Amazing! The president with the best inflation-adjusted, annualized return of the S&P 500 “under his watch” since the CRSP records begin in 1926 is OBAMA!!!!!
Annualized return of the S&P 500 since 1926 under Democratic presidencies: 13.74%
Annualized return of the S&P 500 since 1926 under Republican presidencies: 6.26%
Moreover, 8 of the 10 WORST YEARS for the S&P 500 occurred under Republican Presidents .
Wow – these numbers demolish any claim the Rs have to President Obama being bad for business. Wall Streeters should take note and stop obstructing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and appointment of Cordray.
Yay, they’re back!!! Bo looks really excited to be back home. He’s laughing! So am I—-from relief —we really need President Obama’s sense and sensibility. The political world has gone nutsy-cuckoo in his absence. Daddy’s home—–whew.
The thing about it is I turned on CNN (yuk) and Romney (yuk, yuk) was giving his stump speech. If we leave it up to him we will be bombing Iran like yesterday. On MSNBC, Chuck Todd (yuk) was to talking to his guest about Ron and Rand Paul (yuk, yuk, yuk) and how they are the only ones the troops love. I don’t usually listen to these pundnuts and every time I happen to catch one of these shows, I am reminded why I don’t watch.
This is an amaizing vidio and please let’s send it viral speacially to those people who want to vote Republican
and make no mistake if we have a Republican president he will take us to war with Iran for sure, This
is fucking scary we have seen this movie before and so let’s ask the PL if this is what they want?.
Newt tried the I won’t go negative approach and it was a disaster. (How do you like the Citizens United ruling now Newt?) So Mr Nasty himself will do what he does best and go negative on Willard. This should be quite entertaining. I totally agree with Newt calling Willard a liar. That happens to be factually true. He just makes stuff up. But to be more precise – Mitt “Who Am I This Time” Romney is a FLIP FLOPPING LIAR WITH NO CORE.
Savannah Guthrie conducted such a nauseatingly softball interview with Romney this a.m., she should lose her license, so to speak. Romney was allowed to say how disastrous President Obama has been, that he had no business experience, no leadership experience, that he didn’t know what he was doing and on and disgustingly on——and Savannah didn’t challenge one word—-she just smiled. And then she wrapped it up with her real stinger, her real probing question—–“Tell us something we don’t know about you, here’s your opportunity”——gag—–and Romney told us that he was just a “regular guy”, just a normal dude who wants to save our country. And Savannah nodded.
Romeny won’t talk to anyone unless the fix is in. So he landed his interview with Mrs. Greenspan. Yeah, hard-hitting journalism at work. The press is a sham.
The press also treated McCain with kid gloves and adoration in 2008, remember?
Try not to play them any mind. We know what we can do and what we will do. We also know Pres. Obama knows how to campaign and there will e plenty of time and opportunity to make Flip Romney eat his own words.
dotster3, Good thing I haven’t had breakfast yet. Ms. Savannah wasn’t that good on MSNBC when she did that show with Chuckie Todd. And yea, it’s true Mitt is just a regular guy, and I sing like Jennifer Hudson, dance like Beyonce, if you hear me you would swear you were listening to Ms. Hudson. NOT!!!!!!!!!! Newt said Mitt was a liar.
I LOVED THE GUY WILLIE INTERVIEWED THIS MORNING DURING ‘JAVA JOKE’ CLUTCH…HE’S GOING TO CAUCUS FOR PBO AND WANTS EQUALITY IN EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES! YEEEEEEEHAAAAAH…A MAN AFTER MY OWN HEART! HE HAD A GREAT EDUCATION..WANTS EVERYONE ELSE TO HAVE THE SAME!
Which, of course led to thinking about all of YOU good people, and that was it for sleep! Oh, well, check in, Hello!, then HiHo, HiHo! Have a wonderful, productive day! Eyes on Iowa!
I FEEL BADLY FOR THE FIRST FAMILY…FROM SUN TO COATS! WHAT A RUDE AWAKENING! BRRRRRRR BIG TIME HERE IN INDIANA! NEED SOME COATS FOR MY HOMELESS AND MY BIRDS!
Me too, Sue. Coming back to the cold, doom and gloom of DC with problems to solve and expectations to meet, I’d have a very hard time smiling. I hope Mrs. O manages to put a little sunshine and joy into each of our president’s days.
It’s game day so it’s time for us to get our game faces on. Iowa you are awesome! Go Caucus for our President tonight. Our not-so-secret weapon is OFA. When all the Repubs leave that state tonight OFA will still be there making calls, registering voters, recruiting volunteers and GOTV for PBO on Nov 6, 2011. Ignore us at your peril MSM!!!
Of Donna, you are, as usual, right on. The OFA will be all over Iowa for the next year while the clown car will move on to howl in the wind in the remaining primary states.
Oh yes, welcome home Obama Family, all of them look so well rested, and looking like they had a great time. And then there’s *Bo*, who Is running along, like he too, had a great time. I just adore *Bo* 🙂
So today Is the day, that will give us an Idea what Republican will win the Iowa Caucas. ALL of THEM STINKS. None of them have no good reason why they should be President. ALL of THEM are LIARS. My goodness, what a choice, each one Is worse than the next 🙄
“I just think he ought to be honest with the American people and try to win as the real Mitt Romney, not try to invent a poll-driven, consultant-guided version that goes around with talking points, and I think he ought to be candid. I don’t think he’s being candid and that will be a major issue. From here on out from the rest of this campaign, the country has to decide: Do you really want a Massachusetts moderate who won’t level with you to run against Barack Obama who, frankly, will just tear him apart? He will not survive against the Obama machine.”
Shhhsh, Firedup. Let Newton Leroy let it rip and think he can win. Let him convince primary voters than he’s better than Mittens and then let him be crushed. I don’t want Mittens to skate unchallenged into the nomination. Let Newtie bloody him.
I don’t want Mitt to win the nomination. Good has to overcome evil. This man, Romney, not only lies, but he’s attacking the personal character of a very dear man who has done nothing but work hard, live a life of integrity and valour, loved his family and his country and done an honest day’s work every day of his Presidency. For Romney to malign his character with this crap he’s started spewing makes me sick to my very core. I can’t listen to him, I can’t see him and I don’t want him rewarded with the nomination – even if it means he’ll be cut down to size personally by President Obama. He needs to lose spectacularly.
JUAN GONZALEZ: And Dobson has also become sort of like the counselor of choice for politicians who fall by the wayside, in certain ways, hasn’t he?
MAX BLUMENTHAL: Well, Newt Gingrich, for example, another person who was viciously abused as a child, Dobson led the coup against Gingrich that helped remove him as Speaker of House — as Speaker of the House when a lot of Republicans were concerned that his leadership was weakening when they were trying to impeach Clinton, because Gingrich was carrying on an affair with a woman twenty years younger than him who was on the congressional payroll at the same time. She’s his wife now.
When Gingrich decided to resurrect his political career, he decided — the Republican Party is controlled by the Christian right. He’s not a stupid man. “What do I do? I have to confess all of my sins by going on James Dobson’s radio show,” catering to the culture of personal crisis that lurks behind the right’s politics of resentment. And so, that’s exactly what he did. He basically prostrated himself before Dobson, who has, you know, no political — supposedly has no political standing. And the next thing you know, he’s back on the national stage. He’s welcomed at the Christian right gatherings. You can see him on Fox News now. So, that shows, you know, how powerful Dobson is. But it’s not just Dobson; it’s a mentality that defines conservatism.
***From the book “Republican Gomorrah: Inside the Movement that Shattered the Party”
🙂 Has a way of making you feel that way, doesn’t it? I’d argue that you could substitute ANY REPUBLICAN that’s running’s name…and you would STILL feel dirty 🙂
Good morning all, Has anyone tried to write a comment or even read comments on OFA recently? I can’t find them even though I am signed in. Comments used to follow the blog entries just a few days ago. Now I see nothing but the blog entries.
Yep that group who has remained faithful to that site should be canonized saints. I lost my patience because of the trolling that took place over there. I’ve checked in more since the holidays and it seems to have vastly improved. I hope it stays that way. 😉
In an article someone linked to last night, (sorry, don’t have the link) the techies from the campaign said they are revamping the site and there will be a new site, they are working on it.
I agree Donna. Hadn’t been there for ever but went back over the holidays and didn’t encounter too many trolls, although there was one who came back at me when I commented on the 2012 election. Not the troll-fest that it was when I stopped commenting and lurking there. I really hope it stays that way. You can’t beat chipsticks though, it is a haven here for us Obama supporters, so nice not to have to deal with those pesky little trolls.
Yardarm for Sec. of Defense! Just saw on twitter that Cain told the Early Show that he was qualified to be Sec. of Defense because he’s been on a naval ship. If that’s the criteria, I much prefer Yardarm.
Gee, that means that how many millions of Navy men and ex-Navy men are all qualified to be Sec. of Defense. Who knew? Of course, Yardarm could run circles around Cain and put him in the dust, but he’s too smart to want to.
