Pawlenty’s two terms, the number of abortions dropped 14 percent and reached a 35-year low.

…He named Eric Magnuson, an attorney who has worked with pro-life groups, the Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court and told Minnesota agencies to reject Obamacare, which could fund abortions. He signed the Woman’s Right to Know Act, which requires informed consent and a 24-hour waiting period before an abortion. The law was the strongest informed consent law in the country at the time, and Minnesota was the first state in the nation to ensure that women be provided with information on the ability of their unborn child to feel pain.

Pawlenty also signed into law the Positive Alternatives program passed by the state legislature in 2005 with the support of pro-life groups. The law, which provides state funding for pregnancy centers that help women with pregnancy support and abortion alternatives, has already proven successful in lowering the number of abortions.

3.  National Defense – Pawlenty is strong on this issue.  In October of 2009, he announced the formation of the Freedom First Political Action Committee, created to support  Tim Pawlenty’s views on limited government, economic freedom, and a strong foreign policy.

An example of his foreign policy stance can be seen in this statement from Pawlenty on facebook.com about Obama’s Kenetic Military Action in Libya:

Far too often, when President Obama is confronted by significant foreign policy challenges, he wavers, leaving those fighting on the side of freedom to question America’s commitment to their cause. This was the case with the administration’s response to recent events in Egypt. It was only after Hosni Mubarak’s fate was clear that the President got behind the courageous men and women gathered in Tahrir Square. Now, the Libyan people have taken to the streets to free themselves from the despotic reign of Muammar al-Qaddafi and peaceful protesters have been literally gunned down. Yet the President remains silent, unwilling or unable to speak with moral clarity about America’s interest in supporting the aspirations of all who seek freedom. The leader of the United States should never leave those willing to sacrifice their lives in the cause of freedom wondering where America stands. It is time for the administration to use all tools at its disposal to pressure al-Qaddafi to stop the violence and to step down. The Libyan people don’t have time to wait.

At this present time, Governor Pawlenty’s views seem to be that of a Reagan Conservative.  There are two big problems with his candidacy, however:

First, he’s an unknown outside of the Northeast Corridor.

Second, he’s about as exciting as watching paint dry.

Other than that, he’s got a great shot at being nominated.

Conservative Herman Cain, talk show host and former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza tossed his hat in the ring Saturday, officially joining a growing group of candidates going after the Republican presidential nomination.

The 65 year old Cain, made his announcement in his hometown, at Atlanta’s Centennial Park, were he told Americans that they need to be reading our Constitution:

Keep reading. Don’t stop at life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.

He also gave a warning to the opposition party that Republicans will retake the U.S. Senate and the presidency, just as it acquired control of the House in the 2010 Midterm Elections:

We will take them back because you and I do not want this nation to become just another mediocre nation.

The former CEO went on to stress that America needs to refocus on free-market principles.

Cain’s detractors will most certainly attempt to make political hay out of his lack of any time at all in public office.

However, according to his spokesperson, Ellen Carmichael, his lack of political experience will be a plus with many voters:

He is really not indebted to anyone and has a history of success creating jobs.

Cain’s first big test will be the Aug. 13 Ames, Iowa straw poll.

Of course, academic pinheads everywhere are already counting him as irrelevant.

Dennis Goldford, a Drake University political science professor said Saturday that Cain did not have a chance, then he hedged his bet:

You never say never in politics. Let’s say his chances are highly improbable of winning the nomination.

Carmichael says that Cain is quite aware of the stakes in Iowa:

It is imperative for us to perform well in Iowa. Coming in first is important.

On the unofficial campaign trail, Cain has already spent 22 days in Iowa and has been a part of in 33 events. In fact, he was the winner of a presidential straw poll in late March at U.S. Rep. Steve King’s Conservative Principles Conference in Des Moines.

Cain has been well-received in Iowa because of his speeches in front of conservative audiences in Iowa and because of his performance in a nationally televised Republican debate in South Carolina May 5.

He is scheduled to return in early June to Iowa and frequently after that, according to his spokesperson.

During his Saturday announcement, Herman Cain called on Americans to set goals.

