****
Today:
12:00: VP Biden attends a campaign event in Santa Barbara, Calif.
12:30: Jay Carney briefs the press.
4:45: PBO welcomes the Wounded Warrior Project’s Soldier Ride to the White House.
****
****
****
Robert Shrum: As he finally claims the nomination that was his all along, but which was so reluctantly yielded to him, Mitt Romney enters his Etch A Sketch period. He may twist the knobs to try and shift his professed beliefs as easily as the aluminum granules on the screen of one of the last century’s most famous toys. But it’s hard for the epic flip-flopper to reframe himself again – or it should be.
Romney is only doing what comes naturally to a man who once said he was “better” on gay rights than Ted Kennedy, but then later donated $25,000 to the homophobic National Organization For Marriage – through a conduit that was designed to hide his contribution. Romney’s public life across two decades has been a ceaselessly revised Etch A Sketch.
More here
****
Quarterback Phillip Sims takes a picture of President Barack Obama as he poses for a photo with members of the BCS National Champion University of Alabama Crimson Tide football team following a ceremony to honor their 14th national championship and their 2011-2012 season, on the South Lawn of the White House, April 19, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
****
****
Washington Post: LORAIN, Ohio — Just a day after President Obama visited this crucial swing state, Mitt Romney spoke at a shuttered drywall company visited four years ago by then-candidate Obama to make the argument that Obama’s record has yet to live up to his lofty rhetoric.
On an empty warehouse floor, Romney laid the blame for the company’s fate squarely on Obama.
…. The company actually shut down in June 2008, months before Obama took office and his economic policies took effect.
…. Romney campaign aides said that Obama hasn’t delivered on the promise to jump-start the economy.
… But in Ohio, the economy is improving.
With an unemployment rate of 7.6 percent in February, Ohio’s jobless stats are lower than the national average of 8.2 percent. The unemployment rate, which peaked at 10.6 percent in December 2009, has steadily fallen since then — it was at 8.6 percent when Obama took office in January 2009.
More here
****
ThinkProgress: If It’s Sunday, It’s Meet The Republican White Men
****
ThinkProgress: Yum! Brands, the owner of fast food brands KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut told Color of Change that they will no longer support the American Legislative Exchange Council, the right-wing front group that, until recently, was a driving force behind state voter suppression and “stand your ground” gun laws. Yum!’s decision means a dozen corporations (plus the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation) have now dropped the conservative group.
More here
****
****
****
****
Morning everyone 😉
The Obama Diary 
Ahem..
Congrats CK on first
Did he call yet?
😆 Morning CollegeKay, morning everyone 😉
Good morning Chips and everyone.
Morning Chips, nope not yet. 😀
Lawdy, lawdy, he is so sexay!
This photo is just what the doctor ordered for this old broad…..
x2 🙂
I have a feeling this is going to be a wonderful Friday!
Chips, you asked for it. This picture calls for this song:
Congrats Collegekay…
1st is great, isn’t it? (lol)
Good morning Chips and Tod! Congrats collegekay on #1!
morning and congs
Good morning my TOD family
Morning ourmanflint!
OFF TO BROWN COUNTY TODAY FOR A BREAK WITH THE SUNSHINE…GOD BLESS YOU ALL…I LOVE MY PRESIDENT AND WISH HIM A WONDERFUL FRIDAY!…:)
Love that news!
and I see it’s going to be at UNC Chapel Hill—–even more fun!
Hay, that’s in the state of North Carolina, give me all the info I do not want to miss this.
Obama to visit UNC-CH on Tuesday
http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/04/20/2013290/president-obama-to-visit-unc-chapel.html
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon to tape at UNC with guests President Obama, Dave Matthews
http://www.dailytarheel.com/index.php/article/2012/04/late_night_with_jimmy_fallon_to_tape_at_unc_with_guests_president_obama_dave_matthews
Freaking awesome.
Excellent news. Something tells me he won’t be going on Jon Stewart any time soon!
I’m not surprised. I’d rather see him on Colbert. Jon Stewart has been a huge disappointment.
And I’m glad that so far, Jon’s snarkiness towards our President doesn’t seemed to have rubbed off on the young people who watch his show.
I haven’t watched Jon Stewart in years now. But I hear that, like Bill Maher, his anti-POTUS “jokes” totally fall flat with his studio audience. LOL
That’s the thing. More and more people have been seeing the real effort this President is putting into making American’s lives better. How much he has aged over the years; how seriously he takes his job, and yes, a LOT of positive change has occurred since he was sworn in despite the MSM and PL doing their darnedest to bury that information. So the “jokes” simply come off as cynical and hostile, not funny. What is a damn game to many of these spoilt brats in the media is real tangle things to ordinary Americans. So the dissonance is high when Stewart and Maher try to make light of what this President is doing.
From your lips to God’s ears Hopefruit!
Thanks Hopefruit for always speaking TRUTH!
For some reason Jon Stewart just is not funny anymore. He can make fun of the President but the jokes are just not funny. I watch the evening news or something else then watch Colbert. I am glad that PBO will be on Jimmy Fallon. I wonder if Robme will go on Jay Leno since Jay is a republican and promotes them.
I didn’t realize Leno was a Repub? I thought Jay liked our President??!?!?!
Jay is a republican but he does not use his celebrity to promote one political party over another. He will have the first lady or president of both parties on his show. He allowed Schwarzenegger to annouce on his show his run for governor but he also had Gray Davis on during the same time back during the recall of Gray Davis in California.
good!
I hope he NEVER goes on Jon Stewart. Ever.
That’s the night of PA primary. Love how he always has some type of event on key primary days!
That is hilarious. PBO ain’t slick! LOL
I hope Jimmy Fallon is his new go to guy for Late Night. It’s more his target audience anyway and Jimmy is actually funny and an actual supporter. I like Letterman too, of course. But I’m sure Jimmy is also being rewarded for how great he was to FLOTUS when he had her on his show. Plus I know the President is a fan of The Roots.
Cool, I love Jimmy Fallon; I think he has a crush on First Lady Michelle. 🙂
Hi Collegekay, nice First Place picture, really nice! And I’ve set my recording for Tuesday’s Jimmy Fallon – Thank you!
And a late Good Friday to everyone, thanks for this wonderful blog that I turn to for the real news. Catching up again.
I tried to DVR it and I couldn’t find it. Sounds like they’ll tape the show Tuesday, but we don’t know when it will be on, do we?
I’m rude. LOL Good Morning O’Fam.
I swear my head is going to be grey by the time November comes. I wake up thinking about this election, and I go to bed thinking about this election.
You’re not ck, you’re not alone…we’re right in the same boat with you!! 🙂
mornin collegekay, your comment is exactly why TOD is my salvation. I feel the same way. To know that there are so many people that feel the same way that I do about President Obama is a tremendous source of comfort to me.
Ck, my hair’s already gray and heaven only knows if it will be stark white by November. And yes, the election is the last thing on my mind (and in my prayers) at night and the first thing I think of in the morning. Exhausting!!
‘I swear my head is going to be grey by the time November comes’
What an excellent explanation to offer for my increasing grey hairs! This covers me up to November, THANKS, CK. 😆 😆
Me too CK.
Congrats on being first You are not alone about thinking about the election all the time. I am already grey so nothing drastic will happen to me in that department. But I wish Nov. 6th were here sooner. I just can’t wait to cast my vote to re-elect our great President.
fucking fourth estate.
Good Morning everyone 🙂
Good morning to the O’ family from England. Thepatc1
That the royal truth amk. In fact, I will be tweeting this to any of those jerks like Mark Knoller who want to tweet about SS.
Just watched Todd and Gregory spin for Willard on the Today Show. It is 2008 all over again—–as they try to make a poll showing a 6 point lead for Obama, plus huge lopsided leads in key demographics—–“good news for Mitt Romney”. News media—–desperate to the point of absurdity for a horse race. And I was already irate because NBC’s Mark Potter reporting on the SS scandal from Columbia managed to mention President Obama’s name 172 times (or thereabouts) while revealing the juicy details—–in a very transparent effort to somehow make this “Obama’s fault”, to connect him with this mess. I would just laugh at all this nonsense except for the fact that this “news” is all many voters are exposed to.