Well, I was a civilian employee of the Department of the Navy during the Vietnam era and before and after it… guess I’ll pack my bags and head to my new job at The Pentagon, now.
If that’s the criteria, i am qualified. I took a tour of a Navy ship in San Diego once, I have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express, and my two brothers and father are/were Navy men.
Hey—-I just remembered I am qualified too! Toured a naval ship in Newport, R.I. one year—–didn’t realize I was in training for Secy. of Def. while I was there though—-stupid me! Also saw Paul McCartney’s sailboat being worked on there in Newport—–man, was that a beauty! Does that qualify me for a musical career?
Chips- Debbie Wasserman Shultz was awesome on morning Joe.
She did not take any of his shit, and gave it right back to him.
He got do upset, he had to get up and go for a walk.
And that is when she said that Obama will win re election, and all of java Joes clapped.
Joe was furious.
i just watched it. that is what i thought too donna, what a jerk he is. he didn’t like what was being said so he made the end of the segment completely fizzle. DWS was great!
Meh. I like Debbie but it wasn’t some wonderful moment as I thought it would be.
I was surprised to see Mika speak up. Someone must have spiked her coffee.
Steele is such an ass. At least Obama and the Democrats are trying to do SOMETHING about the CU ruling. The Repubs blocked that effort. And yes, Steele, Debbie is doing a great job as chairperson. Something you failed at.
I still don’t have any like nor respect for OWS. Seems to be a front for anarchists, IMO.
Yes Trump Dog, I agree, it was not an absolutely amazing clip, but I enjoyed seeing DWS standing her ground so well and I was very pleased to hear a good portion of the audience clapping for PBO’s win next Nov! Michael Steele is so slimy. I can barely stand to listen to him speak.
I thought Joe was so stupid and disrespectful to DWS! He should resign! He is so shallow that he cannot allow anyone to get in a word edgewise before he interrupt. I could not even watch the whole thing!
halo asked on the previous thread whether PBO had made any recess appointments.
The answer is no because there has been no recess. The Republicans have been calling to order a pro forma session for just a few seconds every 3-4 days to prevent him from doing that. The only time he can try this is the few seconds between when they gavel out the old session in order to gavel in the new one when they all get back, which I believe is on January 23rd.
The feckless media ignores this political scandal.
A RADICAL EMBRACE OF NULLIFICATION
==================================
In case this isn’t obvious, the American system of government isn’t supposed to work this way. Indeed, it’s pretty much the antithesis of our constitutional process.
Republicans may not care about this, but you should.
The GOP minority isn’t even questioning Cordray’s qualifications. Rather, Republicans are saying they refuse to allow existing law to function until Democrats meet the GOP’s demands and does Wall Street’s bidding. When the Senate minority is satisfied, they’ll consider allowing the law to function — if they feel like it.
As a matter of legal and institutional principles, Americans haven’t seen tactics like these since the Civil War. It led James Fallows to explain yesterday, “This strategy depends absolutely for its success on its not being called what it is: Constitutional radicalism, or nullification.” Jonathan Cohn made the same point last week, and Thomas Mann referenced a “modern-day form of nullification” in July.
Political tactics and schemes come and go, as politicians and parties win and lose. But what Republicans are doing now does real damage to the American system of government. It is, by any meaningful definition, a serious and important political scandal.
And all the obstruction. All the blocking of nominees who then clear 9-10 months later with a 98-1 vote. How many times the GOP demanded 60-vote cloture vs how many times it was used in the past etc.
We will need our media team in place tonight. Once this caucus is over I expect ALL the attention will be on the Repubs. We need to refocus some of that attention onto our President. I’m hoping and crossing my fingers and toes that we get a good strong turnout tonight and if we do we need to be prepared with an IN-YOUR-FACE to the MSM.
Can you all start thinking of a creative hashtag that we can use to pound them with tonight?
Off to work I go. Have a great productive day everyone.
Speaking of media team, I’m going to follow ForUS50’s example from yesterday and ASK the TOD family to please include me [ @sonamie ] in the people they follow. Some of you already do, but MANY of you don’t. I need YOUR support to be an effective member of the Twitter team this year. I should clarify that the ONLY reason I joined Twitter was to help in this effort, and (except for one friend who insisted on following me when she discovered that “I” was actually on Twitter) I do not do any ‘personal’ tweets. In other words, your help is absolutely necessary for me to be successful at this. 😉
@sonamie (= V C)
Gracias. Merci. Thanks. Gratzie ( Is this thanks? Think I saw it somewhere. In what language?)
Yeah, last night I sent Tien’s wonderful People’s view article to our local Democratic Committee and this morning it was e-mailed to hundreds of local Democrats and committee members. I’m so thrilled about this because it puts solid information and helpful advice into the hands of our core activists. Sometimes the local committees are looking for pieces like this to get people energized and keep them focused, so give it a try. If you aren’t already in touch with the your local committee, this is a good time to sign up for events and meetings, which are all opportunities to meet and encourage other PBO supporters. I especially love Tien’s first paragraph about people being fully awake and the mythic enthusiasm gap disappearing. Once you have PBO on the ballot, enthusiasm soars.
Oh, rereading my comment it sounds a bit odd. To clarify, my use of the ‘p’ word relates to ME. how I feel sometimes BECAUSE I’m not directly connected to the US election process, (yet can’t seem to keep my nose out of it). There are times I hesitate to share opinion/feelings for ‘fear’ of crossing over the lines or of someone saying ‘Why don’t you mind your own business?’ Yeah! Yeah! That’s highly unlikely in our TOD family, but it’s sometimes hard to ignore ‘fears’ 😆 😆
jackie, that’s great. We assume that party officials know everything that’s written on our important blogs, but by taking the extra step to make sure they knew made a difference.
Y’all are making me blush. Thank you so much for your support. I’m not a self-promoter, but you’ve encouraged me to post a link to it on the OFA blog and send it to my local Dems, too.
O’Donnell and co-host Bob Schieffer did, in fact, seem completely shocked that Gingrich was willing to say this on national television. That, in and of itself, is a shame — Romney has been lying uncontrollably for quite a long while. Paul Krugman a couple of weeks ago highlighted a series of blatant lies from Romney, and noted that the Republican presidential candidate “seems confident that he will pay no price for making stuff up,” in large part because we’ve entered an era of “post-truth politics.”
The question isn’t why Gingrich would say this; the question is why O’Donnell and Schieffer haven’t said the same thing.
Too little too late? Newt finished 5th tonight and it will look like desperation and sour grapes. The fact that he didn’t fight back probably hurt him worse than the actual attacks against him.
I think Norah O’Donnell’s reaction was embarrassing to say the least. She seemed all upset and shocked that Gingrich called Romney a liar. ”Are you calling him a liar”…..ohhh with her big eyes…..all flustered….
It is a fact…he is a liar….a pathological liar………..they all are …everyone of them but Romney is the worst I think. It’s sick.
On the other end….now that I’m thinking of her reaction:
She reacted this way after Gingrich said something that was factual, the true about Romney, but she never react this way when they spew their lies about the President in her interviews…
Its truly a four letter word in media circles and I guess its extra taboo since candidates are expected to campaign for the party’s winner once the general election starts. Now what Newt says will be used against Romney by the Obama campaign.
Wow Christi we were on the same page. I can’t stomach Norah O’Donnell. She is a torn in Jay Carney’s side everyday with her GOP talking points questions.
I love Steve Benen for saying what no one else will say about the media. He said the question isn’t why Gingrich would say Willard is a liar – the question is why O’Donnell and Schieffer (and their colleagues) can’t bring themselves to say the same thing.
Willard is a prolific liar. And I think one of the reasons he lies so easily is because he doesn’t expect to be challenged by the feckless media. They spend more time carrying water for the GOP then actually reporting the facts. It’s shameful. I hope that Steven Benen post gets tweeted far and wide. The media should be ashamed of themselves.
He lies because he is void of moral character, personal integrity, he is a fraud and his personal worth can not stand on its own..He is a murderer because he kills the truth every time he opens his mouth.
They weren’t outraged when that Republican fool called out “you lie” at the President during a formal national address on the floor of the US Congress. I’m beginning to think that one has to sell one’s soul to be a journalist, and lose all personal integrity.
January 03, 2012 8:25 AM
Meet Charlie Black
By Steve Benen
Four years ago at this time, Mitt Romney was condemning John McCain for inviting corporate lobbyists to help run the senator’s presidential campaign. Now, Romney has begun taking strategic advice from one of those very same corporate lobbyists.
Mitt Romney has added a veteran Washington lobbyist — Charlie Black, a top political aide to Senator John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign — to the circle of informal advisers who are trying to help to guide him to the White House. […]
Mr. Romney’s current presidential campaign is … wary of being linked to the culture of Washington, casting Mr. Romney as an “outsider” and a “businessman” who will clean up the way politics is done in Washington.
But on Monday, aides to Mr. Romney confirmed that Mr. Black, a veteran Washington power broker, is supporting Mr. Romney’s 2012 effort.
