****
****
****
Jamelle Bouie (Prospect): …. If political courage is defined by the willingness to suffer politically for the sake of good public policy, then Affordable Care Act stands as a testament to the president’s political courage.
Which is why I also have no idea what National Journal’s Josh Kraushaar is talking about when he writes the following: “One of President Obama’s political weaknesses in his first term has been that he’s all-too-willing to avoid making tough decisions…..” …. Even if you don’t include the Affordable Care Act – and I don’t see why you wouldn’t – this is demonstrably false….
…. One of the strangest things about the current political moment is the extent to which mainstream pundits routinely act as if crucial moments in the Obama presidency never happened … Chris Matthews demands more ambition from Obama, despite the fact that he ran hard to pass a piece of social legislation that rivals the Great Society programs in size and scope.
It’s one thing for pundits to err in their judgment – it happens to the best of us – it’s something else entirely for them to ignore reality and blame the president for his failure to conform to their magical world.
Full post here
****
****
Steve Benen: Honestly, is there any entity in politics more effective in slamming Mitt Romney than Jon Huntsman’s presidential campaign?
In this new video, Team Huntsman not only draws additional attention to Romney’s awful interview with Fox News, but also fact-checks Romney’s denials about flip-flops.
More here – the video:
****
John Avlon (Daily Beast): Mitt Romney’s Campaign Is Becoming a Sinking Ship – New polls show that Newt Gingrich’s surge is hurting Mitt Romney where it counts. The game isn’t over, but time is running out for Mitt to turn it around.
The horses are getting spooked in the Romney camp. His poll numbers are plummeting in state after state, while Newt Gingrich is soaring across the board.
One reflection of the rising tension was an awkward interview with Bret Baier, in which the normally unflappable Mitt Romney got rattled by fair questions. It revealed the irritability of a man accustomed to being in control who’s watching his plans fall apart in public.
Mitt’s aura of inevitability is fading because his strategy is failing.
Full post here
****
TPM: There appears to be a very different definition of “small” in the Romney clan.
In an appearance at a Mitt Romney campaign office in Iowa, one of the candidate’s sons, Josh Romney, recalled a cozy Thanksgiving with the family at his parents’ “two-bedroom house, pretty small”.
…. the family spent Thanksgiving in San Diego, where he owns a two-bedroom house that’s reportedly 3,000 square feet and valued at $12 million.
More here
****
****
Joe Klein (Time): …. Romney’s press office has just put out this statement about the President and Israel: (see post) …. The other inaccuracy is the notion that Obama wants Israel to return to its 1967 borders. He doesn’t. He wants the 1967 borders, with mutually agreed upon land swaps, to be the basis for peace negotiations. Somehow, Romney neglects to mention the land swaps.
The fact is, Obama’s policy toward Israel has been in line with that of every US President since Nixon …. The fact is that US-Israeli military and intelligence cooperation, especially when it comes to sabotaging Iran’s nuclear program, has never been greater.
…. It is very much unprecedented for a candidate for President to side with a foreign leader against the American President. But given their warped disrespect for this particular President, it has become disgracefully common among Republicans this year. One would hope that Romney, as one of the few plausible Republican candidates, would eschew such cheesy behavior … would not misrepresent Obama’s positions on foreign policy so gleefully. But, if this race continues to slip away from him, I suspect that’s exactly what we’ll continue to see.
Full post here
****
****
****
The Obama Diary 
Thanks for today’s activities Chips.
Here is video of the National Christmas Tree Lighting
http://www.c-span.org/Events/First-Family-Attends-National-Christmas-Tree-Lighting/10737425929/
Thanks, Donna. I missed the first half-hour. Great fun. Love Sec. Salazar and his loyalty to PBO.
I was able to attend the National Christmas Tree Lighting this evening and it was a wonderful program. I had great seats and had a good look at the President and First Family while on the stage. The crowd was very receptive of the Obama’s and someone screamed out Obama 2012. The First Family are simply adorable and seemed to really enjoy themselves. The little Miss Obama’s are quite the fashionistas just like their beautiful mother who was just simply gorgeous in that coat and scarf!!!
The whole family just makes you proud and of course I sat there with a huge grin on my face but I was not alone!!!!!
BTW the tree is beautiful!
Nice! Thanks for the report 😀
I just ♥ ♥ ♥ my First Family.
Lucky you – attending in person. Thanks for the recap! Looks like it was a fun night for all.
If I was there I would have been grinning right with you louc1.
I am so jealous. What a great experience for you! This family just glows with warmth.
And this Family, brings out the smiles and grins. This First Family brings out the best In most of us 🙂 Obama/Biden 2012
Thank you Chips. You rock.
Here’s a very Executive Order that President Obama has/will sign.
http://www.politicususa.com/en/obama-citizens-united
Check the date on that.
Ooops. Thanks for checking. I must remember to look at the date.
No wonder they hate him. He’s got everything they will never have. Beautiful collection, Chip.
Chips you are back with a big bang. Off to read all today’s news and spread it. Thank you for all you do 🙂 for us.
Excellent Read President Obama quiet revolutions. He is awesome. http://www.utne.com/Poliltics/Obama-Quiet-Revolution-Rebuilding-Regulatory-Agencies.aspx?page=3
Willard looks a fool when he crosses his legs in anger in that video. It sure doesn’t take much to ruffle his feathers.
It’s becoming very apparent that he has a pretty vile temper. Not suited for a campaign or for office.
Exactly. He gets huffy at the littlest thing and blows it out of proportion. He doesn’t seem to think that voters have the right to ask him questions. He thinks he can just sail through the campaign and takes umbrage at the fact that reporters want to ask him questions that are easy peesy. Has he never seen PBO being asked GOP laden questions all the time and yet he never loses his cool. He answers the question and always makes sure to highlight the accomplishments of the his administration. Willard who’s had it breezy all his life has this smug sense of entitlement as though we should all just bow and scrape before him and hand him the Presidency. He’s such a scumbag. As much as I despise Huntsman and his policies, at least he’s doing some of the work for Democrats and PBO by releasing sweet ad after sweet ad that points to the lack of a core that is Willard.
