NEWS AND OPINION:
Is Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich ready to declare Texas Gov. Rick Perry his running mate? Fox News political analyst Carl Cameron is convinced the Gingrich campaign is on the cusp of pairing the two in time for the Republican National Convention in August, which is a little more than 24 weeks away. The Gingrich/Perry combo is not a bad rumor to have afloat as Mississippi and Alabama go to the primaries on Tuesday.
There is hubbub. Mr. Perry has said he has no interest in the vice presidency, his spokeswoman delicately calls a Gingrich/Perry ticket “humbling but premature.” Mr. Gingrich’s spokesman R.C. Hammond denies there are any meaningful conversations afoot. Yet Mr. Perry has not left the national stage. The Lone Star leader continues to campaign for the former House speaker. And Mr. Perry is still on message, and has a taste for some push-back against the White House.
“President Obama and his allies are once again putting their political agenda ahead of sound policy and the delivery of cost-efficient health care,” Mr. Perry wrote in a March 1 editorial, published at his official website. He also commented on the death of Andrew Breitbart, calling him “an outspoken pioneer for conservative media who fought for what he believed in, exposing government corruption and media bias.”
And after the Justice Department objected to a Texas voter-identification law requiring photo IDs, Mr. Perry said Monday, “The DOJ has no valid reason for rejecting this important law, which requires nothing more extensive than the type of photo identification necessary to receive a library card or board an airplane. Their denial is yet another example of the Obama administration’s continuing and pervasive federal overreach.”
BUMPER PATROL
“The trouble with political jokes is that they get elected.”
- (Bumper sticker spotted in Cary, N.C.)
STAND BY YOUR SOFA
And the easy chair and bedroom suite, too. Sen. Kay Hagan, North Carolina Democrat, and House Beautiful editor-in-chief Newell Turner join forces at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday to call upon consumers “to take a stand for American jobs and the economy by buying American-made furniture.”
It’s not that loyal Americans don’t like their home-grown goodies. Mr. Turner reveals that 91 percent of the citizenry prefer furniture that is made in the U.S. But alas, 48 percent also reported that the furniture they purchased most recently was either not made in the U.S. or they just weren’t sure of the origins. Lawmaker and editor hope to remedy that situation.
“The importance of the relationship between American-made furniture and our economic recovery should not be underestimated, especially as we see more and more of our furniture being exported to other countries. American-made furniture is second to none,” Mrs. Hagan says.
ROVE’S PROWESS
It is perhaps one of the few times we’ll see the names of Karl Rove, Paul Begala and James Carville together in a harmonious way. The trio has been inducted into the American Association of Political Consultants Hall of Fame for making “an indelible mark on our nation’s — and the world’s — political landscape,” says Dale Emmons, president of the organization.
Messrs. Begala and Carville, both CNN analysts, are credited as the point men of former President Bill Clinton’s campaign and administration. Mr. Rove gets accolades as the central adviser to former President George W. Bush, when he was Texas governor and in the White House.
“I am excited to see this recognition for Karl’, says Art Hackney, who is vice president of the association.
“For many of us on the Republican side, Karl exemplifies the best of the political consulting business. Karl built his reputation on his encyclopedic knowledge of political history, his dedication to his clients and his ability to enjoy the process of a frequently ferocious business. His is a career well-lived.”
LIBERAL BLOCKERS
They tweet, they post, they link, they buzz. Liberals love social networking more than conservatives, says a new Pew Research Center report that tallied all the activity.
About two-thirds of Americans who are online share their lives on Facebook, LinkedIn; the number is 74 percent among liberals and 60 percent among conservatives, the tracking survey of 2,253 Internet users found.
For better or worse, politics is alive and well here. More than half of those who were “very liberal” or “very conservative” discovered their online acquaintances had different political beliefs than their own. Some were not pleased.
“In all, 28 percent of liberals have blocked, unfriended, or hidden someone on social-network sites because of one of these reasons, compared with 16 percent of conservatives,” the study notes.
POLL DU JOUR
• 74 percent of Republican voters say Mitt Romney will win the GOP nomination for president.
• 11 percent say Rick Santorum will win; 4 percent, Newt Gingrich; and 3 percent, Rep. Ron Paul.
• 69 percent of Republican voters would be “satisfied” if Mr. Santorum won the nomination.
• 66 percent feel that way about Mr. Romney.
• 35 percent most trust Mr. Romney to handle the economy; 21 percent trust Mr. Gingrich; 18 percent, Mr. Santorum; 13 percent, Mr. Paul.
• 31 percent trust Mr. Santorum to handle social issues, such as abortion and gay marriage; 22 percent trust Mr. Romney; 15 percent, Mr. Gingrich; and 13 percent, Mr. Paul.
• 27 percent say Mr. Santorum best reflects the core values of the Republican Party; 25 percent say Mr. Romney reflects the values; 20 percent, Mr. Gingrich; 11 percent, Mr. Paul.
Source: A Washington Post/ABC News poll of 1,003 U.S. adults conducted March 7-10.
• Murmurs and asides, whoops and hollers to jharper@washingtontimes.com
• Jennifer Harper can be reached at jharper@washingtontimes.com.
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