Morning guys…how annoying to wake up and hear Romney declaring himself the winner of Iowa already. Such an arrogant asshole. I think the bright side to him barely being attacked by his Republican opponents is that he will get too comfortable. So, when we get to focusing on his lying and his flip-flopping and his alliance with elites, he will not be as sharp as he could be had he been challenged earlier by his primary opponents.
Lastly, I hear Newt said that Romney has been lying…did he really use the word “lying?” If so, that’s some powerful stuff because it seems politicos never want to call others liars. Well, Romney is a textbook liar, a con artist, and I question his motives regarding why he wants to be president…he does not strike me as someone who really cares about the country or has some vision that he feels would help us. All I get from him is naked ambition…I know a lot of people like him in the legal and corporate world.
“You scolded Mitt Romney, his friends who are running this Super PAC that has funded that, and you said of Mitt Romney, ‘Someone who will lie to you to get to be president will lie to you when they are president. I have to ask you, are you calling Mitt Romney a liar?”
“Yes,” Gingrich replied.
“You’re calling Mitt Romney a liar?”
“Well, you seem shocked by it!” said Gingrich. “This is a man whose staff created the PAC, his millionaire friends fund the PAC, he pretends he has nothing to do with the PAC – it’s baloney. He’s not telling the American people the truth.”
Boom…that’s some powerful stuff. Thanks for providing the info, FiredUp. I hate to agree with Newt, but he’s right. Romney will lie to win and then he’ll lie once he’s in there – especially since things are never as easy as they seem once one becomes president.
Then after he leaves he and his staff will purchase their harddrives and hide them in an undisclosed location that houses his tax returns, Dick Cheney, his dignity and his core.
Okay that’s an exaggeration. He has no dignity or core.
I love how nasty Newt said “Well, you seem shocked by it!” These infotainers act SO precious, like they can’t use the word “lie.” They’re so weak and vacuous. Bring the pain, Leroy. Bring the pain! 😆
Guess Newt figures that he can AFFORD to tell the truth, and that he shouldn’t let Mitt get off scott free. and walk to the winner’s circle in Iowa…he really has nothing to lose…because HE’S not anywhere close to winning Iowa. Amazing though, that I thought that it was a Republican tenet that another Republican not talk badly of another…who knows, they have some many pledges and talking points, must be getting hard to remember which one’s which!
Revenge. Romney’s deluge of negative ads about Gingrich ( or more precisely the deluge of ads by the outside grouos working for Romney) were very nasty and very effective…
Gingrich seems to be more about himself than his party. So it’s not that surprising that he would get off script.
I hate when the MSM plays the different campaigns’ ads, which should only be played if the person buys ad time on tv. This is basically free publicity.
Exactly! Remember when they played that Britney spears ad about the President being a celebrity?
3 day cable loop, every segment.
But, remember, the press allegedly favored the President. Whatever!
And they know that campaigns do this on purpose now. Mitt’s campaign admitted as much with that ridiculous out of context one. Say something contraversial in the ad and the ad itself becomes news and gets free coverage on the news and gets increased importance so folks will then pay more attention to it when it airs.
On the economic front, growth in the U.S. manufacturing sector accelerated in December, rising to 53.9 in December, according to the Institute for Supply Management. Economists had expected a reading of 53.2, according to a Reuters Poll. A reading above 50 indicates expansion.
And construction spending increased 1.2 percent in November, its highest level since June 2010, according to the Commerce Department. Economists surveyed by Reuters expected spending to rise 0.5 percent in November.
I’m getting reports from Iowa FB Friends that they have been breaking records making calls at their local OFA offices with calls to President Obama supporters. The response has been overwhelmingly positive.
Iowa is Fired Up and Ready to Go Caucus for President Obama.
Please sign-up to be involved in your states local OFA:
Let them. Pres Obama will only make one (or maybe a few) recess nominations and you can bet they’ll be key ones with a lot of proof of GOP obstruction – does the GOP really want to make issue of blocking Cordray?
Also with the Iowa caucus today and the fall-out tomorrow will they rain on their own parade to make the attacks? Maybe if Paul or Santorum win I guess they might just do that.
Pres Obama has made less recess appointments, and faced much more obstruction and blocks. And Roosevelt used this very recess to make recess appointments, so Pres. Obama wouldn’t be making any history with such a move.
Yeah, it’s just like a regular recess. However recess appointments are only good for a year and they need to face the Senate again.
I hope for at least three – Cordray and two Labor board seats. GOP is blocking any labor board nominees because they’d be left without enough for a quorum and thus would be inoperable for all of 2012.
Because there is nothing the GOP can do and they know it. Before they all left for the Christman break McConnell put together a group of nominees that he said the GOP was ready “to move on” but if Pres. Obama made any recess appointments than that would be off the table and GOP would block everybody. He was basically blackmailing the President, or attempting to – saying you can have all these nominees approved if you don’t recess appoint Cordray, but if you do than every other nominee will be blocked.
“Cordray backers point out that the Constitution allows for the president to actually force the chambers to adjourn, which could open the door to a recess appointment.
Article 2, Section 3 of the Constitution states that on if there is a disagreement about when the chambers should adjourn, the president has the power to “adjourn them to such time as he shall think proper.”
The only problem with that? The power has never been used before.”
“In terms of the President’s relationship with Congress in 2012,” Joshua R. Earnest, the deputy press secretary, said at a briefing, “the President is no longer tied to Washington, D.C.”
From Gallup: “Gallup’s Economic Confidence Index improved to -38 in December — its best level since June — but not as good as the -28 of December 2010. Upper-income Americans’ economic confidence improved 9 points to -29 while middle-/lower-income Americans’ confidence improved 7 points to -39.”
Republicans fear return of the feelgood factor as Iowa caucus nears
“Consumers are not shopping until they drop, but they are shopping until they are tired. That is a lot better than it has been,” said Joel Naroff, president of Naroff Economic Advisers. “The US is going into 2012 with some momentum building. The economy looks like it is going to be finding its footing.”
Good morning, TOD family its caucus day in Iowa. I’m curious to see who wins. I wonder how Mittens with fair, glad to see the First Family is back home.
Can someone remind me how to post a tweet? Ever since the new and improved twitter, rt. click on the time stamp doesn’t work for me. What dumb thing am I doing wrong?
Wanted to post David Corn’s funny tweet: “Michele Bachmann, Dancing With the Stars on Line 2”.
Click on the tweet then right click the time stamp and then copy link address.
I say click on the tweet cause when I copied the time stamp with the tweet in the time line, it didn’t appear correctly in the comments thread. Likely a fluke so try each way.
Members of Congress of both parties often complain about fraud and abuse in Medicare and Medicaid (M&M), usually charging that the President is not doing enough to keep bad guys from stealing money from these vital programs.
Guess what? Thanks to provisions in the Affordable Care Act (ACA/ObamaCare) and to an unprecedented effort by the Obama Administration, more progress has been made in the past three years to combat health care fraud and abuse than ever before. There was a 68.9 percent increase in criminal health care fraud prosecutions from 2010 to 2011, and 2010 was already the highest ever.
1/3/12 8:17 AM
The White House hasn’t been quick to knock down speculation that they will try a recess appointment for Richard Cordray to the Consumer Financial Protecting Bureau — or to try to fill the open spots on the National Labor Relations Board. If President Obama wants to try an end-run around the Senate, he has until January 23rd.
If nothing else, let it be said that the Presidency of Barack Obama proved one precise thing: That the United States is not a post-racial country. More importantly – as 2011 revealed – racism is as rampant on the Left side of the political spectrum as on the Right. More subtle, perhaps, and with a decidedly different flavour, but it’s there all the same.
Add to racism, misogyny, as well. We’re all familiar with the Religious Right’s war on women – the efforts to curtail and then to make illegal abortion, efforts in some states to make all sorts of contraception illegal, personhood initiatives. It seems, in some instances, people who identify with the Left can live with those things, if it means getting rid of Barack Obama. A small price to pay, surely.
No one likes being labelled a racist. Not even known or exposed racists like being fingered as one. But for the longest time, the Progressive Left have seen themselves above that sort of thing, to the extent that many confidently asserted that racism simply does not exist on the Left.
And the Barack Obama was elected.
Emilia wrote the absolute TRUTH! The most insidious racism is the covert racism. Overt racism (such as that practiced by the KKK) is very easy to confront because no one can mistake it, or easily disguise it.
Another AA on msnbc, this time sticking up for Ron Paul.
I have not seen one AA on tv sticking up for the President. If you are a republican AA, you got a job on tv waiting for you. Lol!
Caught a couple minutes of an Andrea Mitchell interview this morning with Michelle Bachmann. Michelle was bad mouthing Ron Paul as having a very scary foreign policy she even went as far as saying he was left of Obama. Andrea asked her a question and she replied he would be worse than Obama. Interesting!!!
When did this man who hated briefings, only wanted to hear good news, was willfully ignorant, had no concept of strategic thinking and gave up looking for public enemy #1 become a visionary?
So Bush couldn’t find Bin Laden, but he “defined” the “mission to kill” him, but President Obama who found and eliminated Bin Laden gets no credit? Santorum must think that Republican voters have no brains and would believe such nonsense.
