Careful readers will note that the name of this blog has changed. “Checking In” is out. “Paul Giblin on Politics” is in.

A brief explanation is in order.

When I created this blog last year, I thought the name “Checking In” was nothing short of brilliant – it suggested the notion of checking on political campaigns; it invoked the idea of checking in the appropriate space on a ballot; it gave new life to the name of a column I wrote about the hospitality industry years ago.

Everyone else thought the name was screwy.

So welcome to “Paul Giblin on Politics.” And feel free to draw whatever inferences you’d like from that name.

John McCain (right) and a few of his friends

A Republican insider suggested a new drinking game involving televised presidential debates. OK, the rules are still evolving, but here’s the working model so far…

You and your friends settle down in front of the tube to watch the next Republican debate. Everyone picks a candidate.

If your candidate is John McCain, every time he says “my friends,” you gulp some beer.

If your candidate is Mitt Romney, every time he mentions “Olympics,” you take a slug.

If your candidate is Rudy Giuliani, every time he utters “9/11,” drink away.

The Republican insider hasn’t yet determined the drinking cues for Mike Huckabee, Fred Thompson or Ron Paul yet. Give him time…

On the Democratic side…

If your candidate is Hillary Clinton, when she says “experience,” you gulp.

If your candidate is Barack Obama, when he says some version of “make history,” you make your beer history.

The cues for John Edwards, and well, whoever else is still left on the Dem side, haven’t been finalized.

Any viewer who hasn’t passed out before the end of the program declares himself or herself the winner. Congratulations.

Initially, the Republican insider who brainstormed this idea suggested Obama’s cue ought to be the word “change,” but I had to veto that idea on the basis that it would cause alcoholism.

Presidential candidate John McCain’s Arizona supporters are staging a party to watch the New Hampshire primary returns tonight at Aunt Chilada’s restaurant, 7330 N. Dreamy Draw Drive, in Phoenix. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. For information, contact Andrea Evans at (602) 448-5959.

Presidential candidate Barack Obama’s campaign will stage parties at its Phoenix and Tucson headquarters to watch the New Hampshire presidential primary returns on Tuesday, Jan. 8. The parties start at 6 p.m.  The Phoenix event will be at 22 E. Mitchell Drive, Suite 100. Info is available at (602) 297-2008.  The Tucson event will be at 4500 E. Speedway Blvd., Suites 26 and 27. Info can be had at (520) 881-1124.

Mitt Romney and Joe Arpaio

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio traveled to New Hampshire to stump for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney during the weekend.

Arpaio, who has made national headlines for arresting illegal immigrants, appeared with U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, a Republican from Colorado, at a press conference in Manchester to discuss illegal immigration.

Here’s some of Arpaio’s quotage, as provided by Romney’s campaign:

“I like (Romney’) stance on illegal immigration. If you recall, he’s probably the first governor that did make arrangements with (the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement service) for that type of training that ICE and we do. I give him a lot of credit for that.”

“It is an important problem in the state of Arizona and the whole country. That’s one reason I support the governor, versus many other reasons, too. Unfortunately, we have a U.S. senator from that important state that doesn’t give much emphasis to this most important issue.”

As governor of Massachusetts, Romney signed an agreement with ICE that allowed Massachusetts state troopers training and authority to enforce immigration law.

I’m not sure exactly what Arpaio meant by suggesting that Sen. John McCain doesn’t give much emphasis to illegal immigration. McCain co-sponsored the last two immigration reform packages that got any traction at all. Of course, both failed. And, in fact, it has been McCain’s unflinching attention to immigration policy that his given his campaign the most difficulty within his own party.

Curiously, Romney’s current immigration plan has more similarities than dissimilarities to the Senate’s compromise plan that McCain pushed in the summer. Here’s Romney’s 11-point plan, as outlined in the same press release:

– Secure the border. (Part of the 2007 Senate plan.)

– Implement a mandatory and enforceable employment verification system. (Part of the Senate plan.)

