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Friday:
9:50 AM: PBO departs the White House en route Joint Base Andrews
12:15: Arrives in Tampa, Florida
12:40: Tours the port of Tampa
1:20: Delivers remarks at the port of Tampa
2:35 Departs Tampa en route Cartagena, Colombia
5:45: Arrives in Cartagena, Colombia
10:10: Arrives at the base of Castillo, San Felipe de Barajas
10:20: Attends a leader’s dinner
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Friday: On the way to the Summit of the Americas, the President will speak at the Port of Tampa about the importance of U.S. exports to the Americas and the need to deepen trade and investment. He arrives in Cartagena Friday night, and he’ll begin the summit with a dinner that the Colombians are hosting for summit leaders.
Saturday: PBO begins his day with a CEO Summit of the Americas. He will then join the other leaders for an arrival ceremony in the early afternoon. From that, they will go into the plenary session, which will run throughout the afternoon. The leaders will again have a dinner during which they will continue their discussions.
Sunday: In the morning there will be an official photo for the Summit. That will be followed by the leaders’ retreat, which will run throughout the morning and conclude the summit program. The President will then have a multilateral meeting with Caribbean leaders.
In the afternoon, the President will have a bilateral program with President Santos of Colombia that will include a meeting and a working lunch. The two leaders will then hold a joint press conference and will participate in an event at San Pedro Claver Church. In the late afternoon, the President will return to the United States, getting back to Washington late Sunday night.
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NYT: Punctuating a week of political assaults on Mitt Romney over taxes, President Obama and Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. plan to release their own income tax returns on Friday, along with a statement calling on Mr. Romney to do the same, according to an Obama campaign official.
The release of the returns, four days ahead of the Internal Revenue Service’s tax deadline for the public, will set the stage for another week of wrangling over taxes, with the Senate scheduled on Monday evening to take up the White House’s proposed “Buffett Rule” minimum tax for the wealthiest Americans.
…. While Mr. Obama has long acknowledged being in the nation’s high-income echelon, thanks largely to sales of his best-selling books, he and his wife, Michelle, have paid an effective federal tax rate nearly twice that of Mr. Romney and his wife, Ann, according to tax returns released by both couples.
…. Asked Thursday if Mr. Romney had plans to release his returns, an aide said, “I can’t give you any guidance on when they will be released, but I can let you know that in previous years, Mitt Romney has sought an extension.”
More here
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ThinkProgress: Mitt Romney has not publicly stated his opinion on the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the reauthorization of which Republicans are delaying this year because of added provisions for marginalized communities.
….. In 2008, Romney didn’t even know what VAWA was: During an “Ask Mitt Anything” forum …. he demurred when an audience member asked him whether he would hold up reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act on the grounds that it kept men from visiting their children.
“I’m not familiar with the Act,” Romney replied.
The answer surprised some women’s rights advocates, since the Violence Against Women Act – which established new federal crimes for domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking – has been federal law for more than a dozen years. Former President Bill Clinton signed it in 1994, it was the subject of a high-profile Supreme Court case in 2000 and has been reauthorized twice by Congress. Bush signed the most recent version in 2006.
More here
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ThinkProgress: For the first time in history, the United States government has issued an indictment in a case that involves a hate crime based on the victim’s sexual orientation. Defendants David Jason Jenkins and Anthony Ray Jenkins of Kentucky allegedly kidnapped Kevin Pennington, took him into a secluded part of a state park, and beaten until he was nearly dead. The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act was signed into law on October 28, 2009 by President Obama, but this is its first application.
Washington Post: …. The grand jury charged the men with violating a hate crime law that was expanded in 2009 to cover assaults motivated by bias against gays, lesbians and transgender people…
“The indictment marks the first federal case in the nation charging a violation of the sexual orientation section of the Federal Hate Crimes Law,” said a U.S. Department of Justice statement.
“It’s vindicating to see that the years of hard work that went into making sure this law was on the books is now being put into place,” said Michael Cole-Schwartz, a spokesman for the Washington-based Human Rights Campaign, which pushed for the law’s passage.
More here
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Romney speaks at the NRA annual convention in St. Louis today – which Willard will turn up?
Mitt Romney: “I purchased a gun when I was a young man, I’ve been a hunter pretty much all my life.”
Carl Cameron (Fox): “…. when it was later revealed that in fact he’s only been hunting twice he said he meant varmints and rodents – but any sportsman will tell you, that ain’t hunting, that’s pest control.”
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Marking The First Anniversary Of Joining Forces:
… the launch of Joining Forces in the East Room of the White House, April 12, 2010
….. recorded public service announcements for the Joining Forces initiative at Kaufman Studios in Astoria, N.Y., April 18, 2011
…. huddling with military family children at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., July 5, 2011
….. at a Military Family Cookout at the New Hampshire National Guard headquarters in Concord, N.H., July 24, 2011
…. welcoming military families to the White House for for the first viewing of the 2011 holiday decorations
More photos here
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Hey, our Colombian Obot is fired up and severely ready to go:
Colombian Silvio Carrasquilla gestures in front of a huge picture of the US presidential family, during an interview at his house in Turbaco, some 60 km from Cartagena. Obama will attend the VI Summit of the Americas, being held in Colombia’s Caribbean resort city of Cartagena.
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Morning everyone 😉
The Obama Diary 
Good morning all.
Morning early bird! Morning Collegekay – and all the sleepy heads who’ll arrive soon-ish.
I love my FC (First Couple) and a picture from Chips, just my cup of tea for the morning.
Oh, this is my second picture, I can start counting (lol).
You’re on a roll Suzette!!!!
yo!
Greetings from the Sunshine State 🙂
Collegekay, I haven’t been around TOU much the last few days, but I just have to say good for you on your WH and Obama family experience. What a mind-blower, huh? And you are just the cutest. Good going 😀
Aww thank you ! 😀
First. I now realise, post first and read later and then have some luck on your side (lol).
PBO has nothing to hide. What is Mitt Romney hiding?? The media will probably be shilling for him today.
Yup, and we will be holding the media accountable. They are not going to elect Willard to the Presidency with the same shilling and lies that they were engaging in back in the 2000-2008 when Dubbya was running. We the voters will not stand by and watch the corporate media destroy the decent caring and most importantly supremely competent President Obama just so that they can keep their Bush tax cuts and continue business in an unregulated manner. No way, no how.
“just so that they can keep their Bush tax cuts and continue business in an unregulated manner. No way, no how.”
Exactly. And wouldn’t it be just the icing on the cake if we all kept in mind the companies presented here a few days ago noting all that contributed large percents of their donations to rethugs ? I for one can find alternate goods and services. Only problem is, I have a Home Depot card and still need to refinish a bathroom, so I think I will make that purchase my last from that store. Back to my local hardware shop. We can do this.
Here, here!
And the Obama Camp is trying to push this and the MSM ignores it.
This Is a problem!
But the goog old fair minded media didn’t ignore that non-controversy over what Ms. Rosen said about the rich Ann Romney. They went to work as if they were working for the Romney campaign. You think the Koch brothers have bought the media up.
Good morning Chips, TOD, and congratulations Suzette on #1!
Thank you hopefruit2.
Happy Friday all! Friday is good. And yo Susette, nice!
Thank you pugeretto.
It’s Friday! Good morning!
Mooooooooooooooorning CTGirl, Hopefruit, Ladyhawke, Luci and Pugeretto 😉
NEWARK MAYOR CORY BOOKER
Giving new meaning to ‘constituent services’
By Steve Benen
http://maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/13/11179519-giving-new-meaning-to-constituent-services
This was a great “constituent service”.
It made me wonder, how many persons would risk their lives for someone else (especially when that person is not a close family or friend) – some would, but I am sure not many.
