Headlines
(Scroll down for complete stories): 1. Giuliani Leads McCain in
Iowa 2. Templeton Predicted Housing Market Crash 3. Democrats Call on
Ex-Klansman Byrd to Raise Campaign Funds 4. Tom Cruise's Antics Revealed by
NewsMax 5. Soros Book by Horowitz/Poe Hits Best-Seller List 6. We Heard:
Jeb Bush, Michael Bloomberg, More
1. Giuliani Leads McCain in Iowa
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has pulled well ahead of Sen. John
McCain among Iowa Republicans likely to take part in the state's early caucuses,
a new poll reveals.
In the survey by Victory Enterprises, Giuliani received support from 30
percent of Republicans expecting to attend the 2008 caucuses, which are
scheduled to launch the 2008 Republican presidential nominating cycle.
McCain was second at 17.3 percent.
A similar Victory Enterprises survey a year ago had Giuliani and the senator
from Arizona tied at 21.7 percent.
Giuliani is viewed as favorable by two-thirds of those surveyed, the highest
rating among the eight Republicans listed as potential candidates.
But two-thirds said they would be unlikely to support a candidate whose
position on abortion differed from theirs, a potential problem for Giuliani, who
supports abortion rights.
Story Continues Below
Seventy percent of the poll's respondents identified themselves as
"pro-life."
In the new poll, about 29 percent of the 400 surveyed said they were
undecided about whom they would support.
"The poll shows single-digit support for the remainder of the large field of
prospective GOP candidates, all of whom have made multiple visits to Iowa this
year," the Des Moines Register reported.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee received 6.5 percent, followed
by Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney with 4.5 percent, Virginia Sen. George Allen
with 3.5 percent, New York Gov. George Pataki with 3.3 percent, and Arkansas
Gov. Mike Huckabee and Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback each with 2.5 percent.
Editor's Note:
George Allen Wins Washington "Insider" Poll – Find
Out More.
2. Templeton Predicted Housing Market Crash
The recent bursting of the housing market bubble came as no surprise to
readers of the Financial Intelligence Report, a NewsMax publication, in which
investor Sir John Templeton predicted the crash – well over a year ago.
The February 2005 edition of the Financial Intelligence Report (FIR) revealed
that Templeton was warning of the possibility of a major collapse in housing
prices.
In an exclusive interview with FIR and its publisher Christopher Ruddy,
Templeton – who also predicted the dot-com crash and the collapse of the U.S.
dollar – said: "Now the U.S. has this extraordinary thing – I think in some
places we see 50 percent to 100 percent gains on the housing market. Other
places across the country might be up 25 percent to 30 percent in just a matter
of three to four years. Incredible gains."
But he cautioned: "A 50 percent drop-off in prices is quite possible."
Then in October 2005, the FIR warned that the housing bubble was "the biggest
bubble in history, surpassing even the dot-com monster."
Now the bubble has burst. Sales of new homes dropped in July by the largest
amount since February while the inventory of unsold homes climbed to a record
high.
The government also reported that the median price of a new home was $230,000
in July, down from $233,800 in June.
At 93 years of age, Templeton is one of the world's most successful
investors. Money magazine called him "arguably the greatest global stock picker
of the century."
A billionaire and now a full-time philanthropist, Sir John made his money by
helping other people get rich.
The FIR is a monthly source for essential financial information that can help
protect against economic uncertainty, social upheaval, and financial turmoil.
Editor's Note:
Find Out More About Templeton's Advice on How to Profit From the
Real Estate Bust and You Protect Your Wealth – Go
Here Now.
3. Democrats Call on Ex-Klansman Byrd to Raise
Campaign Funds
In their desperation to win back the Senate,
Democrats have trotted out 88-year-old former Ku Klux Klansman Robert Byrd in an
effort to raise money for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
The West Virginia senator, who himself is considered vulnerable this year as
he seeks an unprecedented ninth term, sent an e-mail this past week to potential
supporters stating: "The only way to confront the Bush administration's
egregious abuse of power is to elect a Democratic Senate . . .
"Contributing to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is such an
important step in reclaiming our liberties."
He asked for contributions of "$50, $75, or more."
The former majority leader also declared that "in my long career serving this
nation . . . I have known statesmen and scoundrels alike."
During the Bill Clinton impeachment controversy, Byrd indicated where he
would place Clinton among those two, saying he was "sickened" by the president's
behavior and had "no doubt" Clinton had given false testimony under oath and
misled the American people.
In the end, however, Byrd toed the party line and not only voted against
removing Clinton from office, but even introduced a motion to dismiss the
charges.
Late last year Byrd's former membership in the Klu Klux Klan was in the news
again when Sen. Hillary Clinton threw a birthday party for Byrd at the home of
civil rights pioneer Frederick Douglass. Critics charged it was outrageous that
Douglass' home would be used to honor Byrd.
Byrd joined the Klan in 1943 and rose to the level of Kleagle. He was also
elected to the office of "Exalted Cyclops."
Byrd claims to have resigned a few months later. But in 1946, he wrote to the
Klan's Imperial Wizard to express his support. "The Klan is needed today as
never before and I am anxious to see its rebirth," he said.
Byrd filibustered the 1964 Civil Rights Act for 14 straight hours, and in the
early 1970s he pushed to have the Senate's main office building named after Sen.
Richard Russell, a leading opponent of anti-lynching legislation who Byrd called
"my mentor."
As recently as 2001, he used the N-word in television interviews.
And just last year, when he released his autobiography, Byrd failed to
renounce the Klan – and even defended it, claiming it was largely a men's social
organization.
Editor's Note:
Ann Coulter Shocks the Media Establishment – Read
More Here.
