Barack Obama surrogate Bill Richardson shamefully prostituted his foreign policy street cred today by both hitting at John McCain and blamming President Bush for the Russian invasion of Georgia.

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson said McCain’s campaign “is run by lobbyists that represent Georgia and other countries.”

“He takes huge amounts of money from oil companies that are profiting in the (former) Soviet Union and many parts of the world,” the Democrat told ABC News, attempting to depict a conflict of interest for McCain.

Richardson, a former US ambassador to the United Nations, said the crisis vindicated Obama’s pledge to rebuild US alliances in Europe that were strained under President George W. Bush.

“This has been one of the failures of the Bush administration, failing to build a strong relationship, a mutually beneficial relationship with Russia, so we’d have the kind of influence to persuade them to stop some of these very, very dangerous efforts within their territory,” he said.

Richardson really ought to be embarassed at this awful display of political posturing such a fuid foreign policy and security issue. Georgia is an ally of the US and our other allies whom Richardson spins to suit his own political objectives. Of little matter to Richardson is the fact that Georgia is both a democracy and who’s troops serve alongside US troops in Iraq.

Barack Obama offered a lame statement in response to the most serious act of aggression by the Russians since it invaded Afghanistan 29 years ago.

“I strongly condemn the outbreak of violence in Georgia, and urge an immediate end to armed conflict. Now is the time for Georgia and Russia to show restraint, and to avoid an escalation to full scale war. Georgia’s territorial integrity must be respected. All sides should enter into direct talks on behalf of stability in Georgia, and the United States, the United Nations Security Council, and the international community should fully support a peaceful resolution to this crisis.”

Observes Powerline:

Strongly! Obama found no reason to distinguish between Russia and Georgia in strongly condemning the outbreak of violence. Or perhaps he found it too difficult to do so.

Meanwhile, John McCain shows his grasp of the situation by issuing a strong condemnation while puting events in imformative perspective. Here’s John McCain’s statement in its entirity:

This afternoon I spoke, for the second time since the crisis began, with Georgian President Saakashvili. It is clear the situation is dire. Russian aggression against Georgia continues, with attacks occurring far beyond the Georgian region of South Ossetia. As casualties continue to mount, the international community must do all it can to avert further escalations. Tensions and hostilities between Georgians and Ossetians are in no way justification for Russian troops crossing an internationally recognized border. I again call on the Government of Russia to immediately and unconditionally withdraw its forces from the territory of Georgia.
Given this threat to Euro-Atlantic security, I am pleased to see the United States, the European Union, and NATO acting together by sending a delegation to the region, in an effort to broker a cease fire. This is an important first step.

The United Nations has been prevented from taking any meaningful action by Russian objections. In view of this, I welcome the statements of democratic nations defending the sovereignty of Georgia and condemning Russian actions.

I strongly support the declaration issued by the Presidents of Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, and their commitment that ‘aggression against a small country in Europe will not be passed over in silence or with meaningless statements equating the victims with the victimizers.’

I share their regret that NATO’s decision to withhold from Georgia a Membership Action Plan may have been viewed as a green light for aggression in the region. As they propose, a new international peacekeeping force should be created, in light of — as they observe — the ‘obvious bankruptcy of Russian “peacekeeping operations” in its immediate neighborhood.’ In addition, Finnish Foreign Minister Stubb, the Chairman of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, has said there can be no return to the status quo in South Ossetia and that Russia cannot serve as a mediator in the South Ossetian conflict. Each of these leaders represents a country that has undergone what Georgia is now experiencing.

Thanks to Powerline again for issuing McCain’s entire statement.

From Ben Smith of the Politico.

ANNCR: Paid for by John McCain 2008.

I’ve always found spanish-speaking legal immigrants in our country to be hard-working, christian, and family-oriented.Even the illegals are, too. Now this is aside from the thugs who are here for mayheam, but these clowns won’t be voting. The former will be and they like kitchen sink issues. They also probably feel that they can trust McCain not to throw them under the bus. He demonstrated that in his unpopular stance with conservatives on immigration. Look for more pointed outrheach from McCain and his spanish-speaking serrogates like Sen. Mel Martinez and even Jeb Bush’s son

Newy Gingrich stepped back into politics today when he appeared with congressional republicans who are in the fourth day of their revolt against Speaker Pelosi. Why did he do this? Is it working? Lets consider a few things.

