Roadkill: OffTheBus's Ongoing RoundUp of the Awkward, the Ugly, and the Just Plain Weird

The following piece was produced through the Huffington Post's OffTheBus. Edited by Richard Riehl and Denise Wheeler. Reported by Kirsten Anderson, Ken Bank, River Curtis-Stanley, Jodi Lampert, Julie Pierce, Debbi Plummer, and Theresa Weathers.

Home cookin' for Fred, Rudy and Mitt. Fred knows his demographics. Tancredo wins debate with 22-year-old female Arab student. Huck the national carcass champion.

At least Rudy knows about knishes and egg creams: Fred Thompson took a break at a NASCAR-theme restaurant in Mrytle Beach. "NASCAR and barbecue. I know I'm home now," he said. He then took a poke at his Northeast rivals. "Now, when Rudy and Mitt come down here from New York and Massachusetts...the first thing I want you to do is explain to them what NASCAR is." We can't wait for Fred to visit Brooklyn and order his egg cream scrambled with grits 'n gravy on the side.

Tancredo gives credit to Gore: Speaking at a college in New Hampshire, Tom did his usual shtick about aliens invading America. To show he's the most authentic of all Republican candidates, he quipped, "I've been a conservative all my life, since long before Al Gore even invented the Internet." Since Republicans invented the story that Gore made that claim, it appears Tancredo's just proud to be the most enthusiastic kool-aid drinker.

Don't misunderestimate the slow talkin' candidate: Fred Thompson's email to supporters yesterday that asks for only $70 to buy a 30-second ad in Sioux City, Iowa while prime time in Charleston, SC will cost you $850 shows the crafty side of Fred. Have any of the other candidates figured out the best time to get a farmer's undivided attention is during their 4:00 a.m. prime time?

Mitt reaches out to Hispanics while demonstrating fiscal conservatism: The campaign's "Hispanics for Romney" coalition promised yesterday that hosts of house parties for the Univision debate on December 9 with more than 20 attendees will receive an autographed photo of Governor Romney. The one with the biggest attendance in the country will get an autographed photo AND "a personal thank you note from the Governor!" The value of those awards, according to Romney Shop prices for personalized buttons, comes to $6.75.

Fred's formerly fast friends: Here's what a couple of House Republicans who endorsed Thompson are now saying about his listless campaign: "I've kind of pulled back. I'm not supporting him, but I'm not doing anything." "We'll just have to wait till after Feb. 5 because I think he's going to get beat." Looks like rats aren't always the first to desert a sinking ship.

Tancredo super-sizes rhetoric in New Hampshire: Tom Tancredo spoke out Saturday against the "Balkanization" of America, declaring that Europe has already been "Islamicized." Confronted by a 22-year old female Arab student, who asked him if she's an enemy of America because she speaks more than one language and wore a shawl, Tancredo shot back his own question: "Do you believe that we should replace the Constitution with Sharia law?" Too bad the student, following the logic of that response, didn't demand to know the color of the candidate's car.

Huckabee shoots his way to the top: Huck's been named one of "Hunting and Fishing's 25 Most Influential People" in the December/January issue of Outdoor Life. The gunslinger from Arkansas said recently in a Fox News interview: "you don't ever point your gun at a dead carcass." Let's hope he and Cheney don't land in the same woods.

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Comments

[Pdubya]

latest zogby poll and the spin....report it!