Please tell me that Cory Booker is going to be the next governor. I would so like that great state of NJ, where so many of my beautiful nephews and nieces live, to be Christie free.
He really should think about running for Governor. He walks the walk.
Cory Booker is the man. A TRUE public servant. Bless him.
Henry Louis “Skip” Gates Jr, profiled Cory Booker and John Lewis last month and Cory Booker is a real american hero. It showed how he “lived” in the poor areas of NJ to see how his constituents lived and was able to not only hear their plight but live it. He is the real deal…full of compassion and really wants to serve the public. I would love to see him President one day or even VP to President Elizabeth Warren.
Both the ladies are hawt, hawt.
And who you calling sleepy heads ? (vcprez, wake up)
Reading always has this effect on VC, amk:
watch out, here comes the book.
nice throw, vc.
Wonderful, wonderful pictures. I watched Elmo on Independent Lens the other night, and 33 years ago, Sesame Street was pretty popular in my house!
I see that Miss Ann has opened a Twitter account just so that she can go around taking up the MSM’s attention with her patronizing garbage about “all moms being entitled to choose” to their own paths. I tweeted her that all moms are entitled to choose but many moms don’t have a choice. And she can’t relate to 99% of moms in America.
I don’t know where that woman got the idea that all of a sudden she is able to speak for and represent the majority of mothers in America when her husband and Party’s policies are making it damn near impossible for the average woman to even have a choice about how many children to have, let alone what career path she takes.
Thank you for this comment and it is so true.
This is the message the democrats need to get out.
The Only reason that Robney has a chance, is because the media has an investment in him winning. They must, can’t you tell?
They will be checking her twitter account, and msnbc whole building will turn Red, with Breaking news!
hopefruit2, thank you, thank you, thank you. Ann Romney does not respensent anyone one but her owe rich self.
Good Morning Tod, Yippe we’re going on a Trip to Colombia!!!!!!!!
I hope you have your bags packed Ber, I don’t want you holding us up – the helicopter leaves at 9:50, if you’re not ready you’re getting left behind. Right?
Travel rule #1–No one can ask are we there yet?
😆 That question is definitely banned!!!
Ha……………………Love it !
So has the media poutrage runs its course ?
A great slection of toons, chips.
Nope! Mika is in love with little Annie!
Yup. She’s their new Sarah Palin. Those media males seem to need a sex outlet for them to get excited about their Republican nomination. They have apparently decided that Ann Romney is it.
Ewwwww…..on so many levels!
Don’t let the “Quitter from Wasilla” hear that….she’ll start inserting herself on teevee so no one will forget that the GOP loves her..not that Ann woman.
The wedding one had me roaring. The face on that elephant? Stupendous!
Rove says,(OMG!), the Obama Campaign will take the low road
They project about everything, almost to the point it is a Joke!
And Rove sure knows all about low roads. Morning Jovie 😉
Yes. They are awful. GM. The President is in my neck of the Woods today.
I will go to Davis Island in Tampa, look across the Water to the Port of Tampa to see all the excitement. Maybe I will bring my bi Noculars with me!
“Maybe I will bring my bi Noculars with me!”
😆 Good idea Jovie!!
Karl Rove built that low road.
In Rove’s world the “Truth” is the low road.
did the mittbot ever ‘get back’ on the Lily Ledbetter act ?
sam stein – do your fucking job.
I’m absolutely disgusted by the whole ordeal that happened yesterday with Miss Ann. What makes it even worse is her groupies tweeting me and flooding my mentions with insults about how FL Michelle doesn’t deserve to be respected. Seriously? I told them that they’re hypocrites. What I don’t understand is all the middle and lower class conservatives who defend these people all day when their policies would do nothing for them. Talk about backwards. PBO and Michelle have a lot more class than I do because I’d be cussing folks out by now. LOL
The MSM is going to use Ann Romney as a weapon against President Obama. And unlike Sarah Palin who was a candidate, they will be able to get away with the excuse that Ann Romney is the spouse and therefore should be left alone.
We need to push back on that meme. If the media is going to give Miss. Ann a platform to attack the President and from all angles, they should be prepared that she will be attacked and exposed too -not necessarily by the Obama campaign, but by the general public.
Good morning TOD family, I am off to work , So hard juggling teenagers and work…..
That’s something Ann should know all about right? uh no, considering her ONLY job was her family–Lucky her. For the rest of us–the repubs say “quit yer bitchin”.
Chuck Todd will be conducting his NBC poll this weekend. Any bets the headlines are, Robney closes gap with Women?
It’s all so predictable!
Of course – but who cares. Let him fix his polls and then bray about how Hilary Rosen-Ann Romney media scuffle led to an erosion of Obama’s base. How Ann Romney is a formidable opponent for President Obama. Wasn’t that the same trick they pulled with the gas prices meme? Fix the polls by oversampling Republicans, then pushing a false narrative about voters being upset with gas prices. Meanwhile, Romney fails to release his taxes, fails to answer questions about how his policies are going to affect women’s physical, mental and economic well-being, and they will ignore of that.
We’re prepared, and we’re ready. BRING.IT.ON. 🙂
The point is- they are ignoring our issues with Robney!
They can ignore all they want – WE the voters won’t. As WaPo noted (unhappily), Twitter and Youtube are HURTING Romney. That’s because voters are able to bypass the corporate media’s dishonesty and challenge their lies in real time.
There it is! Social media has changed the dynamics of politics and Team Obama definitely has the upper hand when it comes to technology.
GOP is stuck in the dark ages in all aspects. Truthfully, a lot of people don’t watch cable news on a consistent basis.
Good!
Jovie-
They’re ignoring it now only because the general campaign hasn’t officially started. Just wait till President Obama starts campaigning around the battleground states and hitting Romney on the head daily on all these stuff, the media will have no choice but to cover it. The same thing happened 4 years ago when the media tried everything to protect their backyard barbacue buddy John McCain; and we all know how that turned out for Mr “the fundamentals of the economy are sound”. So, let the media do their damnest to try to protect Willard, it’s not going to work. The avalanche is about to hit him and his media fairy godmothers. By the time the Obama campaign is done dismantling Willard, even Ann Romney would want to pull a ‘Seamus’.
LOL @ even Ann Romney would want to pull a ‘Seamus’.
Excellent comment Jewelz! That’s the truth. 🙂
Another multi million dollar buy from Crossroads.
This time about Coal, it says the SEALS shot Bin Laden overseas, and Lisa Jackson shot us here at Home.
This is really fucked up. Talk about taking the low Road. Jeesh!
Ann Romney will not hold the interest of the fickle news corps very long. She is boring, and nothing they can do can make her interesting. She is a whiney rich little girl, who never had to work for anything. She’ll be old news in a week. Be glad it happened now, not in October when the heat could carry interest. She’ll get pushback and whine and pout, and like with Willard, people will see what she is. She spouts about “choice” while her husband wants to take it away from other women…..bah, humbug!!!
It’s long past the point of being a joke, Jovie. He’s telegraphing the MO the R’s always use. Do something vile and say the other guy is doing it. So old. So boring. When will people catch on?
Precisely!
PHOENIX–Arizona Republican Governor Jan Brewer signed into law on Thursday a controversial bill that bans most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, giving Republicans a win in ongoing national efforts to impose greater restrictions on abortion.
The measure, which state lawmakers gave a final nod to on Tuesday, would bar healthcare professionals from performing abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, except in the case of a medical emergency. Only a small number of these abortions are performed in the state.
With Brewer’s signature, Arizona joins six other states that have put similar late-term abortion bans in place in the past two years based on hotly debated medical research suggesting that a fetus feels pain starting at 20 weeks of gestation.