The same applies to Jon Hunstman, two peas in a pod. No difference between the two!!! Down to the thawed out and freshly delivered from the crypt look!!! Ugh!!! Creeepyyy!!!
Mitt looked unhinged in that moment. I’ve thought that he looks desperate and almost deranged these days – very frantic. What would happen to him if he had to deal with just one of the many crises that President Obama has dealt with, with grace and aplomb? In all the nasty interviews that President Obama has had to deal with, we’ve never heard a whiny complaint like what we’re hearing from Romney.
President Obama has made the Presidency look so easy – in spite of all the stress, tough decisions, obstruction, hostility, insults and attacks that come with it!!!
There will NEVER EVER be a better President nor a cooler, calmer, hard-working, focused, nice, amazing President like President Obama!!! He ROCKS!!!
THIS x 10,000!
And *Elroy*, that’s because PBO Is favored, by the Almighty. It just doesn’t get any better than that 🙂
I’ll start using my virtual “like” button here. LIKE !
Chipstick on twitter they were talking abt Bono Thanks to president On Aids fighting. See If you can get the clip.
chipstick here is the story with Bono on president Obama and a video. http://lezgetreal.com/2011/12/u2s-bono-us-president-obama-mark-world-aids-day-with-new-push/
Tweety in his “let me finish” segment mentioned Bono’s words about GWB, Bill and Hillary Clinton but never mentioned PBO. That was rather disgusting and it was obvious that he did this deliberately.
Hello TOD. I’ve been lurking and laughing. Hopefruit, what you said just confirmed it all. Matthews is out to destroy PBO. Let us not let anyone here or elsewhere try to give him credit for anything he “might” say seemingly in credit to the President. He is a nasty, spitty snake who has let PBO’s avoidance of him get the best of his vile ass. And don’t trust Rachel either. How many times have folks cited these two when they seem reasonable, only to in the next breath, figuratively, do their damnedest to tarnish PBO’s very image. Come on folks, toughen up about these media miscreants. They mean us no good and from now on, whenever anyone posts something from Matthews and Madcow, I will, as PBO says, …..”.crush them” 🙄
The way u get tweety is in his ratings, he is full of himself, not watching him is a wake up call that he is irrelevant. We need to seriously turn him off and stay commited to not watching.
I no longer watch spitty at all. Sometimes when I record Rev. Al’s show to watch later, spitty is still commenting for a few minutes and I have to hit the mute button.
After he called POTUS and FLOTUS unhappy, ungrateful, and un-American, he became a non-entity to me.
I did hear him mention PBO’s latest efforts in relation to AIDS first when quoting Bono, and then he went on to give everybody but the man in the moon more credit. It was appalling.
Let’s do this…
Exactly Tulips!!! I tuned out the Mfu@4*ker ages ago!!! He is a petty, small, God forsaken asshole!!!
I am sure it must gall him that Rev. Al’s ratings are just as good as his and Rev. Al just started and Chris has been around forever.
I know Chris Matthews has two time slots for the same show where I am and Rev Al only has one time slot. I wonder if the ratings count both CM’s slots to one of Rev Al’s for results?
And i do, turn him OFF! 😦
he never gives PBO any credit and the hate has become so obvious now
Tweety bird don’t like the Obama family. It is clear Tweety is or has gone coo-coo.
I wonder what happened to the thrill up his leg?
Yes!!! I looked up the Op-Ed and he completely avoided that last sentence in the paragraph..I was so disgusted!
Also: a conservative president, George W. Bush, leading the largest ever response to the pandemic; the same Mr. Bush banging his desk when I complained that the drugs weren’t getting there fast enough, me apologizing to Mr. Bush when they did; Bill Clinton, arm-twisting drug companies to drop their prices; Hillary Rodham Clinton, making it policy to eradicate the transmission of H.I.V. from mother to child; President Obama, who is expected to make a game changing announcement this World AIDS Day to finish what his predecessors started — the beginning of the end of AIDS.
GREAT NEWS — Yardarm just checked in on the last thread. He went to the Dells for the holiday; lousy wIFI; will be back on Saturday. I tweeted him earlier this evening; was about to send the Marines out to find him.
Yes, I noticed he said you brought him back to check in! Thank you! (I miss his one-liners and beyond.)
I think this is interesting. Today President Obama was “drafting an executive order that would require companies pursuing federal contracts to disclose political contributions that have been secret under the Citizens United Ruling.” This has sent The Turtle and some creep at the Heritage Foundation into conniption fits, calling it an abuse of executive power etc. etc. etc. It is also expected that all those “objective” sorts at FOXNews will be going wild about this too. President Obama is trying to limit the damage from Citizens United.
http://www.politicususa.com/en/obama-citizens-united
Is this making the rounds on twitter again? Look at the date – April 21st 2011. I don’t know why but somebody every couple of months keeps sending this out as new news on twitter.
Oh yes—-sorry—-wonder why this keeps popping up, just assumed it was current.
I don’t think Mr. Kraushaar is giving President Obama near enough credit for the decision to go ahead with the Navy SEALs raid into Pakistan to get bin Laden. Any thing, any thing goes wrong and his Presidency is fatally damaged and he likely doesn’t run for re-election. If bin Laden wasn’t there (it was a 50-50 chance AT BEST that it was even his compound, second set of folks put it at 30%), if it was and he got away, if there was a spec forces crash, if the Pakistani’s took down the chopper, if the SEALs had to fight their way out, if SEALs were captured etc. If it wasn’t bin Laden’s compound than the US invaded another sovereign country on bad intelligence and killed it’s citizens – a declaration of war on a nuclear power. His Presidency might have not even survived until 2012.
And he took the shot anyways.
Sounds to me like what Mr. Kraushaar means by “tough decisions” is agreeing with Republicans because Republicans are always right, but the President is unwilling to make the tough call to buck his party and agree with Boehner and McConnell.