4. Tom Cruise's Antics Revealed by NewsMax
When Viacom chief Sumner Redstone announced that his Paramount Pictures
was severing ties with Tom Cruise's production company due to the star's "recent
conduct," NewsMax readers already had the inside dope on Cruise antics that were
little reported elsewhere.
Several media outlets disclosed that Director Steven Spielberg was angry with
Cruise during the promotional tour for their movie "War of the Worlds" because
Spielberg felt Cruise, who is a devoted Scientologist, played up Scientology
more than the movie during press interviews.
The New York Post's "Page Six" column reported that Spielberg was also
furious with Cruise because he had been "ranting" against "the widespread use of
Ritalin to treat unruly children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder," and
Spielberg knew children who had been helped by Ritalin.
But NewsMax readers found out the real reason why Spielberg was upset with
Cruise.
"According to two close friends of Spielberg, "Page Six" was accurate,
although the item did not note the real source of Spielberg's anger," NewsMax
quoted a report by Ken Auletta in The New Yorker.
"After he mentioned to Cruise the name of a doctor – a friend – who
prescribed Ritalin, the doctor's office was picketed by Scientologists."
Attorney Bertram Fields – who has represented both Cruise and Spielberg –
wouldn't tell Auletta if Cruise had revealed the name of Spielberg's friend to
Scientologists.
When he announced on Aug. 22 that Paramount was severing its 14-year
relationship with Cruise and his production company, Redstone said that Cruise's
"recent conduct has not been acceptable to Paramount."
He did not mention that Spielberg's studio, Dreamworks, is part of Paramount.
NewsMax magazine has also shed light on other Cruise behavior that likely
contributed to Redstone's decision.
The September 2005 cover story "Hollywood's New Gods" focused on Cruise and
other celebrities who are turning off traditional religions and embracing new
faiths such as Scientology and Kabbalah.
And the Aug. 2006 issue's cover story, "Hollywood's Most Obnoxious Stars,"
told how Cruise stunned Oprah Winfrey's audience while discussing his romance
with Katie Holmes when he suddenly leaped up on the upholstery, pumped his fists
in the air and punched the floor, making strange whooping noises and shouting
"I'm in love!"
In June 2005, Cruise got into a heated argument with Matt Lauer when the
"Today" host questioned Scientology's approach to mental health. Blasting
psychology and psychiatry, Cruise barked at Lauer: "You don't know the history
of psychiatry. I do."
NewsMax also disclosed that last year Cruise's then-public relations rep (and
sister) Lee Anne DeVette – a fellow Scientologist – reportedly ruled that
journalists and studio executives must take a four-hour tour of the Scientology
Centre in Los Angeles before meeting with the star.
And the cover story noted that Cruise's Scientology beliefs got him into a
war of words with actress Brooke Shields over her use of antidepressants to
combat postpartum depression. He said publicly that Shields should have used
"vitamins and exercise" instead.
She retorted that Cruise "should stick to saving the world from aliens" and
offered him two tickets to her London production of "Chicago" – an adult ticket
for him and a child ticket for Holmes, who is 16 years his junior and recently
gave birth to their daughter.
Editor's Note:
Find Out About Tom Cruise's Religion and Hollywood's "New Gods" –
Go
Here Now.
5. Soros Book by Horowitz/Poe Hits Best-Seller
List
A new book by David Horowitz and Richard Poe that
scathingly attacks the American left has reached The New York Times best-seller
list.
"The Shadow Party: How George Soros, Hillary Clinton, and Sixties Radicals
Seized Control of the Democratic Party" was released on Aug. 8 and was posted on
the Times' best-seller list on Aug. 20.
A description of the book, in part, reads: "America is under attack. Its
institutions and values are under daily assault. But the principal culprits are
not foreign terrorists. They are influential and powerful Americans secretly
stirring up disunion and disloyalty in the shifting shadows of the Democratic
Party.
"New York Times best-selling authors David Horowitz and Richard Poe [both
former radicals] weave together riveting history, investigative reporting, and
cutting political analysis."
The authors warn in "The Shadow Party" that this radical network plans to
seize power in 2008 through Hillary Clinton, who will, as one reviewer stated,
"bring about a severe deconstruction and reconstruction of the nation."
David Horowitz is co-founder of the Los Angeles-based Center for the Study of
the Popular Culture, which was recently renamed the David Horowitz Freedom
Center (DHFC).
Richard Poe is a senior fellow at the DHFC and a contributing editor for
NewsMax magazine and NewsMax.com.
Editor's Note:
Get NewsMax's Special Investigative Report on George Soros – Go
Here.
6. We Heard . . .
THAT a partnership between the United Nations
Foundation and The Coca-Cola Company to help victims
of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami has been selected as a finalist for the U.S.
Chamber of Commerce's inaugural Partnership Award.
After the tsunami, the partnership set out to find ways to contribute to
long-term recovery efforts, with a focus on water and sanitation needs.
Working in collaboration with the U.N. Development Program, the U.N.
Foundation and Coca-Cola partnership is responding to needs in remote,
tsunami-ravaged areas of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Thailand.
The public can vote for the winner of the Partnership Award until Sept. 15 by
visiting the Chamber of Commerce's Web site, clicking on Programs, then on
Business and Society and then Awards.
THAT Florida Gov. Jeb Bush will join
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg next week at an
Association for a Better New York forum to push for increased accountability in
public schools.
Bloomberg and Bush co-wrote an Aug. 13 Op-Ed piece in The Washington Post,
"How to Help Our Students," calling on Congress to improve the 2001 No Child
Left Behind Act by offering merit pay to top teachers and imposing uniform
standards.
They wrote: "The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 sent an enormously
important message to politicians and educators across America: Stop making
excuses for low student achievement and start holding your schools accountable
for results."