Georgia lawmakers approved a similar bill in March that now awaits the signature of Republican Governor Nathan Deal.
Late-term abortions will still be allowed in Arizona in situations where continuing a pregnancy risks death or would “create serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function.” This is to be determined by a physician’s “good faith clinical judgment.”
The law also requires a woman to have an ultrasound at least 24 hours prior to having an abortion, instead of the one hour previously mandated under state law.
State officials are required to create a website that details such items as the risks of the procedure and shows pictures of the fetus in various stages.
This woman is SUCH an idiot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Honestly, this place is not only STUPID, it’s corrupt to its core. If this is their idea of “small govt”, they can spare the lies. She has done absolutely NOTHING for the people of AZ. But rest assured…we have a state gun,private prisons,profiling of brown people,high unemployment, awful schools(she cut funding for that too)and houses for cheap because of foreclosures.But hey! Who the hell wants to buy a house in AZ? The place has gone to hell in a handbasket! The state that has nearly every RW lawmaker bought and paid for by ALEC,where the ignorant TP runs wild. The latest issue the insane lawmakers are pushing is to allow guns in public buildings. I won’t be able to SLEEP unless I know THAT will get done!
Businesses don’t want to locate here to crazyland..wonder why?
The sandbox that brings you a corrupt and mannerless Gov,Joe Arpiao( please, DOJ..nail his sorry corrupt, vile ass to the wall and make him parade around in his own pink underwear) an Atty General that is in hot water and has been banned by the SEC FOR LIFE,….I could go on and on….hell, the county atty and his crony were just disbarred the other day!
Really? Their idea of “small govt” surely is baffling! Hope they like the cozy feeling of crawling up every woman’s vagina.Maybe they’ll suffocate in there! Problem solved. This place needs a good housecleaning….Time to save this state from itself. 1800’s anyone???
Something seems to have been deleted from my comment………we can’t say BFD anymore???
DF, what are the chances of replacing Brewer with a Dem when her term is up? Now’s the time for candidates to be making themselves known by attending county meetings and working with the media to be “quoted” on important issues. AZ will not only lose businesses coming into the state, but young people, especially women, and young families. Young women should be very careful where they decide to get their first jobs and build their careers. My advice is to head for states that value women and don’t routinely pass legislation designed to harm them. For example, I would not recommend that any young person settle in PA until every last one of the Republicons is driven out of the state capital.
I am off to that ‘birthplace of that rev wright following muslin atheist, fascist communist, constitution breaking constitutional lawyer, corporate killing corporatist guy this sunday. I will git that damned burt cert this time for sure.
Promises, promises. Have a good trip.
Exactly Japa, I’m beginning to think amk stands for ‘A Muslin Kenyan’ and he’s just playing with us.
LOL. I think I will change my nym.
See if you can find The Donald’s investigators while you are there and have a drink on their expense account.
I’m tired of your burt sert promises amk, you vowed to find it for us half a dozen times before but you keep on failing. I’m prepared to give you ONE last chance – if it’s not mission accomplished this time I’ll set VC on you (once she wakes up).
It’s sooo hard. Don’t blame me if that kenyan is so wily.
Excuses, excuses. 🙄
I learnt from a master – vc.
😆
Lol! Be careful over there!
Thx jovie. I will.
Out of the Shadows, ALEC Loses Altitude
Some good news for a Friday 13: the list of donors withdrawing support from the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) continues to grow, with candy-maker Mars joining burger giant Wendy’s, its rival McDonald’s, along with beverage purveyors Coca-Cola and Pepsi Co, plus Kraft, Intuit and the Gates Foundation.
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal-a/2012_04/out_of_the_shadows_alec_loses036663.php
🙂 More of this, please!
I hope Ford withdraws soon.
Yes Ford, AT&T and Walmart. Somehow you always see the Walmart name when something unscrupulous is going on.
yay
Good Morning everyone. For the last couple of days I have been lurking with not much will to comment. But the events from yesterday has compelled me to react For the last three years, Mrs. Michelle Obama has been disrespected, abused and mistreated by people, particularly on the right, with barely any reporting from the vast media in the Beltway or this country. And suddenly, there is an orgasim of outrage across the airwaves and social media about Mrs. Romney.
The media has shown its true double standards when it comes to the First couple in the White House. Where was the outrage when Juan Williams compared Mrs. Obama to Stokley Carmichael http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2zYvY3OWss?
Where was the outrage when Rush Limbaugh rudely discussed Mrs. Obama’s weight? http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/2011/02/rush-limbaugh-crtiticizes-first-lady-michelle-obamas-weight-nutritional-campaign.html.
Where was the outrage when Jim Sensenbrenner said this? http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2011/12/lawmaker-to-apologize-for-saying-michelle-obama-has-a-big-butt.html
Just as the media has normalized a whole host of issues, including the birther issue, which we know has never ever happened in this country, where no president has ever been questioned about his citizenery, we’ve seen time and again a mistreatment of the president and his wife. Such comments are treated as the Right just being the Right as if this is OK. No it is not.
The media chose to inflate this issue and crown Mrs. Romney, and more importantly they are trying to innoculate Mitt Romney for the huge gap he suffers with women. But they forget one thing. No amount of glofifying Mrs. Romney will change the facts. There is ample evidence about the actual policies and steps Republicans have taken and supported by Mitt that hurts women.
There will come a time in the campaign when Mitt Romney will have to defend those policies. It is not going to go away. From his stance on doing away with Planned Parenthood to Personhood to a whole host of other actions GOP has taken.
Those are the issues that will be brought into the open. And so I am not worried about that aspect of this whole debate. But what aggravates me is the media’s blatant double standards to President Obama and Mrs. Obama.
For many of us, this will not be forgotten anytime soon.
Hope everyone is having a nice Friday and forgive me for my long diatribe.
Africa everything you’ve written is so true about the MSM’s disgusting double standards when it comes to the Obamas vs Romneys. At some point over this weekend, I plan to pen a diary at Old Orange highlighting just this aspect, and will use some of the links you provided here as background material. It’s time the media be called out for their outrageous behavior.
you were being kind. The list of disrespect of our amazing First Lady could fill a book. TRUTH!
And yet, DF and Africa, I will be willing to bet that Michelle Obama will go down in history as one of the best loved first ladies of all time. People will be telling their grand children about what a wonderful lady she was and how much she accomplished and inspired people to do in her White House years. I know I talk about Eleanor Roosevelt a lot because she was a big influence on my childhood, but she too was miserably insulted and made fun of in her time. She was repeatedly called ugly and unattractive and her voice was always mocked. But she changed so many lives and is still beloved by millions of people. I think Michelle Obama will one day top Eleanor Roosevelt as the country’s most influential and loved first lady.
I love your diatribe africatimes2 …. and I say amen! Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this.
africatimes2, Thank you for what you said. I have sent emails to CNN, ABC, CBS, MSNBC, NBC, and I asked them were was to outrage when the right wing have disrespected Mrs. Obama? Where was the media then? I told them you would think that the media was working for the Romney camaign. I also told them despite all the B.S., the hatred, the disrespect, Mrs Obama has had to deal with, she has carry herself with class and dignity.
I also reminded the media that President Obama and Mrs. Obama, VP Biden and Dr. Biden released their 2011 tax return, when does Mitt and Ann plan to release theirs?
AM PRAYING FOR A SAFE JOURNEY FOR MY PRESIDENT TODAY…PLEASE GUARD HIM WELL IN COLOMBIA…
Amen. When two agree…
Amen.
Thanks amk–Everytime I scroll by this and see Rick Santorum with his little sweater vest on keeled over I laugh. Can’t stop. I don’t know why this one is so hilarious to me. Maybe because I have wanted to do this to him for his pious attitude and disdain for women.
