Tuesday Open Thread [11.15.11]

Advice to the Presidential Aspirant Who Is Currently A Laughingstock from Dr. Gerry Mander (from the Guardian) (scroll down):

Dear Dr Mander,

I’m the governor of Texas, running to be the Republican candidate in next year’s presidential election and I’ve got myself three problems. First, I forgot one of my key policies in a live TV debate. Second, I’m now the laughing stock of the internet. Third… now what was it? Nope, sorry, it’s gone.

Rick Perry

Dear Governor Perry,

So you’re an inarticulate, rightwing Texan with no grasp of policy who liberals sneer at – and you want to be US president. Something tells me you’ll be just fine.

Via Pineview Farm

Donald Trump told Fox News he would make an endorsement in the presidential race very soon. “Within a month probably sounds good — maybe a little bit more than that, but I’ve got a good, good sight on everybody. I have a lot of respect for a lot of them. We have some good people.” Words fail.

A new poll says that a majority of Americans now support the individual mandate, an important and probably the most controversial component of Obamacare.

In the new poll, support for the individual mandate — requiring people to get health insurance — has climbed to 52%, with 47% opposed. When the last survey was taken in June, that a majority of 54% opposed it, with 44% in support.

President Obama leads Mitt Romney by 6, with 49% to Romney’s 43%, and Herman Cain by 9, 49% to Cain’s 40%. They didn’t poll how the new Republican frontrunner, Newton Leroy Gingrich (yes, that’s his middle name) polls against Obama, but I would expect a Cain like performance at best.