While Republicans’ childish lips are saying “Yes yes yes” to President Obama’s vulnerabilities, Republicans’ adult eyes have said “No no no.” And what this abundance of caution, this failure of formation, this avoidance of battle by the party’s reputed grownups — Mitch Daniels, Haley Barbour, Chris Christie, Jeb Bush — reveals is that the Establishment’s true emotions behind, and authentic assessments of, the 2012 presidential race are this: The incumbent is, far more likely than not, unbeatable.
D Wasserman Schultz
@DWStweets
Follow @TheDemocrats for live tweets from my Des Moines press conference with Rep. @BruceBraley about today’s #iacaucus.
The Obama Diary 
There they are! Looking happy and healthy and Mrs. O rocking a gorgeous new coat!
Morning Meta!!! 😉
Good morning, Blog Hostess with the Mostess!!!! Happy New Year to ya!!
And a happy happy happy happy happy happy new year to you Meta!
Happy New Year Chipsticks…Praying Gods Blessings for you & yours!
Good morning Meta! So glad our First Family is back home.
Poor things having to put their winter clothes back on, after Hawaii temperatures! Brrrr.
Brrrr is right. But oh they all look so fashionably gorgeous in their winter gear!
Mornin’ meta, Jackie, Chips, TOD family!
They all look great and well rested, Bo is happy to home, and our President is ready to get going!
Mornin’ to you hopefruit and Chips.
Morning Jackie, morning everyone 😉
Goooooooooooooood Morning….Chipssssssssss…
Happy New Year….
Fireddddddddd UP …READY to Goooooooooo!!!
Mooooooooooooooooorning Hopefruit!
Morning to all you sweet folks!!
Good Morning Everyone.
Rank of the best performing presidential administration for the inflation-adjusted annualized return of the S&P 500 “under their watch”:
Obama: 15.42%
Clin.ton: 14.26%
Eisenhower : 13.38%
Ken.nedy: 11.10%
Bush I: 11.10%
Truman: 9.99%
Rea.gan: 9.53%
Roosevelt: 8.67%
Johnson: 7.16%
Carter: 1.14%
Nixon/Ford : −2.12%
Bush II; −5.16%
Hoover: −17.33%
Amazing! The president with the best inflation-adjusted, annualized return of the S&P 500 “under his watch” since the CRSP records begin in 1926 is OBAMA!!!!!
Annualized return of the S&P 500 since 1926 under Democratic presidencies: 13.74%
Annualized return of the S&P 500 since 1926 under Republican presidencies: 6.26%
Moreover, 8 of the 10 WORST YEARS for the S&P 500 occurred under Republican Presidents .
The worst years are:
1931: -43.35% (Hoover)
2008: -37.00% (Bush II)
1937: -35.02% (Roosevelt )
1974: -26.45% (Nixon)
1930: -24.0% (Hoover)
2002: -22.1% (Bush II)
1973: -14.67% (Nixon)
2001: -11.87% (Bush II)
1941: -11.58% (Roosevelt )
1957: -10.79% (Eisenhower).
Facts. You gotta love them. Unless you’re a “business” conservative.
But, but, but…I wanted a Gangsta President….
LOL
😀
Thaks. This is great information.
Linda, but…but…Reagan, but Clinton…but…but! PressOn, everybody!
Linda, linky ?
A post from an American financial adviser working in Denmark that comments on HP….
P.S. He is a Very reliable source that does his own analysis and statistics.
Ok, thanks Linda. It’s just that if I had a link I could spread around it around.
I will go ask him if he has something I can bring over.
😉
Cool. That would be great to tweet.
He responded with a NO.
you said it was a post, is there a link to the post?
No…just his comment/post on the HP thread. You want that ?
Grrroooaannn….I wouldn’t go to HuffPo if you paid me. 🙂
Too bad.
I will tweet that. Thanks very much, Linda.
Great numbers.
Where did you find that? I’m having a little “discussion” on another site….these would help put the exclamation point on things 🙂 Link?
No link…it is a comment on HP from a person that is very reliable.
Good Morning TOD.
But, but, but I just heard Romney say……
I don’t like Romney. I mean I realllllyyyy don’t like Romney.
O.K this might be news Newt just called Mitt a big fucking lier on CBS this might be the sound
bite of the news.
Wow – these numbers demolish any claim the Rs have to President Obama being bad for business. Wall Streeters should take note and stop obstructing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and appointment of Cordray.
Welcome home to the First Family. They look great don’t they? Looks like even Bo enjoyed Hawaii.
Is that our little Sasha carrying a handbag? Too cute!! She is growing up so fast!!
she emulates her mom alot…i love it…
Michelle and Sasha switched handbags.
I guess Sasha’s was too heavy for her to carry!!
They swapped bags, Meta. Mrs. O is carrying Sasha’s bag on her shoulder.
Yay, they’re back!!! Bo looks really excited to be back home. He’s laughing! So am I—-from relief —we really need President Obama’s sense and sensibility. The political world has gone nutsy-cuckoo in his absence. Daddy’s home—–whew.
“Daddy’s home—–whew.”
😆
Morning Dotster!
This video was from 2008 but still hold true today….insert ANY of the GOP candidates here and this is what you get:
The thing about it is I turned on CNN (yuk) and Romney (yuk, yuk) was giving his stump speech. If we leave it up to him we will be bombing Iran like yesterday. On MSNBC, Chuck Todd (yuk) was to talking to his guest about Ron and Rand Paul (yuk, yuk, yuk) and how they are the only ones the troops love. I don’t usually listen to these pundnuts and every time I happen to catch one of these shows, I am reminded why I don’t watch.
Yuk.
🙂
This is an amaizing vidio and please let’s send it viral speacially to those people who want to vote Republican
and make no mistake if we have a Republican president he will take us to war with Iran for sure, This
is fucking scary we have seen this movie before and so let’s ask the PL if this is what they want?.
Proud thank you for posting this video. It was very powerful, who ever put this together was fantastic.
Good morning everyone! Glad to see my first family made it home safely. How cute that Sasha and Mrs. O are carrying each other’s bag.
Newton Leroy called Willard a liar on CBS this morning.
I guess the ” It takes one to know one ” theory is true.
PASS THE POPCORN
Newt tried the I won’t go negative approach and it was a disaster. (How do you like the Citizens United ruling now Newt?) So Mr Nasty himself will do what he does best and go negative on Willard. This should be quite entertaining. I totally agree with Newt calling Willard a liar. That happens to be factually true. He just makes stuff up. But to be more precise – Mitt “Who Am I This Time” Romney is a FLIP FLOPPING LIAR WITH NO CORE.
Bill, did he really call the liar a liar. There aren’t to many things I agree with Newt about, but this I am 100% with him.
Yes and in a very dramatic manner. FiredUpInCA posted the entire quote below.
I never thought i would be cheering on Newt, but it’s about time someone call Romney out for being a liar, lord knows, the media will never do it!!!
Good morning all, happy our first family is home.
Not sure why I was awake at 3am, but sure I was athinkin’ about these good people on that plane!
Savannah Guthrie conducted such a nauseatingly softball interview with Romney this a.m., she should lose her license, so to speak. Romney was allowed to say how disastrous President Obama has been, that he had no business experience, no leadership experience, that he didn’t know what he was doing and on and disgustingly on——and Savannah didn’t challenge one word—-she just smiled. And then she wrapped it up with her real stinger, her real probing question—–“Tell us something we don’t know about you, here’s your opportunity”——gag—–and Romney told us that he was just a “regular guy”, just a normal dude who wants to save our country. And Savannah nodded.
Romeny won’t talk to anyone unless the fix is in. So he landed his interview with Mrs. Greenspan. Yeah, hard-hitting journalism at work. The press is a sham.
Romney has no clear message of his own….other than Obama is Bad…
The press also treated McCain with kid gloves and adoration in 2008, remember?
Try not to play them any mind. We know what we can do and what we will do. We also know Pres. Obama knows how to campaign and there will e plenty of time and opportunity to make Flip Romney eat his own words.
dotster3, Good thing I haven’t had breakfast yet. Ms. Savannah wasn’t that good on MSNBC when she did that show with Chuckie Todd. And yea, it’s true Mitt is just a regular guy, and I sing like Jennifer Hudson, dance like Beyonce, if you hear me you would swear you were listening to Ms. Hudson. NOT!!!!!!!!!! Newt said Mitt was a liar.
I LOVED THE GUY WILLIE INTERVIEWED THIS MORNING DURING ‘JAVA JOKE’ CLUTCH…HE’S GOING TO CAUCUS FOR PBO AND WANTS EQUALITY IN EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES! YEEEEEEEHAAAAAH…A MAN AFTER MY OWN HEART! HE HAD A GREAT EDUCATION..WANTS EVERYONE ELSE TO HAVE THE SAME!
Agreed. He is an example of the good,educated, liberals that can be found in often unexpected parts of the country.
Which, of course led to thinking about all of YOU good people, and that was it for sleep! Oh, well, check in, Hello!, then HiHo, HiHo! Have a wonderful, productive day! Eyes on Iowa!