Yeah, they are trying hard to make SS mess is “all Obama’s fault;” however, the two supervisors both had been in the SS for 20 yrs. The following paragraph jump off the page from a WaPo article:
“No one answered the door when a reporter visited Chaney’s home in Northern Virginia. Parked outside was a silver Ford pickup truck, bearing stickers with a colorful outline of Texas, Chaney’s home state, and the mantra “SECEDE.””
Chaney is the guy who posted FB pics of the Thrilla from Wasilla on his page. If I recall correctly, that was during the BUSH admin…
Needless to say, my plan is to just keep plugging away; working like we are 20pts behind, I’ll just keep registering new voters, recruiting volunteers, ensuring peeps have ID, and educating all I come in contact with.
Aren’t ss guyz & galz supposed to be apolitical ?
Wait, are you saying that the SS agent had a SECEDE bumper sticker on his truck????? And a FB page???? How does that sort of thing get past a background check? GOOD RIDDANCE.
Yes to both.
Good riddance is right. This story infuriates me!. They need to weed out these Texan no-good government workers. Look at Perry for the example he puts out there. I despice them, and the poor kids down there fseeing them as “examples” of what a man should be like, disrespecting women!!! How in the world was there a blind eye to this crap, our President, and the best President in my lifetime, should absolutely start putting in better supervisors with shorter terms. I must add, when I lived in Conroe, TX for 3 years, we lived across the street from a Secret Service agent and his family. They were extremely wonderful people, and didn’t resemble this group at all.
http://i.huffpost.com/gen/575984/thumbs/o-DAVID-CHANEY-570.jpg?4
The man is a sleazball….Here he is on assignment in Egypt.
Dotster, don’t take it to heart. You see how they tried to pin Rosengate on the Prez? They were sure that the Prez would lose his advantage with women, so they polled, and like the HHS mandate rule- they were DEAD wrong. Last time I checked the President doesn’t appoint his security detail and as far as the GSA fiasco is concerned, scandals like government waste is a stapel of the American Government- no matter who the president. And how pathetic is Romney, the President hasn’t even started campaigning yet, and Romney is still down.
Plus, Congress (Republicans) still haven’t acted on his request to reduce waste by consolidating and streamlining departments (remember that map with lines all over the place demonstrating how many touch points small businesses have to go through for government services). Instead of holding hearings that go nowhere and do nothing to address the problem, they should be working on the actual solutions that President Obama has presented to them. Same goes for the American Jobs Act – collecting dust while Cantor and company try and pass more tax giveaways for their buddies while calling them “small business tax cuts”.
Well when you have a President that doesn’t have a “sex scandal” the lame stream media has to place one as close to the President as possible only hoping it will cling to him in some way shape or form. Won’t work, ladies and gentlemen.
Most people are exposed more to their local news than national and you can bet that the majority of the people are not watching the Today Show to get insight from Gregory and Todd. If these hacks more had that much influence their favorite guest John McCain would be sitting in the White House.
Good Morning College K, Chips, and ALL TODville inhabitants, regular visitors and drop-ins! It’s Friiiiday, and I don’t have to work! 😆 😆
Good for you! So glad it’s Friday.
(I sent you an email, by the way).
Was offline to take my car in for an oil change as well as switching my snow tires to regulars, while hoping we don’t end up having a huge snowfall anytime this spring.
Theo, I am so awful at this email thing that though I’m often online these days, I rarely remember to check my email. 😆 Thanks for the prompting! 😆 😆 😆 These big grins are an indication that I have now checked in …and responded.
I have to ask an unpleasant question: how is Kasich taking credit for OH’s UE rate? No one does Republican better than the monster Kasich.
Puhlease…After he endorsed Mitt “Let Detroit Go Bankrupt” Romney? Michigan and Ohio would have been devastated if we had followed Mittens plans.
He’s a politician. They always take credit for good news.
Good Morning TOD family but aamom haz a sad she has to go back to work for the “Phone Company”. See ya later today!!!
Good.
I’m feigning surprise!
Seems Rubio is ‘tacking to the centre’ too. He actually gave credit to PBO – well along with Bush – BUT he also made a verbal slip
‘In 4 or 5 years as vice-president….. ..I mean senator…’ Yes it’s Washington Post, but look at the short video clip.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/election-2012/post/sen-marco-rubio-feeds-vp-talk-with-slip-at-national-journal-breakfast/2012/04/19/gIQA9N8UTT_blog.html?wprss=rss_politics
it is up to us not the these rightwingers “tack to the center” after the garbage they have put us through. We have they speeches on YouTube and the internet can help us remind voters what these morons have been up to the last few years
Isn’t it great? They can ‘tack’ all they want; we have access to ALL their positions and lots of savvy people who can help us spread it around. Campaigning in the 21st century is certainly more interesting than in the ‘good old days’.
Wonder if Floridians wish they would have voted in Charlie Crist instead of rubio?
Personally I’d like to convince myself that the vast MAJORITY of voters in all these Repub states are now wide-eyed about the consequences of making foolish voting choices. And that they are all coming out to change this in November.
Morning Everyone!
What’s Good?
Morning! It’s Friday! What a grat “Rise and Shine” this morning, Chips:) I almost fell off my chair last night when I saw the PBO/Clooney dinner! And the Rewrite that LOD did was priceless! “Lying is a business plan” How perfect is THAT! I swear that he reminds me of some Twilight Zone episode…people that APPEAR like everyone else, but are some strange alien beings…..Children of the Corn. Seriously creepy.That goes for his whole creepy, children of the corn family, also too:)
Hope that everyone has a great day.It’s getting hot around here…and I don’t just mean the lunatics in the kitchen! Tomorrow and Sunday is supposed to be over 100 degrees. ALREADY! It’s April, for crying out loud! Too early for those kinds of temps….but global warming is a hoax!
Anyway, anyone heard from Fred or Yardarm?? Been thinking about them.
‘anyone heard from Fred or Yardarm?? Been thinking about them.’
Hi DF. have a wonderful, and COOL Friday! Been thinking about them too. I’m assuming Yardarm’s shore leave will be drawing to a close anytime now, so he’ll be back on deck shortly, and I’m still remembering that in her last report both Fred and her mother were doing well.
I feel some impatience, I want someone to wipe that fake smirk off mitt the liar’s face so quickly I cannot believe my enthusiasm for a political smackdown!
AHA! Scandal the media wants? Here’s the scandal for ya!
Yup. And one of the men is the brother of a republican US Senate candidate.
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh…
Question–If you are in the SECRET service, why do you have a facebook page. Then it isn’t a secret. Oxymoron and completely unprofessional in my opinion. For anyone, but especially a secret service member. I am beginning to think that this is a very good thing that all of this has come out. I want my President/ Vice Preseident and their families to have the BEST protection. On closer inspection some of these people are not. I trust God to keep them all safe and maybe this is his way of tightening things up! The second string has got to go–Nothing but serious professionals need apply.
I thought this from the beginning, Diane. This is a way to tightening ship and weed out the undesirables before the campaigning begins. I hope the only ones left are the good loyalists.
this ss thing is getting more strange by the minute, which adds to my worry about why this is happening. it’s all stemming from ronald kessler, who is a known neocon propagandist of the highest order and has been for years. by the way, the photo at the bottom of the tpm link says it’s from 2009, why wouls sarah palin have ss protection in 2009?!? there’s no way a ss agent is going to be loudly boasting about what he’s doing on a public web site. no way! makes no sense.
the other thing i noticed in the wash post article about the “secede” thing on his car was the part about chaney’s dad being an ss agent based in dallas, and there the day of the jfk assassination. again, ronald kessler just wrote an article about 3 weeks ago out of the blue talking about how lee harvey oswald acted alone and how it can happen again. now, kessler is the guy “breaking” this ss story?!? does anyone remember so much attention given to the ss with so many details about them being revealed in the news?!? i sure don’t! i have a feeling this whole ss thing is a fabrication (just look how they’re using it against PBO), and my question is to what purpose. we’ve got to stop these people!
Morning TOD.
I read where some rigtwingers are saying that President Obama doesn’t have “control” over the agency. In other words, the same old meme – he is incompetent and “over his head”. I may be cynical, but I wouldn’t be surprised if someone didn’t set this up. All the SS guys may not have known, but somebody organized 11 guys and 5 military guys. This wasn’t just a couple of guys saying “yeah lets get some hookers’. The evening was planned. The question in my mind is by whom?
