http://www.allhatnocattle.net/4-27-09_guantanamo_guy.htm

The Republican Shrinkage Problem

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/parsing-the-polls/21-percent.html

The new Washington Post/ABC news poll has all sorts of intriguing numbers in it but when you are looking for clues as to where the two parties stand politically there is only one number to remember: 21.

That's the percent of people in the Post/ABC survey who identified themselves as Republicans, down from 25 percent in a late March poll and at the lowest ebb in this poll since the fall of 1983(!).

In that same poll, 35 percent self-identified as Democrats and 38 percent called them Independents.

These numbers come on the heels of Steve Schmidt, former campaign manager for Arizona Sen. John McCain's presidential bid, declaring the Republican party a "shrinking entity" last week -- citing the decline of GOP numbers in the west, northeast and mountain west as evidence.

http://www.bartcop.com/

Strategy Meeting at the Republican National Headquarters

How else to explain how they do it!?

http://pavlovianobeisance.com/pods.htm

Specter Switches Parties; Says GOP Has Changed

The extreme right wing lost the American people in 2006 and 2008. Now, they've lost their hold on another moderate voice in the United States Senate:

"Since my election in 1980, as part of the Reagan Big Tent, the Republican Party has moved far to the right. Last year, more than 200,000 Republicans in Pennsylvania changed their registration to become Democrats. I now find my political philosophy more in line with Democrats than Republicans." (FORMER Republican Sen. Arlen Specter)

Complete article:

http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thegaggle/archive/2009/04/28/specter-switches-parties-says-gop-has-changed.aspx

REPUBLICAN'T LEADERSHIP

http://home.comcast.net/~wizardofwhimsy/index.html

"It is true that being a Republican moderate sometimes feels like being a cast member of “Survivor” — you are presented with multiple challenges, and you often get the distinct feeling that you’re no longer welcome in the tribe. But it is truly a dangerous signal that a Republican senator of nearly three decades no longer felt able to remain in the party.

Senator Specter indicated that his decision was based on the political situation in Pennsylvania, where he faced a tough primary battle. In my view, the political environment that has made it inhospitable for a moderate Republican in Pennsylvania is a microcosm of a deeper, more pervasive problem that places our party in jeopardy nationwide."

(Olympia Snowe, moderate Republican senator from Maine)

Complete Op-Ed: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/29/opinion/29snowe.html

http://cagle.com/politicalcartoons/

Poll: Obama gets high marks for first 100 days

NBC/WSJ poll shows Obama’s numbers are higher than Bush, Clinton

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30454232/

As he enters his 100th day in office, President Barack Obama enjoys higher marks from the American public than his most recent predecessors did at similar points in their presidencies, according to the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.

More than six in 10 approve of Obama's job, nearly two-thirds view him favorably, and a majority believe he has gotten off to a solid start during his first three months on the job.

Perhaps most significantly, Americans so far find him to be likeable. More than 80 percent in the poll say they personally like Obama, even if they don’t agree with all of his policies. And respondents give him high scores on his personality, demeanor and leadership qualities.

Complete polling data: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30454232/

http://www.cagle.com/politicalcartoons/PCcartoons/PCbest11.asp

Obama: Proud But Not Content

President Talks Torture, Swine Flu, Agenda And Accomplishments On 100th Day In Office

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/04/29/politics/main4978891.shtml

At a primetime news conference Wednesday marking his 100th day in office, President Obama told Americans that while "we are off to a good start," "more will be lost before this recession is over."

"I'm proud of what we've achieved, but I'm not content," the president said. "I'm pleased with our progress, but I'm not satisfied."

"All this means you can expect an unrelenting, unyielding effort from this administration to strengthen our prosperity and our security in the second hundred days, in the third hundred days, and all of the days after that," he said.

Complete news conference, including VIDEO:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/04/29/politics/main4978891.shtml