They’re getting their message out. There are 851 articles archived today in Google. Gingrich brought in more press. Here’s the Atlanta Journal Constitution, CBS and Fox. CNN had something 2 hours ago. Nancy Pelosi, off on what she assumed would be a triumphant book tour, is having to answer questions everyday about it. Republicans have been able to make Pelosi the villan. And its clear that Gingrich has rock star status and knows the new media. His successful Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less sign up has been a huge success.

Second, it may be helping in congressional races. This from Matt Lewis about Illinois races:

Rep. Peter Roskam (IL-6) just released a poll conducted July 20-22 by Public Opinion Strategies (POS), showing him ahead of his Democratic opponent by 30 points. Roskam’s election two years ago was a squeaker.

Rep. Mark Kirk (IL-10) released a June poll shows him 21 points ahead. You can read about it here.

Roskam increased his lead by five points since April. At the same time Obama opened up an 8 point lead against John McCain.

Similarly, Kirk’s polling shows a similar willingness of voters to split tickets in his district:

“In a district that is 33 percent Republican and 35 percent Democrat, the answer to this question will be decided by ‘independents’ and ‘ticket splitters,’” the polling memo stated. “Currently, these likely Obama voters are breaking for Kirk by a 2-to-1 margin and have a significantly highly favorable opinion of Mark Kirk.”

People are finding out the Republican plan, The American Energy Act, has a focus on more than drilling. This helps rid another Dem mantra. It just contains drilling - something that Pelosi will not allow.

Gingrich’s appearance at Congress today to join revolting republicans at Congress was astonishing. He’s clearly passionate about the issue, and he’s never really left public life. But its been as a political commentator. The former speaker still wields considerable clout and sense of politics might be prompting him in such a public way. In a year that once was generally thought to post major Dem gains in the House and Senate, Gingrich might see the opportunity to help his old party by nationalizing elections in the fall as he did with Contract With America.

Look for a move in the near future to bring republican candidates to Washington to sign a pledge to support the American Energy Act.

Larry Kudlow’s column today does a good job of summarizing the politics and the polls with respect to the debate of the expansion of drilling. He goes as far to say that it could affect the fall elections in a way that will benefit the GOP.

As Sen. John McCain and the GOP leadership nationalize the drill, drill, drill message, the Republican party might conceivably be riding a summer political rally. The question of offshore drilling, along with expanded domestic energy production, has suddenly become the biggest political and economic wedge issue of this election. Is there a Republican tsunami in the making?

According to the major polls, Sen. McCain has overcome a big deficit to pull even with Obama. Meanwhile, according to a Rasmussen survey, Democratic party identification has slumped.

Changes in polling dynamics have been striking. Kudlow says that Democrats havent caught on yet.

Polls suggest that two-thirds to three-quarters of the nation wants to drill. To wit, while a just-released Obama campaign ad attacks McCain as a tool of big oil, McCain has taken his first-ever lead in a Rasmussen tracking poll.

There is a voter revolt going on, and it reminds me of the anti-tax rebellion that lifted Ronald Reagan into office twenty-eight years ago. Is the conventional wisdom about to be swept away? As Republicans press home the drill, drill, drill message, might they pick up seats in Congress this year? And might the national clamor for a more realistic and balanced energy policy — one that includes more oil, natural gas, clean coal, nuclear, and the alternatives of wind, solar, and cellulosic — carry John McCain to a convincing victory over Obama?

Carol Platt Liebau points out how big the shift as been.

-Among voters aged 18-29, Obama lost 16 percent and McCain gained 20. Obama still leads, 49-38;

-Among women, McCain gained 10 percentage points. Obama now leads 43-38;

-Among independents, Obama lost an 11 point lead. They’re now tied;

-Among Democrats, Obama’s support dropped from 83 percent to 74 percent;

-Among Catholics, Obama lost the 11 point lead he had in July and now trails McCain by 15.

Its often difficult just saying why John McCain is a better choice to lead than Barack Obama. Perhaps its best to draw comparissons to the last Democrat Senator who ran for president, John Kerry. Heres what my friend Sara says:

While Kerry and one of his co-conspirators, Fonda, were practicing their diplomatic skills with the enemy, John McCain and his compatriots were being beaten, starved, tortured and the emboldened North Vietnamese were given new life and the war was prolonged.

While Kerry was sipping French wine while negotiating illegally with the enemy, John McCain was in the most disgusting cell, drinking in filth.