About a month ago, I posted a comment to the effect that since this year there have been a series of “scandalous events” involving the military which seem occur with regularity. First it was the urinating on the corpses, followed by the burning of the koran followed by the shooting of the Afghan families and now this. I don’t think these are accidental.
They’re definitely trying to set up that meme about not being in control – it also explains why the LA Times released pictures right now, after holding on to them for two years! They’ve been trying to say it was a duty to the public, but that doesn’t explain the timing. And it doesn’t explain why they think it’s ok to jeopardize the troops when they are in harm’s way and there are sensitive negotiations taking place. Foreign policy and national security are two strongholds for President Obama, and the GOP have brainwashed people for years that they are the only ones that can keep the country safe. This all seems very coordinated; especially the timing, as we begin the general election.
please can you supply a link? Thank you, in advance
From TP:
Fox News may be implicated in the ongoing NewsCorp phone hacking scandal for the first time. There are now four cases of alleged hacking under review in the U.S., and the lead lawyer pursuing Rupert Murdoch’s company in the U.K. says he’s been approached by at least 10 people in the states bearing complaints relating to “dark arts” practiced by NewsCorp.
Happy Damn Day! I hope they crash and burn! No surprise to any of us that the crew over there is corrupt as they come!
Hey, folks. Just clicked on Andrew Sullivan’s blog over at the Daily Beast. Don’t give them any hits today. Over on the left hand side of the screen with their major headlines, one says “Were the Columbian Hookers Underage?” with a picture of President Obama right above it. It’s disgusting and Drudge-like. I like Sullivan’s blog but he’s not getting anymore hits from me today and for maybe the rest of the week.
The MSM is sorely mistaken if they think people are going to blame the President for what the SS did. And to be honest, I don’t even know any people who are actually talking about this SS scandal to begin with. People respect the SS and the military. So even when they do things that are just totally wrong, the average person is reluctant to get worked up about it. Secondly, most people have had sex. And most people know that you can’t blame anyone for what anyone else does with their private parts. The MSM are desperately trying to make this a “sex scandal” for the President and it won’t work.
Maybe you might want to tweet him that you find this attempt to associate the President with under-aged hookers quite objectionable?
How is this President Obama’s fault? These people will not stop me, I am going to do all I can to re-elect President Obama. Most of the media are a bunch of sick bastards, just look at how they made that Hillary Rosen comment a 10, by covering it over and over and over. Mitt Romney silence on what Ted Nugent said, the media has made that a 2. And one more thing, about the poll, the people don’t like Romney, they don’t trust him, but they feel he can do a better job with the economy. Explain that logic to me please.
That’s like me saying to my neighbor, I don’t trust you, I don’t like you, but you can take care of my money, I will let you be my financial adviser.
Here’s another way to look at this, people could say they think Romney might can do a better job with the economy, but I don’t trust him. There is plenty of ways to look at these polls. Saying you don’t like or trust someone, their is no other way of looking at that, you don’t like and trust them..
anniebella – this is exactly the point. It makes no sense. And it’s a bogus narrative that the MSM has carefully dredged up to help Mitt Romney. Furthermore, this narrative doesn’t jibe with the polls that most people still blame GWB and the GOP in congress for the state the economy is in right now.
I think these recent poll numbers on the economy are massaged a bit – if you know what I mean. They seem to coincide too conveniently with Romney’s wrapping up the GOP nomination.
Mitts edge on the economy is a result of the economy not improving as fast as the public would like as well as the unshakable belief among many americans that the GOP is better at running the economy. I don’t think it is a big deal because the public doesn’t know what Mitt’s plans for the economy are. Since the public HATES the Paul Ryan budget (and the massive cuts it entails) and Mitt has fully endorsed said budget, I think Mitt’s number concerning the economy will tumble when his plans are compared to PBO’s vision for our country. I think it is really pathetic how the MSM is straining itself to find or create good news for Mitt (he gets passes on his lying, sexism in the GOP. failure to produce is tax returns, racist violent supporters, constant flip-flopping etc.) while at the sametime trying to use a tawdry sex scandal involving the SS to taint PBO. On a side note: I find it highly ironic that the MSM does all it can to keep the masses ignorant and misinformed, and then breathlessly sponsor polls asking questions concerning policy to these intentionally misinformed people. For example, all the polls asking peoples opinion of Obamacare. Over and over again Obamacare gets relatively low approval numbers. However when the individual provisions of Obamacare are polled, the provisions (with the exception of the mandate) get very high approval numbers.
Normal, thinking people are regarding this SS scandal only from the perspective of whether the President’s safety (and all associated with him) were ever in jeopardy. As far as I’m concerned, that’s the main concern. Rooting out those who don’t take their job of protecting President Obama seriously is the only real purpose for talking about it. The rest is gossip.
Who lives in PA??? You guys need to get this yahoo out of Congress!
http://thinkprogress.org/special/2012/04/19/468002/mike-fitzpatrick-obama-treason/
He represents PA-08 (Bucks & Montgomery Counties). He’s serving his 1st term, beat Patrick Murphy in ’10; Dem Opponent is Kathy Boockvar http://www.padems.com/team/kathy-boockvar-cd-8
Kathy Bookvar is amazing! She’s smart, personable and one of the most likeable people I’ve met. Unfortunately, she’s not running my newly gerry-rigged district. If the Dem turnout is high in the Phillie area, which OFA is fighting mightily to accomplish, she has a very good chance to win. It’s astonishing that this district swung from the liberal Patrick Murphy to this looney tea party guy, but it was a crazy year. This district will be so well served by Kathleen–I hope she beats the socks off of Fitzpatrick.
Secret Service clears Nugent after interview!
I am beginning not to like the Secret Service!
There really was nothing they could do to him. It isn’t a crime to be a complete assh… I would rather keep him out there shooting (pun intended) his mouth off and tying him to Romney who expressed pleasure to get to know him, and his son, who was thrilled that Nugent endorsed Mittens.
Did you know, if you threaten the President it is a Federal crime?
He most certainly did!
I agree he should be placed in jail, but it was one of those where you had to read between the lines, put 2 and 2 together, etc. I think he should be put in jail for promoting hate…shouldn’t that be a crime?
Just because they cleared him does not mean they didn’t have a chat. Those chats have a way of making the point loud and clear.
Also, I’ll bet they told him they’d be watching him and he was given a warning. I’m hoped they scared him enough that he’ll think twice about inciting violence against anyone under SS protection.
Exactly. Scandal or no scandal The Secret Service saying they will be watching you from now on is not something to take lightly. I remember they paid a visit to some minister in Oklahoma (I think) who also felt he could say whatever he wanted to about This President. He’s been quiet ever since.
I bet the cowardly scumbag won’t open his mealy mouth till Nov.
I just read somewhere that he got booted out of some concert!
I wish it had never been publicized that the Secret Service was going to visit him, because clearing him now gives the impression that what he said was acceptable. The right wing need to reign in their crazies. This is way over the line. We’ve already had a Congresswoman shot in the head – what more do they need to realize this is a dangerous game they’re playing!
They are psychopaths and they don’t care, so long as it is the “other side” that is getting threatened and shot. Sad but true.
So the little snivelling coward told them he had no intention of threatening the President of the United States with his asshole comments about either being in jail or dead next year. He’s still on notice. StFU or keep digging, nugent..up to you.
Good morning, TODville!! Chips has delivered lots of info there on our morning breakfast platter. Happy Friday to all TODers.
This is getting ridiculous. After having a poll that shows the President bearing Willard in Ohio and Florida, Fox News just wrote an article that says- how Robney can win big against Obama!
This is silly!
Jovie, I love all the enthusiasm and news you bring to this site. You are a real asset. However, you tend to get a little too reactive to things, such as this. And, quite honestly, you are not alone. If you think Fox doing what they do best, making things up, is getting ridiculous now, just wait. This is the world we live in. We can either get all disgusted, ticked off, etc., or we can recognize this is what wwe are going to be seeing time and again and work on making sure that our side of the story gets out there. Remember 2008? It was apparent early that PBO was going to win and win big, but Fox was pushing all the scenarios for a McCain victory up until the actual EVs showed a PBO win.