“…If… And he took the shot anyways.” Saintroscoe, you just broke it down like a fraction.
One of the biggest and worst outcomes of the President’s decision could have been if we lost all of the Navy SEALs. That came before his own re-election, I’m sure, and it’s the first thing he mentions the few times he’s talked about it.
I really want Newt to be the Nominee. I can’t stand Willard Mitt Romney. At least we will have fun with the Mankin during the process. #obama2012
Please. Not Newt. I cannot stand him.
Actually, I can’t stand ANY of them, so I’m sunk either way.
jacquelineoboomer, I agree with you, I will go a step further, I can’t stand any Republicans, not just those running for President.
Obama 2012.
Thank you, Ed. This is a great review of our recent tortured history for all of us.
Well, I am fighting not to drift off as I want to continue reading what all the smart conversationalists that people this blog have to say. However, if this must be my final word let it be that Mrs Obama is becoming more radiant and vibrant and beautiful with each passing day. And along with her courageous husband she is lighting up a whole lotta world!
Can someone explain to me why Bernie Sanders just voted “NO” on extending the tax cut.
Potentially because it’s taking funding from social security to pay for the tax cut.
I thought the Feinstein bill was paid for by millionaire tax and the repub one is paid for by federal worker cuts and medicare/ss.
It is my understanding that the proposal was to have a surtax on millionaires to pay for it. If that’s the case who would that effect Social Security negatively?
Good point. Would the millionaires surcharge go into SS funding? Maybe it’s an off-set so they’re paid for, but the taxes don’t go into the SS pot. I heard this was an issue to some.
Tester voted against it because it’s a stop gap and he’ll only vote for long term solutions and feels the stop gaps allow “Washington” to keep kicking the can down the road.
Tester is full of shit. He knows that this Congress will do no such thing. He’s full of it.
I agree. I can understand the Blue Dogs, but Sanders has been bellyaching about how President Obama “doesn’t care” about the middle class or else he would do blah, blah, blah, blah. So he would rather deny 160,000,000 people a tax cut even if it were paid by a surtax, because he’s afraid of what Repubs might do sometime in the future???
Sanders also keeps voting against closing GITMO.
Which is not true.
NO money is coming out of Social Security. The trust fund is being funded, dollar for dollar, out of the general fund to make up the difference. Please don’t buy into this particular spin.
Is it draining the treasury some? Of course but SS will NOT be impacted by a dime.
Bernie Sanders has let his new found fake “progresive hero” status go to his head!!! It’s almost as if he is on the Republican bandwagon to stifle any accomplishment for President Obama!!!
I think Bernie is scared that his new hero status will be dimmed as quickly as it took off if the President succeeds and there is less and less air time dedicated to him to scream till his face turns beet red!!!
Bernie Sanders is like the loser kid at school who suddenly gets asked out by the popular boys girl – out of spite. He actually buys into his own hype and begins to do some terribly underhanded things to ensure the hot girl does not go back to the popular guy. Nevermind that the girl could NEVER really date him – the facts all lost on him!!!
Don’t these crazy ass politicans care that they are hurting the American middle class? They must don’t. I know the sorry ass Republican agenda. Sink the ship to get the captain.
I have a simple suggestion about the GOP primary candidates.
I think it would be helpful to character branding of these candidates if all us remember to add a phrase indicating what our impression is of each candidate WHENEVER we refer to them in ANY communication venue.
As a result each time other people read about or such for their name it would reinforce this impression.
Case in point always refer to:
Mitt (or Willard) THE ENTITLED LIAR Romney ;
Newt THE POMPOUS CROOK Gingritch ;
Rick THE CRUEL FOOL Perry ;
Herman THE PHILANDERING SEXUAL ABUSER Cain ;
Michelle THE UNINFORMED EXTREMIST Bachman
What else can we come up with
error: should be “read about or search”
Jon “Bimbo Eruption” Huntsman
Mitt’s problem is that he doesn’t punch down – and now Huntsman is polling 11% in NH, and the vast majority of those voters would be Romney supporters if Huntsman was not in the race/damaged by counterattack ads one would have to believe. Huntsman getting 11% could cost Romney NH if the Not-Romneys truly rally around Gingrich, or at least make Romney win by single digits, allowing Gingrich to poll a strong second.
He’s accusing Fox news of taking DNC talking points? He’s seeing enemies everywhere. He has no media safe harbor (If I was his campaign, I think David Gregory would have been my choice for first network interview – Gregory is a hack powder puff on Republicans), and there is rumors that Ailes might be ready to jump all it with Gingrich if he’s still on top after the Iowa debates on the 10th and 15th. He thought he’d have easily sailing to the nomination, at which time the right wing media would have no choice but to fall in behind him and support him. If Newt can make a go of this it forces the right wing media to choose sides and right wing media worries more about it’s bottom line and most of it’s viewers are of the far right variety so I can’t see them endorsing/siding with Romney over Gingrich just because Romney is more electable.
So we need to keep our fingers crossed that Newt comes out of the Iowa debates still the front runner. All candidates will be taking shots at him, but he has to know this. All other Not-Romney’s know that these debates are their last chance really. They’ll throw everything at him – everything. If Newt is still standing odds are we’re in for a long GOP primary, with the odds lightly favoring Gingrich. Newt is battered and bloodied in the debate and Romney will be the nominee by February 1st 2012.
Newt should reach out to the Perry and Cain camps to see if he could get some allies on the stage. Huntsman will go after Romney, because his only chance is to keep Romney falling, and for that to keep happening he needs Newt strong. If Gingrich is only taking shots from Santorum, Bachmann, Paul and Romney he might be able to handle things by ignoring the first three. He needs Cain and Perry to basically filibuster – be on stage to eat up time if nothing else.
Good analysis SR, although I’m having a hard time accepting the idea that a major political party would choose such a lying, sleazy, worm-like character as Newt. The man has such an ugly past, his temper is so volatile and his appearance so off-putting that they truly have to be desperate. As much as I loathed McCain he did have a “hero” aura to some people. Even democrats who didn’t vote for him thought he was a ‘good guy’ because of his past. But with Newt, it’s impossible to think of one single positive quality. It’s mind-numbing.
