Thank you Chips! This is as good as the dream I had last night. I dreamt I was invited to lunch with President Obama and Michelle. They came out to greet me and I walked hand in hand with PBO back into the White House. At first it was just me, but then other people came including some from TOD. The President asked me to sit near him on a big package of boiled ham. Then he and Michelle had to leave for a few minutes, while I considered changing my seat. However I figured sitting on boiled ham was a small price to pay for sitting near PBO and I also didn’t want to look disrespectful. I have no idea where this came from, but walking hand in hand with President Obama was amazing, even if only in my dream, and even if I had to sit on boiled ham!
After showing independent voters the negative ad of Romney singing “America the Beautiful” off-key, for example, approval of Romney by those voters fell sharply from 16 points to 3 points. Obama’s numbers, on the other hand, barely moved after independents watched a negative ad about the president.
“People have made up their minds about Obama,” John Geer, political science professor at Vanderbilt and head of the project, told Whispers. “Whereas Obama’s ads have extracted a price for Romney. They are what’s moving the dial for the Obama camp. And the Obama campaign knows that.”
When surveyed, half of independents also said they were “disgusted” by the “America the Beautiful” ad, and the majority didn’t like it. But a voter’s approval of an ad is not necessarily a measure of its success, the Ad Rating Project’s results show.
Who knows what lurks in the minds of “independent” voters…maybe they felt that Romney’s off key rendition of America the Beautiful was disrespectful.
I have a feeling that those who were disgusted by the “Ameria The Beautiful” ad were so-called independent Republicans. I am always suspicious of folks who say they are independent.
Read: low information voters when you see ‘independent’. The problem is, they are persuadable by the stupidest stuff because they don’t pay enough attention to understand issues, but they do vote.
You are absolutely correct. I know many, many years ago when I considered myself an independent, I didn’t know a damn thing because I was not paying attention.
Charles Pierce: Is there anybody in the Romney campaign — from the candidate himself, to my old Wingo Square pal Eric Fehrnstrom, to whoever it is that who orders the sandwiches every day for lunch — who’s actually any good at his job?
In the Mitt Romney campaign web and television ads that received national attention last week, a blunt Jack Gilchrist of Gilchrist Metal Fabricating in Hudson tells President Barack Obama that he, his father and his son _ and not the government _ built his company. But as it turns out, Gilchrist did receive some government help for his business, albeit a long time ago. In 1999, Gilchrist Metal received $800,000 in tax-exempt revenue bonds issued by the New Hampshire Business Finance Authority “to set up a second manufacturing plant and purchase equipment to produce high definition television broadcasting equipment,” according to a New Hampshire Union Leader report at the time.
This stuff is bad. In fact, this is hilariously bad…..
Three of his “We Did Build It” businessmen were U.S. defense contractors. In 2002 Mitt himself thanked the U.S. Government saying “we couldn’t have done it without them.”
One of my favorite instances of incoMittency, was the Detroit speech to businessmen in an oversized, empty stadium and the campaign appearance at National Gypsum Co., a shuttered factory that was supposed to be proof President Obama’s economic policies weren’t working. Problem is, the company, with its Republican owner, was shut down under George W. Bush.
I don’t know why those didn’t post as actual tweets. They were in reply to Mark Knoller’s Romney quote about PBO not having ‘the American experience kind of pholosphy..
It means “not a black man whose father was Kenyan, who lived in other countries, whose middle name in Barack HUSSEIN Obama.” Or, as I prefer it, Barack “Who’s Sane” Obama.
[Mitt Romney] echoed the same sentiment last week, saying, “I know that you recognize a lot of people help you in a business. Perhaps the bank, the investors. There is no question your mom and dad, your school teachers. The people who provide roads, the fire, the police. A lot of people help.”
So it’s foreign when the President says it but it’s true when Cayman Islands Mitt says it.
Mitt is afflicted with an impulse to say anything to get elected and an inability to convincingly sell his flip flops. That toxic combination is going to bite him in his pampered posterior when Mitt is no longer is coddled by friendly interviewers and has to debate the President on live camera, face-to-face.