– Hold employers accountable. (Part of the Senate plan.)

– Reject amnesty. According to Romney, that means “oppose … any special path to citizenship for those here illegally.” (That might be a difference, but maybe not. The Senate plan contained a “path to citizenship” that included illegal immigrants paying fines, paying back taxes, proving steady employment, undergoing a background check and learning English, among other requirements. McCain, and others, said that was not amnesty. It’s difficult to determine how different Romney’s intended treatment of illegal immigrants differs from McCain’s proposed treatment, because Romney didn’t offer any details about what he would do with an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants already living in the United States.)

– End the magnet of “sanctuary cities.” (The Senate plan was silent on this.)

– Oppose any special benefits for illegal immigrants. Romney defines this as driver’s licenses and in-state tuition for illegal immigrants. (The Senate plan was silent on this.)

– Promote state and local partnerships with federal immigration officials. (Part of the Senate plan.)

– Improve interior enforcement. (Part of the Senate plan.)

– Teach English in our schools. (The Senate plan was silent on this.)

– End chain migration. (Part of the Senate plan.)

– Encourage legal immigration. (Part of the Senate plan.)

So in summery, of Romney’s 11 points, seven were featured in the Senate immigration bill, three weren’t addressed one way or the other, and the final point is tough to determine without more details from Romney.

It’s important to note that since the Senate immigration bill failed during the summer, McCain has said he now favors an enforcement-first approach.

Also, national Republican and Democrat decision makers alike have told me that immigration very likely will be a dead issue until after the next president is sworn in, and perhaps even until the next president is sworn in for a second term.

Barack Obama

Barack Obama’s presidential campaign is staging a series of “Iowa Watch Parties” for supporters to watch news reports of the Iowa caucuses’ results come in Thursday. There’s four in Arizona – one each in Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff and Yuma. The Phoenix event is set for 22 E. Mitchell Drive. It starts at 7:30 p.m. RSVPs are being taken at http://my.barackobama.com/phoenixwatchiowa.

My guess is that few Virginia Tech and Kansas graduates will be in attendance. That’s the same time the Orange Bowl will be televised. 

Barack Obama

Campaign officials for some of the presidential candidates have been trying to persuade Arizona voters to register in time to vote in the presidential preference election on Feb. 5. The deadline is Monday.

Democrat Barack Obama’s campaign sent an e-mail Saturday to supporters in Arizona to remind them to.

The e-mail stated: “You can be part of our movement in Arizona, but you must be registered to vote as a Democrat. And Arizona’s voter registration deadline is January 7 – just a few days from now. Make your support count. Register to vote today.”

In accordance with state law, only voters registered in recognized political parties are permitted to vote in the constest that will help determine the major parties’ presidential nominee. Registered Republicans will be given Republican ballots. Registered Democrats will be given Democrat ballots. Registered independents, who comprise 28.1 percent of the state’s voter base, won’t be allowed to vote at all.

Internet magazine publisher and independent U.S. House candidate Annie Loyd said she doubts many independents will rush to change their status.

“The independents that I’ve spoken to over the last week in particular, and in the last month, I have not heard of anybody re-registering to vote in the presidential primary election,” she said. “In fact, I know of more people that have just reregistered as independents and forgone their registration as Democrat or a Republican, because they’re not drawn to any of the candidates.”

Many independents are waiting for an independent candidate or a third-party candidate to emerge on the national scene, said Loyd, who is running against incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. John Shadegg.

She noted that several media outlets reported early this week that New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg agreed to speak at a nonpartisan conference Sunday in
Oklahoma, in possible preparation for an independent presidential bid. The conference is being staged by Unity08, a group also hopes to advance a nonpartisan ticket.

Loyd said, “What’s important is that independents don’t fee represented. They don’t feel that either party represents them.” She is seeking a seat in Arizona’s 3^rd Congressional District, which takes in central and northern Phoenix.