The tragedy of life does not lie in not reaching your goals. It lies in not having goals.

And, in a decision that may cause mass seppuku among the GOP Elite, the Main Stream Media, and so-called “Moderate Republicans” everywhere, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels announced early Sunday morning that his wife would not allow him to run for president.

Well…he didn’t exactly say that…but…you know.

According to Daniels, his family came first. Daniels made his announcement in an e-mail sent out just after midnight:

I was able to resolve every competing consideration but one, but that, the interests and wishes of my family, is the most important consideration of all.

The Napoleonic-sized (5’4″)Daniels is a two-term governor of Indiana, who has worked in the administrations of both George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan.

Also in the clandestine e-mail, Daniels wrote:

If I have disappointed you, I will always be sorry. If you feel that this was a non-courageous or unpatriotic decision, I understand and will not attempt to persuade you otherwise. I only hope that you will accept my sincerity in the judgment I reached.

Demonstrating some of the same Pat Paulsen-like humor he demonstrated in this year’s Gridiron Club Banquet, where he appeared with Barack Obama and other Democrat politicians, Daniels concluded his announcement by writing:

Please stay in touch if you see ways in which an obscure Midwestern governor might make a constructive contribution to the rebuilding of our economy and our republic.

Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (yawn) is expected to announce his candidacy in Des Moines Monday.

As the Republican presidential field slowly gathers, a picture of the field of candidates is beginning to emerge.

Herman Cain joins a field, which presently includes former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson and Texas Rep. Ron Paul.

Fortunately, his supporters can’t stuff the national ballot boxes, like they do CPAC’s.

Still predicted to announce their candidacy are Former Massachusetts Governor and the author of Romneycare, Mitt Romney.  Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum are also expected to join the race.

As I wrote last week, Texas Governor Rick Perry may also be joining the field.

You even hear Chris Christie’s name being bantered about.

There’s one big name, however, far removed from the beltway who remains on the lips of the GOP Elite, the Main Stream Media, and the Democrats.

But, she isn’t talking…yet.

Have you ever had a moment in your life, when you were younger, when an older person, or a peer, had experienced enough of your erroneous wisdom?  It was then, that they would sit you down and tell you the way that the cow ate the cabbage.

Well, Gentle Reader, that’s exactly what happened yesterday to Barack Hussein Obama, President of these United States.

And it was awesome.

The day after Obama spoke to the American people from the State Department, with an audience of 12 sycophants, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, commanding the nation of Israel to give up half of their nation to the Palestinions, including a number of Christian holy places, he had a scheduled face-to-face meeting with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu.

To say that it did not go well for Obama, is like saying that General Custer had a minor disagreement with the Indians.

In a magnificent display of leadership, Prime Minister Netanyahu told Obama what he could do with his command that Israel return to its 1967 boundaries.

Their meeting ran over by two hours, cancelling their luncheon plans.

While the two leaders agreed that there must be ironclad Israeli security alongside a Palestinian nation, no progress whatsoever was made on the issue of where the borders should be.

In response to Thursday’s speech by Obama, Netanyahu said:

While Israel is prepared to make generous compromises for peace, it cannot go back to the 1967 lines. These lines are indefensible.

As they sat together on a couch in front of the cameras after their private meeting, an uncomfortable looking Obama tried his best to spin their meeting into a positive thing. The president said:

Obviously there are some differences between us in the precise formulatons and language. That’s going to happen between friends.

Looking toward Netanyahu, he added:

What we are in complete accord about is that a true peace can only occur if the ultimate resolution allows Israel to defend itself against threats, and that Israel’s security will remain paramount in U.S. evaluation of any prospective deal.

And that’s when the President of the United States was taken to school.

While Obama acted like he was listening intently, he squirmed around on the couch as if his bloomers were riding up.  He knew that he was being humbled.

The animated, passionate Prime Minister of Israel gave Obama a lesson in leadership, saying:

Remember that, before 1967, Israel was all of nine miles wide.  It was half the width of the Washington Beltway. And these were not the boundaries of peace; they were the boundaries of repeated wars, because the attack on Israel was so attractive.