To feel better about the Ann kerfuffle, I wrote several shows at MSNBC: Rachel, Martin, Mika Lawrence and Ed. I thanked those men for being champions of women, and asked them to concentrate on what Willard’s policies would do for the lives of women…..eliminating choices for 99% in health care, reproductive rights, equal pay…..This is the key issue here. She had a choice, 99% of women do not.
I hope they read emails…..someone in their office does, I know that.
They need to take this discussion in a policy direction.
Still, this Ann Romney thing is another “nine-day wonder.” The MSM has tried to prop up Willard, but there’s no “there” there…..and it hasn’t worked. We have social media, the Obama campaign knows social media and its uses…..Ann and Willard have no understanding.
Rove is working in the Lee Atwater dark ages…..his tactics work with Republicans, but those are a different animal.
Good morning, Chips, and dedicated TODObots! Sunshine in Seattle, this morning at least! Thank you everyone for the concise commentaries, you have helped me catch up pretty well…. Blessings to all, hugs all around. See youse guys later! 😉
Good morning everyone. Great way to start the day with a picture of my third and fourth favorite women in the whole world together.
I am not going to say anything more about the Rosen-Ann Romney kerfuffle except that, like it or not, we do have to watch what we say because the refs (media) will always call the fouls on our side and never on the other.
It doesn’t matter if what we say is the truth as long as they can pick out one sound bite that twists the whole thing around. This is specially true at this point in time. The media needs to make this race at least have the appearances of being close, and to do that they have to somehow elevate Mitt, because he can;t do it himself. In fact, the only way to do it is to try to diminish the Dems and PBO. There will be a different kerfuffle each week, whether we like it or not, and we can’t allow ourselves to be distracted by it. Getting our panties in a wad is not going to change the facts.
Several weeks ago I wrote a comment (the issue was religion at that time) about how the whole MO of the GOP is to create dividison in the Democrats. What we witnessed yesterday, even here, was Democrats, progressives, Obots, emoprogs, all in an intrafamily fight. Was this the right way to react? Did it do the wrong thuing? There were strenuous disagreements between people here who we all know are dedicated progressives and dedicated PBO supporters. That is the ghoaql of the GOP. They have a somewhat fractured party right now. The hope to create issues to bring that party togther while at the same time sowing discord in our ranks.
None of us are the enemy. Even when soemone on our side questions the President, that does not make that person the enemy. I don’t care if someone for the last three years has been critical of the President but now sees the light. The onkly important thing is that he or she supports him now. I am not going to disparage that support because of ther past. We need all hands on deck. I don’t care oif the person has been a slacker before and becomes one again. Now is when it counts.
That was part of the intent of the post Chips put up from me a couple days ago. I don’t expect or even want lockstep agreement from all Dems or progressives. That ultimately stagnates a party and is why the GOP, unless wer snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, is going to be given the last rights soon.
Nuff said.
This paragraph is Key:
// “Several weeks ago I wrote a comment (the issue was religion at that time) about how the whole MO of the GOP is to create dividison in the Democrats. What we witnessed yesterday, even here, was Democrats, progressives, Obots, emoprogs, all in an intrafamily fight. Was this the right way to react? Did it do the wrong thuing? There were strenuous disagreements between people here who we all know are dedicated progressives and dedicated PBO supporters. That is the ghoaql of the GOP. They have a somewhat fractured party right now. The hope to create issues to bring that party togther while at the same time sowing discord in our ranks. ” //
The more aware PBO supporters can be made out of this – the better prepared we will be to fight off the Rovian tactics that surely will emerge on a weekly basis from hereon.
AMEN, JAPA, AMEN!!!! I was going to write something similar until I came across this. You saved me a lot of keystrokes!
I think I am in the minority when it comes to my reaction to the Rosen-Romney brouhaha yesterday:
1) I WAS slightly offended by Rosen’s comments and did find them a bit tone-deaf. But she’s just another talking head to me — except for the fact that the comments were ripe for exploitation.
2) I DEFINITELY don’t see how going in on Ann Romney helps ANYTHING at all. Barraging the Twitter world with anti-Ann Romney comments is so counter-productive to me and gives further ammunition to the right who thrives on anger, fear, division and confusion. And it so doesn’t follow PBO’s lead on the issue, nor Michelle’s.
In a few short hours, we have gone from rejoicing over a well-earned gender gap to attacking a stay-at-home mom. Yes, she is wealthy. Yes, she has shown she is out of touch with most Americans. Yes, she has injected herself into the race. But damn — talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory! She is who she is, she made her own choices, and PBO’s record can shine on its own without Ann Romney being attacked.
I am continually amazed and dismayed by how easily people’s buttons are pushed by right-wing propaganda. I’m sure they’re high-fiving themselves. Mission Accomplished.
I don’t people are attacking Ann Romney for being a stay at home mom. In fact, we are not really attacking Ann Romney per se. We are attacking the Romney campaign and the MSM’s cynically ploy of using Ann Romney to deflect attention away from Romney’s disastrous anti-women policies. That’s what most people are objecting to.
I also think it’s a bit premature to say that the RW mission has been accomplished. As is almost always the case with these reactionary RW antics, the short term news cycle usually appears to be in the GOP favor, but over a period of several weeks, the situation reverses itself in fact usually to an even worse position for the GOP than they were before the event occurred. This MSM manufactured nontroversy will NOT result in women flocking to Romney. It has actually exposed more people to the fact that Ann Romney is an usually privileged individual who cannot possibly understand what the average mother – whether stay-at-home, or working full time – has to go through in a given day.
As I said yesterday, in a way, this has neutralized Ann Romney as a force, specially the type of force Mitt wanted her to be. I think it is fine Rosen will be on MTP. She has apologized and will be able to state more clearly what she meant. Her main mistatke was emphasizing the “never worked a day in her life” line. Her point could have been made much better without that line, which is what was jumped on. Fortunately, simply because of the Romney’s wealth and lifestyle, the outrage didn’t have much traction. And like I said, the concern here is not the faux outrage per se, but the divisiveness on the left that results.
People definitely are/were attacking Ann Romney. Come on, let’s be real. I didn’t get a chance to dive into it until last night, but when I read the posts, saw the retweets, etc., there was definitely an element of personal attack on Ann Romney. No need to gloss over it now.
We KNOW that the MSM is going to distort and deflect. By playing on their field of distortion (aided by Hilary Rosen’s throw-away remark), we give them nothing but satisfaction. In that respect, the RW mission of muddying the waters had definitely been accomplished. Instead of meeting the issue with calm and facts, I saw a lot of “Things Ann Romney Doesn’t Understand,” etc., etc.
I’m not trying to gloss over anything. It goes with the territory that people will make comments (for better or worse) about Ann Romney, since the Romney camp has explicitly injected her into their campaign as a surrogate. It’s also true that much of the comments that people are posting/tweeting about Ms. Romney are accurate in regards to her being unable to relate policy-wise to the average mother (whether or not that mom stays at home or works full-time).
However, the main issue is that the media has aided and abetted the Romney campaign in deflecting from the fact that the GOP’s policies are disastrous for all but the top 1% of women – and that has been the reason for PBO’s substantial lead among female voters.
Using Ann Romney to “help” the GOP with female voters was ill-advised, as was the case with Sarah Palin back in 2008. Mitt Romney needs to stop hiding behind his wife (who most women don’t feel a genuine connection with) and speak directly to women voters about how his policies will impact their day to day lives and their futures. That’s the main point.