Either can I. I can’t fathom Newt being the nominee – I will not allow myself to even consider it really because it’s such a long shot still for all the reasons you indicate (and more). But Americans have attention spans and memories similar to fruit flies these days. They know they just don’t like Romney. A decade before Mitt was playing moderate/liberal Republican in his Senate race against Kennedy and as Mass. Gov Newt was “fighting the good fight for Republicans” battling Clinton – that has to count for something with folks.
Well there is no one left. They actually wanted to try and make Cain into a viable candidate but he was too arrogant to do his homework and study policy. They would have forgiven his indiscretions had he had a brain. Unfortunately for them they realized that he was as scattered brain as Perry, Santorum, Paul and Bachmann. Newton Leroy is all they have left. The Obama Campaign is gonna eat his lunch!!!!
Jackie – As you said, I don’t think we’ve ever seen anything like the current crop of Rs who are running for the White House. There’s not a redeeming quality in any one of them.
And I believe I can say that objectively, even with the sterling leader who is our President right now! Nobody could top PBO, of course, but none of these people could even come close. I wouldn’t even want any of their candidates as neighbors, much less in the Oval Office.
Thanks for this Chips. FL Michelle Obama is such a natural with crowds and children. A real people person. Boy did we ever luck out. 😀
I agree with you 1,000,000 percent about our wonderful First Lady.
Wow. The whitehouse is super fast this week. They’ve been uploading videos of all events this week at supersonic speed. Methinks someone is trying to give you a run for your money Chips. 😀
WestWing Week video was super cute. Bo meets Bo.
If the entitled liar romney loose the primary to the pompous crook newt, then the history books will record that as result of assuming he is the inevitable nominee, the entitled liar romney initially forgot to fight and label his fellow gop clowns and instead spent valuable resources picking fights with President Obama.
We have seen this movie before where candidates forget that in order to get to the big dance, they must first win a series of smaller contests
This is why I liked all along the idea of having a bunch of clowns in the clown car. Romney wasn’t being battle tested. Now we see the results of that. He has a glass jaw and is very sensitive to criticism and doesn’t handle the media very well. Meanwhile Mankini Newt has his own tv station (Faux News) to carry him to victory and Romney is pissed. This Republican Primary is a hoot.
p.s. I’m still rooting for Cain to stay in until the Iowa Caucus.
I think we benefit from Cain out before Iowa, but after the Iowa debates. He can be in the debates to be his usual distraction and eat up time, but Newt needs to win Iowa and he can only surely do that if Cain gets out. Now if Newt starts plummeting after a bad debate or two, than sure Cain still in will be a good thing, but unless Gingrich stays strong and wins Iowa I think we’re in for a Romney coronation by Feb 1st. If Newt wins Iowa, he likely finished a strong second in NH (Bachmann and Santorum get out after Iowa, or fade into obscurity anyways with their votes mostly heading to Newt), wins S.Carolina and Florida.
I still think Mitt ultimately wins because he has the money to stay in the race until April 1st when all the remaining battles are winner-take-all, and there are a lot more bigger and bluer states in this pool. But it would he a long, tough, bloody primary at least.
I have given up on trying to figure out who the best candidate would be for PBO to be against. I am leery of that phrase “Be careful for what you wish for” as I worry about wanting one and finding out that one was not the best opponent to wish for. Newt might just make sense in his debating to many. He has had his whole life to practice deceiving and saying things he didn’t practice so has gotten it down. I would hope character would count in choosing, but wonder as all of the GOP debates have shown that not to be true. Just don’t know about Romney as my Mom really likes him for no particular reason. I know he is not so well liked by the GOP but I wonder about the public in general?
In my eyes I have a hard time thinking why anyone would want someone other than the hardest working president for the people in my lifetime. I know it is important not to take anything for granted. We need to get a handle on the voter suppression work the GOP has laid out for the election. We need to untangle the web of deceit and spin by the GOP and media so the voters know the truth. We need to figure out how to counter the Citizens United efforts to let the rich corporations buy the election. We do have a lot of work to do.
Well put, Global. Romney forgot what league he was playing in and jumped right to the World Series.
So much for judgement huh!!! LOL @ the whole GOP clown car!!!
Their blasting Sanders on twitter, he voted against the middle class tax cuts.
Sanders deserves it, a old fool.
I’m FURIOUS.
Me too, Meta. Now the Repubs are holding federal workers hostage. They will pass the extension IF 200,000 federal employees are kicked off the job AND further pay freeze for fed workers. I tweeted Reid and told him I’ll take the tax increase rather than have that happen to federal workers who are already under a pay freeze. And who could vote for laying off workers, now? These are some low-life sobs and Sanders, who has been bashing President Obama for months is a liar and a wimp.
Me too. Sanders is constantly berating the President, saying he’s not doing enough and gives people like Maddow and Shultz, et al, the impetus to bash PBO some more. It’s egregious. I’m not a fan, just sayin….
If President Obama succeeds, then Bernie Sanders new found star thingy dims!!! So Bernie has lost his freaking mind and is as vested as the Repubs, the Clintons and all the usual suspects in seeing President Obama defeated!!!
They all seem to be enjoying their recent elevation at President Obama’s expense and they will do everything to keep their spotlight!!! It is intoxicating and Bernie Sanders is shamelessly drunk on it!!!
I will be sending Sanders a email to tell him that he needs to explain to the people why he betrayed them.
My sorry, disgusting, Republican Senator Richard Burr will be hearing from me also.
President Obama’s statement on the Senate’s rejection of the Democrats’ payroll tax plan: “Tonight, Senate Republicans chose to raise taxes on nearly 160 million hardworking Americans because they refused to ask a few hundred thousand millionaires and billionaires to pay their fair share. They voted against a bill that would have not only extended the $1,000 tax cut for a typical family, but expanded that tax cut to put an extra $1,500 in their pockets next year, and given nearly six million small business owners new incentives to expand and hire. That is unacceptable. It makes absolutely no sense to raise taxes on the middle class at a time when so many are still trying to get back on their feet.