The President is on top of his game and Mitt doesn’t have any game to speak of.
As you view the video, please note that among the very sharp blades that #BainMitt grabbed is the ‘retroactive’ claim that he was the one who reported the Medicare Fraud to the Feds. If that were true, which it’s not, then imagine the enormous personal and Bain & Co., liability to every Corning Shareholder for selling them a bag of #$*t ….
BTW, Chips, so many sharp edges revealed in that Damon video, no matter how #BainMitt is forced to grab it, he’s going to lose some fingers, or more – like, perhaps, an indictment or three. Sure wish Corning shareholders got a clue how badly he stuck it to them.
PBO using the phrase “I understand that these are the games that get played in politics” in this video reminds of the time in during the 2008 campaign when he used similar words followed by a a “brush off the dust/insults from the shoulders” similar to Jay-Z
(Reuters) – Sustained attacks by President Barack Obama’s campaign on Republican rival Mitt Romney’s business history and refusal to release more tax records appear to be working, a Reuters/Ipsos poll showed on Tuesday.
More than a third of voters who are registered to a party or as an independent said in the online survey that what they had heard about Romney’s taxes and his time at Bain Capital private equity firm had given them a less favorable impression of the Republican candidate.
And particularly worrying for Romney is that a large slice of independent voters — whom he needs to win the November 6 election — are also buying into the Obama campaign’s portrayal of him as a ruthless businessman who may be hiding something in his taxes.
If it was my call the ad “Firms” would be running as much as we could pay for it. Alongside positive inspirational ads like “Choice.”
Obama—very, very, good.
Romney—awful beyond words.
This would work because everyone knows PBO—like him or not. We know he saved the auto industry, OBL, ACA.
But many folks aren’t too sure about who Romney is. Keep on letting them know how catastrophic a Pres. Mii would be for us. Obama/Biden 2012!!!
Caleb Medley was shot in the eye in the Aurora movie theater shooting and remains in the intensive care unit in an induced coma. Medley sustained the terrible injuries only days before his wife Katie was due to give birth to a baby boy they plan to name Hugo. She now joins him in the same hospital — just one floor away — where she was set to be induced.
But even if Caleb makes a full recovery and meets his son, what happened late Friday evening at the movie theater could ruin the young family’s finances. Caleb doesn’t have health insurance, and his medical bills could amount to $2 million, according to his family.
Longtime friend Michael West has created a website to raise money for Caleb, who has been an aspiring stand-up comedian since the eighth grade. “He needs to get better because he needs to be a dad,” West said.
since the media ignores the obvious lies by mitt the serial liar, is anyone here planning to highlight the lies that mitt IS GOING to tell at the VFW event today?
The problem is that the real-world examples Romney keeps seizing on include people who got help from the government. As ABC News’ Jake Tapper reported Monday, the star of a recent Romney ad hitting Obama over “you didn’t build that” had received millions in government loans and contracts. Romney stopped in Costa Mesa, California Monday to meet with a “roundtable” of small business leaders, held in front of a sign that says “We did build it!”
Naturally, it turned out that at least two of the companies represented—Endural LLC and Philatron Wire and Cable—had received hundreds of thousands of dollars in government contracts. When Romney visited the Boston’s historic black neighborhood of Roxbury last week, Romney touted an auto repair shop, declaring that “This is not the result of government…This is the result of people who take risks, who have dreams, who build for themselves and for their families.” Except it turned out that the auto repair shop guy started out without any funds and was only able to build his business because of a bond issed by the local government.
Good morning all my O peeps! A wet morning, but still a great getting up day in TODdytown!!! It’s getting close to PBO’s birthday, so I will post a shameless plug for #2’s website of the t-shirts she designed for “80’s Babies for Obama”. She started it after hearing from many of her peer group that they weren’t as interested in this year’s election as they were in ’08. She wanted to stir up some enthusiasm. Remember, a portion of the proceeds are donated to his campaign. There are other designs available as well. Take a look around the site. http://www.zenfulrevolutionapparel.com/
My political take for today is, I’ll take the guy with the funny name and big ears, thankyouverymuch.