I FEEL BADLY FOR THE FIRST FAMILY…FROM SUN TO COATS! WHAT A RUDE AWAKENING! BRRRRRRR BIG TIME HERE IN INDIANA! NEED SOME COATS FOR MY HOMELESS AND MY BIRDS!
Me too, Sue. Coming back to the cold, doom and gloom of DC with problems to solve and expectations to meet, I’d have a very hard time smiling. I hope Mrs. O manages to put a little sunshine and joy into each of our president’s days.
Next Up: 12:30 PM EST Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney
My president!!
Good Morning TOD
WELCOME HOME OBAMA FAMILY
It’s game day so it’s time for us to get our game faces on. Iowa you are awesome! Go Caucus for our President tonight. Our not-so-secret weapon is OFA. When all the Repubs leave that state tonight OFA will still be there making calls, registering voters, recruiting volunteers and GOTV for PBO on Nov 6, 2011. Ignore us at your peril MSM!!!
Of Donna, you are, as usual, right on. The OFA will be all over Iowa for the next year while the clown car will move on to howl in the wind in the remaining primary states.
Oh yes, welcome home Obama Family, all of them look so well rested, and looking like they had a great time. And then there’s *Bo*, who Is running along, like he too, had a great time. I just adore *Bo* 🙂
So today Is the day, that will give us an Idea what Republican will win the Iowa Caucas. ALL of THEM STINKS. None of them have no good reason why they should be President. ALL of THEM are LIARS. My goodness, what a choice, each one Is worse than the next 🙄
Newt unleashed on Willard:
“I just think he ought to be honest with the American people and try to win as the real Mitt Romney, not try to invent a poll-driven, consultant-guided version that goes around with talking points, and I think he ought to be candid. I don’t think he’s being candid and that will be a major issue. From here on out from the rest of this campaign, the country has to decide: Do you really want a Massachusetts moderate who won’t level with you to run against Barack Obama who, frankly, will just tear him apart? He will not survive against the Obama machine.”
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-500202_162-57351153/gingrich-mitt-romney-is-a-liar/
That’s true Newt. He won’t survive but then neither will you or any of the other liars running for the nomination.
Shhhsh, Firedup. Let Newton Leroy let it rip and think he can win. Let him convince primary voters than he’s better than Mittens and then let him be crushed. I don’t want Mittens to skate unchallenged into the nomination. Let Newtie bloody him.
I don’t want Mitt to win the nomination. Good has to overcome evil. This man, Romney, not only lies, but he’s attacking the personal character of a very dear man who has done nothing but work hard, live a life of integrity and valour, loved his family and his country and done an honest day’s work every day of his Presidency. For Romney to malign his character with this crap he’s started spewing makes me sick to my very core. I can’t listen to him, I can’t see him and I don’t want him rewarded with the nomination – even if it means he’ll be cut down to size personally by President Obama. He needs to lose spectacularly.
JUAN GONZALEZ: And Dobson has also become sort of like the counselor of choice for politicians who fall by the wayside, in certain ways, hasn’t he?
MAX BLUMENTHAL: Well, Newt Gingrich, for example, another person who was viciously abused as a child, Dobson led the coup against Gingrich that helped remove him as Speaker of House — as Speaker of the House when a lot of Republicans were concerned that his leadership was weakening when they were trying to impeach Clinton, because Gingrich was carrying on an affair with a woman twenty years younger than him who was on the congressional payroll at the same time. She’s his wife now.
When Gingrich decided to resurrect his political career, he decided — the Republican Party is controlled by the Christian right. He’s not a stupid man. “What do I do? I have to confess all of my sins by going on James Dobson’s radio show,” catering to the culture of personal crisis that lurks behind the right’s politics of resentment. And so, that’s exactly what he did. He basically prostrated himself before Dobson, who has, you know, no political — supposedly has no political standing. And the next thing you know, he’s back on the national stage. He’s welcomed at the Christian right gatherings. You can see him on Fox News now. So, that shows, you know, how powerful Dobson is. But it’s not just Dobson; it’s a mentality that defines conservatism.
***From the book “Republican Gomorrah: Inside the Movement that Shattered the Party”
http://www.democracynow.org/2009/9/4/republican_gomorrah_inside_the_movement_that
Oh damn. I agree with Newt.
I feel so dirty.
🙂 Has a way of making you feel that way, doesn’t it? I’d argue that you could substitute ANY REPUBLICAN that’s running’s name…and you would STILL feel dirty 🙂
I approve this message. Go Leroy, Go — you nasty newt, you!
Good morning all, Has anyone tried to write a comment or even read comments on OFA recently? I can’t find them even though I am signed in. Comments used to follow the blog entries just a few days ago. Now I see nothing but the blog entries.
Good morning Diane. Try clicking on the blog title to get to the comments. It worked for me this morning.
Thanks for the tip, Donna. I enjoy reading about the regulars like Gosal.
Yep that group who has remained faithful to that site should be canonized saints. I lost my patience because of the trolling that took place over there. I’ve checked in more since the holidays and it seems to have vastly improved. I hope it stays that way. 😉
In an article someone linked to last night, (sorry, don’t have the link) the techies from the campaign said they are revamping the site and there will be a new site, they are working on it.
I agree Donna. Hadn’t been there for ever but went back over the holidays and didn’t encounter too many trolls, although there was one who came back at me when I commented on the 2012 election. Not the troll-fest that it was when I stopped commenting and lurking there. I really hope it stays that way. You can’t beat chipsticks though, it is a haven here for us Obama supporters, so nice not to have to deal with those pesky little trolls.
I didn’t know that you get gloves in so many colors. Gals always have their fun, don’t they ?
Haha, very funny and very male. Yes amk those are the perks of being female. In other words, membership has its priviledges.
Yardarm for Sec. of Defense! Just saw on twitter that Cain told the Early Show that he was qualified to be Sec. of Defense because he’s been on a naval ship. If that’s the criteria, I much prefer Yardarm.
Gee, that means that how many millions of Navy men and ex-Navy men are all qualified to be Sec. of Defense. Who knew? Of course, Yardarm could run circles around Cain and put him in the dust, but he’s too smart to want to.
Did Cain serve in the Navy or did he really just mean he’s “been on” a naval ship?
Yes, can we hear from yardarm about this matter?!
He was a civilian employee of the Department of Navy during the Vietnam era. He obtained a Masters degree while there.
Well, I was a civilian employee of the Department of the Navy during the Vietnam era and before and after it… guess I’ll pack my bags and head to my new job at The Pentagon, now.
Did he really say that qualified him?
Oops – I hope your comment, Bill, wasn’t about yardarm, whom I respect greatly! I thought you meant what Cain said. Cancel. Cancel.
If that’s the criteria, i am qualified. I took a tour of a Navy ship in San Diego once, I have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express, and my two brothers and father are/were Navy men.
I need to remember to stay at Holiday Inn Expresses more often to get smarter.
Hey—-I just remembered I am qualified too! Toured a naval ship in Newport, R.I. one year—–didn’t realize I was in training for Secy. of Def. while I was there though—-stupid me! Also saw Paul McCartney’s sailboat being worked on there in Newport—–man, was that a beauty! Does that qualify me for a musical career?
I toured the WWII submarine at the museum many times, does that qualify me?
Well, I have a High School Diploma, and I’v e been on a few Ships, wowwwwwwwwwww, so I too can be Secretary of Defense, ummmmmmmmmmm, great Idea 🙄
Oh why doesn’t he go the hell away?
Better yet, why is the fucking press even asking him about anything?
THIS.
Me too! Hell. my best friend is a Commander…I’d pick her too!
Chips- Debbie Wasserman Shultz was awesome on morning Joe.
She did not take any of his shit, and gave it right back to him.
He got do upset, he had to get up and go for a walk.
And that is when she said that Obama will win re election, and all of java Joes clapped.
Joe was furious.
Tape please?
Who are the Java Joes? Sorry, I don’t watch that show so don’t know the gig.
Java Joe is the coffee shop in Iowa where MSNBC is broadcasting. The patrons seem to be more Democratic than Republican.
Oh, I see. Thanks, Bill.
We need to tweet her and say thanks for sticking up to al this BS!
This is the first time I am actually sorry I no longer watch a.m. Joke. Thanks for the chuckle!
Actually I just watched the video on MSNBC’s site and it just reminded me why I stopped watching that show years ago.
Joe was a rude jerk. He didn’t walk out he got up and started talking to the people in the audience so he could shut down Mika and DWS
See for yourself. His show is a waste of space!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3096434/#45855550
She was great!
i just watched it. that is what i thought too donna, what a jerk he is. he didn’t like what was being said so he made the end of the segment completely fizzle. DWS was great!
Meh. I like Debbie but it wasn’t some wonderful moment as I thought it would be.
I was surprised to see Mika speak up. Someone must have spiked her coffee.
Steele is such an ass. At least Obama and the Democrats are trying to do SOMETHING about the CU ruling. The Repubs blocked that effort. And yes, Steele, Debbie is doing a great job as chairperson. Something you failed at.
I still don’t have any like nor respect for OWS. Seems to be a front for anarchists, IMO.