“Now is not the time to put the economy and the security of the middle class at risk. Now is the time to rebuild an economy where hard work and responsibility pay off, and everybody has a chance to succeed. Now is the time to put country before party and work together on behalf of the American people. And I will continue to urge Congress to stop playing politics with the security of millions of American families and small business owners and get this done.
He’ll need to do more than this statement to get proper attention/focus on it – maybe a presser tomorrow instead of Carney or something. Or a Rose Garden statement.
I sometimes feel that it is only us here at TOD who know anything about what Obama is doing and saying. I skim news websites across the country and there is never a mention of any of Obama’s daily activities. There’s no mention of the vote or this statement anywhere. Only the Chgo Trib has mention of the tree lighting—–that’s probably cause it’s Chicago, Obama’s hometown with the Obama campaign staff down the street looking on. But it is amazing all the Obama news that is never reported—-anywhere. I always think if all voters could see what we see here, could know what we know here, the election would be a slam dunk. The public is being kept in the dark.
Dotster – I post everything to my Facebook page. It’s pretty much the only thing I post there. When I see really well-written articles, I post those to Facebook, and send on to Twitter. Every once in a while, a friend who is on the fence responds to the post, or comments – and I know I’m getting through. We just have to persist. It’s only going to get uglier and more confusing next year, when all the campaign money starts flowing. Get people used to seeing and reading your news. Get them comfortable with checking your Facebook page for information. When the going gets rough next year, they’ll know where to look for information,because they trust you. It’s the only way to cut through the media lies and GOP water carrying. We have to do it. There’s just too much at stake.
Exactly Theo!!! I do the same too and share as much and as often as possible!!!
We can sit and bemoan the dirty tricks of the idiots in the media or we can be proactive and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!!
It’s as simple as that!!!
I’m done moaning and I’ve moved on to DOING!!!
I am engaging EVERYONE I meet and I’m sharing EVERYTHING I know IN FAVOR of this once in a generation President!!!
I WILL NOT LET UP OR BE DISCOURAGED!!!
Yes this statement has to be verbalized so everyone knows how horrible the repugs are and when their taxes go up, they will know who to blame.
Dontcha get tired of articles defending this wonderful President. Why on earth is the obvious so hidden from the folks that should know better!
So folks,the recycled disingenuous meme that they trot out on a daily basis goes like this -;
a) he is weak ….(yeah right)
b) he is indecisive ….(I think not, think Bin Laden and others)
c) he is elitist …..(So what? Class is class).
d) he is not black enough, …..(believe you me the one drop syndrome makes him understand his blackness more than they could ever know.)
e) he hasn’t done enough for black folks….( isn’t he the President of all America?)
f) he is cold …..(did Ms Chips photshop all these warm pictures everyday?)
g) he doesn’t mix with the belt way washingtonians ….(who would want to mix with that deceitful set, who would badmouth on an instant?)
h) he has lost his base…….(you can’t lose what you never had!) His true base keeps the faith!
i) does not connect with people……….(seeing is believing. Do these msm jokers know how foolish they sound?)
j) he caves…….(trying to be bi-partisan is caving? Learn some new vocabulary msm)
k) he sold out to Wall St…(how’s about people doing their homework properly,huh?)
l) in comparison to this,that president… (listen up, i wasn’t around for those presidents, and, that was a different era. He is who he is)
m) maybe a 3rd party etc……(do Americans know what they have? Actually,do they know what they want,or are just happy whingeing away and talking loosely every day!)
Anymore for anymore? Maybe we could go the whole alphabet.Do keep it going,because I am certain that The TODERS know the story inside out and it would be interesting to see how much they spiel out this kinda stuff
Wash,rinse,repeat with folks on the teevee daily. What a sad misinformed lot these nonentities are/have become. They have all fallen into the Karl Rove methodology. Wouldn’t it be absolutely delightful to see/hear some interesting truthtelling dialogue, with some fresh new faces for guests in 2012. Methinks the present lot have worn out their welcome, and are tired,old and stale.
And its all lies that can be debunked by any of us here. God I hate the media.
I live near the beltway (but I’m not deceitful), and I can tell you that this President and his wife have “mixed” with the people of this region more than ANY President in my memory, and I’ve been around for a LONG time. (born in DC, worked in fed. gov’t for decades) What they may be talking about are the rich Georgetown set who used to rule DC “society”. The Obama’s prefer to “mix” with the ordinary people. One or both of them have visited nearly every school or college within 10 miles of my house, and have opened up the WH to the community more than any President in history.
No, they do not go to a lot of tea parties (real tea parties) or cocktail parties with congressmen, senators, Washington insiders and REPORTERS, they are more likely to be at a soccer game or at a homeless shelter. But to some in Washington, that doesn’t count.
BTW, their preference for ordinary pursuits makes No. c) that they are “elitists” ridiculous.
Of course all of those complaints are pretty ridiculous.
Whats up with that tree? It looks a little lopsided at the to. Oh well, I loved what the President said, I wonder if the “so-called christians” will be satisfied.
I wondered the same thing, JJ. He had an entire section about Christianity, birth of Jesus, His teaching’s…….amazing. Was SO proud of him, but then I always am! hehehe 🙂
Chips, so much info on the site tonight – I am going to have to stay up late just to get caught up. Loved the pics of the first family – Sasha and Malia are so gorgeous and getting so big. I love the family dynamic – and FLOTUS just grows more and more beautiful. Gotta go catch up on the Mitt videos. Good night all.
Our4thEstate Bobfr
America – GOP eagerly VIOLATED their Norquist pledge & voted to raise 99%ers’ taxes. Clearly, their Norquist pledge protects only 1%ers
Our4thEstate Bobfr
TY President Obama for making it clear to all Americans that the GOP VIOLATED their Norquist pledge & voted to raise taxes on 160M Americans
Our4thEstate Bobfr
@whitehouse @BarackObama ANY encroachment on habeas corpus is a foul insult to all who have died defending our Constitution #OBAMA2012
We know the enemy of our Republic:
Our4thEstate Bobfr
#ows, #teaparty, #99%ers – Forget the minions, go for the TRAITORS – Murdoch, Norquist, Koch Bro & their ALEC, AEI fellow #NEOCONSTERS
Time for folk to focus.