Their is a good point to make, a lot of Wall Street money are heavily invested in Robney. Thus, the Corporate media will be shilling for him, like nothing we have seen before.
I will continue pointing this out, so nobody gets duped.
Don’t worry, I am not resting on my laurels. This weekend, I am going Canvassing with several people in my area! We have a little contest with Ohio, to see who can knock on the most Doors.
I will Also give you a report on that, as well.
Also, Thanks for your civil discourse, I appreciate it!
Jovie, I know you don’t rest on your laurels and are doing a lot more, like most of us, tan just sitting at a keyboard. And pointing it out is a good thing.
There ya go!
The drama won’t be over until PBO crosses the 270 threshold.
Not a week ago, people in the media were saying that the people in OFA were getting too cocky because of the positive polls. So Fox is inadvertently letting the Romney people and R’s in general get a little cocky thinking that they’ve got it sewed up. After all, they’re being told that Robme is doing well without even any effort on their part. To that I say, good, let them think they don’t have to work hard. We know we’ll work hard whether PBO is ahead or behind by 10.
The great thing about Twitter is that this year, we’ll be able to make the “This is great news for John McCain” joke a real meme around the internet in a way we couldn’t last time. Every time a poll comes out, which of course will be devastating for Mitt, we should flood msm twitter timelimes with #greatnewsforMitt. We should have as much a commitment to humiliating the press as we do to registering voters and donating to POTUS.
Social media is big!
At a glance, I think I like this idea, especially the humiliating the media part. I do have personal doubts though, based on their behaviour to date, that they can be humiliated.
Even if they’re not humiliated, I believe it would send a message that we are not falling for the garbage that they spew. We are not allowing our opinions and decision-making to be informed by their narratives and propaganda blatantly spun in favor of Romney. That would be the main benefit of our doing this!
Honestly Jovie, what you expect from Fox? And to be honest most of the other media is no better than Fox. Fox know deep down it looks bad for Romney, but they have to encourage themselves. They do what they and Romney does best, lie.
Yup!
I couldn’t resist the Clooney bait!! Sooner or later I would have donated the money anyway, so why not try for this one? Better chances than winning the MegaMillion lottery.
This hasn’t been the best Obama Week; Willard’s just getting a bit of a bounce post-wrapping-up-the nomination. I just tell myself that every campaign has ups and downs, and our job is to keep constantly working and constantly optimistic and always assuming we are 10 points behind even when we’re ahead. I feel good about the campaign and in a day or two I’ll feel great.
Here’s what’s real.
1. We started the week with the President coming out of a pretty successful summit in Columbia, where he spoke eloquently at a panel, put Chris Matthews in his place, obtained trade deals and increased the visa lengths for Columbian visitors. He was nearly gifted a cute little donkey, and received warmly by people in the region. Chips kept us all informed.
2. The President announced new measures to control oil speculators. Gas prices are down a bit.
Stock market fluctuated wildly, but generally there were some good numbers this week.
3. Employment numbers held steady, pointing to a continued recovery, despite best efforts from the GOP and media. Consumer sentiment was high. Manufacturing continues to show strength.
4. BP had to pay $7.8 billion in damages to several thousand victims – and there’s still no cap.
Sports fans in DC humiliated that hockey player who refused to attend the White House event where his team was being honored by the President.
5. The President had some very good public appearances with shows of support from everywhere, from Florida (on his way to Columbia), to Ohio.
6. The President’s nominee to lead the World Bank was confirmed.
7. A little good news from last week – Joining Forces had a one year anniversary! and Bo celebrated his third year anniversary as First Dog!
8. Romney and his wife were exposed as being birds of a feather in the lying department. Wolfe Blitzer exposed himself as a douche.
9. Romney tried to preside over the DNC convention site, and was rained out by God. He tried to have a sit-down with some supporters and was peppered with questions he couldn’t answer, plus he insulted a local favoured institution.
10. The Space Shuttle Discovery was given a nice send-off to the museum, and everyone just took a minute to celebrate that ingenuity and service.
Can I just add, the FLOTUS gave a outstanding interview with NPR.
FLOTUS approval rating this week (after Ann Romney fake outrage) range from 56-72%. While Ann range from 30-42%.
Thank you…
Theo – this was so helpful, would you consider doing it every Friday. It lifted my spirits tremendously.
I’ll absolutely post some stuff on Fridays! Thanks for asking – coming from you and all your helpful posts, that means a lot! 🙂
Actually, I was listening to a soft music station on the way home tonight, and the host said something to the effect: “We’ve all had things come up this week that have been challenging, but now we have a choice how to enter the weekend. Let’s choose to enter it with a restful, happy attitude”. Great advice!
Well, yesterday I said if it was a chance to sit down with Michelle and Jill, it would be worth donating. Well, to all the women here, I am going to make a deal. If I donate and win, I will pick someone at random to attend in my place. The only thing I ask, is if there is at some time a donate and win a sit down with Michelle and Jill, and one of you win, you let me go in your stead.
That is so nice of you japa21.
chicken. 🙂
Well, to be honest, I wouldn’t want to diminsh PBO or George, and my presence would tend to do that. 🙂
You should run for president of delusistan. 🙂
lol
I’m already emperor.
And select a VP of “in your dreams” so you would have a straight ticket! 🙂
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-talk-huppke-obit-facts-20120419,0,809470.story
A quick review of the long and illustrious career of Facts reveals some of the world’s most cherished absolutes: Gravity makes things fall down; 2 + 2 = 4; the sky is blue.
But for many, Facts’ most memorable moments came in simple day-to-day realities, from a child’s certainty of its mother’s love to the comforting knowledge that a favorite television show would start promptly at 8 p.m.
Over the centuries, Facts became such a prevalent part of most people’s lives that Irish philosopher Edmund Burke once said: “Facts are to the mind what food is to the body.”
snip/
“It’s very depressing,” said Mary Poovey, a professor of English at New York University and author of “A History of the Modern Fact.” “I think the thing Americans ought to miss most about facts is the lack of agreement that there are facts. This means we will never reach consensus about anything. Tax policies, presidential candidates. We’ll never agree on anything.”
Facts was born in ancient Greece, the brainchild of famed philosopher Aristotle. Poovey said that in its youth, Facts was viewed as “universal principles that everybody agrees on” or “shared assumptions.”
snip/
“American society has lost confidence that there’s a single alternative,” she said. “Anybody can express an opinion on a blog or any other outlet and there’s no system of verification or double-checking, you just say whatever you want to and it gets magnified. It’s just kind of a bizarre world in which one person’s opinion counts as much as anybody else’s.”
Facts is survived by two brothers, Rumor and Innuendo, and a sister, Emphatic Assertion.
Services are alleged to be private. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that mourners make a donation to their favorite super PAC.
Facts? We don’t need no stinking facts!
That is great. Unfortunately, also true.
I know. We have become quite the pathetic group of idiots. I like the snark:)
So very, very true.
We can thank Rupert Murdoch, Roger Ailes (and their minions) (and Bill Clinton) for the state of factlessness in this country.
DEEP THOUGHT: Is Mitt Romney capable of doing anything original?
According to Mitt Romney, President Obama is a total failure and does not deserve a second term. But every time I turn around Mitt “Who Am I This Time” Romney is copying something President Obama has said or done and trying to make it his own. He has taken to literally following President Obama as he travels around the country. I just saw a comment that he is even copying the style of PBO’s website. How pathetic is this?
President Obama is a man of conviction. He is comfortable in his own skin. He is a brilliant, charismatic, and effective leader who has improved the lives of all Americans. And PBO is respected and admired around the world. Romney not so much. He has his wealth, family, public and private business background. But he can’t hold a candle to President Obama.
It will be interesting to see how blatantly the copying gets as the campaign progresses. I guess it’s true what they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Or maybe it’s just that the Republican Party approach is always to make somebody else do the hard work and then just steal their ideas. Romney is salivating to be in the Oval Office but he really doesn’t want to work for it. His opacity is really astonishing. He thinks the presidency is owed to him. Afterall, as Ann Romney says “It’s Our Turn Now”. It’s as if they are saying “Do we really need to have this silly election?”
I still maintain EtchAMitt copied Obama’s “O” symbol with that “R”
Excellent points, Ladyhawke.
