Summary: Abraham Sofaer, former State Department advisor under the Reagan administration and an old friend of Presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani, is said to be throwing a controversial fundraiser at his Palo Alto, California home tomorrow night, September 26th. Giuliani supporters from across the country will be attending the party which has an extremely controversial theme. A group of students campaigning for the former mayor of New York City thought up the idea of having everyone in attendance raise $9.11 to donate to the campaign in an attempt to show that the contributions of everyday Americans can really add up. Their ultimate goal is a contribution of $10,000. But Giuliani’s spokeswoman, Maria Comella, said that the number asked of supporters was inappropriate and that the students acted independently of the Giuliani campaign after the candidate received criticism for possible affiliation with the fundraiser.
Impact on 2008 Election: This incident, though seemingly small, could have an extremely negative effect on Giuliani’s campaign. It seems that the candidate has been focusing too much on issues like the war in Iraq and terrorism because he was the mayor of New York City when the September 11th (9/11, hence why the situation is so controversial) acts took place. In the eyes of many political analysts and Giuliani critics, the major gimmick of the fundraiser seems to make light of the tragedies, certainly not an issue to be taken lightly by anyone, but especially not a Presidential candidate. Though Giuliani claimed that he and his campaign had nothing to do with the planning of the event, he has done little to stop the fundraiser from going on and simply said that the gimmick was an “unfortunate” one.
Focus Question: Does the $9.11 fundraiser make a farce of the tragedies of September 11th or is it an effective method of campaigning for Giuliani?
Summary: Forty seven million Americans go without healthcare and now Senator Hillary Clinton is aiming to change that. She proposed her plan for universal healthcare today, which would cost the government $110 billion, and also called for the wealthy to contribute extra money to help support those who cannot pay for their own healthcare. She did, however, make it clear that the program would not be run by the government in order to quell Republican criticism. Instead, businesses would have to provide insurance for their employees and also contribute to a government fund to help pay for coverage for the unemployed. In return, the government would offer tax subsidies on these costs. Most of the starting funds would come from the tax cuts that Bush granted to the wealthy, which Clinton would end. She has come under fire from both Republicans and fellow Democrats but plans on staying the course and fighting for her plan.
Impact on 2008 Election: Though Hillary Clinton’s healthcare is similar to that of John Edwards (both require an “individual mandate” meaning that, like auto insurance in many states, healthcare would be mandatory), her announcement is extremely significant. All of the other Democratic candidates have already announced their plans, but hers is radically different from most others. Obama’s plan does not require an “individual mandate” and Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut said that “to ensure all Americans have affordable healthcare will take more than leadership that simply knows how to fight.” The issue of healthcare is one of the major issues that has split Democrats during campaigning for the upcoming election. Candidates even disagree on how to get their programs started. Clinton and Edwards, again on the same page, have vowed to repeal tax cuts while Obama said he would wait for the tax cuts to expire, three years from now. Joe Biden of Delaware said that universal healthcare is unachievable and crushed Clinton’s proposal. Meanwhile, the Republicans seem to favor leaving healthcare up to individual states. But in any event, healthcare seems to be one of the biggest issues of the upcoming election.
Focus Question: Is the idea of universal healthcare a viable option?
Summary: The highly anticipated decision of Fred Thompson announcing his candidacy for President of the United States occurred on Jay Leno’s Show. Running as a Republican, former Senator Thompson discussed why he decided to formally enter the race at a later stage than his competitors. He described his close relationship with the other candidates, but without delving too far into his stance on the issues, he provided a few reasons why he would make the best choice for president. In response to Leno’s inquiry about speculation that Thompson does not enjoy campaigning or debating, he defrayed this criticism by talking about how much he enjoys meeting with people and addressing real issues.
Impact on 2008 Election: Despite entering an already crowded field, the media has speculated that Thompson may emerge as the leading Republican candidate because his conservative stance is most in line with the party’s base. Political pundits will debate the timing of Thompson’s entry as either too late to catch up with the polls and campaign finances or just in time to get peak media attention.
Focus Question: Did Fred Thompson select the best time to enter the 2008 presidential election race?
Summary: Bill Clinton’s role in the 2008 Presidential campaign represents a unique and unprecedented situation in American history. With the Democratic primary approaching, media scrutiny and public reaction toward Bill Clinton has intensified. On a recent trip to New Hampshire, President Clinton offered one of the shortest speeches of his political career, passionately campaigining for his wife. The message he delivered was clear and concise: Hillary Clinton is the best presidential candidate. In refuting speculation about Mrs. Clinton’s electability, President Clinton focused on her track record as U.S. Senator, plans to withdraw from Iraq, ideas about education, and empathy shown to firefighters suffering from health conditions related to 9/11.
Impact on 2008 Election: At this stage of the presidential election, political pundits and American citizens are mixed about the effect Bill Clinton will have on his wife’s campaign. There are many facets of Bill Clinton that make his contributions to the campaign complex and interesting. While President Clinton’s supporters and detractors may not result in a shift at the polls, media attention and political discussion will certainly focus on every speech and contribution the former president makes in the upcoming months.
Focus Question: How will Bill Clinton’s role in the national election impact his wife’s campaign and the election of the next U.S. president?