#YesWeCanDOMoreTogether
Love all your tweets – all the time !!!
Thank you so much!!!
#YesWeCanDOMoreTogether
You ROCK BOB!!! Thank YOU for all you do!!! It is because of good people like you, that our President will be re-elected!!!
Interesting that AP sent out a story that the Cain campaign is toast, all over but the shouting. It’s like it’s a force out. And then I see the Des Moines Register is reporting that the Cain campaign is “full speed ahead”, not dropping out.
Also interesting interview with Ginger White on LO. She said she met Hermie at a Black Achievers Expo in Louisville, if that answers any lingering questions.
Obama statement on Senate Rs voting to raise taxes on 160M hardworking Americans: “Unacceptable” http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/12/01/senate-vote-against-payroll-tax-cut-unacceptable
Good night my TOD Family.
This epic fail by the GOP in the Senate is not reaching the American people. The Prez and Dems better come out swinging to alert the public as to what just happened. If we notice our taxes (middle class) going up who are we to blame if we aren’t told who is responsible? Time for some surrogates to DOMINATE the airwaves. This should not be brushed over lightly. The public could turn on PBO if he doesn’t make them aware of what is going down in Congress. Obama/Biden 2012.
I hear you Keith. Hopefully, we’ll see some Dems on the TeeVee. We can push this message via social media and blogs, also.
Yep, I agree. I know no one agrees with me about the messaging issue, but this is just another example IMO. Can you imagine what Bush and his people would have done if it was the other way around? And unlike them, we’re on the freaking right side of everything.
Exactly BWD. I believe messaging has been good in reference to the Jobs Bill, but as the Rethugs continue their obstruction we have to continue to carry the message of who is at fault. Our society has a very short attention span and become apathetic in a short period of time. As I have stated before I have not seen a period in Democratic politics where whe had such a upper hand on most of the issues important to the American public. Dilligence in carring a message is a must. Obama/Biden 2012.
What I don’t see are forceful, aggressive Dems on TV. I don’t mean rude or bombastic, but assertive. Some so-called Dem strategists are too soft spoken, IMO. They don’t sound like the mean what they are saying. And if they happen to be on a show with a Repub, they are easily bullied into submission. I know the MSM is corp owned and if you check out who is on the Sunday political shows, Repubs dominate. So it’s not as easy to get our message out there. I’m hoping once the Repub candidate is chosen we’ll see more supporters of the President speaking up and speaking often.
Actually, I don’t agree. David Plouffe, Steve Israel, Nancy Pelosi, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, even Schumer are great spokespeople, but how often do they get invited on tv? Not much, compared to Republican bozos that are regulars.
“Bush and his people” would have a ready made and complicit media to broadcast and manipulate the American people with their propaganda and disapproval of events!!!
Pray tell, how do you propose that this administration break through a universally HOSTILE and complicit media to push that which contradicts the very same media’s own paid and bought for talking points!!!
So sorry to be OT, but thought some of you would want to know that Troy Davis’ sister Martina has died. The state of Georgia takes another life : http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2011/12/naacp-troy-davis-sister-has-died/1
May she rest in peace – Shalom!!!
Yes, she surely did.
God rest her soul. She fought the good fight and made a difference in this cruel world.
She was an amazing woman.
* * *Below is a message from Vince Carter, Baron Davis, and Chris Paul: * * *
Friend —
The good news is that basketball is coming back this month.
Unfortunately, that means the Obama Classic is being postponed.
Don’t worry: Any tickets you’ve purchased will still be honored at the rescheduled event. It’s on the calendar for summer 2012.
And we can tell you it’s going to be a game you won’t want to miss. We’ve personally talked to more than a dozen players and legends who are eager to get out there and have some fun in support of President Obama.
We’re sorry to delay the event, but it’s safe to say this game will be worth waiting for. It’s going to be a great time.
If you have any questions, please contact the campaign by email at obamaclassic@barackobama.com or call 312-698-3670.
We’ll see you out there. Until then, thanks for your support.
Vince, Baron, and Chris
I got the above message in my in box….sorry it will be postponed
That;s good, actually. Much better to have this game in the summer, close to the election, and when people hopefully would get over the lockout fiasco.
ok – this is BAD:
Senate passes defense bill with detainee policy compromise (even though it doesn’t seem possible to PROVE your citizenship if you’re in a military prison…..)
http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/01/politics/senate-detainee-policy/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
I really hope PBO will veto this crap.
This from Tom Coburn??????????????????????????????
http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/01/opinion/coburn-welfare-to-wealthy/index.html?hpt=hp_bn3
This is actually a very good article by Coburn but PBO has been saying for a while now that we need to do tax reform. I remember during the 2008 election realizing that John McCain (a millionare) was getting a SS check and going WTH. So yes “welfare for the rich” should be addressed but reforming the tax code will take a year to enact and if the Repubs win next year the chance of any reform that affects the rich will be slim to none and we all know it. What about right now?
There are government workers in just about every state. Why aren’t they outraged that Republicans want to cut their jobs and freeze their salary for a longer period of time? I live in the DC area which is basically the center of Federal employees. Most of my friends and relatives were affected by the 2010 freeze on their salaries. This was one of those rare occassions where I disagreed with our President. There are so many misconceptions about federal workers. Yes they get great benefits but their slaries are generally lower than private industry and no they don’t get to take 3 hour lunches and talk on the phone or surf the net all day. They work hard just like the rest of us. Is there waste in Government yes but again there is waste everywhere. The Repubs have done a good job of convincing the country that government workers are fat, happy and lazy and need to be done away with. These people do important jobs and need to be appreciated. And I’m not saying that this is the reason that PBO froze their salaries. I understand that everyone needed to make a sacrafice it just seemed to buy into the Republican meme IMO.