Lady at the desk taking my payment…( Senior citizen ) started complaining about the cost of her medicine….I asked her about the closing of the donut hole…She said….that is not until next year and that she still falls in it until her next re-fill.
Then she said….anyway after this election she won’t have to worry about that anyway……..implying that Romney will fix it….
I said …you realize it would open back up all the way, right ? She mumbled something ……..so I took a hint and just left.
You should’ve told her that the “donut” hole was put in there by GWB and the GOP. There are just some people you can’t get through to. When I was wine tasting this weekend, I had a pleasant conversation with an older couple next to me. Then we start talking about piracy and I said that the US Navy can’t be everywhere at once. The gentleman then said “Yeah, and Obama wants to get rid of the Navy”. Like I said, sometimes stupid can’t be fixed. Or bigotry.
BREAKING! Folks, I have sad news to report. The President of Ghana, my native country died a few hours ago. Pres. John Atta Mills was recently at the G-8 summit with Pres. Obama at Camp David sitting immediately to his right hand during the session on African development. Chips featured that photograph right here on TOD at the time. President Atta Mills who was also a Law professor prior to entering political office, was preparing for his re-election in December 2012. Cause of Death not yet reported.
During his official visit earlier this year to see Pres. Obama at the White House before the G-8 summit. Pres. Obama joked that they both were law professors in a fight for their political lives in re-election. In July 2009, Ghana hosted Pres. Obama’s first historic visit to sub-Saharan Africa. It was a highlight of both presidencies.
I have said here before that Ghana’s political divide exactly mirrors the US’s. Pres. Atta Mills’s party is the equivalent of our Democratic Party, and the shenanigans from the other party could not be more similar.
Now the vice-President who is himself a stellar leader (was on NPR in Washington just last week talking about his recently published memoir — “My First Coup D’Etat”) will take the reins of power. What happens next election-wise, I don’t know as of now.
SO sorry to hear about President Atta Mills! Was he unwell or something?
I really liked Prez Mills and his first lady and I thought his calm demeanor and focus on his the interests of country was something other African leaders should emulate.
Yes, you are right that Prez. Mills is one of the African leaders that PBO admired and trusted.
I will never forget the glamourous welcome the people of Ghana showed the First Family during President Obama’s first visit to Sub-saharan Africa.
Africa has lost one of it finest leaders.
My deepest condolences to the people of Ghana and to Prez Mills’ family and friends
Thanks for your kind thoughts. He had been ill for a while and had been coming to the US for treatment. I just read that he was battling throat cancer. i don’t know how accurate that it. All we knew was that he had been ill on and off. The announcement of his passing said it was a sudden cardiac arrest. Will update when I get more information.
I am very sorry to hear about the passing of President Mills. In recent years Ghana has been a star in Africa both in democratic practices and in having a growing economy. My deepest condolences to you and the people of Ghana. I pray that your country will have a smooth and peaceful succession.
Good Morning Chips, I woke up today & went to your last night’s thread, and it just put me in the best mood to see such enthusiasm here.
Question: When I was new here, & just getting used to twitter, I looked at your Tods on Twitter list, but there were many that hadn’t tweeted in a while. So, when you tuned up this amazing Diary, did you update list? Just wondering, thanks. (When you get around to it.)
I still think that number is too high for EtchRomney. What has he actually done or said that would make anyone feel confident he’d be a good CIC?
-He said he would not have gone after OBL
-He goes around saying how Russia is the enemy
-He’s beating the drums for a war with Iran (screw diplomacy)
and he can’t even keep his big fucking mouth closed about a conversation w/ Australian PM. And on top of that, he misconstrued what was actually said!
I read on TOD earlier that “Fishy and Suspect” were suitable for mitt and I agree. He’s down there in the bottom of the abyss(PBO said he might have gone over the edge) floundering suspiciously.
Willard’s focus on “you didn’t build that” is a misleading conversation. Very few people out of our population of 312 million are going to rely on starting a business for their life’s career. The capital is not available to most, and the risk involved is much more than most are willing and are able to accept. A successful career path for the great majority is to get the best education possible and then go into the private or public sector and work their way up.
