Day: August 9, 2005

Yesterday I mentioned Jeanine Pirro and her bid to challenge Hillary in New York. I noted that someone should be keeping an eye on Sid Blumenthal because I was sure that he was dumpster diving in Jeanine’s neighborhood. Well, it appears that his first trash finding expedition was a success.

Welcome to the big leagues Jeanine. Hillary’s nastiness has just begun.

More: This is worth a read.

Still More: View the photo slideshow on Hillary’s website. In my view, it’s a little over the top in the lovin, huggin and kissin department.

If only it was August 2008, and not 2005…

Gallup on Horse Race: Poll Puts Rudy Ahead of Hillary in 2008 Contest

Its most recent survey in late July found the former New York mayor with the highest favorable rating among several top possible choices, at 64%, with Hillary Clinton clocking in at 53%, John McCain at 51% and Sen. John Kerry at just 42%.

Face to face, both Republicans (right now) top Clinton by the same margin, 50% to 45%, and trounce Kerry 54% to 41%.

One problem with Clinton: Her unfavorable rating, at 43%, is nearly twice as high as McCain’s, and more than double that for Guiliani. Her favorable rating has remained pretty much at the same level, in the low 50s, for two years.

For the record, I’m not one of McCain’s hacks and I don’t particularly care for the moderate/liberal positions of Giuliani. I can’t stand John Kerry.

But that’s not important.

What is important is the real story in this little poll – Hillary’s unfavorable rating. That’s going to be her toughest job, the thorn in her side. If she’s going to have any chance at the presidency, she’s got to lower that percentage. Her handlers know this, and they’re stuck with the realization that she might not be able to do anything about it herself.

The solution? Democrats only know one. Reimaging. With some candidates, it’s as easy as a new hair style (didn’t work for Hillary), a new issue to promote (trumpeting healthcare didn’t work for Hillary), a common folksy personality (didn’t work and wasn’t believable for Hillary), or becoming a local (didn’t work for a Yankee ballcap wearin’ Hillary). If none of these work, then the only thing left is to run to the ideological center. On all issues, STAND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD! Be on the side of EVERYONE. Be tough on issue that demand toughness from the majority. Be sensitive, understanding and accommodating. Feel their pain. But most of all…

Be liked.

Well, this is where Hillary is today. She’s trying to recast herself as a moderate. Tough on defense! Realistic about (gulp) healthcare! Oh, and be sure to cite a few Bible verses every now and then. Do this long enough and those negatives will be erased, right?

Wrong.

Like most of her past attempts at fooling America, this won’t work for Hillary now. This time she doesn’t have the trappings of the White House to bring her a win. This time she can’t play the role of the scorned wife, the victim of Bill’s philandering. There is no Monica.

So, this is Hillary’s biggest challenge. Bring down those pesky negatives. She must be liked by her supporters and tolerated by the rest. She can’t afford to be hated, and today, she’s hated by too many.

And rightly so.

That’s what Space Shuttle flight director LeRoy Cain said after the successful shuttle landing this morning in California.

Will anyone remember what this shuttle flight was really supposed to be about? Just what did they accomplish up there? No one knows anymore.

All we do know is that the bird launched (loudly), a piece of foam broke off (again), ground control freaked out (understandably), the shuttle did some loop-de-loops in space so the space station could take pictures of its underside (cool), pieces of the shuttle were hanging (not cool), Houston orders a space walk (always cool – looking), the astronaut pulls the pieces off (hero), they prepare for a reentry which may or may not kill them (nervy), the landing is delayed (conspiracy theories run rampant), then the landing is a go and everyone holds their breath (and prays).

Wheels down…

Phew.

Is this really how shuttle flights are supposed to go? No.

I think we’ve just witnessed the last shuttle flight, ever.

Not quite the ending everyone imagined, but so what. The technology is outdated and remains dangerous. NASA needs to answer a few hard questions.

• Do we need to put humans in space? Robots do such a nice job, and if they are destroyed, it’s only money.
• What are our goals in space? From the outside, it looks like the shuttles primary job is to ferry supplies back and forth to a space station, which is doing…what? Perhaps NASA should put a PR team on that one?

Overall it’s time to go back to the drawing board and re-think space exploration.