It’s not going to happen. Everybody knows it’s not going to happen.  And I think it’s time to tell the Palestinians forthrightly it’s not going to happen.

For those of you who are wondering what this 1967 War was about that they are referring to:

The Six-Day War took place in June 1967. The Six-Day War was fought between June 5th and June 10th. The Israelis defended the war as a preventative military effort to counter what the Israelis saw as an impending attack by Arab nations that surrounded Israel. The Six-Day War was initiated by General Moshe Dayan, the Israeli’s Defence Minister.

The war was against Syria, Jordan and Egypt. Israel believed that it was only a matter of time before the three Arab states co-ordinated a massive attack on Israel. After the 1956 Suez Crisis, the United Nations had established a presence in the Middle East, especially at sensitive border areas. The United Nations was only there with the agreement of the nations that acted as a host to it. By May 1967, the Egyptians had made it clear that the United Nations was no longer wanted in the Suez region. Gamal Nasser, leader of Egypt, ordered a concentration of Egyptian military forces in the sensitive Suez zone. This was a highly provocative act and the Israelis only viewed it one way – that Egypt was preparing to attack. The Egyptians had also enforced a naval blockade which closed off the Gulf of Aqaba to Israeli shipping.

Rather than wait to be attacked, the Israelis launched a hugely successful military campaign against its perceived enemies. The air forces of Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Iraq were all but destroyed on June 5th. By June 7th, many Egyptian tanks had been destroyed in the Sinai Desert and Israeli forces reached the Suez Canal. On the same day, the whole of the west bank of the Jordan River had been cleared of Jordanian forces. The Golan Heights were captured from Syria and Israeli forces moved 30 miles into Syria itself.

…The success of the campaign must have surprised the Israelis. However, it also gave them a major problem that was to prove a major problem for the Israeli government for decades. By capturing the Sinai, the Golan Heights and the West Bank of the Jordan River, the Israelis had captured for themselves areas of great strategic value. However, the West Bank also contained over 600,000 Arabs who now came under Israeli administration. Their plight led many young Arabs into joining the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), a group that the Israelis deemed a terrorist organisation. Israeli domestic policies became a lot more complicated after the military successes of June 1967.

The Israeli’s have successfully faced insurmountable odds for years.  It is impertinent for President Barack Hussein Obama to think that he can command them to do anything, much less give up half of their nation.

As I reported yesterday, Texas Governor Rick Perry is the subject of a lot of conjecture, concerning whether of not he plans to mount a campaign for the Republican Presidential Nomination.

On April 9, 2009, Governor Perry issued the following statement:

I believe that our federal government has become oppressive in its size, its intrusion into the lives of our citizens, and its interference with the affairs of our state.

That is why I am here today to express my unwavering support for efforts all across our country to reaffirm the states’ rights affirmed by the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. I believe that returning to the letter and spirit of the U.S. Constitution and its essential 10th Amendment will free our state from undue regulations, and ultimately strengthen our Union.

So, how do the citizens of the Republic of Texas feel about their Chief Executive and the job that he is doing?  And how is he handling the challenges of governing the largest state in our contiguous 48?

Last January, a consortium of Texas newspapers commissioned a poll which asked Texas their opinion of their politicians.

The poll showed Governor Rick Perry’s approval ratings among Texans coming in at over 50 percent, up from 46 percent in 2010.  52 percent said that they believed that Texas was heading in the right direction.

Jennifer Sauer, 32, of Elmendorf, Texas, said:

I’m not that political. I think things have been going great lately. That’s why I was saying for him not to run for president. He needs to stay in Texas.

Some “Distinguished Alumni” from Texas A & M beg to differ with Ms. Sauer.

Here’s an excerpt from a  post found on the May 3rd, 2011 on-line edition of the Houston Chronicle:

On Tuesday, 22 A&M graduates honored as “Distinguished Alumni” by the Association of Former Students warned that “an extraordinary level of political intervention in our university” could damage A&M’s reputation, particularly “proposals to fundamentally change how research universities in Texas fulfill their educational responsibilities.”