While Kerry was proclaiming that our troops and their officers were committing horrible atrocities, John McCain and the other prisoners with him were suffering horrible atrocities.

Thanks, Sara….and thanks also to all my friends at Just One Minute

As reported in my previous link from Congressman John Campbell, Amanda Carpenter confirms this extroidinary improptu meeting that Republicans are having on the floor of the House chambers.

The CSPAN cameras have been turned off and the House Democrats are on their way home, but members of the GOP are staying late.

I’m getting reports from the Hill that House Republicans are gathering on the House floor, in the dark, with no microphones, to talk directly with taxpayers who are visiting the Capitol about gas prices.

Pelosi and her environmentalist pay masters have no intention of allowing more drilling. Today’s extroidinary events on the House floor cements the issue for Republicans. Look for them to exploit in a manner which could turn several seats back to republicans. John McCain has already signaled he is on board with off shore drilling with Obama being steadfastly against it.

This issue more than others may affect who McCain picks as VP. It may move Alaska Govenor Sarah Palin to the front. Palin is an extremely effective advocate for drilling and her presence could additional juice to a ticket which is already gaining some steam.

UPDATES: From Hot Air and the Politico

Writing in The Corner, Larry Kudlow continues to make his case supply-side economic principles rule the price we pay at the pumps. Kudlow point to another $3 drop in the price of a barrel of oil as evidence. His reasoning is supported by the fact that just talking about increasing the supply of oil has caused prices to drop - again. Says Kudlow:

Isn’t it funny that news reports this morning showing that Sen. Harry Reid will in fact allow a drill, drill, drill amendment to come to the Senate floor seem to have triggered a $3 drop in oil to less than $122 a barrel. Is this a coincidence? I don’t think so. More like cause-and-effect.

Oil traders aren’t stupid. There are a dozen Democrats in the Senate who will vote for drilling, and that means future energy supplies will rise. Coupled with falling oil demand, especially by motorists, that means lower prices. Even unleaded gas futures are now dropping to less than $3 a gallon. Add in a buck for local and state taxes on average, and pump prices will drop to under $4 a gallon.

So I guess those horrible oil speculators are not so horrible anymore. Since President Bush launched his drilling-moratorium offensive oil prices are down almost $30.

But Kudlow goes further and speaks to the potential in a winning issue for John McCain and the republicans in November.

Even in the House, where Nancy Pelosi wants to save the planet, political pressures are building for a series of votes to expand drilling. Republicans are now linking Obama to Pelosi and Reid as the cause of high oil prices and the economic downturn. This is good politics and good economics.

Republicans in congress are not budging on what are at-best half measure stop gaps and it is unlikely any legislation will pass before the August recess. Democrats won’t be able to demagogue here as they have in the past as many of their MSM allies are off the kool-aid about drilling. So McCain and the republicans will have their issue and one which they can easily take to the voters.

THis interview of Newt Gingrich today on Fox demonstrated just how close the Dem party leaders are from giving a win-win to John McCain and the Republicans in the fall on America’s oil crisis.
Reid and Pelosi are unable to allow open drilling and are hopeful that the REPs will acquiece to a face-saving move. It looks like no way for Reid Pelosi and Obama as they will try to argue that they know best as they did all along in Iraq.

Maybe: From Newsbusters:

Imagine if a bunch of disgruntled Mitt Romney supporters were currently stalking John McCain or Republican events loudly demanding that their candidate be nominated. Think the national press would be featuring it bigtime as an example of Republican party disunity? Well, the same thing is happening except the people are disgruntled Democrats expressing their opposition of Barack Obama while loudly continuing to support Hillary Clinton. They are known as PUMA (”People United Means Action” or “Party Unity My Ass”). PUMA was formed last month in the aftermath of Hillary Clinton conceding the Democrat nomination to Obama. However, contrary to being just a desperate last gasp by Hillary’s supporters, PUMA activities seem to be surging lately despite the overseas trip by Obama which was widely heralded by the mainstream media. In fact, the official PUMA PAC website has today announced, in a message directed towards Obama campaign strategist David Axelrod, their view that the Obama trip was a “flop”:

Curious. I’ve been wondering what drives this particular movement. Is it just bitter Clinton supporters? Or are there some staunch Dems who really are unhappy with Obama and the manner in which he will have obtained the nomination. Maybe both? And what will happen after the convention? Will they just come home as most Dem talking heads are saying?