Playing on the ground of whether Ann Romney can relate to the average mother or not is not wise, in my opinion. It is irrelevant. It is a tailor-made division which shouldn’t have been raised. Whether one dresses it up in so-called “policy discussions” or not, it still smacks of personal attacks on a particular woman’s choices — and many people’s comments didn’t stop there, not by a long shot. And truth be told — it was Rosen’s slightly cynical throw-away comment that presented the hook to hang this whole ridiculous controversy on.
We know the media’s game by now — they are loving the ratings generated by this duststorm, I’m sure. However, President Obama’s policies will stand on their own. It is more fruitful to focus on those over and over, and not on Ann Romney personally.
The Romney camp can’t have it both ways: Mitt Romney explicitly said that he was using Ann to “tell him what women are saying” about their needs, policy, etc. So they can’t now turn around and say that she’s irrelevant simply because most people are responding to Ann in a negative ways.
Again, it goes back to the Romney campaign wanting to have their cake and eat it too. They decided to inject her into the campaign to elevate Romney’s standing among female voters. That was a purely political decision. However, they forgot that her privileged position is problematic because it actually highlights the huge gulf between her as being among the top 1% versus the average female voter (regardless of her decision to stay at home or work full-time). Many of Romney’s policies have serious economic implications for women – and by using an economically privileged individual to “woo” female voters is seen as extraordinarily patronizing and misguided.
And attacking Ann Romney on a personal level isn’t the way to bring light to the issue. Attacking his policies is — and promoting President Obama’s.
No one began this issue by attacking Ann Romney. No one cared who Ann Romney was before Mitt and the MSM started shoving her down people’s throats in lieu of addressing his policies.
If Romney and the MSM won’t discuss Romney’s policies, but instead use Ann as a substitute, they leave the voters with no choice but to scrutinize Ms. Romney and criticize her. They can’t push her on the front burner while relegating Romney’s policies to the back burner, and then then tell people she’s off limits. It simply won’t work that way. That’s the reality of politics in this country.
There definitely is always a choice. Follow PBO’s lead, move past Ann Romney, who is irrelevant, and focus on the policies. “Scrutinizing” Ann Romney is a losing proposition, IMO.
PBO is the President of the United States and because he is not on Twitter posting comments like most of us doesn’t mean he has “moved past Ann Romney.”
Whether we like it or not, the MSM and Romney camp have made a calculation that Ann Romney will be extensively utilized as a weapon against the Obama Campaign. Voters are going to scrutizine Mitt and Ann Romney AND his family. It’s par for the course. All Presidential immediate families are subject to scrutiny by the voting public.
In President Obama’s case it wasn’t just Michelle who was scrutinized – it was just about everybody he associated with in his adult life, include Rev Wright and Ayers. So much so that he ended up having to give a major speech on race because the media made it their business and voters business to scrutinize Rev Wright. And neither Rev Wright nor Bill Ayers had ANYTHING to do with his campaign, yet the media decided to focus on them.
So this double standard where Ann Romney is concerned is very disturbing. She can’t be pushed front and center in a campaign to woo voters, yet be barred from any criticism. That’s not realistic and it’s not even ethical.
I’m gonna follow PBO’s lead. Ann Romney is irrelevant. To concentrate on her is unfocused, un-disciplined, and divisive. IMHO.
I’m not concentrating on Ann Romney – I’m concentrating on defeating the Romney campaign, of which Ann happens to be a part of.
OK. Hopefully that’s what many others will decide to do, too. 🙂
yup, that particular msm poutrage didn’t even last 24 hours. Compare gopolitico y’day and today. I think people pushing back against them in social media has had an effect on this. As you rightly said above, hf, people now have an easy avenue to call out the media bullshit in real-time.
I don’t think this has divided the left in anyway. If anything, it has only united them against this crass and dishonest media behavior.
Agree AMK! Social media gives each of us a voice all the time, anytime. We vote every 4 years, but social media enables us to stay involved and support our vote every day. PBO will win because he has truth and a track record of country first accomplishments on his side. I know I will do my best to support and share his AND our accomplishments with as many people as I can, so they know it too.
This!
So yesterday Micheal Smerconish was subbing for Tweety and he had Alan Dershowitz on discussing George Zimmerman affidavit files yesterday by the prosecutor. Dershowitz said it was “unethical and irresponsible” and II was more taken aback by his tone, and how accusatory he was towards this prosecutor based soley on her press conference and I guess the affidavit and it just seems rather inflammatory towards her. It made me wary of even listening to what he said, he said it in such a bitter and rather partisan way too.
Anyway, Booman was also wondering much the same as I was…how much should I care what Dershowitz says?
“Any Lawyers Want to Help Me Out?
by BooMan”
http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2012/4/13/92413/0195
“Angry” is the right word to use. he seemed angry at Angela Corley based solely on the affidavit??? It made no sense to me that he would seem so angry
Yeahhhhh, I noticed Dershowitz’s anger and negativity too, what’s up with that????
Jees. The affidavit will say as little as possible to get the probable cause, which it did. The prosecution will divulge as little as necessary, but I thought I heard the other day that through discovery we will know everything about the case. I find that odd, because usually that kind of discovery applies to non-criminal suits but that may be a state-by-state issue.
I’m sorry Dershowitz wasn’t sufficiently entertained by the affidavit, which did was it was supposed to do without giving away too much. How does a lawyer not understand that you don’t publish all of the details of your case at the first hearing?
That being said I too was concerned that no other witnesses were alluded to but I don’t know enough about FL law to know if that was necessary for the probable cause. The impression from lawyers after the charges were filed were that Corey probably had a good deal more evidence in order to bring a 2nd degree murder charge. Corey is a very competent prosecutor.
A great pushback from the left.
As far as I am concerned Komen can suck a big rotten egg! For my friends who walk each year–My answer is NO! I will not donate to Komen for your walk–However, I will donate to planned parenthood for your miles. Please feel free to walk with Komen and raise money for Planned Parenthood. Komen has told me who they are, I am going to believe them and send my breast cancer funds to planned parenthood. **BTW–has anyone else noticed the excessive Komen commercials about the three day walk? I think they know they lost a lot of support.
Iowa Republican State Senator Proposes Drug Testing Child Support Recipients
The proposal came from Sen. Mark Chelgren, R-Ottumwa who said he was pushing the idea on behalf of an unidentified constituent who believed his ex was using child support money for illegal drugs.
A person paying child support under Chelgren’s proposal could require the recipient to a drug test every six months as long as they pay the costs.
“We shouldn’t be ducking our head and running away every time there’s a difficult issue coming up,” Chelgren said. However, following open laughter in the Iowa Senate chamber, Chelgren withdrew his amendment.
Child Support is for “the child”, so if they want to drug test the children, go ahead. I would think that that someone granted by court order to receive child support than not pass a drug test then to deny those funds would be illegal or unconstitutional.
Coffee all over the keyboard
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Don’t blame edwina – blame Christie!
LOL
PBO DEPARTING: http://www.cbsnews.com/liveFeed/widget.shtml or http://www.ustream.tv/cbsnews
Thank you…..that never gets old does it ? This is the first time I ever saw the backup plane on the tarmack…very cool.
I hope they will show the landing too 🙂
And Who does David Gregory have on MTP?
Yup! You guessed it! Hillary Rosen.
Really?
And Michelle Bachman? OMG. The MSM is an arm of the Robney Camp!
She could have said no thanks…
Rosen is probably still upset that Secretary Clinton is not the President. She probably said that stuff on purpose to pin the blame on President Obama. Maybe she is friends with Choi and upset that President Obama is not a supporter of homosexual marriage. Why else would this woman continue to show her face on TV, it only makes the story longer. I don’t trust her one bit. I’m glad she got push back from Democrats. SHUT UP ROSEN!
Yes! My sentiments exactly!