The signatories, most of them wealthy Texas businessmen who have contributed generously to their alma mater and have served in leadership positions at the university, ranged in graduation class from 1949 to 1967. Perry graduated from A&M in 1972.

“It is our opinion that several of these proposals will do significant damage,” the alumni wrote. “We encourage you to ask the Board of Regents to end their well-known support for the seven proposals. We call on you to ask the board of Regents to resist inappropriate political intervention …”

In response to one of the “seven solutions” promoted by Perry and Sandefer, Texas A&M published an online ranking of professors on their “productivity” based on the number of students they taught.

The ranking earned the university a rebuke from the prestigious Association of American Universities, an organization of the nation’s top research institutions.

This missive was titled “Open Letter to the Texas A&M University Community”. In it, the alumni criticized the proposals of Jeff Sandefer, an Austin businessman and architect of the “Seven Breakthrough Solutions.” Sandefer’s suggestions had been supported by Governor Perry as a way to make higher education more cost-effective.

Sandefer contributed nearly $450,000 to Perry’s campaigns.

And if you think that Governor Perry is engaged in a war with Texas Liberals over Education Reform.  You ain’t seen nothing, yet.

You remember, Gentle Reader, that Texas is a Border State, right?

Well, Governor Perry has championed an immigration bill that almost tore the Texas House of Representatives apart before it was passed.

The original bill would allow local police to question anyone they detain about their citizenship status.

However, it was derailed yesterday as a key Senate committee voted to take out the police enforcement measure that “concerned” citizens had packed a committee room to testify against.

The proposed legislation, nicknamed the “sanctuary cities” bill, had been declared an emergency by Gov. Rick Perry and had naturally been the center of a passionate and racially charged verbal donnybrook.

Leading up to the Texas House’s vote, there were a lot of differing opinions about the purpose of the bill.

The bill’s author, Republican Burt Solomons, said:

It simply prevents cities from telling officers to turn a blind eye to violators of federal law.

House Democrats disagreed.   State Representative Trey Martinez Fischer told reporters:

It’s the largest anti-Hispanic bill I’ve seen in Texas.

Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo told a House committee in March:

At a time with dwindling resources, we’re very concerned with placing the job of the federal government in the hands of state and local” entities. Quite frankly, I’m not sure what we’re trying to fix.

When asked about some police chiefs opposing the measure, Perry referred reports back to the last Election.

My response is that I hope they were paying attention on the second day of November, 2010, when the people of the state of Texas said pretty clearly that they wanted to have a sanctuary city prohibition in our statute. I talked a lot about it during the campaign.

In conclusion, it appears that the majority of the citizens of Texas support their Governor and the things that he is trying to accomplish for them.  The problem is, Governor Perry has to work with his Legislative Branch.  He can’t just rule by diktat, as a certain resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C. is attempting.

As the Moderate potential Republican Presidential Candidates, foisted upon America by the GOP Elite and the Main Stream Media seemingly commit mass seppuku in front of the national cameras, Americans are wondering when a truly Conservative candidate will announce their candidacy.

From deep in the heart of Texas come rumors that Governor Rick Perry may be considering throwing his ten gallon hat into the ring.

A state politician who is a friend of Gov. Perry’s told realclearpolitics.com that Perry has been talking to a few important political strategists and believes that there is a vacuum in the race for the Republican nominee that he can step in and fill.

With fellow Southerners Mike Huckabee and Haley Barbour out of the race, Perry is beginning to glimpse a view of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue from his house.

One of Perry’s “buds” has been scouting the lay of the land in Iowa for him. Another told a small group in the primary state to:

Keep your powder dry.

Perry’s covert operation was not a shock to Mark McKinnon, a Republican strategist and Bush administration veteran, who remarked:

I’m not aware of Perry making calls, although it wouldn’t surprise me.

According to an e-mail written by Dave Carney, a Perry political strategist who now works for Gingrich’s presidential effort, there’s nothing to see here. Move along:

The Governor has not called anyone about running for POTUS. I’d like to know of one person who says they received such a call. He is calling raising funds for the Republican Governors Association, of which he currently serves as chair.