Ted Nugent got booted from the concert at Fort Knox….
And I laughed.
That sounds interesting..is there a reason given? Mahalos, Linda.
http://pmcarpenter.blogs.com/p_m_carpenters_commentary/2012/04/romneys-ineffable-bungling.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+pmcarpenterscommentary+%28p+m+carpenter%27s+commentary%29
Poll after poll indicates the presidential campaign is a dead heat, but you wouldn’t know it from talking to many Republican professionals. If you gave them truth serum, they would tell you they think Mitt Romney will lose.
Both Rick Perry and Marco Rubio have explicitly mentioned the possibility of running in 2016, which suggests that they do not expect a Republican to be in the WH in 2012-2016, unless they plan to primary Romney which I doubt is the case.
Apparently, several Catholic Bishops will be running for President, as well.
I guess the media narrative then will be “Republican Bishops are running for President – bad news for Obama!”
Sadly!
They better start ponying up with their taxes, too!
In some poll release yesterday, or day before it was ask who do you think is going to win in November, and it was 61% President Obama and 23% Mitt Romney. I think I saw that on Msnbc.
It was the CNN poll.
As long as Democrats don’t decide that that’s good enough and don’t vote.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-04-20/nine-u-s-banks-said-to-be-examined-on-overdraft-fees.html
Thank goodness for Richard Cordray and the CFPB!
Oh Chips. Look at all these goodies! I’ll be snacking for quite a while. Mmmm, Barack Obama and George Clooney….together…in a room…mmmmm….oh my…..yummy.
But but John McCain tweeted me that…
That the President wanted to eat his Dog. JM must have Dementia!
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-04-19/michelle-obama-military-focus-helps-as-women-swell-ranks.html
First lady Michelle Obama’s campaign to support military families wins bipartisan praise. It may be good politics, too.
The face of the U.S. military is changing to become more diverse in gender and race, meaning the armed forces vote is less reliably Republican.
“It happens to be good policy framed in a way that’s good politics for them,” said Peter Feaver, a political science professor at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, who worked on the National Security Council under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.
“I would not accuse them of being motivated by the politics — I think they’re probably sincerely motivated by the policy — but they’re not opposed to the political benefit,” said Feaver.
I believe PBO himself has said “Good policy is good politics.” For Romney, politics drives the policy which is why he is all over the map, depending on what the politics of the situation require.
MARTIN BASHIR – “MITT THE MENDACIOUS”
(The Book of Mormon condemns lying.)
Today in his “Clear The Air” segment, Martin Bashir takes on Mitt Romneys pathological lying verses the teachings of his Mormon faith. You don’t want to miss this. Romney’s lying is really extraordinary. I have never seen anything like this.
http://video.msnbc.msn.com/martin-bashir/47106146/#47106146
(Repost in case anybody missed this glorious takedown on lying.)
Can I just say that the President looks even hotter than Clooney in that banner? My goodness. Ugh, can you imagine the press that’s going to come from this! Awesome. Sad to say, but POTUS has always gotten much fairer and kind coverage from the celebrity entertainment shows. Just shows you what crap our news media is. I’d rather the President be interviewed by Mario Lopez than David Gregory!
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-04-19/mitt-romney-candidate-or-motivational-poster-.html
Among the secrets of success that Romney might wish to share is how you arrange to be born to a rich family. Or, to be less vulgar, an intact and loving family that valued education. Or, for that matter, to be born smart. The neocon controversialist Charles Murray writes books arguing that the second and third factors (family and innate intelligence) are more important than the first (money). You can argue about this all day, but in Romney’s case it doesn’t matter because he had all three factors hard at work, paving his way to success.
Is he even aware of it? Maybe Romney’s not so smart, because he goes on and on about how successful he is in a way that strikes people as obnoxious. “I stand ready to lead us down a different path, where we are lifted up by our desire to succeed, not dragged down by a resentment of success.”
Is there a “resentment of success” in this country? I don’t sense it. Certainly you do not need to resent success in order to believe that successful people are, for the most part, adequately rewarded for their success.
The White House says President Obama will be taking a two-day swing next week to North Carolina, Colorado and Iowa “to launch an effort to get Congress to prevent interest rates on student loans from doubling in July.” From the announcement:
“More than 7.4 million students with federal student loans will see their interest rates double on July 1 unless Congress steps in to keep them low. For each year Congress allows the rate to double, the average student with these loans racks up an additional $1,000 in debt. At a time when Americans owe more on student loans than credit cards, President Obama believes we must reward hard work and responsibility by keeping interest rates on student loans low so more Americans get a fair shot at an affordable college education, the skills they need to find a good job, and a clear path to middle class.
“On Tuesday, President Obama will visit the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Colorado at Boulder. On Wednesday he will visit the University of Iowa. At each stop he will speak with students about the critical need for Congress to act.”
Pool-
We have to be ready for the GOP claims that he’s “just campaigning”. The President has been talking about this looming college tuition increase for a while. I think it’s even in his American Jobs Act – but I need to verify. I plan to find some footage, newspaper articles, and one of those “tip sheets” from the White House to be ready to spring into action on Twitter and Facebook. Congress has done nothing, while the President has been talking about this for months!
For anyone concerned about any of these polls, Chuck Todd let the cat out of the bag yesterday, I forget where. He noted the disparity in the Gallup poll but said none of it really matters at this point because this early in the race the only thing any of them use is the sampling of registered voters. You can’t reliably use “likely voters,” which produces far more accurate pollings results, until at least after Labor Day because before then it is impossible to reliably determine likely voters. So while all of these polls give the talking heads much to talk about and a general snapshot of the race, for the most part they are pretty meaningless. I really don’t much like Chuckie but suspect he is correct on this point.
And for everyone bemoaning all the coverage and blame for the GSA, SS etc. I frankly am happy that it’s coming out now. By fall it will be long forgotten in most people’s minds. Other than economic data, which seems to stick, I hope that anything that can be perceived as negative comes out between now and June. I suspect by fall that many will be so sick of listening to Romney his negatives will fall even further. I don’t much care what the talking heads say, if the economy continues on the current track voters will choose the candidate that they like and trust over one they don’t like or trust.
thanks for that foxfiretx. the nanosecond by nanosecond focus on polls by the media has really gotten out of hand. But that’s what passes for journalism these days. I get the horse race is good for ratings, but what a disservice to the American people. If the media spent more time dispensing the facts about what the parties are offering, we would all be a lot better off. But that requires research and hard work. It’s so much easier to report with hair on fire and nostrils flaring the latest poll that in the scheme of things means nothing. It’s the trends that matter, but who’s got time to wait for trends.
Randi Rhodes said earlier this week that the General Election really only starts after Labor Day. So, she’s right.
From TPM: “Dem Sen. Manchin Not Committing To Obama In Presidential Race”
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), who is up for re-election in a state that is likely to vote Republican in the presidential race, is now declaring himself undecided on whether he will vote for President Obama or Mitt Romney in the election”
http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entries/dem-sen-manchin-not-committing-to-obama-in
If there is anyone more craven and spineless than Mitt Romney, its Joe Manchin. I don’t care what state he’s in this man just needs to switch parties already. At least Ben Nelson never came out with garbage like this. Even Ben Nelson with all his ratfucking, says he supports President Obama.
Yup. He’s the epitome of an asshole and a turncoat.
This guy is a fraud! But he votes democratic 80% of the time!
You sure its that high? Cause I recall him bailing on us when we need him. I honestly think that if the GOP takes the Senate, Manchin will switch parties. I have never felt that way about any other Democrat. Not Ben Nelson, not any of the Dems that reg. bail on us. Manchin is out for self and he’s quoted as saying so.
Just as we finally get rid of that freak, Joe Lieberman, in steps coward Manchin to fill his shoes. It’s all about him and his glory. I can’t be more disgusted.
What a craven spineless asshole. A republicon would be better than that DINO infiltrator. I want him to get blowback in some way shape or form for his treason to the party he says he represents. manchin is excatly like these lying MF who claim they’re “Christians”..they’re the spawn of demons.
If that is the case, I will not donate a penny to the DSCC until I am re-assured that none of my donation will be used to finance Sen. Manchin. I will istead donate to campaigns of individual Democratic Senatorial candidates. Enough is enough about these two-faced, so called Democrats!