Yes Trump Dog, I agree, it was not an absolutely amazing clip, but I enjoyed seeing DWS standing her ground so well and I was very pleased to hear a good portion of the audience clapping for PBO’s win next Nov! Michael Steele is so slimy. I can barely stand to listen to him speak.
Can Mika be any more ineffectual?
Alma, Mika Is a Flip Flopperrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, she’s no different than some of the others, make up your mind, will ya’?? 😦
yes, tape please!!!!!!!! wow, that sounds great!
WHAT???!!!!!???
OMG I think I’d sit through a whole month of watching Morning Joke with my eyes stapled open just to see three seconds of that.
OK maybe I’m not that crazy, but still.
I LOVE DEBBIE!!!!!!! Love her!
I thought Joe was so stupid and disrespectful to DWS! He should resign! He is so shallow that he cannot allow anyone to get in a word edgewise before he interrupt. I could not even watch the whole thing!
They are trying to bully us! She isn’t going to let them!
halo asked on the previous thread whether PBO had made any recess appointments.
The answer is no because there has been no recess. The Republicans have been calling to order a pro forma session for just a few seconds every 3-4 days to prevent him from doing that. The only time he can try this is the few seconds between when they gavel out the old session in order to gavel in the new one when they all get back, which I believe is on January 23rd.
Click to access 110211calendar.pdf
So let’s keep our eyes peeled out for that.
The feckless media ignores this political scandal.
A RADICAL EMBRACE OF NULLIFICATION
==================================
In case this isn’t obvious, the American system of government isn’t supposed to work this way. Indeed, it’s pretty much the antithesis of our constitutional process.
Republicans may not care about this, but you should.
The GOP minority isn’t even questioning Cordray’s qualifications. Rather, Republicans are saying they refuse to allow existing law to function until Democrats meet the GOP’s demands and does Wall Street’s bidding. When the Senate minority is satisfied, they’ll consider allowing the law to function — if they feel like it.
As a matter of legal and institutional principles, Americans haven’t seen tactics like these since the Civil War. It led James Fallows to explain yesterday, “This strategy depends absolutely for its success on its not being called what it is: Constitutional radicalism, or nullification.” Jonathan Cohn made the same point last week, and Thomas Mann referenced a “modern-day form of nullification” in July.
Political tactics and schemes come and go, as politicians and parties win and lose. But what Republicans are doing now does real damage to the American system of government. It is, by any meaningful definition, a serious and important political scandal.
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_12/a_radical_embrace_of_nullifica034050.php#
Yes, the emphasis should be on the fact that this is about existing LAW that the RWers won’t let be implemented. Intransigence beyond words.
oh good to know meta! thanks for sharing the info!
Seems DWS had a nice vacation. She did what we will do to Romney, Santorum, Paul, whoever they set up for us this November.
BEST hairdo photo of Donald Chump-Trump YET!!
http://twitpic.com/82evdt
lol….Just imagine that face on the world stage…
I can’t imagine Willard with his awkward demeanor on the world stage either.
You’re right Meta, It’s the BEST WORSE hair-do ever, Lol, makes me laugh out loud a few times, hehehe 🙂
Wonderful to see our First FAMILY 🙂
Zizi,
did you see the note I left to you a couple of threads back?
if not, please email me at mamahelena@aol.com
YES! Sorry Mittens, no running to the center for you.
And all the obstruction. All the blocking of nominees who then clear 9-10 months later with a 98-1 vote. How many times the GOP demanded 60-vote cloture vs how many times it was used in the past etc.
We will need our media team in place tonight. Once this caucus is over I expect ALL the attention will be on the Repubs. We need to refocus some of that attention onto our President. I’m hoping and crossing my fingers and toes that we get a good strong turnout tonight and if we do we need to be prepared with an IN-YOUR-FACE to the MSM.
Can you all start thinking of a creative hashtag that we can use to pound them with tonight?
Off to work I go. Have a great productive day everyone.
Speaking of media team, I’m going to follow ForUS50’s example from yesterday and ASK the TOD family to please include me [ @sonamie ] in the people they follow. Some of you already do, but MANY of you don’t. I need YOUR support to be an effective member of the Twitter team this year. I should clarify that the ONLY reason I joined Twitter was to help in this effort, and (except for one friend who insisted on following me when she discovered that “I” was actually on Twitter) I do not do any ‘personal’ tweets. In other words, your help is absolutely necessary for me to be successful at this. 😉
@sonamie (= V C)
Gracias. Merci. Thanks. Gratzie ( Is this thanks? Think I saw it somewhere. In what language?)
Yeah, last night I sent Tien’s wonderful People’s view article to our local Democratic Committee and this morning it was e-mailed to hundreds of local Democrats and committee members. I’m so thrilled about this because it puts solid information and helpful advice into the hands of our core activists. Sometimes the local committees are looking for pieces like this to get people energized and keep them focused, so give it a try. If you aren’t already in touch with the your local committee, this is a good time to sign up for events and meetings, which are all opportunities to meet and encourage other PBO supporters. I especially love Tien’s first paragraph about people being fully awake and the mythic enthusiasm gap disappearing. Once you have PBO on the ballot, enthusiasm soars.
Fantastic!
Jackie, can you share a link, please?
An excellent read, Meta. I was wondering if I should send it to OFA, but thought it might be too presumptuous of me, so I’m happy that Jackie did. 😆
http://www.thepeoplesview.net/2012/01/election-survival-tool-kit.html
Oh, rereading my comment it sounds a bit odd. To clarify, my use of the ‘p’ word relates to ME. how I feel sometimes BECAUSE I’m not directly connected to the US election process, (yet can’t seem to keep my nose out of it). There are times I hesitate to share opinion/feelings for ‘fear’ of crossing over the lines or of someone saying ‘Why don’t you mind your own business?’ Yeah! Yeah! That’s highly unlikely in our TOD family, but it’s sometimes hard to ignore ‘fears’ 😆 😆
No one would ever say that to you. Your views are always appreciated.
BRILLIANT!
Meta, VC’s got the link to the article. I’ve bookmarked it for easy reference. Thanks, VC.
jackie, that’s great. We assume that party officials know everything that’s written on our important blogs, but by taking the extra step to make sure they knew made a difference.
Excellent work, Jackie.
Great job, Jackie! Tien’s piece was MUST READ for everyone…I’ve bookmarked and will print out…but sending it off locally is a great idea 🙂
Y’all are making me blush. Thank you so much for your support. I’m not a self-promoter, but you’ve encouraged me to post a link to it on the OFA blog and send it to my local Dems, too.
Tien, you’re the best. You should post a link to everyone you know. It’s brilliant writing.
I am deeply grateful for your support Jackie. Indeed, enthusiasm is bursting out all over now. Yay.
Great Job, Jackie! I also printed Tien’s article to share with all the people I know.
Gingrich takes off the gloves
O’Donnell and co-host Bob Schieffer did, in fact, seem completely shocked that Gingrich was willing to say this on national television. That, in and of itself, is a shame — Romney has been lying uncontrollably for quite a long while. Paul Krugman a couple of weeks ago highlighted a series of blatant lies from Romney, and noted that the Republican presidential candidate “seems confident that he will pay no price for making stuff up,” in large part because we’ve entered an era of “post-truth politics.”
The question isn’t why Gingrich would say this; the question is why O’Donnell and Schieffer haven’t said the same thing.
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2012_01/gingrich_takes_off_the_gloves034486.php
O’Donnell is a complete shill for Republicans. She doesn’t just give their side of things when she covers Boehner, she’s a believer. Some journalist.
Too little too late? Newt finished 5th tonight and it will look like desperation and sour grapes. The fact that he didn’t fight back probably hurt him worse than the actual attacks against him.
Good morning Chips and TODers,
I think Norah O’Donnell’s reaction was embarrassing to say the least. She seemed all upset and shocked that Gingrich called Romney a liar. ”Are you calling him a liar”…..ohhh with her big eyes…..all flustered….
It is a fact…he is a liar….a pathological liar………..they all are …everyone of them but Romney is the worst I think. It’s sick.
On the other end….now that I’m thinking of her reaction:
She reacted this way after Gingrich said something that was factual, the true about Romney, but she never react this way when they spew their lies about the President in her interviews…
Republican hack……
why is it so taboo to call someone a liar? if you do it enough times that’s what you are.
I had no idea that it was taboo! I couldn’t believe their reaction….Bob Schaeffer as well……Mika said that Gingrich had to be careful…
So these Republicans can say that President Obama is the worst president in history, didn’t create any jobs, , etc….lies lies lies and more lies.
It’s all fine and dandy….
But don’t you dare call Romney a liar!!!
It’s unbelievable…..
Its truly a four letter word in media circles and I guess its extra taboo since candidates are expected to campaign for the party’s winner once the general election starts. Now what Newt says will be used against Romney by the Obama campaign.
Wow Christi we were on the same page. I can’t stomach Norah O’Donnell. She is a torn in Jay Carney’s side everyday with her GOP talking points questions.
