Bloggers Kyle Kutuchief and Ben Keeler recently traveled to Columbus to interview Gov. Ted Strickland. Hear what Strickland has to say about the Great Lakes Compact and bringing parties together here. Find out what he has to say about the presidential election here.
About the bloggers
Founder of the Keeler Political Report, Ben Keeler takes a conservative look at politics. READ MORE ABOUT BEN.
Founder of the Chief Source, Kyle Kutuchief takes a liberal point of view looking at politics READ MORE ABOUT KYLE.
As a Democrat, I'm skeptical of whether election year political movies help or hurt our cause. In 2004, Fahrenheit 911 was supposed to energize the electorate not to vote for President Bush, but in the end it seemed to rally the conservative base around their hatred of Michael Moore and Bush-bashing in general. Oliver Stone is set to release "W." on October 17, 2008. Supposedly the trailer leaked out and there isn't an official website yet for the movie.
Back to the reality of the Bush presidency. I listened to President Bush's speech in Cleveland yesterday. It was largely uneventful and left me asking why he hadn't done anything about energy over the past 8 years. One line in particular from Bush's speech jumped out at me: "But I think it makes sense for government to trust you with your money. See, I'd rather have you spending your money than the government spending your money." This is just a remarkable argument the President has been able to get away with for the past 8 years. He cuts taxes, doesn't pay the bills, and just continues to raise our national deficit. He cuts taxes and expands government.
This morning, President Bush signed the Housing Bill to bail out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The bill signing was done in private with no media. The NY Times reports, "the bill raises the national debt ceiling to $10.6 trillion, an increase of $800 billion. The bill also creates significant liabilities and risks for taxpayers, that are virtually impossible to calculate."
Fiscal conservatives have to be so disappointed by the past 8 years. It is going to be the challenge of the next President to clean up this mess and try to balance our budget.
Last week, President Bush came to Dayton, OH to give another misleading rah rah speech for the War in Iraq. In his remarks he said, "But this much is clear: The surge is doing what it was designed to do. It's helping Iraqis reclaim security and restart political and economic life. It is bringing America closer to a key strategic victory in the war against these extremists and radicals." He went on to talk about 5-K runs and soccer matches.
Today, Reuters is reporting that civilian deaths in Iraq for the March reached a level not seen since August 2007: A total of 923 civilians were killed in March, up 31 percent from February and the deadliest month since August 2007, according to data compiled by Iraq's interior, defense and health ministries and obtained by Reuters.
Senator McCain is making the effort to shore up his conservative credentials by getting cozy with President Bush on the war. The American people understand that John McCain is going to be four more years of the same policy on Iraq. 2008 is an election for change.
4 years ago today at exactly 10:16 P.M. EST, President George W. Bush announced the start of the war in Iraq. Here is his full speech.
Kyle's Take: Two sentences jump out at me when I watch this video again: "Our nation enters this conflict reluctantly, yet our purpose is sure. The people of the United States and our friends and allies will not live at the mercy of an outlaw regime that threatens the peace with weapons of mass murder." Reluctance to enter and WMD were two things that were definitely missing from the War in Iraq. This was a conflict that was not necessary. That is what frustrates the me the most.
Ben's Take: Today, the United States of America stands on the edge of dealing the foreign terrorists in Iraq a major defeat. There will still be tough days ahead, but the progress during the last year has been remarkable. Even the most skeptical among us must admit as much. Iraq is now full of Arabs who are teaming up with Americans to help drive al Qaeda out of the country and deal them a crippling blow. Critics can no longer argue the war is unwinnable - we see that it is. However, it is a shame and a tragedy it took so long to turn things around. A little over a year or so ago, things were spiraling out of control. "The battle in Iraq has been longer and harder and more costly than we anticipated," Bush said today at the Pentagon. Indeed it has. This war never would have been approved by Congress or supported if people knew the struggles to come. However, now we are there.
I know why there is a debate. Passion is high on both sides of the issue. Was it worth it? Is it worth winning? Regardless of your answer to the first question, the answer to the second is clear. Leading Democrats know this as well. They talk like they want to end the conflict, but they know the long-term damage if they follow through on their rhetoric, which is why they never act. Next month, General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker will give a new report to Congress. I hope that unlike last time they came to Washington, they are not smeared and called liars before they even open their mouths.
Americans should be proud of what has been accomplished, and they should know the consequences of potential failure.
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Last week, President Bush came to Dayton, OH to give another misleading 