Who is Rick Perry? According to the Texas Governor’s official biography:

Rick Perry’s political career started in 1985 as a representative for a rural West Texas district in the state House of Representatives. He was first elected to statewide office in 1990, and served as Texas Commissioner of Agriculture for two terms. Governor Perry hails from Paint Creek, a small farming community north of Abilene. His father, Ray Perry, served as a Haskell County Commissioner, school board member and a World War II tail gunner. Between 1972 and 1977, Governor Perry served in the United States Air Force, flying C-130 tactical airlift aircraft in the U.S., Europe and the Middle East.

He is a 1972 graduate of Texas A&M University where he was a member of the Corps of Cadets, a junior and senior yell leader and an animal science major. The younger of Ray and Amelia Perry’s two children, Governor Perry is an Eagle Scout and lifetime member of American Legion Post #75.

He first met Anita Thigpen at a piano recital during their elementary school years. They married in 1982 and are the proud parents of two grown children — Griffin and Sydney. Griffin married his wife, Meredith, in 2009.

Let’s see how he stacks up using my measuring rod of choice, the three-leggged stool of Reagan Conservatism:

1.  Fiscal Conservatism – Again, per his official website:

During his tenure, Governor Perry has maintained a strong focus on fiscal discipline, becoming only the only Texas governor since World War II to sign budgets that reduced general revenue spending. He has used his line item veto to scrub more than $3 billion in budgeted spending, while encouraging investments in the building blocks of a prosperous state: the economy, education and security.

The Texas economy is performing well in the current global economic crisis, thanks to a focused effort to keep taxes low, regulations predictable and legal system fair. Gov. Perry led the effort to reform the legal system, signing into law a series of lawsuit reforms designed to stem the flow of frivolous lawsuits through Texas courts. As a result, employers can devote their resources to creating jobs instead of defending against those frivolous lawsuits.

It comes as no surprise that Gov. Perry’s hard-line Fiscal Conservatism has made him a Tea Party Favorite.

2.  Social Conservatism – In 2005, Perry signed into law a moderate abortion bill that limits late term abortions and requiring girls under the age of 18 to have parental permission for an abortion. He actually signed the bill in the gymnasium of Calvary Christian Academy in Fort Worth, an evangelical Christian school. He came under fire from abortion advocates for his actions.

He is also known for his socially conservative views on homosexuality, publically condemning the United States Supreme Court decision in Lawrence vs. Texas striking down sodomy laws. According to the governor, Texas’s last such law was “appropriate.”

Perry is pro-death penalty, as are the overwhelming majority of Texans.

Per Texas law, the Board of Pardon and Parole must make a recommendation to commute a death sentence, which the Governor is free to ignore. However, if the Board does not make such a recommendation the Governor cannot then commute the sentence. The only power a Texas Governor has is to issue one 30-day reprieve.

Regarding Border Issues, Gov. Perry said:

We’re very concerned that the federal government is not funding border security adequately. We must be ready for any contingency.

3.  National Defense –

As the Governor of Texas, Perry has adopted the stance detailed in the National Governors Association position paper, which states:

The issue of terrorism will be of major focus for the 107th Congress. Governors have a critical interest in controlling domestic terrorism because they are responsible for ensuring that state and local authorities have the ability to deal with natural disasters and other types of major emergencies, including terrorist incidents.

NGA believes that any national strategy for dealing with terrorist incidents should include planning and training by state and local forces. The unique nature of terrorism coupled with national security implications requires the support and expertise of the federal government in working with state and local government in developing capabilities. A clear national strategy developed through a partnership among federal agencies and key state, local, and private sector stakeholders is essential to drive operational and programmatic planning, training, and service delivery in combating terrorism.

So, the Texas Governor’s political stances seem to line up within the established parameters of Reagan Conservatism.

Whether or not Texas Governor Rick Perry decides to enter the Rodeo known as the Republican Presidential Primary is anybody’s guess.  If he does saddle up, whether he can stay on that bucking bronco for the full eight seconds, is another thing indeed.

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, in an appearance last Sunday morning on NBC’s Meet the Press with David Gregory, called his own political party’s plan for Medicare Reform”right-wing social engineering”.

