Would Jeb Bush vote for Sarah Palin vs Obama? 'You betcha!'

It's Friday. Let's get right to it:

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush was on CNN today with John King.

They talked about numerous things:

That Republican ex-Gov. Bush would like to hear some more substance in today's campaign debates.

And he thinks Republicans in 2012 need a positive agenda that is "big and  bold and aspiritional."

Then, King asked Bush a question off of Facebook: "Would he endorse Palin for president if he does not run himself."

Bush's quick reply: "Well, A, I'm not running. And if Sarah Palin is the nominee and she's running against Barack Obama, you betcha."

So, for at least for one party establishment figure, Sarah Palin could be a unifying factor against you-know-who.

Related Item:

George W. Bush, relaxed, talks about his new book (video)

-- Andrew Malcolm

Speaking of endorsements, click yours here to join nearly 54,000 global readers who follow The Ticket with Twitter alerts of each new Ticket item. Or follow us @latimestot. Our Facebook Like page is over here. We're also available here on Kindle now.

Photo: NOAA

Psst! A majority of Americans sees too much political correctness; even more say it's a problem

But be careful what you say about it, because someone somewhere might be offended.

Here's a statistical finding that may confirm what many of us had been thinking in recent years without really realizing it:

A majority of Americans, who are globally famous for candidly saying what they think, now say they believe that their country has become too politically correct.

A new Rasmussen Reports survey finds that nearly six in 10 respondents (57%) say they think we've gotten too hung up on too many sensibilities. Can we even talk about this with the other 43%?

The subject of political correctness burst into the news again Wednesday night when NPR fired commentator Juan Williams for saying he gets nervous on planes when he sees Muslims on planes "identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims." And before that CNN fired Rick Sanchez for his comments.

But here's an interesting result from the Rasmussen research: Nearly three out of four Americans say they think that political correctness is a problem.

So, wait a minute: More people think PC is a problem than think there's too much of it. So, how then is it a problem?

Of course, we respect the right of some people to hold nonsensical views like that. Such thoughtful minorities are an important part of the diverse American identity.

Rasmussen also finds that 13% say they disagree with the 74% and think PC is not a problem. And another 13% are wishy-washy can't-decides who should probably move to Canada.

There is, of course, a serious application to PC-ness in a society that prides itself on freedom of speech, if not civility. It is, first of all, an ill-defined social regimen. One person's statement of fact is another's outrageously incorrect assertion. Witness last week Fox News talker Bill O'Reilly plugging a new book on "The View" and telling the women, "Muslims killed us on 9/11."

Factually accurate but politically incorrect to the ears of Joy Behar and Whoopi Goldberg, who walked off with the impression he cast aspersions on all Muslims. When O'Reilly said he meant "extremist Muslims," they returned.

And a poll last year found that 63% of respondents said they believed that political correctness prevented military authorities from confronting a Muslim, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, before he killed 13 people and wounded many others at Ft. Hood, Texas.

But here's a final chilling factoid from the new Rasmussen survey: Eleven percent of the respondents adopt the Goldilocks approach, that is, the balance of political correctness and incorrectness in America today is just about right. Goody-goodies all of them in clean white socks.

However, nearly one in four of our countrymen (23%) think the country isn't sufficiently politically correct. We need to be even more careful about what we say to each other, lest someone gasp.

And, strangely enough, every one of those humorless prudes lives in Massachusetts.

Just kidding.

-- Andrew Malcolm

Speaking of correct rainbows, click here and join nearly 54,000 global readers who follow The Ticket with Twitter alerts of each new Ticket item. Or follow us @latimestot. Our Facebook Like page is over here. We're also available here on Kindle now.

Photo credit: University of Arizona

Christine O'Donnell-Chris Coons debate: Full transcript

The Ticket live-blogged Wednesday evening's debate and our coverage is here, starting here with a complete topic-by-topic summary of the candidates' statements and answers. Below is the full transcript, as provided by CNN. A news video is embedded below.

On Thursday at 6 p.m. PDT, 9 p.m. EDT and 2 a.m. GMT, The Ticket will live-blog the sole debate between Republican Sharron Angle and Democrat Harry Reid in their race for Nevada's Senate seat.

Full transcript of the Christine O'Donnell-Chris Coons Senate Debate

NANCY KARIBJANIAN, DELAWARE FIRST MEDIA: I'm Nancy Karibjanian for Delaware First Media.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: And good evening, I'm Wolf Blitzer from CNN.
Thank you so much for joining us for what's certain to be one of the most widely watched events of this, the 2010 midterm election season.

KARIBJANIAN: Let's introduce the candidates. Joining us for this debate this evening, Democratic Chris Coons, welcome. And Republican Christine O'Donnell, welcome.

CHRISTINE O'DONNELL, (R-DE) SENATORIAL CANDIDATE: Thank you.