The problem is there is a real WAR ON WOMEN by Republicans who would like to put women back in the 19th Century. The narrative was working now Rosen has ruined that for the Democratic loving American! Instead of being able to call Republicans on their pathetic record on Women’s Rights, the Democrats will try to be politically correct instead of moral sound.
that’s “morally sound” The Democrats are always on the right side of issues concerning Women’s Rights. I’m so upset with Rosen opening her big mouth and giving those lying Republicans an opening.
Rosen hasn’t “ruined” anything. This is a small blip that will be overshadowed by the misogynist legislation that continues to flow out of our state legislatures and by the public stance of GOP reps who continue to say outrageously condescending things about women. I intend to be out on April 28 marching in our state capital and I know there are similar events taking place across the country and in DC. Attend one. Talk to your fellow marchers. Ask them to spread the word to other women about what’s at stake in this election. If anyone brings this silly Rosen subject up as you phone or canvass just tell them that the president and first lady have never been anything but 100 percent supportive and respectful of all moms. Then go on to discuss the Rs refusal to pass the Violence Against Women Act, the specific legislation that has been introduced and passed in state legislatures, the derogatory comments from the GOP. It’s up to us to steer the conversation to the real and important and we will.
Yes!
Jovie, maybe you could send a tweet to David Gregory telling him that we female voters want know what Mitt Romney’s policies are; Rosen’s opinions about SAHMs are irrelevant to our decisions at the ballot in November.
Actually, Rosen has no problem with SAHMs, which is why this is a non-issue. And that is why her words were inartful at best. This exposure gives her the opportunity to explain her comments as she really measnt them and to separate the issue of SAHMs from the equation. All she should have said was that Ann Romney never has had to deal with the economic realities that 99% of American women face. She can go on MTP (Gregory is a pain, but he isn’t a tough questioner and won’t challenge her very well) and say, “I have no problem with Ann making the choice to be a SAHM. But she had that choice and could have done either without making a significant sacrifice. Millions of women don’t have that choice at the same level. Millions of women have to work or not feed their families. Millions of women that make the choice of being a SAHM do so but in the process have to give up so many things, not only for themselves but for their families. That type of choice was soemthing Ann didnt have to face. This is not about SAHMs or even Ann Romney’s choice, but rather whether or not Ann can possibly have an idea of what being faced with that choice, or non-choice, means for so many women.”
This isn something people can relate to and coem out of it saying, Yeah, she’s right. And at the same time, Rosen can go on and talk about how the Republican war against women and their attack on the middle class is going to make things even worse for women in the future.
The focus should not be on ROSEN. She is not running for office. The focus should be on Mitt Romney and how disastrous his policies for women are. I think if we maintain that focus, none of the MSM’s antics will work, regardless of what Rosen does or doesn’t do.
gopolitico – noot rents donor list to raise cash. Why would anyone pay for a list of dirty dozen ?
Good morning, TODville! Happy Friday!
We had quite a lightening storm last night. I can’t ever remember anything like it happening here before. It was very bright and very loud for about an hour and a half. Here’s a pretty stunning photo of one of those moments:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2129246/Once-lifetime-picture-lightning-striking-San-Franciscos-Bay-Bridge.html
Amazing photo!!!
Wowee! Would have been a trip driving across during that spectacle!
Yeahhh, It’s like the sky Is cracking,amazing Indeed
Have to go out for a bit, but shouldn’t be too long. On the off chance that I’m hit by a meteor, or Yardarm’s speedboat, don’t forget:
1:20: PBO delivers remarks at the port of Tampa
See you soon 😉
Willard will seek a Nov. 2012 extension … Willard, what are you hiding?
Do you have a link to this information CTGirl? Why November? That’s the same month as the election!
What does it mean ? The slimy bastid will release his returns after the elections ?
My thoughts after reading this from the NYT piece:
“Asked Thursday if Mr. Romney had plans to release his returns, an aide said, “I can’t give you any guidance on when they will be released, but I can let you know that in previous years, Mitt Romney has sought an extension.”
wtf does that word-cloud exactly mean ?
EXACTLY! That man is slime! Slippery and nasty.
That’s not a forthright answer from the aide – yet apparently, that was satisfactory for the NYTIMES, which is more interested in what Rosen’s opinions on SAHMs are, than on issues relevant to Mitt Romney’s current and past financial activities. You think Obama could EVER get away with something like this?
Again, folks we need to hold the media accountable. Instead of talking about Mitt Romney’s tax returns, which they ought to be talking about, they will instead spend the entire weekend focusing on the nonstory between Rosen and Ann Romney.
What ? OMG….what a dumb move…
But, he says President Obama is the one who’s running a stealth election? Romney is a coward, liar and a shady character. What is he hiding!?!
Good morning TOD Family. HOPE you all have a terrifc Friday!
Please join me in lighting a candle for our President, First Family and the Nation. May the President have a safe trip to Florida and Columbia.
http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=PBO
Mornin’ TODsters!!! Great getting up day in O-Town again y’all. I so agree with the above tweet about how this working woman thing has been turned into an issue about stay at home vs working women. We all know what this is about, the Romney campaign has decided to exploit a comment made by a Democrat. That’s what’s done in politics. PBO’s campaign knew this and understandably jumped in quickly to try and take the steam out of the whole situation. I don’t think that Rosen said anything wrong, because we all knew what she meant by ‘not working a day in her life’. Only women (men aren’t included in this) who can afford to make a choice in this matter would get upset about any other meaning of what was said. The media of couse, has to parse it beyond what is neccesary for hyperbole requirements.
President and VP tax returns released while Willard is asking for an extension:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/04/13/president-obama-and-vice-president-biden-s-2011-tax-returns
GROVER NORQUIST’S NO TAX PLEDGE IS DESTROYING THE COUNTRY’S ECONOMIC FOUNDATION
Bruce Bartlett on Where The Right Went Wrong – http://vimeo.com/36529531
Bill Moyers talks with conservative economist Bruce Bartlett, who wrote “the bible” for the Reagan Revolution, worked on domestic policy for the Reagan White House, and served as a top treasury official under the first President Bush. Now he’s a heretic in the conservative circles where he once was a star. Bartlett argues that right-wing tax policies — pushed in part by Grover Norquist and Tea Party activists — are destroying the country’s economic foundation.
My favorite quote from the interview:
———————————————————-
BILL MOYERS: I just read a summary of a study done at the University of Michigan that over a period of time shows that people have confronted with facts they believe to be true will reject them nonetheless if they offend or undermine their belief system. That their beliefs — our beliefs are more important to us than the facts.
BRUCE BARTLETT: Oh, I think we need some — instead of talking to economists like me, we need to be talking to psychologists and sociologists to try to get at the root of this problem.
———————————————————–
Thank goodness for shiny objects.
LOL. Nice weigel.
Good morning Chips and TOD family. It is a beautiful sunny day here in phoenix. Having a great time at our family reunion and hoping to have a chance to meet up with Desertflower.
Friday is the 13th is a very lucky day for me. It is my birthday! It’s not very often the 13th of April falls on friday. I love it. it is going to be a great day.
This whole thing over Hilary Rosen is such a curve from the media to take the attention away from all that the repubs are doing. Looks like the great governor of AZ sign a law yesterday meant for more small government.
Have a great day!
Happy birthday. I am sure Chips will have a great present for you when she comes back. And enjoy your family and hope you get to meet with df. Both are more important than spending time here.
Happy Happy Happy Birthday to YOU, mtmarilyn! Sounds like you are in for a fun filled day, hope it stretches all the way across the weekend! 🙂
Morning, Mom!!!!!!!!!! Happy Birthday to you:) Great day to get out and enjoy….ps. the gov is an asshole. Maybe they can all suffocate in the vaginas of the women that they are ruling over with their “small govt”. Makes me wretch. Pregnant BEFORE conception. What a concept. See what poor education hath wrought!