One of the reasons why the Repubs push the envelope so far is because they think they can get away with it. The sad thing is that we as a society don’t seem to do anything about their outrageous policies until we are personally affected.Henceforth, PA, OH, MI and WI. Rarely do the repubs not telegraph what they will do. Our awful media does a poor job of informing the public and society does a poor job of paying attention.
President Obama for the last 3 months has been going all over the country pleading with people to pressure Congress about the AJA. Their response has been tepid at best. Then if their benefits get taken away they say Washington is broken and why wasn’t PBO able to get it done. This has been very frustrating watching from my perspective.
Happy Friday Guys!
In case anyone missed President Obama singing on stage last night, here’s some video:
Our POTUS has a good voice. 🙂
Good morning UT. My goodness I went back to check the previous thread this morning and I saw your school schedule. How do you do it! I knew you were brilliant from your writings here on this blog but LHM you are amazing to be able to multi-task the way you do. Good luck with you “papers”. I have a feeling you will do exceptionally well on all of them. I am more than impressed by you. I got tired just reading about all that you have to do. What an impressive young person you are!
ut, you’re a superstar and any faculty member would love to have you as a student. And although I know you are saddled with a very tough course load, I have a feeling you also love your work and enjoy learning very, very much. Hang in there and do your best!! I’m especially grateful for the time you spend with us. I learn a lot from you. THANKS!!
Damn, is there ANYTHING the guy isn’t good at?!? He has a very good singing voice. I am looking forward to 2017 when he hopefully will have time to do another audio book. I love his narration of stories.
I will start…today is Money Bomb Friday. If anyone cares to donate, I would love to help re-elect the best President we have ever known:
https://donate.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/2012/Globalzero
WOOOOO Unemployment drops to 8.6%
Good Morning.
Great News……The right will be melting today.
F A B U L O U S! With the good reports that last couple of months I was hoping it would change.
Now that, Is welcoming news, Yippeeeeeeeeeeee 🙂 🙂
8.6% unemployment rate! Yippee.
YESSSSSSSS!!
US unemployment rate drops to 8.6% in Nov, lowest level in 2-1/2 years; economy added 120,000 non-farm jobs.
OMG, I was laying here listening to the radio and heard the same. I turned on the tv and CNN was discussing the unemployment drop. BTW, good morning everyone.
It’s definitely a good morning, COS!! I’m hoping Americans will have an easier holiday season this year.
Me too meta. Me too. I know that many many businesses have said that they are going to be hiring in droves for the holiday season. I keep seeing UPS Ads on tv telling people that they don’t need previous work experience, just come on down and fill an application, know how to drive or they can work in the cargo loading department. It’s good news and I know even though it’s just a seasonal job, it means a lot to many people and will hopefully help them get by.
The unemployment rate falling to 8.6% made me scream!!!!!! I was soooooooo stoked. Hearing that we added 120K jobs and it will likely be revised in December is awesome. Hearing that in October we actually added 200K jobs revised up and September numbers were revised up again for the second time. Then actually hearing Christine Romans on CNN aka TeaNN saying that the GOP have been lying when they say that the economy has been only shedding jobs under PBO. That under PBO the economy has actually been adding jobs and the stock market has been steadily improving. 😀
WOOOTT!! I saw a figure of 1.5 million jobs created so far this year, including 661,000 since July.
I THANK PRESIDENT OBAMA for continuing to fight around Congress for job creation. We know that will have an extra impact.
I was reading yesterday about new HHS money being poured into Health IT, so there will likely be more jobs in that sector soon as we ramp up to implement health care reform.
And IMF is loaning the EU 270 billion euros, to stem crisis over there!
and not because of the Republicans! Thank you Mr. President.
And before the morons on the right start saying people stopped looking for work : October was bumped up to 100K from 80K, while September was juiced to 210K from 158K. That’s an extra 72K jobs
HOLY CRAP!! BOEHNER MUST BE ENRAGED!!!!!!!!!
Unemployment falls to 8.6% !
http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/updates/2338 Can’t believe that makes me happy.
Ralph Nader Finds a Corporate Mogul to Love
Ralph Nader just hates Democrats more than anything, including Republicans. It would be one thing if Nader was advancing some theory that running left-wing spoiler campaigns in the general election will hurt Democrats but push the Party to the left. That’s a terrible theory, but at least it’s a theory. But it’s pretty clear that Nader isn’t even advocating this kind of crazy long-term plan when you consider things like his advocacy of a Mike Bloomberg presidential campaign:
“In area after area, you know, whether it’s consumer fairness, single payer health insurance, full medicare for all, for example, cracking down on corporate crime, a really new kind of tax system, the two parties are too hooked into the establishment, the corporate state that they can’t change. And so, if you ever put that agenda out in front of people it would be spectacular, especially if the candidate had enough money to reach those people. … Let’s say a Bloomberg runs, it would be a three way race in every sense of the term, because he could write a check for $500 million.”
Bloomberg is not a left-winger who would force Democrats to the left. He’s an advocate of holding down taxes on the rich and an opponent of the Occupy Wall Street movement. If Bloomberg was the Democratic nominee, Nader would be assailing him as a corporate stooge.
So why would he want to support a spoiler run for an even more moderate candidate than Obama? There is no coherent rationale here. He just has an insane belief that electing Republican presidents somehow leads to good things.
http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2011/10/ralph_nader_finds_a_corporate.html
If only Nader would go looking for a dentist to fix his gawdawful teeth instead of a candidate to screw up a Dem reelection. 🙂 This is all hilarious because the OWS crowd (which would be the electorate that a 3rd party would target) cannot stand Bloomberg of course since he decided to go all police state on them. 73% of the OWS movement considers themselves Independent. My bet is that come November if Bloomberg throws his name in they either don’t vote or they secretly vote for Obama.
😀
HUFFPUFF MUST BE ENRAGED!