KARIBJANIAN: We also want to thank AARP Delaware and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network for their support making this debate possible.

BLITZER: And let's go through some of the rules, some of the ground rules for this 90-minute debate. It's divided into two parts. Following a two-minute opening statement from each candidate, Nancy and I will pose questions. Responses to that initial question limited to two minutes with a one-minute rebuttal from the other candidate. And then there will be an opportunity for all of us to mix it up a little bit, to get into a discussion, and follow up. That's the first hour. The first 60 minutes of this debate.

That will be followed by a 30-minute segment, during which we turn to the students here at the University of Delaware. They have questions.
Responses to their questions will be limited to one minute. Each candidate will also have two minutes at the end for a closing statement.

Our live audience here in Mitchell Hall understands, we hope, that there will be no applause during tonight's debate. We want everyone to be quiet and listen and learn from these two candidates.

A coin toss determined earlier the order for this evening. We begin with two-minute opening statements from each of the candidates, and we begin with Chris Coons.

CHRIS COONS, (D-DE) SENATORIAL CANDIDATE: Thank you. Thank you, President Harker.

To our moderators, Wolf Blitzer, Nancy Karibjanian, and to our hosts, UD Center for Political Communications and Delaware First Media.

There's a great deal at stake in this election for our state, for our families and for....

Forget Obama and the GOP for one minute: Ike Ditzenberger scores a TD for two teams at once

Technically, this item early in a new week doesn't seem to concern politics. Though it is about how people get along.

After a week that ended with Rahm Emanuel, this item is a fresh way to start the new work cycle, with an inspiring story of effort and teammates, even those on an opposing team. (Watch this video story below by KING 5's Jake Whittenberg!)

There may be a lesson in here for some of our politicians, too.

Nah, come to think of it, they won't get it. But you will.

The Snohomish (Wash.) Panthers were losing badly this weekend to visiting Lake Stevens. In fact, the Panthers had not scored one point in the high school game's first 59 minutes, 50 seconds.

But then from their own 49, Snohomish handed the ball to a fresh running back, Ike Ditzenberger, a 17-year-old junior who, according to some reports, works harder than any other player at practice. Ditzenberger happens to have Down syndrome.

No one is gonna remember the final score of this match (35-6). But in The Ticket's sports-loving eyes, the score makes players on both sides look like real champions.

P.S. According to Ike's mom, Kay, her son's biggest concern now is getting a date for homecoming.

-- Andrew Malcolm

Speaking of scoring, click here to follow The Ticket with Twitter alerts of each new Ticket item. Or follow us @latimestot. Our Facebook Like page is over here. We're also available here on Kindle now. Use the ReTweet, Facebook, etc. buttons below to pass this item on to friends.

Ominous new Gallup findings for Democrats: Blacks still love Obama, others not so much

The good news for President Obama is his popular support among blacks is holding steady at 91%.

The bad news is no other group of potential voters likes him that much.

In fact, 29 days before his first midterm elections, the Democrat's approval ratings remain mired below 50%.

A new Gallup Poll this morning finds his approval rating for September was 45%, almost the same as August's 44%. Obama's not exceeded the crucial 50% level in a single month so far this year.

Since Obama's name is not on any ballot Nov. 2, the proportions of Americans who like or dislike the fellow on Oct. 1 of a midterm election year shouldn't matter, in theory. However, history indicates otherwise.

Presidents with approval ratings below 50% at midterm time see their party suffer substantial losses in its congressional membership, regardless of how much explaining and blaming the president attempts in the campaign leading up to what becomes, in effect, a referendum on the president.

And since Democrats currently hold substantial majorities in both the Senate and House of Representatives, they have substantially more seats to lose. A switch of 39 House and 10 Senate seats would give control of both houses to the Republicans for the first time since they lost it in 2007.

Democrats (79%) and liberals (75%) still like Obama a lot.

But after that, his approval percentage goes to the deep south. Support among even young people is down: 57%. Hispanics: 55%. Moderates: 54%. Unmarrieds: 53%. Easterners: 52%. Women: 47%. Midwesterners and Westerners: 45%.

Men: 43%. Southerners: 41%. Independents: 40%. Marrieds: 39%. Seniors: 38%. Whites: 36%. Conservatives: 23%.

Amazingly, among Republicans Obama still manages to hold the support of 12%.

-- Andrew Malcolm

New research indicates 100% of the 53,000 global readers who clicked here, now follow The Ticket with Twitter alerts of each new Ticket item. Or follow us @latimestot. Our Facebook Like page is over here. We're also available here on Kindle now. Feel free to share this item on Facebook or ReTweet using the buttons below.

Photo: Jim Lo Scalzo / EPA

Obama's news conference: So much to talk about, so he did. The result: So little to remember

Holy Harvard, this president loves to talk.