Happy Birthday! Enjoy your day 🙂
Happy Birthday Marilyn! Have fun!
*~*~*~*~*~HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARILYN!*~*~*~*~*~*
AND MANY MORE!!!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Enjoy it to its fullest.
Have a great, great bithday, mtmarilyn. Kick up your heels and enjoy every minute. Hope the presents are free flowing.
Funny new hashtag on twitter #coreybookerstories. here’s my contribution:
https://twitter.com/#!/jerseyemo/status/190816751666216960
More St. Ann tongue bathing from the mainstream media today. Including a glowing profile in one of the major papers this morning. This is not going away. Not by a long shot. She’s the new Sarah Palin and our side stepped right into the trap and helped make her a victim. I’m still pissed.
One person does not equal our side. Rosen does not work for the campaign. The media will try to push Ms Ann and Willard but we need to continue pushing facts and having a strong voice on social media.
You are correct itgurl. Ann Romney IS the new Sarah Palin. And I predict that she will meet the same fate as Palin – except faster because she’s not nearly as interesting as Palin.
I hope so. And it’s true, she’s not nearly as interesting as the Quitta from Wasilla. SaraH Palin is a scrappy grifter. Ann Romney hasn’t worked a day in her life and wouldn’t even know how to give and take in a fight. I’m just sick of yet another day being wasted on this crap that could easily have been avoided.
I understand how you feel itgurl_29 about Messina, Axelrod, et al. inserting themselves in this. Hopefully after the Romneys do their interview with Sawyer this will be over.
Diane Sawyer is just a few years older than Ann and does not have children and has spoken eloquently about how her career has been her ‘baby” and she wants to leave behind a life’s work as opposed to a gene pool. I hope she doesn’t back off from her own convictions and let Ann pull that “St. Mommyhood” nonsense. I hope Diane calls Ann out on the fact that she has never in her LIFE, all 62 years, held a job. That’s not about being a SAHM, that’s about being a privileged princesss! Hell, even Queen Elizabeth worked as a mechanic and driver during WWII. So the Queen of England has actually had a job in her life but Ann Romney is apparently too privileged and special to get up and go to work in the morning like 99 percent of human being have done at some point in their lives. Even freakin’ kings and queens.
Not sure what purpose “calling out” Ann Romney on not having a job would serve, except to pit women against each other.
Exactly. No need for that.
It makes her a victim of the liberal media which is exactly what Mitt wants. That’s why her name should no be mentioned by the O team except in high praise.
Exactly.
How did Messina and Axe insert themselves into this when it was the Romney camp proclaimed that Rosen was a DNC adviser?
And I would like to remind everyone that the Rock Star Anne Romney meme started a week or so BEFORE Rosen said anything.
And how is it that we can accuse Romney of being in agreement with the likes of Rush/Right wing when he stays silent on their comments but don’t see that the same could be said for Pres.Obama’s camp if they stayed silent when confronted with comments made by Democratic pundits?
And how many times has the O team been blasted for not getting out in front of nontroversies like this and allowing them to linger?
What do you mean by ‘our side stepped right into the trap’? One political side decided to exploit a comment by someone from the other side. The PBO campaign stepped in, as they should have, to temper that exploitation. They have a whole team dedicated to jumping on potential problems immediately, regardless the source. The rest of us, including the media are free to make of it as we will. Some of us will follow the media’s attempt to make this about working vs. stay-at-home moms. Others of us will see it for what it is, and has always been for most women; having the luxury to choose.
This will be over by the middle of next week if not sooner. The President and The First Lady’s response cut the ground from under them.
President Obama: “it’s not about me, it’s about YOU!”
Myth Robney: “it’s not about you, it’s all about ME!”
You know, the President has control of the IRS, just order them to Audit Willard.
That would piss him off!
HAHAHAHA! Yea, Willard can draw the short straw to get audited. I would LMAO.
Illegal
Jack Kennedy did it!
Illegally
oh then nevermind lol
That would be epic lmfao
Take the poll- do you agree with how the State Attorney handled Trayvon case?-
http://www.baynews9.com/news-alerts
President Barack Obama will be stopping by the Port of Tampa Friday afternoon to talk about trade.
The president plans to put the spotlight on the port in hopes of helping jumpstart the nation’s economy.
Wade Elliot, the port’s senior director of marketing, said trade with Latin America benefits more than just the Port of Tampa.
“Over 40 percent of all the export commodities that move out of the port are destined for countries throughout Latin America,” he said. “In fact 3 of our top 5 export trading partners are in Latin America so it’s a big deal.”
Nearly two dozen countries, including Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela, traded nearly three million tons of goods last year. The number one export was fertilizer.
http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/content/news/articles/bn9/2012/4/13/president_obama_to_s/
HMMMMMMMMMMM…I WONDER IF ANYONE HAS EVER TESTED THAT FERTILIZER FOR CONTENT?
Yes! Customs goes through that stuff with a fine toothed comb!
And they determined that shit happens.
LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL…GOOD ANSWER!…:))))))))))))))))))))
12 years of PBO’s tax returns here: http://www.barackobama.com/tax-returns
that is all kinds of awesome! biden’s too.
tom brokaw, chuck todd, and their cohorts really have their work cut out for them this year propping up the mittbot. PBO is so ready for this!
But they hate the gubmint.
I’d like to know where is that money going for? to help the rich? because it sure isn’t going to the schools. I’d really like the these “Red” states to feel “small government” and see how they like it.
Good morning TOD Family. I had this urge to light a candle this morning for POB. I hope everyone will do the same. Whenever he travels far away from his love base, I feel that we need to stop, take a deep breath and reflect on positive, healing protective energy for this soul that is making sacrifices for us.
Let us not lose focus. Keep our eyes on the prize. POB and MO have spoken and that is sufficient for me. Let the power of their love for each other and their love for others flow from heart to heart all 9,000,000 of us individually and collectively.
We are not the dark side. We are the light. Let us walk in that light today, this weekend even up until November 20012.
We are so much better than what they are trying to interject.
POB has said often enough, “This Is Not A Game”! So I for one refuse to get involve and play their propaganda game.
Not this time time….too much is at stake.
Light a candle not just for POB, but for us, U.S. and those in between.
PEACE.
Not going to say any more about the kerfuffle from yesterday except that I feel it’s not going to last longer than the weekend. Just visited HuffyFluffy’s page, not even a mention of Ann Romney or Hillary Rosen. In fact, their big headline on their main is about how Pakistan wants us to end drone strikes over their country. Come Monday, there will be some new poutrage that the media will exploit.
Yeah, I broke my pledge that I made earlier and won’t do it again. And you are correct, by monday this will be gone. There will always be a new one and we have to realize that. Every little quote that can be taken out of context will be. And we can’t afford to get dragged into the mud, even to the point of fighting amongst ourselves. All it does is cause us to lose focus on what is important. Let’s keep plugging away and focus on what we, each of us, can do to reach our goals and not waste energy on this other crap.
The President made 798k in 2011 and paid just over 162k in taxes!
A 20.5% tax rate, which is actually very hood!
But but but he’s in the pocket of corporate America, Matt Taibbi told me so!
I know, I know! Frivolous claims.
They really don’t like the President, the Jerks in the Beltway have spoken!
The Buffet proposal/rule is that taxes + charitable deductions add up to at least 30% of income.
So for The Obama’s it = 42% overall
That includes in his presidential salary ? What is his salary anyway ?
His salary is roughly 400k… he’s still making a lot of money off his books.
nyt – Their income declined nearly $1 million from the previous year, when the president was reaping larger amounts from sales of his bestselling books.
moar nyt – In the 547 pages of tax documents released by Mr. Romney, he and his wife were expected to pay roughly $6.2 million on $42.5 million of income over 2010 and 2011, with effective tax rates of 13.9 percent in 2010 and an estimated 15.4 percent in 2011.