Denouncing House Budget Committee chairman Paul Ryan’s plan to reform and restructure Medicare, Gingrich said:

I don’t think right-wing social engineering is any more desirable than left-wing social engineering. I don’t think imposing radical change from the right or the left is a very good way for a free society to operate.

In the same interview, the seemingly-oblivious, newly-announced presidential candidate voiced his support in requiring that all Americans be forced to buy health insurance, basically siding with fellow GOP Elitist Mitt Romney and throwing a money wrench in the Republican Party’s plan to attack Obamacare and the promise to repeal and replace the Unconstitutional law that the Republicans made before the 2010 Midterm Elections.

Doubling down on his cluelessness, Gingrich later told the Wall Street Journal Sunday that he knew that many Republicans are uncomfortable with requiring insurance coverage, but challenged them to offer an alternative solution:

Most Republican voters agree with the principle that people have some responsibility to pay for their costs.

The former speaker went on to say that he wants to see the mandate implemented at the state level, leaving it up to them to experiment with alternative approaches.

According to Gingrich, the individual mandate should apply to all Americans.

Monday, the GOP Elite were scrambling about, like clowns endlessly streaming out of a tiny car in the center ring of Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus, in a feverish attempt at damage control.

Former Education Secretary Bill Bennett, on his syndicated radio program Monday Morning, was torqued off.  Calling Gingrich’s Social Engineering comment, “an unforgivable mistake, in my judgment”, Bennett went on to pronounce judgement on Gingrich that the former Speaker “has taken himself out of serious consideration for the [2012] race.”

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) swung back at Gingrich while appearing on Laura Ingraham’s syndicated radio show with guest host Raymond Arroyo:

With allies like that, who needs the left?

Hardly is that social engineering and radical. What’s radical is kicking the can down the road.

Ryan is considering running for the Senate in Wisconsin. During the interview, he refused to say that Gingrich’s criticism should disqualify him for the GOP presidential nomination:

I’m not going to get into any of that.

Damage control.

Gingrich, a former college professor, was first elected to the House in 1978. In the 1994 midterm elections, he was a figurehead in a Republican campaign that resulted in the party’s first majority in the House in 40 years.

In January 1995, he became the first Republican House speaker since Representative Joe Martin of Massachusetts served in the post from 1953 to 1955.

Then, in 1997, Gingrich received a reprimand by the House and had to pay $300,000 in order to settle claims that he had used tax-exempt organizations for political purposes and had given misleading statements during an investigation.

He announced his resignation from Congress in November 1998 after the House Republicans saw their majority shrink in the second consecutive election.

While Speaker, he was at the forefront of the House’s impeachment hearings of Bill Clinton over the president’s relationship with White House intern, Monica Lewinsky, which resulted in Clinton being acquitted.

News later came out, that while promoting Clinton’s impeachment over marital unfaithfulness, Gingrich was in the middle of having an extramarital affair with a congressional staff member.

The woman in question, Callista Bisek, became his third wife in 2000.

Since then, the two have been inseparable, writing books, working with the Reagan Library, and making television appearances together, seemingly joined at the hip, except for this one memorable moment involving the present (at the time) Speaker of the House, the fraud known as Global Warming, and a couch:

On May 11th, 2011, Newt Gingrich, Speaker of the House during the Reagan Revolution, announced that he was seeking the Republican nomination for Presidency:

I’m Newt Gingrich, and I’m announcing my candidacy for President of the United States because I believe we can return America to hope and opportunity, to full employment, to real security, to an American energy program, to a balanced budget.

…I worked with President Ronald Reagan in a very difficult period. We got jobs created again, Americans proud of America, and the Soviet Union disappeared. He then talks about his tenure as House speaker, pointing to his efforts on welfare, controlling spending, cutting taxes, reducing unemployment and balancing the budget.

…We’ve done it before, we can do it again.

There are some people who don’t mind if America becomes a wreck as long as they dominate the wreckage, but you and I know better.

Today, less than a week after it began, you can stick a fork in Newt Gingrich’s 2012 Presidential Campaign.  It’s done.