Willard’s father did not start the auto manufacturing company he headed. Bain Capital was a spin off from Bain & Company where Willard started after graduating from Harvard. This talk of “building it yourself” is simply another version of the Ayn Rand rubbish.
Gun control advocates must come to grips with the fact that support for their position is at an all-time low, and the makeup of Congress, which skews power to rural populations and small states, makes what small amount of support that remains almost totally irrelevant. At best, that support serves as a convenient fundraising mechanism for the GOP.
Don’t blame political leaders for not showing more leadership on the issue. If you want gun restrictions, you first must convince the people of this country that you are right. The politicians will follow the people.
Dona Bredwood
@DonaBredwood
@chucktodd:The two candidates are not veterans b’cause #BainMitt hid in France and PBO was an 8yr old child. You moron!
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1:53 PM – 24 Jul 12 via web
Dan Senor is going on Willard’s trip and is going to “debrief” Mrs. Greenspan. At least all of her fans will learn about Willard’s foreign policy creds.
Bush still has not made a public appearance with Romney. They have the same policies, so what’s the deal? Why isn’t our media concerned that a former president and the presumptive nominee are shunning each other?:
“Former President George W. Bush, who is skipping the Republican National Convention and has endorsed but not publicly embraced Mitt Romney, conveyed his support for the presumptive GOP nominee’s campaign today by visiting his Boston headquarters.
Accompanied by former first lady Laura Bush, the ex-president was introduced to the staff by Ann Romney before he spoke, a campaign spokeswoman said.
“The former president praised the steady leadership of campaign and encouraged staffers present ‘to seize the moment,’” ABC News reported.
Mitt Romney did not attend because he was preparing to speak to a VFW convention in Reno, Nev.
While former President George H.W. Bush has appeared with Romney to endorse him, his son has not held the same public event.”
Imagine, for a moment, how difficult it would have been to land a man on the moon if half of the U.S. Congress had believed that the sun revolved around the earth. Or consider how the War in the Pacific might have progressed if half of Congress had still thought the world was flat. Or whether polio would have been eradicated if half of Congress insisted that the best cure was bleeding using leeches. Unfortunately, this was the situation the United States in January 2009, when Barack Obama assumed the presidency. The nation was trying to climb out of the deepest economic hole since the Great Depression, but the Republican Party had about as scientific an approach to the economy as medieval alchemists did to the periodic table.
Sometimes, mistaken ideas can be harmless or even humorous. But in a crisis, they can be downright dangerous. By the time Obama took office, Lehman Brothers had failed, and the Treasury was already trying to prop up banks and other financial institutions to prevent a complete collapse of the economy. In addition, the nation had undergone a tremendous fiscal transformation. Back in 2000, the United States had expected to rack up more than $4 trillion in budgetary surpluses over the coming eight years, but the Bush administration enacted tax cuts that brought the tax burden for upper-income Americans down to the lowest levels since the 1940s. These cuts, combined with two expensive wars and a short recession, sent the nation into deep deficits. The new president faced an enormous task to revive the economy — one that he could not complete without Congress’s help. Together, they would have to protect Americans from a prolonged economic slump while attempting to chart a course toward a more fiscally responsible future.
Not everyone in Congress was in a mood to cooperate. Stung by their electoral defeats and facing Democratic domination of both houses, the Republicans did everything they could to slow the new president’s agenda, from filibusters and procedural votes to delayed appointments and partisan bickering. Clearly, the election campaigns of 2010 and 2012 had already begun, and Republicans were determined to stop the new president from keeping his promises. But in the early days of the financial crisis that began in September 2008, the Republicans knew that they had to seem like they were doing something about the economy, too.
I understood his response to be that the Willard campaign is not trying to present PBO as being “foreign” which Mrs. Greenspan was suggesting. I took it as another example of Todd defending Willard.