You got that right! This is not a team sport? Well you don’t need any money from this pot. Bye!
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-republicans-democrats-tax-breaks-20120419,0,6001446.story
Republicans are the party of business and the rich. Democrats are for the working man.
That’s what my dad always said.
Dad, I think you were on to something.
snip/
They say this will be a election in which people vote with their pocketbooks.
If so, my dad would say the choice is clear: Republicans want to put money in the pocketbooks of business and the rich. Democrats want to put money into the pocketbooks of the working man.
And I say: Dad, you were pretty smart after all.
And that is all anyone needs to understand about this election……there are countless examples to site…..that is, of course, as long as FACTS MATTER:)
Df, you had a wise father.
joe fucking manchin
“I am just waiting for it to play out. I am not jumping in one way or another,” Manchin said. “I’m worried about me. I’ve said it’s not a team sport. You need to go out and work for yourself.”
Manchin is a DINO. Always has been….useless as tits on a boar.
Yes, Joe, because you sure don’t give a damn about the well-being of the people of your state or the rest of the country. Why work in government. Plenty of private jobs would give you free rein to think about yourself alone without hurting other people in the process. What a fraud.
Wow..manchin just exposed himself in a nutshell. The f**ker has it all back a$$wards. Of course Democracy is a team sport..ya dumb shite.
On my point above, a new Gallup poll out this morning finds that voters trust PBO more than Romney to do the right thing on the economy by a margin of 50% to 42% http://www.gallup.com/poll/154007/Obama-Trusted-Romney-Leaders-Economy.aspx Pretty stark difference from the NBC poll released yesterday.
Manchin = ass
you forgot the word ‘dirty’ before the word **ass** and you left the ‘hole’ at the end of ass.
Oh great.
That photo is highly suspect to me….where was it taken and why is this the first we have seen it ?
Supposedly taken the night of the attack. We’ve heard that there was a picture like this. Unfortunately, there is no reason for the general public to have seen all of the evidence in any case.
We’ll see what shakes out. It was ‘exclusive’ to ABC news
I could care less if Zimmerman was bleeding profusely and bruised from head to foot. Doesn’t change the circumstances of the case – that he stalked an innocent kid, walking home from a grocery store, started something, and killed the child- who had just turned 17 two months before. Any man who follows a child while in possession of a loaded gun is suspect. That child, if they fight back to defend or protect themselves when being stalked on the street outside their home by a stranger, is well within their rights. Zimmerman is a grown man who killed an innocent child. End of story (for me).
THIS TELLS YOU ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE STATE OF THE WH PRESS CORPS
The right wing manufactured controversy cycle was completed again yesterday when a silly issue made it’s way into the White House Briefing with Jay Carney. It is beyond embarrassing that this question was actually asked. The only good thing is that our dear, adorable Jay Carney had the perfect rejoinder the tabloid gossip columnist masquerading as a real journalist. And as Chips posted last night, Jay Carney is taking “real” questions from the public which put the jackals to shame.
———————————————
Donovan.
Q I’m going to change the tone to dogs. (Laughter.) Has the President — does he know about the recent back-and-forth about Republicans picking out this section of his book where he eats dog and making a big issue out of it? And is there any opinion on whether that’s — does he know about it? What does he think about it? What do you think of it?
MR. CARNEY: Well, like I said, he keeps up with the news. He may know about it. I don’t know more than that. I think we’re talking about a reference in his book to a period when he was six or seven years old. Making a big deal out of it sounds like somebody who’s trying to get out of the doghouse on something.
Q Oooh —
MR. CARNEY: But — it just occurred to me to say that. (Laughter.) I’ll leave it at that.
———————————————
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/04/19/press-briefing-press-secretary-jay-carney-41912
Carney was GOOD. I love how he handles those silly “journalists”
Wasn’t that terrific? With that short response he made both the reporter and anyone so desperate to drudge (pardon my pun) up such garbage look like idiots. He was seven years old for Pete’s sake.
I posted this article yesterday, but it needs to be read and spread! I saw a poll that said Robme had an edge in matters of the economy. SERIOUSLY? This article will put THAT false thought to rest!
http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2012-04-19/news/american-parasite-mitt-romney-s-years-at-bain-capital/
Tweet, email, carrier pigeon.WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET THIS THING VIRAL.
tweeted.
Thank you, amk:) Have you read it? Absolute MUST READ! The guy is a loser and a liar. ME< ME< ME kinda guy.
The article rightly calls him a parasite. The fucking indies need to wake the fuck up.
EVERYONE needs to wake the F UP!
Yes – this is an excellent article, I recommend that everyone tweets, emails, snail-mails, fax, as df suggested.
And you know what df? Apart from the fact that Romney being “good on the economy” is false as this article clearly shows, even if the MSM tries to push Romney as the “economy” person, as anniebella posted upthread, this guy is fundamentally not a good person, not a trustworthy person, and therefore, the economy narrative that the MSM is pushing is moot.
Check out this tweet from the “Dogs Against Romney.” People know that it’s no longer simply a matter of how a person is perceived on matters of the economy – it’s what kind of CHARACTER that person is that’s important.
…Also, I’m going to tweet this “DeeInHouston” person the article and let them know that Romney is BAD for the economy!!!
I think DeeInHouston was pointing out to someone else that this happened a long time ago, and has nothing to do with the economy and wants us to focus on the important stuff.
maryl1, I initially gave her the benefit of the doubt, thinking along the same lines as you. But when I read her timeline – oh boy. This is hard-core RW nut freak who worships at the table of Breitbart. I tweeted her alright.
Hah! Always good to do the research. After I posted I reread and thought maybe it sounds like she’s telling the anti-Obama people not to pile on distractions but to focus on Obama, but I did not follow up.
Thanks desertlower for sharing this important article! This is indeed a must read or everyone ! Romney is truly a very dangerous character.. The term parasite is so apt in explaining the way he operated at Bain Capital.I will do my best to share this article with as many people as I can. We must do everything we can to ensure that Romney is not elected President. As much as I abhor Santorum, Gingrich and Paul, Willard Romney is far more dangerous than all of them.
Daniel Jenky, Peoria Catholic Bishop, Compares Obama’s Actions To Hitler’s: IRS Complaint Filed Over Comment
Americans United for Separation of Church and State, meanwhile, filed a formal complaint asking the Internal Revenue Service to investigate the diocese, suggesting Jenky may have crossed a line that put the church’s tax-exempt status in jeopardy.
The group noted that in addition to the comments about Hitler and Obama, Jenky went on to tell those gathered Sunday that, “This fall, every practicing Catholic must vote, and must vote their Catholic consciences, or by the following fall our Catholic schools, our Catholic hospitals, our Catholic Newman Centers, all our public ministries – only excepting our church buildings – could easily be shut down.”
“No rational person could believe the bishop was doing anything but saying vote against Obama,” said the group’s executive director, Barry Lynn.
If I had been in the congregation I would have stood up and said (and full disclaimer I am Catholic and proud of my faith, if not always my church) “You are right, I will vote my Catholic conscience, and that requires me to vote for President Obama.”
No, you are wrong, Barry Lynn. No rational “Bishop” would campare our President to f**king hitler. Jenky needs to stfu or start paying taxes. Get your f**king religion out of my govermnet.
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/04/20/468146/fringe-gun-rights-advocate-with-ties-to-white-supremacists-helped-build-up-alec/
Listening to Zimmerman on the stand.
I’m going to make a comment I never thought I would hear coming out of my mouth: I’d rather have Keith than Elliot Spitzer on Current. What a PL jackass this guy is, handpicking provisions of bills or trade agreements he doesn’t like, while ignoring the balancing provisions. When most of the PL (excepting firebaggers and GG) now understand what is at stake in this election and have cooled the rhetoric, he still harps on what could have been accomplished. With a decent Congress, maybe, Elliot? Without Obama Derangement Syndrome, maybe? Without filibusters of proclamations that say it’s Friday on a Friday if Dems proposed it, maybe?
On Stephanie Miller right now he said, “I don’t know…..I talk to a lot of Democrats who say they’d be okay with Romney.” Oh my fucking God!!!!!!!!