Upwards of 9,000 words' worth during his first White House news conference since last spring.

He took 76 minutes to answer 13 questions. (Full text, as usual, right here on The Ticket.)

And that's what turns out to be a problem for this man, so otherwise notorious for his spoken eloquence, discipline and icy control.

Obama lost control of his own news conference -- in his own house. Is he flailing?

In politics -- especially presidential news conference politics -- it's not how much you say. It's not even what you say or don't say.

It's what people remember you said.

Quick! What was the main Obama team message out of this news conference? The economy? Afghan corruption? Playing defense on healthcare costs? Admitting he hasn't....

Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf says peace is goal of 'ground zero' mosque, but denies the site is sacred due to 9/11

Just three days before the ninth anniversary of the deadly 9/11 attacks, the controversial Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf behind the proposed mosque and community center near New York's "ground zero" said Wednesday night he had no intention of seeking an alternative site, despite overwhelming public opinion opposition to his plan.

He said his resistance to such a suggestion was a matter of national security because to move the site would inflame radical Muslims abroad and endanger Americans and American interests. At another point during the revealing CNN interview, however, the Imam said that "nothing is off the table."

Speaking exclusively with Soledad O'Brien on "Larry King Live," the imam said the proposed mosque site two blocks from "ground zero" could not be considered sacred ground because of the seamy nature of much of the surrounding neighborhood. "You can't say a place that has strip joints is sacred ground," the imam declared.

The cleric also made these points:

Had he known in advance the mosque would create such tensions, Rauf would have ...

President Obama's statement on Rosh Hashanah

A staple complaint of online critics of President Obama is that he acknowledges Muslim holidays but not Jewish or Christian days of observance. Here is the president's statement today on Rosh Hashanah, as provided by the White House:

As Jews in America and around the world celebrate the first of the High Holy Days I want to extend my warmest wishes for the New Year. L’shana Tova Tikatevu – may you be inscribed and sealed in the Book of Life.
 
Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the spiritual calendar and the birth of the world. It serves as a reminder of the special relationship between God and his children, now and always. And it calls us to look within ourselves – to repent for our sins; recommit ourselves to prayer; and remember the blessings that come from helping those in need.
 
Today, those lessons ring as true as they did thousands of years ago. And as we begin this New Year, it is more important than ever to believe in the power of humility and compassion to deepen our faith and repair our world.
 
At a time when too many of our friends and neighbors are struggling to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads, it is up to us to do what we can to help those less fortunate.
 
At a time when prejudice and oppression still exist in the shadows of our society, it is up to us to stand as a beacon of freedom and tolerance and embrace the diversity that has always made us stronger as a people.

(UPDATE: Our blogging buddy Don Surber way back East near Ohio has a most interesting comparison of the Rosh Hashanah messages released by the president and some former governor of Alaska. Read his take here.)

And at a time when Israelis and Palestinians have returned to direct dialogue, it is up to us to encourage and support those who are willing to move beyond their differences and work towards security and peace in the Holy Land. Progress will not come easy, it will not come quick. But today we had an opportunity to move forward, toward the goal we share—two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security.

The scripture teaches us that there is “a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.” In this season of repentance and renewal, let us commit ourselves to a more hopeful future.

Michelle and I wish all who celebrate Rosh Hashanah a sweet year full of health and prosperity.    ####

Social media wrap: Glenn Beck rally, Sarah Palin light up Google Realtime

Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin lit up the newly launched Google Realtime instant search engine before, during and after their joint rally on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial that pledged to "restore honor" to, er, something or someone or other.

A steady stream of about three Beck-related tweets every second appeared on the Twitter post tracker under the search phrase "restoring honor," which was the No. 1 topic on Google Trends for much of Saturday morning.

"Glenn Beck rally" and "Sarah Palin" also were top or near the top of  Google's "hot searches" category throughout the day. Beck is a conservative radio and TV show host while Palin is the former governor of Alaska and one-time Republican VP candidate widely believed to be exploring a run for president in 2012.

Google launched its Realtime function that allows tracking of individual tweets by keyword to much media scrutiny this week, but judging by its coverage of "real-time" tweets containing the phrase "restoring honor," it could be considered a successful....

Of all major religions in America, Muslims really like Obama the most

As a group, Americans of the Muslim faith give Barack Obama the highest job approval rating of any major religion.

A new Gallup Poll of 275,000 adults this morning finds that while the Democrat's overall approval ratings have dropped across all faiths -- even those Americans without any -- Muslims continue to approve of him the most. And you'll never guess which faith based in Utah thinks the least of the 44th president's job.

Seventy-eight percent of Muslims (down from 86% after Obama's inauguration) now approve of the president's 19-month job performance, while less than one-in-four Mormons (24%) do (down from 43%).

Catholics' job approval has fallen from 67% to 50%. Protestants' from 58% to 43%. Jews' from....