Pakistan gave the go ahead for that air strike that killed so many last week..
http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/updates/2336 Is this still Obama’s fault?
:”The rate is now lower than at any point since March 2009, when it was 8.6% as well.
In another positive development, October’s figure for nonfarm payrolls was revised upward to show a gain of 100,000 from a previously reported 80,000, while September was revised up to a 210,000 gain from 158,000.”
For all the haters who say the math doesn’t add up, it dropped because there were numerous upward revisions to the previous months!!
“There are NUMEROUS revisions over the past month of jobs created. More jobs were created June, July, August, September and October than previously reported. August for example was originally reported at zero jobs created. It was later revised to over 55,000 jobs created. Unemployment numbers have ALWAYS been reported like that. Previous months are always revised either up or down. In the last few months ALL jobs numbers have been revised up. That is the MAIN reason the rate dropped so significantly as the revisions are included. “
This guy is toast! Could you even imagine a president like this — not to mention a First Lady!
Herman Cain’s Marriage Shaken by Infidelity Chartes
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/12/02/herman-cain-s-marriage-shaken-by-infidelity-charges.html
I feel so bad for Mrs. Cain. She can come stay at my house. The man and his mistress are PIGS
I agree. The interview with Lawrence O’Donnell last night was really detauled. He left no stone unturned. He even asked about the sex aspect and she responded. The “Koch brother from another mother” s toast. 🙂
Lawrence O’donnell’s Interview with Ginger White, was a thorough, and candid chat. Oh what tangle webs we weave, however, It was probably a thing that was easy for her to get Into, along with being In need financially, and socially, was just too difficult to sever :-(. I somehow got the feeling that Ginger White was remorseful, and perhaps embarrassed as well. She looked like she was near tears. But God Is forgiving, If she ask for It. We’ve all fallen short of something In our life time. Forgiving Is the key word here, as hard as It Is, to forgive. Thank God for Grace and Mercy.
That was a fascinating read. The section below sums up the situation perfectly…………
———————
Several of the people interviewed for this story said they believe Cain will do what’s best for him and not his family in deciding whether he’ll leave the race.
“What he says about concern for his wife and family sounds good,” said one family friend, “but if he meant it, he wouldn’t have gotten in the race in the first place.”
———————
This is a cute overview of last night’s tree lighting. It has a beautiful close-up of Malia.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-15997347
Love my First Family. 🙂
December 01, 2011
The paradox of progressive activism
In the vital battleground of Pennsylvania, “Democrats enjoy a more than 1 million voter-registration edge,” relates Politico. Yet “Republicans [hold] the governor’s office, the Legislature and two-thirds of the state’s seats in Congress.”
Hence the powerful significance of turnout, which in general operates inversely to political negativity. That is, voters — especially those of very little ideological commitment, a characteristic far more emblematic of contemporary Dems than Republicans — react to pounding cries of national doom and systemic corruption with not so much complacency as pointed disgust: It’s all rotten, they’re all rotten, elections portend no change, what’s the use of the franchise?……
http://pmcarpenter.blogs.com/p_m_carpenters_commentary/2011/12/the-paradox-of-progressive-activism.html
Morning TOD! Hope all are well – so they voted down the payroll tax voted yes on the defense bill ……. sigh……..
Hey DF – when will you find out about your school?
Morning, alice 🙂 Thank you for asking….Unfortunately, we only made it to 17th, not the 15th place we needed.:( No worries though…we all learned a lot from the experience and considering that we were late to jump into this challenge compared to the frontrunners, we did REMARKABLY well! As I understand it, Pepsi does this every year…next year we will be more prepared, and ready to take the “Pepsi Challenge”! We have certain connections, and we may decide to improve our sound system (for now) in a piecemeal fashion…to tide us over until we can compete for this money again next year…I WILL BE LOOKING FOR ALL OF YOUR AMAZING HELP AT THAT TIME :)!
As long as the guy that started this whole thing at our school is there, and we have this amazing group to work with…..next March will be different…we WILL win this thing. I know we will….until then, we have a bandaid in place to make sure these kids get heard. We believe in them!
I’ll keep everyone posted when next year’s challenge starts. Right now…we have important PBO work to do!!! Everyday, because WE DON’T QUIT! I’m sending the WH some thanks today for these jobs numbers….liars and smear merchants be damned! PBO WORKS FOR THE PEOPLE!
Hugs, alice…I thank everyone for all your support with this!
Ahh *dotster*, so close, but yet so far, ummm so sorry 😦 Oh well, If at first, you don’t succeed, try try again.
Oops! I’m so sorry, I didn’t Intend to say *dotster*. I Intended this response to be for *desertflower*. Please forgive me ;-(
Ok. Lotsa fluffing of newt, the serial wife swapper and the impeached congress cretin, by the beltway bastids both in print and teevee media.
Assuming this corrupt-to-the-core (in all aspects of personal and political life) punk is the effing ‘nominee’ ‘chosen’ by the effing, racist rethugs, what are the nos. we are looking at in 2012 ?
If Newt is the nominee I would predict a historic landslide for Barack Hussein Obama. Seriously, what states would vote for Newt Gingrich? Maybe Tennessee, Kentucky and West Virginia and his home state of Georgia? The digusting warthog Rush Limbaugh cannot stand Newt so wherever his devoted following lives, they won’t be voting for him.
As I was listening to the radio the other morning…one thing that was mentioned, for those not old enough to remember old Newt…was that HE was the one that began this toxic track of a divided govt….exactly what we have now, Newt started. Add THAT to his list of “accomplishments” NOT to be proud of! I think that if people knew that, along with everything else wrong with him…he flip flops as much as Romney, he justs SOUNDS DIFFERENT doing it…..the bloom would be off that rose real quick! We need to point that out 🙂
You are absolutely right desertflower – he DID create this toxic environment.
September was revised up 50 k and October revised up 20k.
Rise and Shine everyone 😉
http://theobamadiary.com/2011/12/02/rise-and-shine-34/
Wow, Mitt Romney’s son looks even more like Count Dracula than he does!!