Monday, August 15, 2011

Tiger and Pawlenty are out of the picture


AUGUST 15, 2011

BRUCE A. BRENNAN BLOG FROM THE WORLD AND MY MIND

The news as I see it and the views as I want them.

August 15 is … National Relaxation Day and National Failures Day



Why don’t we just relax and fail, kind of like President Obama is about to do on Martha’s Vineyard.



The PGA Championship was decided later Sunday afternoon. The final golfing Major clearly showed there is life after Tiger Woods. Keegan Bradley was four shots back with four holes to play. He rallied in his finishing holes while the leader, Jason Dufler limped to the finish, bogeying 15, 16 and 17. He wound up in a tir with Keegan Bradley.



The PGA Championship uses a three-hole aggregate score playoff to determine a winner. Bradley took an early lead in the playoff and won by one. The final hour and forty-five minutes of the television broadcast was probably the only 105 minute time period Tiger Woods did not dominate the broadcast chatter. It was good, exciting, entertaining television.



There is unfinished business from the weekend news. The Iowa Straw Poll did not hold many surprises although Ron Paul did better than expected. Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann emerged the winner in the widely-anticipated Ames Straw Poll in Iowa on Saturday.



The conservative congresswoman came out on top in the event with 4,823 votes. U.S. Rep. Ron Paul came in second place. Here's a breakdown of the results:



U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.): 4,823 votes
U.S. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas): 4,671 votes
Former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty: 2,293 votes
Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum (R-Pa.): 1,657 votes
Former Godfather's Pizza CEO Herman Cain: 1,456 votes
Texas Governor Rick Perry: 718 votes
Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney: 567 votes
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich: 385 votes
Former Utah governor Jon Huntsman: 69 votes
U.S. Rep Thad McCotter (R-Mich.): 35 votes



Romney, Gingrich and Huntsman did not actively campaign for support in the straw poll despite their names appearing on the ballot. Perry, who announced his candidacy for president on Saturday, did not aggressively look to lock up votes in the event. His name did not appear on the ballot; however, write-in votes were allowed in the straw poll.



The outcome is the first indication of what Iowans think of the field of Republicans competing for the chance to challenge President Barack Obama next fall. But it's hardly predictive of who will win the winter Iowa contest, much less the party nod or the White House.



The results of this nonbinding vote, held on the Iowa State University campus, came just hours after Texas Gov. Rick Perry entered the race.

"I full well believe I'm going to win," Perry told South Carolina voters on a conference call before delivering his first speech as a candidate. Despite Perry's best efforts to overshadow the day, the epicenter of the presidential contest was in this Midwestern town, where Iowans cast ballots during a daylong political festival, a late-summer ritual held every four years.



The only thing decided in Iowa is that Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman and Thad McCotter had better start looking for another job. Herman Cain and Rick Santorum are on life support. Please pull the plug so we can get to the serious, viable candidates and away from the dog-and-pony show. At least Tim Pawlenty was smart enough to leave the race while he still had a bit of respectability.



Not much going on during the dog days of August. Sox are playing better; Bears are gearing up for season; Cubs are playing out the string but will win a few to keep the Cubs’ fans coming to the City’s largest bar. Same stuff, different year.



Just a couple of thoughts I had and you should think about.

BRUCE A. BRENNAN

DEKALB, IL 60115

COPYRIGHT 2011



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Go to web sites below to buy books by Bruce A. Brennan. It is still a good time to purchase any of my books. The books are interesting and inexpensive reads. My third book should be available later this year, in late 2011. More information will be forthcoming.



www.ebookmall.com (Do search by my name or book Title)

www.barnesandnoble.com (do a quick search, Title, my name)

www.smashwords.com Do a Title or author search.





Book Titles:



Holmes the Ripper



A Revengeful Mix of Short Fiction



"If you can't change your fate, change your attitude." - Amy Tan