And now I’m screaming. DO ANY OF THESE ALLEGED DEMOCRATS THINK MITT ROMNEY WOULD STAND UP TO THE DERANGED REPUBLICAN PARTY AND BE MODERATE?????? Stand up for moderate views that he has thrown under the bus for the last two years?!?!?!
Seriously?!?!?!?!
I tried to watch him……he is a raving left wing loon….
Just a petty jealous bastard because his political career is over. And who is responsible for THAT, Elliot?
He is no left winger! He is trying to cover up his despicable personal behavior! He thinks hating on President Obama will buy him love from the right wing media and the PL blogs. I am sorry, but I will never pay attention to this morally challenged person who pretends to be better and more progressive than President Obama. As far as I am concerned, Elliot Spitzer has no credibility! Period!
I’ve never liked Eliot Spitzer’s so called political analysis. I saw him a few times on Dylan Ratigan’s show – when I was still trying to give that fucker (Dylan) a chance – and he is PL to the nth degree. Always armchair quarterbacking and his ideas are worthless.
Didn’t realize how awful he was.
Playboy Spitzer failed to mention the Republicans who are already are “okay” with President Obama because they know he is not the Muslim Socialist Marxist the looney’s on the right are trying to make him out to be; and oh yea they want their favorite to run against Secretary Clinton in 2016.
“On March 10, 2008, The New York Times reported that Spitzer had previously patronized a high-priced prostitution service called Emperors Club VIP[75] and met for over two hours with a $1,000-an-hour call girl going by the name Ashley Alexandra Dupré (legal name Ashley Rae Maika DiPietro, born Ashley Youmans). This information originally came to the attention of authorities from a federal wiretap.
Spitzer had at least seven or eight liaisons with women from the agency over six months, and paid more than $15,000.[81][82] According to published reports, investigators believe Spitzer paid up to $80,000 for prostitutes over a period of several years while he was Attorney General, and later as Governor.
Spitzer first drew the attention of federal investigators when his bank reported suspicious money transfers, which initially led investigators to believe that Spitzer may have been hiding bribe proceeds. The investigation of the governor led to the discovery of the prostitution ring”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eliot_Spitzer
The question is: Why in the world is this morally corrupt and disgraced person being given a national megaphone to attack the President? Is this not clear evidence of what Tim Wise calls “white privilege”? I am waiting to see if Al Gore will hire former governor Patterson to critique white office holders.
TOD our biggest enemy is the media. This false equivalancy mess that is always touted by our media is the biggest injustice that could ever be done to this Nation. The President touched on it when he answered questions at that AP address a few weeks ago but until we as Democrats put enough pressure on the media to stop this they will continue to manipulate the public and we will continue to have to constantly re-invent the wheel with independents and some of our supporters. We are constantly having to have to re-inforce and bring back into the fold people leaning in our direction simply because the media refuses to do their job! I’d rather be registering voters than dispelling some cooked up faux outrage perpetrated by the right and the media. All things are NOT equal. They are far, far worse than we have ever been and I’m glad to see that someone is finally saying so!
Republican rhetoric over the top
by Eugene Robinson
“Let me be clear: I’m saying that the extreme language we hear from the far right is qualitatively different from the extreme language we hear from the far left — and far more damaging to the ties that bind us as a nation. Tut-tutting that both sides should tone it down is meaningless. For all intents and purposes, one side is the problem.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/republican-rhetoric-that-damages-the-nation/2012/04/19/gIQAlPH8TT_story.html
Standing ovation for E. Robinson…we need more of this please!
“TOD our biggest enemy is the media.”
I’ve been saying the same thing from day one. And anyone who claims differently is naive or intellectually dishonest.
that’s fine and dandy but will be he able to say this on television and on Morning Murderer. No, he won’t. When it’s time for a confrontation, like most liberal pundits/columnists, Eugene backs down. He talks big in his columns and then changes his tune on television.
I agree…when he is on TV he stutters and stammers and eventually wimps out.
I agree on this. Eugene sometimes writes great columns but when he’s on TV he’s a total DUD.
I am sorry to say, but Eugene Robinson has no backbone when he appears on television. I suppose that is his way of trying to survive.He knows fully well that he cannot say exactly what he believes without being labeled as anti-white and pro-black. Other than Rev. Al, who comes from an activist tradition, I know of no other regular Black pundits who is willing to stick his/her neck out by calling a spade a spade. In the end, what you get from people like Eugene Robinson is muddled statements.
Been that way for a LONG TIME, Donna.
Donna, I agree with you 1000%!
Good Morning TOD Family!
While I am not happy about the outcome of the investigation into Ted Nugent’s remarks, I take heart in the fact that they did investigate it. Maybe now the message is sent that the DOJ, though too late for my liking is taking these “comments” seriously.
Any Yardarm sightings? Missing the Old Salt.
I have been wondering where my wing man Yardman is as well. I know he said he was going to be gone for a while, but I didn’t think it was going to last this long.
Perhaps he’s back but resting up from that vacation. I’ve realized that sometimes you need an extra week of “vacation” just to recover from a vacation!!!
This guy makes my blood boil.
I’m still waiting for Mitt Romney’s “Katie Couric” interview where he gets asked real questions and is challenged on outlandish responses. For someone who thinks he is qualified to be the leader of the free world, why the long absence from Meet The Republicans with David Gregory? I I wouldn’t expect much from David Gregory’s line of questioning. But it would be better than the softballs from right wing radio and Fox where Romeny is joined at the tonsils with the hosts.
‘Meet The Press’ calls out Romney’s absence
By DYLAN BYERS | 2/26/12 9:42 AM EST
On this morning’s edition of NBC’s “Meet The Press,” David Gregory made note of the fact that Mitt Romney has not appeared on the show once this campaign cycle, despite a longstanding invitation:
“One note to the viewers, because it comes up on social media from time to time,” Gregory said, following an interview with Rick Santorum. “We have had a longstanding invitation to have mitt Romney on the program, and up until now he has declined. We certainly hope he will change his mind and come on for an interview in the course of the primary process.”
http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2012/02/mitt-romneys-absence-called-out-on-mtp-115561.html
How Mitt Romney Beats the Press, Avoiding Most National Interviews
by Howard Kurtz Apr 20, 2012 4:45 AM EDT
——————————
The candidate is carefully avoiding most national interviews outside of Fox. Howard Kurtz on why Mitt resents the media—and what his isolation is costing him.
——————————
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/04/20/how-mitt-romney-beats-the-press-avoiding-most-national-interviews.html
He may even start avoiding FOX or at least just go on Hannity. Last I saw Bret Baier and Chris Wallace gave him a good going over. He’d do better going on MTP where his biggest fear would be Gregory softballing him to death.
$150,000 bond for Zimmerman.
some of the conditions:
kerfew
no alcohol
no firearms
electric monitoring
I’m disgusted to say the least.
I’m not surprised. I think the Martin Family was prepared for this.
I think they’re going to keep focused and not let themselves get distracted.
I am not shocked. When minorities are wrongfully killed their killers get low bails, and get set free.
More shocking is that the judge seem to have felt that Zimmerman’s prior run-ins with the law were not much of a concern. So, tangling with an officer of the law and domestic violence are small things?
Why the ‘Republican DREAM Act’ is in trouble
By Steve Benen
———————————-
So, what’s the problem? It depends on your perspective. For the left, this is a DREAM Act without the dream — Rubio’s version offers no pathway to citizenship. The conservative senator has admitted as much, saying, “You can legalize someone’s status without placing them on a path toward citizenship.” Rubio has said he doesn’t want to help these immigrants become citizens for fear that they might — que horror — sponsor family members for legal immigration later.
For the right, there’s a very different kind of concern. It’s generally called the “Kobach test,” named after Mitt Romney’s right-wing immigration adviser, Kris Kobach, who’s helped shape anti-immigrant laws.
For Kobach, proposals are necessarily “unacceptable” if undocumented immigrants receive any kind of legal status, even if it falls short of citizenship.
———————————-
http://maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/20/11307389-why-the-republican-dream-act-is-in-trouble
Kobach and Romney
————————–
Mr. Kobach opposes legalization for undocumented immigrants of any kind, under any circumstances and rejects the Dream Act in any form. He told The Washington Post that he expected Mr. Romney “to hold firm on his opposition to amnesty.”