I love Steve Benen for saying what no one else will say about the media. He said the question isn’t why Gingrich would say Willard is a liar – the question is why O’Donnell and Schieffer (and their colleagues) can’t bring themselves to say the same thing.
Willard is a prolific liar. And I think one of the reasons he lies so easily is because he doesn’t expect to be challenged by the feckless media. They spend more time carrying water for the GOP then actually reporting the facts. It’s shameful. I hope that Steven Benen post gets tweeted far and wide. The media should be ashamed of themselves.
I meant “thorn” in the side…
He lies because he is void of moral character, personal integrity, he is a fraud and his personal worth can not stand on its own..He is a murderer because he kills the truth every time he opens his mouth.
Is Nora O’Donnell Lawrence O’Donnell’s wife or sister? Or just same last name and no relation?
They weren’t outraged when that Republican fool called out “you lie” at the President during a formal national address on the floor of the US Congress. I’m beginning to think that one has to sell one’s soul to be a journalist, and lose all personal integrity.
Wonderful to see the Obama’s back home safely. They are just amazing!!
Chuck Todd and Savannah Guthrie are going on and on about how charming Willard;s wife and sons are. Unbiased?
Charming that the son is a birther ? How cute they are.
I saw someone on Twitter saying that Ann Romney also demanded some proof that President Obama loves his country and his family. Real charming.
January 03, 2012 8:25 AM
Meet Charlie Black
By Steve Benen
Four years ago at this time, Mitt Romney was condemning John McCain for inviting corporate lobbyists to help run the senator’s presidential campaign. Now, Romney has begun taking strategic advice from one of those very same corporate lobbyists.
Mitt Romney has added a veteran Washington lobbyist — Charlie Black, a top political aide to Senator John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign — to the circle of informal advisers who are trying to help to guide him to the White House. […]
Mr. Romney’s current presidential campaign is … wary of being linked to the culture of Washington, casting Mr. Romney as an “outsider” and a “businessman” who will clean up the way politics is done in Washington.
But on Monday, aides to Mr. Romney confirmed that Mr. Black, a veteran Washington power broker, is supporting Mr. Romney’s 2012 effort.
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2012_01/meet_charlie_black034485.php
And don’t forget that Romney’s foreign policy advisers are a bunch of neocons from the Bush era.
Morning guys…how annoying to wake up and hear Romney declaring himself the winner of Iowa already. Such an arrogant asshole. I think the bright side to him barely being attacked by his Republican opponents is that he will get too comfortable. So, when we get to focusing on his lying and his flip-flopping and his alliance with elites, he will not be as sharp as he could be had he been challenged earlier by his primary opponents.
Lastly, I hear Newt said that Romney has been lying…did he really use the word “lying?” If so, that’s some powerful stuff because it seems politicos never want to call others liars. Well, Romney is a textbook liar, a con artist, and I question his motives regarding why he wants to be president…he does not strike me as someone who really cares about the country or has some vision that he feels would help us. All I get from him is naked ambition…I know a lot of people like him in the legal and corporate world.
Here’s the exchange:
“You scolded Mitt Romney, his friends who are running this Super PAC that has funded that, and you said of Mitt Romney, ‘Someone who will lie to you to get to be president will lie to you when they are president. I have to ask you, are you calling Mitt Romney a liar?”
“Yes,” Gingrich replied.
“You’re calling Mitt Romney a liar?”
“Well, you seem shocked by it!” said Gingrich. “This is a man whose staff created the PAC, his millionaire friends fund the PAC, he pretends he has nothing to do with the PAC – it’s baloney. He’s not telling the American people the truth.”
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-500202_162-57351153/gingrich-mitt-romney-is-a-liar/
Boom…that’s some powerful stuff. Thanks for providing the info, FiredUp. I hate to agree with Newt, but he’s right. Romney will lie to win and then he’ll lie once he’s in there – especially since things are never as easy as they seem once one becomes president.
Then after he leaves he and his staff will purchase their harddrives and hide them in an undisclosed location that houses his tax returns, Dick Cheney, his dignity and his core.
Okay that’s an exaggeration. He has no dignity or core.
I love how nasty Newt said “Well, you seem shocked by it!” These infotainers act SO precious, like they can’t use the word “lie.” They’re so weak and vacuous. Bring the pain, Leroy. Bring the pain! 😆
Guess Newt figures that he can AFFORD to tell the truth, and that he shouldn’t let Mitt get off scott free. and walk to the winner’s circle in Iowa…he really has nothing to lose…because HE’S not anywhere close to winning Iowa. Amazing though, that I thought that it was a Republican tenet that another Republican not talk badly of another…who knows, they have some many pledges and talking points, must be getting hard to remember which one’s which!
Revenge. Romney’s deluge of negative ads about Gingrich ( or more precisely the deluge of ads by the outside grouos working for Romney) were very nasty and very effective…
Gingrich seems to be more about himself than his party. So it’s not that surprising that he would get off script.
Good morning TOD friends. My feelings exactly Vero.
I hate when the MSM plays the different campaigns’ ads, which should only be played if the person buys ad time on tv. This is basically free publicity.
Exactly! Remember when they played that Britney spears ad about the President being a celebrity?
3 day cable loop, every segment.
But, remember, the press allegedly favored the President. Whatever!
I think it was the Paris Hilton ad Jovie, if you are speaking of the ad played by the repugs while PBO was in
Germany. 🙂
And they know that campaigns do this on purpose now. Mitt’s campaign admitted as much with that ridiculous out of context one. Say something contraversial in the ad and the ad itself becomes news and gets free coverage on the news and gets increased importance so folks will then pay more attention to it when it airs.
Very good news from CNBC:
On the economic front, growth in the U.S. manufacturing sector accelerated in December, rising to 53.9 in December, according to the Institute for Supply Management. Economists had expected a reading of 53.2, according to a Reuters Poll. A reading above 50 indicates expansion.
And construction spending increased 1.2 percent in November, its highest level since June 2010, according to the Commerce Department. Economists surveyed by Reuters expected spending to rise 0.5 percent in November.
I suspect the unusually mild winter in parts of the country helped the construction numbers. I suspect December will be much of the same.
I’m getting reports from Iowa FB Friends that they have been breaking records making calls at their local OFA offices with calls to President Obama supporters. The response has been overwhelmingly positive.
Iowa is Fired Up and Ready to Go Caucus for President Obama.
Please sign-up to be involved in your states local OFA:
http://www.barackobama.com/state?source=primary-nav
California is focused on Nevada right now but many others are pitching in with phonebanking. Deja vu!!
California OFA have any plans to help out in Arizona as well? The state could be in play for Obama, and senate seat could be in play as well.
Hi Donna
So cool to receive your reports from folks on the ground.
Hmmm, this blows my whole theory:
@thinkprogress
SOURCE: Obama expected to make recess appointment today or tomorrow of Rob Cordray to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
They’re not in recess so I don’t get it……..
They have to recess for a minute to start new year.
Repiblicans are going to freakout! And the media will back them up!
Let them. Pres Obama will only make one (or maybe a few) recess nominations and you can bet they’ll be key ones with a lot of proof of GOP obstruction – does the GOP really want to make issue of blocking Cordray?
Also with the Iowa caucus today and the fall-out tomorrow will they rain on their own parade to make the attacks? Maybe if Paul or Santorum win I guess they might just do that.
Pres Obama has made less recess appointments, and faced much more obstruction and blocks. And Roosevelt used this very recess to make recess appointments, so Pres. Obama wouldn’t be making any history with such a move.
I believe the 2011 congress to 2012 congress switch over happens today or tomorrow. It could be a 1 minute recess, but there needs to be one.
Can he appoint a STACK OF PEOPLE???? OMG, I would be SO happy if he did this! Especially Cordray…that would really make head’s explode!
Yeah, it’s just like a regular recess. However recess appointments are only good for a year and they need to face the Senate again.
I hope for at least three – Cordray and two Labor board seats. GOP is blocking any labor board nominees because they’d be left without enough for a quorum and thus would be inoperable for all of 2012.
Good Grief….why do they announce this ?
Because there is nothing the GOP can do and they know it. Before they all left for the Christman break McConnell put together a group of nominees that he said the GOP was ready “to move on” but if Pres. Obama made any recess appointments than that would be off the table and GOP would block everybody. He was basically blackmailing the President, or attempting to – saying you can have all these nominees approved if you don’t recess appoint Cordray, but if you do than every other nominee will be blocked.
I think someone should punch McConnell in the face
LOLz. OMG, what these people bring out in us, huh?
giggle
Why only one person? we could all line up and punch him in the face.
If true, maybe this is what’s going on:
“Cordray backers point out that the Constitution allows for the president to actually force the chambers to adjourn, which could open the door to a recess appointment.
Article 2, Section 3 of the Constitution states that on if there is a disagreement about when the chambers should adjourn, the president has the power to “adjourn them to such time as he shall think proper.”
The only problem with that? The power has never been used before.”
http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/1007-other/198579-advocates-explore-constitutional-powers-to-appoint-consumer-nominee
Extraordinary obstruction calls for extraordinary measures.
Priebus just said that many of our candidates are beating the President head to head.