Chuck was saying that this is part of the ‘otherness’ offense. Chris Cilliza (sp) said that with Sununu last week talking about PBO not knowing how to be American and now Rmoney saying foreign, it’s deliberate to do the just short of birther talk. Chuck also said, that the new poll out today shows PBO leading Pittiful on better tactic campaign, keeping him on defense. He also said that the number we’re hearing about Pittiful being the better business leader, won’t overcome PBOs huge lead in ‘better for the middle class’ , commander-in-chief, and issues of trust. He said Pittiful still can’t do more than, better me than him routine. That’s my take anyway. He’ll give more detail during the NBC nightly news broadcast this evening.
Lynn Sweet has an article that is a Romney campaign’s release about his “major” foreign policy speech today in which he will outline how President Obama has not shown leadership of the world. I thought the President’s speech yesterday was very effective and he was well-received–note the praise given in his introduction and the declaration that he kept his promises to them. Plus he unveiled a new initiative for them.
Romney’s speech seems out of place here. The VFW’s purpose is to provide support for veterans. Romney is coming in to criticize the very president who has kept all of his promises and carried out many of the things most important to this group. Seems weird to me.
Release also shows a bit of copycat again with Romney being interviewed by local stations.
Hey TOD. I was in the middle of the excitement in Oakland yesterday, and although I didn’t get to see PBO speak, I did get the unexpected surprise of witnessing the motorcade go down the street I happened to be on! The crowd was fired up. You can hear a lady standing near me say “This is so exciting! I’m gonna cry!” I was busy taking in the historical significance of the moment. 🙂
That was really great, Jamila! I don’t know if I would have had the presence of mind to film that moment:) Thanks for sharing that excitement with us:)
I LOVED that. I loved people’s remarks. sherijr….I did cry…imagine watching a motorcade on video…..
It is wonderful to see and hear people’s love for our president. Just seeing his car is enough to give goose bumps. Amazing. Thanks for sharing this.
What I thought of as I saw this…..is that As California goes, (eventually) so goes the nation.
I cannot imagine seeing him.. or his motorcade in person– I wouldn’t hesitate to yell out “We Love you Mr. President, thank You! lol… my kids would be so embarrassed 😉
RENO, Nev. — Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is accusing President Barack Obama of leaking for political gain classified details of the raid that killed al-Qaida terrorist leader Osama bin Laden.
Romney was to make the accusation Tuesday afternoon during an address to the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in Reno, Nev.
In excerpts of the speech released by his campaign, Romney called the leak “contemptible.” He says such action betrays the national interest, compromises troops in the field and demands a full and prompt investigation.
Romney adds that an administration led by him would not reveal classified material for political purposes.
What Romney really should tell the VFW is that his policies would create even more veterans of foreign wars, so they should vote for him because he will increase their membership. At least if he was being honest he would say that.
Absolutely, japa. He’ll appear fake like he always does…and I’m sure they all know that he advocated for the draft while lounging in a Parisian mansion….his words will ring hallow with them. PBO did not serve in the military, but he has his accomplishments and laws to benefit veterans to run on. Willard has empty words and rhetoric.
Honor the Aurora Shooting Victims With an Honest Discussion of Responsible Gun Laws
By Milt Shook
———————————–
I’m so tired of hearing so-called “progressives,” declare President Obama and the Democrats “disappointments” for supposedly “not fighting,” when it’s actually them who fail to fight for what they claim to believe in. Yelling and screaming and demanding is not “fighting,” it’s petulance. If you want to make the NRA (and Citizens United and PACs and every other boogieman out there) completely ineffective is to ignore those extremist morons and present your own case to the American people. Make sure groups like the NRA can’t win.
Politicians do NOT LEAD. They are OUR representatives. If they want to keep their jobs, they will FOLLOW us and do what W want them to do. If we can gt a majority of Americans to make it crystal clear that it’s time for common sense gun control, there will be common sense gun control. The reason it looks like the NRA is winning is because we’re rolling over and letting them. Instead of screaming back at the NRA, and complaining about everything that makes us mad, let’s offer a rational solution that makes the NRA gunloons look like complete radicals.
.
.
This report by NBC News from a few months back shows the problem in even more detail, because it demonstrates just how easy it is for anyone to buy a gun legally, through licensed gun dealers, and then list the gun on a website like Craigslist, no questions asked:
This Romney speech is absolutely disgusting. Worst kind of distortions possible. Strikes me as someone trying to undermine the American government. How it strikes me.