Mr. Obama still earned about half his total income from sales of his books in 2011, the White House said in a statement. But that is sharply lower than in 2010, when the Obamas reported adjusted gross income of $1,728,096, and paid $453,770 in federal taxes — an effective tax rate of just over 26 percent.
Here is the Presidents interview with Columbian Tv-
http://www.eltiempo.com/Multimedia/especiales/cumbre-de-americas-2012/barack-obama-entrevista-con-el-tiempo_11557121-7
Do you understand Spanish?
I can read / listen to it better than I can speak it.
do you speak Spanish, Jovie?
Nada!
Attorney General Eric Holder Addresses National Action Network
WASHINGTON, DC
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Attorney General Eric Holder spoke at the annual convention of the National Action Network, the civil rights organization founded by Rev. Al Sharpton. He promised a fair and independent review of the Trayvon Martin case, plus legal action if warranted.
Attorney General Holder also talked about about voter disenfranchisement. He said voting is a right (not a privilege) that must be protected. The claims of in person voter fraud are overblown and misleading.
http://www.c-span.org/Events/Atty-Gen-Holder-Promises-Fair-Review-of-Trayvon-Martin-Case/10737429790/
I wish Holder would have talked about actions they are taking against states with voter suppression laws. Like maybe a stay on implementation until they can be reviewed in terms of their conflict with existing voting rights acts.
He has spoken on this issue several times and they have steeped in and looked at a couple and put stays on them. They can only directly do this in those state that are specially provided for in the voting rights acts. I have a hunch that they would prefer to do this closer to the election so that the stay remains in effect through the election. Otherwise, a court challenge to the stay could happen prior to the elections and the legislation could be reinstated. In a normal world, any reasonable court would throw these laws out, but we don’t live in a sane, normal world.
The ball is in mehmney’s court now. where are those tax returns
As the media ignores and is distracted by the Rich Mommy!
Go Joe.
David Plouffe on political Capitol on bloomberg Sunday. She will also be talking about Seamus.
Lol!
But Faux News said Willard was ahead! 🙂
This poll was taken 1 month ago. Reuters poll today said that most Americans agree with the NRA and the stand your ground Law.
Not kidding!!!
Ann Robney is Top search on Google! Whatever.
We are nearing a Moody’s downgrade of Europe, Syria out of control, NK ready to test a Nuke and Iran is going nuts, but/ let’s talk about little orphan Annie! Ugh! What a distraction from taxes!
So? That was true of Sarah Palin at one time – wasn’t it? We’ve seen this before Jovie – those MSM created sensations quickly fade – at the time when we most need them to!
Not for nothing, as a Democratic Strategists you ate supposed to help the message not Hurt it.
Thus, Rosen is not a good Surrogate!
Who said Rosen was a surrogate? Did you EVER hear Barack Obama, VP Biden, Axelrod or Messina mention Rosen as a Obama campaign surrogate? Rosen is not Debbie W-S, Valerie Jarrett or some such Obama affiliate. Rosen is a CNN pundit who happens to be a Democrat.
On the other hand, Mitt Romney explicitly injected his wife as someone who was going to act as a liason between him and the voters on his behalf. Yet the MSM now wants to claim that Ann Romney is suddenly off limits because people are criticizing her?
Furthermore, Rosen’s comments have nothing to do with the Obama campaign’s messaging on women. The MSM is trying to tie Rosen to the campaign because of their own desperation to bring down Obama’s numbers among women.
Finally, we shouldn’t be so intimidated by the media that every time someone who happens to be a DEM expresses their opinion, we have to attack them just because the unethical media manufactures a nontroversy.
Instead we should hold the media accountable, and expose their high level unprofessionalism and bias in dissemination of information and reporting.
Bless you, hopefruit!
Good Morning Family!
It’s a beautiful day in the Southwest! Let’s keep our eye on the prize and not let this Ann Romney B.S. distract us from the job at hand. Also, to us ladies…don’t let them use it as a wedge to divide us. It’s not about her…it’s about her husband and his war on women. Never let them forget it!
OBAMA/BIDEN 2012!!!
I am watching local news and the landing of AF-1!
Hilda Solis is with him and Governor Scott is chatting away with POTUS!
Bob Buckhorn Tampa Mayor is now chatting with POTUS!
I thought scott rot was going to be pre-occupied today ?
He is at TPA doing an event, so, he might as well see POTUS while he is at it!
Welcome to my area Mr President!
As expected Wasilla Sarah is out bleating about the Ann Romney thing. It’s the only type of topic she can discuss. Her experience involves mean high school girl stuff–thrives on that kind of dumb stuff. Read a thing about the road trips the Romney family took. Seems one of the boys said Mitt wouldn’t stop extra times if one of the boys had to use the bathroom, other then scheduled stops. But, if Ann said she needed to stop–zoom, right into the next available stop. Also, the boys were under no circumstances to talk back or show any kind of disrespect to their mom. Not that I think disrespect for one’s mother is good, but Mitt made sure the boys toed the line as far as mom was concerned.
That’s my last word on A. Romney–movin’ on.
Hilary Rosen @hilaryr
I deeply apologize again to work-in-home moms, Mrs Romney & the POTUS. Not going on #MTP this weekend. I’m going to be a mom who stays home
She canceled? Hood, because Gregory was going to skewer her.
Gregory does not skewer anyone. He is afraid they might not be nice to him at the next Georgetown cocktail party.
Thank you! Stay home. Why drag this story into next week?
As a backdrop, the President has red Containers stacked on each other.
Nice look for Trade!
Tweet that to brad Woodhouse!
What is it with The Romney’s and dogs?!
http://jezebel.com/5901745/ann-romneys-birthday-party-to-be-hosted-by-a-dude-arrested-for-barbecuing-a-dog
NATIONAL ACTION NETWORK PANEL ON “CRIMINAL JUSTICE”
This panel was absolutely riveting. Very informative and enlightening. I highly recommend it if you have the time.
————————————————————————————
Speakers addressed the shooting death of Trayvon Martin in Florida, as well as a recent Tulsa shooting, where three African Americans were shot to death. The group also took audience questions.
The panel, moderated by NAN General Counsel and Executive Vice President Michael Hardy, included Harvard Law Professors Christi Cunningham and Dr. Charles Ogletree, ACLU Director of the Washington Legislative Office Laura Murphy and Vice President of The Fortune Society Glenn Martin.
————————————————————————————-
http://www.c-span.org/Events/Atty-Gen-Holder-Promises-Fair-Review-of-Trayvon-Martin-Case/10737429790/
Heads up everyone:
http://theobamadiary.com/2012/04/13/heads-up-pbo-in-tampa/
interesting to see which beast was fed here the last two days. For some it will be a looonnngggg time to election day.
I agree with Japa, Ann has been neutralized as a force the R campaign wanted her to be. What we need to do is encourage and push the media and surrogates to emphasize the long term effects the Romney policies will have on women. Ann is not relevant to this…..in fact she is merely an appendage of Mitt.
I wrote MSNBC shows this morning requesting their emphasis on Romney’s women policies, and I suggest many more do the same. We must be a positive force. Whatever happened with this silly kerfuffle happened. We had different opinions on it, but if you listened to the President carefully, he set clear parameters for the campaign, and we are now free to call out the right for missteps, and we need to encourage the media to do so. What’s sauce for Ann is sauce for Michelle…..we have to keep them doing what they should do. We changed the entire Planned Parenthood debate and fixed that debacle, we have power. Let’s use it!
Thank you, carolyn!