They are?
Could have fooled me. Real clear politics average of all the polls, has the President beating all of them.
Is this going to be a lying campaign, without any pushback from NBC/Bain channels?
He’s such an ass. Another smug one I’d like to smack the smirk off!
Why not call him out for his remarks jovie?
http://twitter.com/#!/ReincePriebus
@ReincePriebus
Better yet, I called the rnc and I let the staffer have it.
I Said stop the lies. She laughed at me!
Yes it is!! Mittens constant lies are treated as truth, the media pushes the lies.
I laugh at him…
I wonder what the ” former ” Republican Party Chair ” from Wisconsin has to say about the recall signatures up over 600,000.
Jovie, The Republicans are a bunch of lying bastards, and the sorry media won’t call them out on their lies. They just go along with them.
Taliban back Western proposal to open Qatar office
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/world-asia-16394107
That is good, it’s got al Qaeda nervous. They are asking Pakistan militants to join them.
How do they like fear? Lol
Excellent – if true:
1,2,3 republicans and media freakout!
“In terms of the President’s relationship with Congress in 2012,” Joshua R. Earnest, the deputy press secretary, said at a briefing, “the President is no longer tied to Washington, D.C.”
Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Obama-readies-race-against-Congress-2435242.php#ixzz1iPU92whZ
It’s on. Don’t mess with the skinny guy with the funny name.
this is informative (especially if you have to talk to anyone on the looney left: http://www.politicususa.com/en/reality-obama-ndaa-signing-statement
Everything will be just fine now. The Duggars just endorsed Santorum. LOL
all 99 of them?
Duggars are celebrities in the Evangelical circles. This will probably help him more than it should.
From Gallup: “Gallup’s Economic Confidence Index improved to -38 in December — its best level since June — but not as good as the -28 of December 2010. Upper-income Americans’ economic confidence improved 9 points to -29 while middle-/lower-income Americans’ confidence improved 7 points to -39.”
—
But but but…
Republicans fear return of the feelgood factor as Iowa caucus nears
“Consumers are not shopping until they drop, but they are shopping until they are tired. That is a lot better than it has been,” said Joel Naroff, president of Naroff Economic Advisers. “The US is going into 2012 with some momentum building. The economy looks like it is going to be finding its footing.”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/01/republicans-iowa-feelgood-factor
Good morning, TOD family its caucus day in Iowa. I’m curious to see who wins. I wonder how Mittens with fair, glad to see the First Family is back home.
Hmmmm, I didn’t see this film but wasn’t it about education?
Yea!
What? What is wrong with this dude that id just as bad as the President should be pro-life because he is black comment.
Oh please!
🙄
No like all the Republicans, they rather give money to rich people.
Good point!
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2012_01/gopers_bite_their_tongues_on_r034487.php
Dow is up 250 on good economic news.
But the pundits keep telling me tge economy is terrible and…
Why is UER seemingly only indicator of economic measure that matters? All Wall St/Stock numbers are up huge since Pres. Obama took office.
Because, it’s the last chance they have for a market crash.
I love following JeffersonObama’s tweets 😉
Can someone remind me how to post a tweet? Ever since the new and improved twitter, rt. click on the time stamp doesn’t work for me. What dumb thing am I doing wrong?
Wanted to post David Corn’s funny tweet: “Michele Bachmann, Dancing With the Stars on Line 2”.
Testing…let’s see if this works
Click on the tweet then right click the time stamp and then copy link address.
I say click on the tweet cause when I copied the time stamp with the tweet in the time line, it didn’t appear correctly in the comments thread. Likely a fluke so try each way.
The trick is that it doesn’t show up as a tweet until you click ‘post comment’.
Manufacturing has expanded for 29 straight months.
But, I just saw msnbc say something opposite.
Lots of lies folks.
Mittens keeps repeating that the President wants a European welfare state.
And that he is poisoning the free market.
Really?
Jovie, Mitt is a liar.
This time a few years back, then-Senator Barack Obama’s message to the 2008 Iowa caucus:
http://www.youtube.com/barackobamadotcom#p/u/1682/8WT_cgFf5mg
http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/health/health_stew/2012/01/obamacare_is_winning_the_fight.html
WiW…you may want to post this as well 🙂
Members of Congress of both parties often complain about fraud and abuse in Medicare and Medicaid (M&M), usually charging that the President is not doing enough to keep bad guys from stealing money from these vital programs.
Guess what? Thanks to provisions in the Affordable Care Act (ACA/ObamaCare) and to an unprecedented effort by the Obama Administration, more progress has been made in the past three years to combat health care fraud and abuse than ever before. There was a 68.9 percent increase in criminal health care fraud prosecutions from 2010 to 2011, and 2010 was already the highest ever.
Good Morning Desertflower
I will put it in the blog for this week. Thank you so much for sharing this encouraging story.
The kids have left and hubby and I are getting back to our routine, so I will do more in the next few days.
From politico-
1/3/12 8:17 AM
The White House hasn’t been quick to knock down speculation that they will try a recess appointment for Richard Cordray to the Consumer Financial Protecting Bureau — or to try to fill the open spots on the National Labor Relations Board. If President Obama wants to try an end-run around the Senate, he has until January 23rd.
That’s not promising! But I’ve been wrong before!
But, it’s politico? Cold water and manipulation?
OOPS. MISREAD YOUR COMMENT JOVIE! That IS PROMISING! TELL GOP THEY CANT STOP PBO!
If you guys tweet DWS, she usually answers!
Here’s the chirpstory on John Cole from last night. It’s pretty nasty.
http://chirpstory.com/li/3692
And ABL tool leave of the site. Wow!!!
WOOT! Emilia takes NO prisoners and breaks it ALL DOWN!
http://www.osborneink.com/2012/01/the-year-of-the-cockroach.html
If nothing else, let it be said that the Presidency of Barack Obama proved one precise thing: That the United States is not a post-racial country. More importantly – as 2011 revealed – racism is as rampant on the Left side of the political spectrum as on the Right. More subtle, perhaps, and with a decidedly different flavour, but it’s there all the same.
Add to racism, misogyny, as well. We’re all familiar with the Religious Right’s war on women – the efforts to curtail and then to make illegal abortion, efforts in some states to make all sorts of contraception illegal, personhood initiatives. It seems, in some instances, people who identify with the Left can live with those things, if it means getting rid of Barack Obama. A small price to pay, surely.
No one likes being labelled a racist. Not even known or exposed racists like being fingered as one. But for the longest time, the Progressive Left have seen themselves above that sort of thing, to the extent that many confidently asserted that racism simply does not exist on the Left.
And the Barack Obama was elected.
Truth.
Emilia wrote the absolute TRUTH! The most insidious racism is the covert racism. Overt racism (such as that practiced by the KKK) is very easy to confront because no one can mistake it, or easily disguise it.
Another AA on msnbc, this time sticking up for Ron Paul.
I have not seen one AA on tv sticking up for the President. If you are a republican AA, you got a job on tv waiting for you. Lol!
Caught a couple minutes of an Andrea Mitchell interview this morning with Michelle Bachmann. Michelle was bad mouthing Ron Paul as having a very scary foreign policy she even went as far as saying he was left of Obama. Andrea asked her a question and she replied he would be worse than Obama. Interesting!!!
My tweet to Chuck Todd. I also tweeted the same to David Axelrod
@chucktodd @MittRomney I have presidential foreign policy cred because I ran the Olympics is like Sarah Palin seeing Russia from her house.
Santorum just said- mission to kill Bin Laden defined by Bush not Obama.
Wow! These guys are lying their asses off!
When did this man who hated briefings, only wanted to hear good news, was willfully ignorant, had no concept of strategic thinking and gave up looking for public enemy #1 become a visionary?
Santorum is a bald face liar, but guess what? The entire GOP field are.
So Bush couldn’t find Bin Laden, but he “defined” the “mission to kill” him, but President Obama who found and eliminated Bin Laden gets no credit? Santorum must think that Republican voters have no brains and would believe such nonsense.
Hi everyone, new post here:
http://theobamadiary.com/2012/01/03/catching-up-14/
http://pmcarpenter.blogs.com/p_m_carpenters_commentary/2012/01/a-field-of-dwarves.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+pmcarpenterscommentary+%28p+m+carpenter%27s+commentary%29
‘A field of dwarves’
While Republicans’ childish lips are saying “Yes yes yes” to President Obama’s vulnerabilities, Republicans’ adult eyes have said “No no no.” And what this abundance of caution, this failure of formation, this avoidance of battle by the party’s reputed grownups — Mitch Daniels, Haley Barbour, Chris Christie, Jeb Bush — reveals is that the Establishment’s true emotions behind, and authentic assessments of, the 2012 presidential race are this: The incumbent is, far more likely than not, unbeatable.
Read the rest…it’s really good 🙂 BAM!
Five things to look for in tonight’s results:
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/five-things-look-iowa-tuesday-night-not-one-135930616.html
D Wasserman Schultz
@DWStweets
Follow @TheDemocrats for live tweets from my Des Moines press conference with Rep. @BruceBraley about today’s #iacaucus.