Mr. Kobach is not a bendy politician. Mr. Romney is. Immigration will be a test of Mr. Romney’s elasticity — how far can he stretch, clinging to an extremist while collecting moderates’ votes, without snapping?
“We’re going to be able to get Hispanic voters,” Mr. Romney promised his donors. “We’re going to overcome the issue of immigration,” he said, making “the issue” sound like some sort of medical problem — or at least a source of great discomfort, if not grief.
————————–
http://loyalopposition.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/19/kobach-and-romney/
Let’s be clear on one important point: any tacking to the center is for votes and reflects nothing in terms of governing. What we saw in the primary, those who would (GOD FORBID) put Romney in office will get everything they want. This half-baked notion (voiced by Elliot Spitzer and his alleged “Democratic friends”) that Romney would stand up to those that supported him to fight for moderate policies may be the most deranged belief I have ever heard out of the Democrats.
Let’s get our brains around this: The entire RWNJ party will vote for Romney in order to defeat PBO and do so with enthusiasm. They may not be enthusiastic about HIM, but they are enthusiastic about defeating PBO. They’d rather vote hate and fear rather than positive reasons anyway. Romney could say he supports gay marriage and they would still vote for him, understanding that he didn’t mean a word of it. But there are alleged Democrats who think he would tack back to the center in governing? How phenomenally stupid do you have to be?
I am not sure there is a garde on the stupid measure that goes high enough for a Dem to think Romney wouldn’t be a disaster for this country. Rememebr, if Romney were to be elected, the first thing he would do is figure out how to get reelected in 2016. And the only way to do that is to govern like he promised during the primaries. And if there are any Dems that think he would nominate even somewhat reasonably moderate justices for the Supreme Court, they are beyond delusional.
We were fortunate to survive the 8 years of the Bush regime only because the current Congress was not in power then. If Romney were to win, that would also mean that the Republicans would probably not only maintain but inctrease their hold on Congress. ANd the same for state legislatures. If we thought the consequences of 2010 were bad, they would seem miniscule to what we would see as a result of a Romney win.
And all things considered, with all the voting restricions being put in place, and what further ones would undoubetly pass without any DOJ push back, there would be no way by 2014 or 2016 to undo the damage.
He is thinking about only Hillary in 2016! Which is how he got his job!
Oh my effing God, I didn’t even think of that. You’re right. So let’s send the country to hell because your person lost a primary 4 years ago? With Democrats like these……….
This! We all must heed Japa’s wise comment and work as hard as we can to make sure that President Obama is re-elected.It’s delusional to think that Willard “Mitt” Romney will govern as a moderate.
These hypothetical democrats of Spitzer probably would not vote for PBO anyway. Maybe they don’t want their taxes to go up or just feel more comfortable with someone who looks like Mitt in the Whitehouse. I guess women’s issues are not important to the whoremonger and his “democrat” friends.
I wonder if those 42% could point out a singly thing that’s different in Romney’s policies from the policies that caused the economy to collapse in the first place, or caused the deficit to balloon with two tax cuts (which Romney wants to extend) or the health plan that wasn’t paid for (given that Romney wants to repeal the health plan from President Obama that will actually lower the deficit and close the donut hole for seniors) or the two wars that weren’t paid for (one of which Romney wants to extend indefinitely, and the new war(s) that Romney plans to start. What exactly do they trust Romney on the economy about? The only thing I trust Romney with regards to the economy is that he’ll send it right back over the cliff – and this time, we won’t have a President Obama to fix it.
Ben Smith and Elliot Spitzer are PUMAS.
They have no problems, with Robney winning. It’s personal for them!
I didn’t realize how truly awful Spitzer is. Now the only Current show on the night time line-up that I want to watch in Jennifer Granholm. A terrible choice.
Are people letting Al Gore know what they think of his eliot spitzer hiring? I’m so disappointed in Gore. The buck stops with him and Hyatt.
Cha,,I totally agree with you about the buck stopping with Al Gore. I now deeply regret having worked so hard to elect Al Gore President in 2000. Why in the world, if Al Gore is truly a loyal Democrat, is he allowing this disgraced politician, Elliot Spitzer, to continue dissing President Obama? With all due respect to Gov. Granholm, who I deeply respect, I’ve decided to boycott Current TV. I am not at all interested in supporting the PL haters of President Obama.
The Obama campaign is asking Ohio-based supporters to rally against a proposal to curtail early voting in the Buckeye state.
Republicans and Democrats in Ohio are embroiled in a fight over voting rules for the November election. Ohio’s SB 295 repeals a controversial 2011 election law bill, but also keeps a provision that cancels three days of early voting in the November general election.
The Obama campaign, in an email to Ohio-based supporters, sees the bill as an attack on voting rights in the state.
“Early voting isn’t just about shorter lines when you show up to vote. It’s a pathway to the ballot for working people and folks who simply can’t take time off to go to the polls on a Tuesday — and by cutting early voting for our state, the Republicans are sending a clear message: Our votes just don’t matter,” Greg Schultz, Ohio state director wrote to supporters.
“We’re not going to let this fly under the radar — because Ohio voters deserve the chance to get all of our early voting rights back this November,” Schultz wrote.
The Senate passed the SB 295 in March, and Ohio’s House is set to take up the measure soon. The Obama campaign is calling on their supporters in Ohio to put pressure on their representatives to defeat the measure.
In 2008, early voting laws were widely seen as benefiting Obama — allowing his campaign, which had vastly greater resources than the rival Republican campaign, to mobilize supporters and bring them to the polls more effectively. Ohio, Ground Zero for conspiracy theories and recounts, in the 2004 election is poised to be another close election this cycle.
–//
The Unions don’t care about early voting! This is huge!
For some reason the link to the ERA petition I posted last night didn’t work. Try this: http://goo.gl/CGr2u It is really slow right now. Anyway, this petition asks the White House to support the extension of the deadline for the Equal Rights Amendment. Please sign.
Unfortunately for Press Secretary Jay Carney, he will be briefing the jackals momentarily.
Great, Jay has Secretary of Education Arnie Duncan as a guest today.
I wish everyone in the country could see Secretary of Education Arnie Duncan answering questions from the jackals. He was great. Very informative responses.
Morning TOD
The Two most Handsomest Men in the Whole Wide World……………..mmmmmmmmmmmmhhhhhh
Good Friday morning TODers!
Talk about a ‘Vast (Lame) Media Conspiracy’ 😉
These folk clearly do not understand the 21st Century …. they barely understood the 11th Century …
#PRESSON
Rant: I watched Stephanie Miller and Eliot Spitzer was on the phone. OMG. According to him President Obama has done little that is right and my TV practically blew up when he said he knows Democrats who say the idea of Romney in the WH is not so bad. Is the guy stupid or is he a saboteur? I’m getting ready to tweet him and give him a piece of my mind.
End rant!
If it was not for Matin Bashir…. I would cancel my extended cable package……
He’s a PUMA. He had plans to be able to go to all of Bill Clinton’s orgies in D.C. and Barack Obama ruined that for him. Pay no mind to that pervert.
It is amazing to me why anyone listen to Eliot Spitzer about anything. Any respect for him was lost when he was caught messing with the hooker.
anniebella – I thought I was the only one trying to figure out why anyone would give a frak about someone who wasn’t just caught with one hooker but with multiple prostitutes. This was a married man with three daughters. According to published reports, investigators believe Spitzer paid up to $80,000 for prostitutes over a period of several years while he was Attorney General, and later as Governor.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eliot_Spitzer
What is even more amazing is that the cable networks chose to put him in front of the public once again, high visibility style!
I totally agree with you Anniebella! Elliot Spitzer is a disgrace! Somebody please explain to me why a disgraced politician,like Elliot Spitzer, is given such a national media platform to unleash attacks on the President.
I was watching Lawrence’s (he really needs a Friday night, too) show last night, Alex Wagner and the Steve fella where on. Steve is a very smart dude, he gave President Obama’s campaign a piece for part of their November 6 Electoral landslide win. I wish Chips would add it to the Obama video Diary on the site. I won’t even try to remember what he said because I won’t do it justice. Also he was on NOW this afternoon with Alex, he made a great analysis about why President Obama’s first term is not like President H.W. Bush’s only term. Chips, that’s good video, too; Rev. Dyson and Lynn Sweet were part of the panel.