In an interview with the Colombian weekly Semana, the Colombian Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos revealed that the leader of the FARC, Pedro Antonio Marín, a.k.a. Ivan Marulanda Vélez, a.k.a., Tirofijo (Sureshot) died in March of a heart attack. This was not the first time that Marulanda has been stated to be have been dead, but this time it has been confirmed by the FARC.
In an interview with the Colombian weekly Semana, the Colombian Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos revealed that the leader of the FARC, Pedro Antonio Marín, a.k.a. Ivan Marulanda Vélez, a.k.a., Tirofijo (Sureshot) died in March of a heart attack. This was not the first time that Marulanda has been stated to be have been dead, but this time it has been confirmed by the FARC.
I must confess, it is difficult to get too excited about the Pennsylvania primary, given that no matter the result, we will be in basically the same position: Obama with more popular votes and pledged delegates, and therefore on the surer footing for the nomination.
Apart from the obvious, what would constitute a “win” for Obama in the upcoming Pennsylvania primary? This is certainly more of a perceptual issue than anything else–and that is no small issue this year, given that perception of the situation will directly inform the behavior of the superdelegates. It does seem to me that if Obama can get the overall state win for Clinton to be in the 5% range, then it will be difficult for Clinton to receive the kind of coverage that she needs to treat Pennsylvania as some sort of turning point. Really, any single-digit Clinton win will be treated as tainted, I would think.
There is much intrigue in South America at the moment, as the killing of a top FARC commander has sparked the mobilization of both the Ecuadoran and Venezuelan militaries to their borders with Colombia.
As has been noted in many places in the last several days (for example), there is a debate concerning exactly how “Republican” and/or “conservative” that John McCain actually is. It strikes me that while the remaining primary process will not settle the issue of McCain’s conservatism (nor will it necessarily help refine the current understanding of that term within American politics), the issue of McCain Republicanism will be definitively settled.
What’s a RINO? (and yes, I know it means “Republican in Name Only”) McCain is often accused of being such, and I am curious, especially to those in the audience who consider McCain a RINO what is it that makes him one.
Well, Christmas is winding down. Hopefully you all had a blessed and wonderful day. Of course, for the parents out there, no doubt the relaxing is only now beginning (one doesn’t realize how hard one’s parents worked at the holidays until one is a parent!).
