Experts Fire First Shot at GOP Presidential Candidates Hours Before First Presidential Debate

[babylonsister]

http://www.commondreams.org/news2007/0503-03.htm

Experts Fire First Shot at GOP Presidential Candidates Hours Before First Presidential Debate
Leaders Outline How Conservatives Can't Be Trusted To Govern At Failure of Conservatism Conference At National Press Club

WASHINGTON - May 3 - Hours before the Republican presidential candidates gather for their first debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum today, progressive leaders held a daylong conference at the National Press Club, exposing how conservative ideas have failed America. Panels of experts gathered at the conference, sponsored by the Campaign for America's Future and The American Prospect, detailing how conservatives get the government, the economy, the family and the world wrong.

Campaign for America's Future co-director Robert Borosage kicked-off the conference this morning, arguing that Republican candidates are facing an unsolvable problem.

"Even the Gipper can't pull this one out," said Borosage. "Republican contenders for the presidential nomination are caught between a rock and a hard place. The vast majority of Americans have given up on George Bush, the sitting conservative president. But the die-hards who still support him are loyal Republican primary voters that no Republican candidate can afford to offend."

The Weekly Standard's William Kristol and The American Prospect's Robert Kuttner are scheduled to debate if conservatives can be trusted to govern at the Failure of Conservatism conference at 1 p.m. ET. The debate, to be moderated by Time Magazine's Karen Tumulty, will air live on C-SPAN3.

[MrModerate]

1. "Experts fire first shot" . . .

Has someone hired actual snipers for tonight's debate? Seems unnecessary -- looking at the field of potential candidates, it's a pretty good bet they'll shoot themselves in the foot soon enough: McCain's "Baghdad Market," Romney's "Lifelong Hunter," Giuliani's "Only Republicans Can Save You" for example -- with more to come.

[Chemical Bill]

2. Damn, you don't mean literally. n/t