Last year, for the first time in our history, literally every Republican on Capitol Hill held the full faith and credit of the United States hostage as part of an easily-avoidable debt-ceiling crisis. The GOP made a series of non-negotiable demands, and said they would crash the economy, on purpose, unless Democrats paid the ransom. It was a move without parallel in the American political tradition.
We’re still coming to terms with just how much damage this crisis did to the country. At one level, we know the GOP-instigated fiasco undermined the integrity of the nation and our reputation around the world, but there’s also ample evidence that the crisis undermined the economy, job market, and investor confidence.
Yesterday, we also learned that the crisis was expensive.
Love me my Costco. They have always supported Democrats and they put their money where their mouth is. They pay higher wages than the industry average, they give better benefits than the industry average. This is why I still see the same people at my local Costco taht were there 10 years ago.
Gov. Rick Perry’s persistent refusal to implement ‘Obamacare’ in the name of states’ rights might further endear him to the GOP base. But if states’ rights is the goal, his strategy is counterproductive as it’s providing the Obama administration more power over Texas.
The latest chapter in this story, as NPR reports, is Perry slow-walking the law’s probe of insurance company rate hikes, known as rate review. The move could similarly turn over his administration’s authority to police insurance company practices to the federal government.
I love the way the President stated his points this time in such a positive way: What helps businesses succeed, in addition to hardwork, ingenuity, etc…..is an educated and skilled group of people….ports, roads…..That is putting it in such a positive way. I know Romney will try to mess that up, but I do think people are catching on to what he is doing.
Yesterday President Obama reaffirmed his support for veterans in front of the VFW. Romney will have to defend the GOP’s voting record on veterans bills they have blocked.
Veterans Bills rejected by GOP during Obama Administration:
H.R. 466 – Wounded Veteran Job Security Act became H. R. 2875.
H.R. 1168 — Veterans Retraining Act
H.R. 1171 – Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program Re-authorization
H.R. 1172 — Requiring List on VA Website of Organizations Providing Scholarships for Veterans
H.R. 1293 — Disabled Veterans Home Improvement and Structural Alteration Grant Increase Act of 2009
H.R. 1803 — Veterans Business Center Act
H.R. 2352 – Job Creation Through Entrepreneurship Act
Senate Democrats are working to shatter the GOP’s central argument in the tax battle — that unlike Democrats, they oppose raising taxes on anyone.
“It turns out that’s simply false,” Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) told reporters Tuesday. “That’s because buried deep inside Senator Hatch’s proposal are three back-breaking tax hikes on middle class families. They’re actually willing to increase taxes on the middle class.”
At a Capitol press briefing alongside Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Schumer highlighted three expiring working class tax cuts that new Republican tax plan by Senate Finance Ranking Member Orrin Hatch (R-UT) lets lapse. The Democrats’ plan extends all three.
The first is the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for low- and middle-income workers with qualifying children; the second is the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) that partially refunds college tuition, and the third is the expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC) for families raising children. All three were passed in the 2009 stimulus package and extended in December 2010 with bipartisan support.
The liberal-leaning Citizens For Tax Justice calculates (PDF) that extending the EITC and CTC status quo “would save 13.1 million working families, with 25.7 million children, a total of $11.1 billion, an average of $843 per family” in 2013.
“This idea that [Republicans] don’t want to raise taxes on anyone — they’re OK to raise taxes on many middle class people as long as they get their tax breaks for the very wealthiest among us,” Schumer said. “That’s an amazing and astounding point.”
Romney’s Budget Plan Cuts $176 Billion From Non-Defense Discretionary Spending By 2016, Including Veterans’ Health Care. According to the Center on Budget And Policy Priorities, “Non-defense discretionary spending would be cut by $176 billion in 2016 — and $1.7 trillion through 2022 — in addition to the deep cuts already reflected in the budget baseline as a result of the caps in the BCA and the appropriations bills passed during 2011. This category of spending covers a wide variety of public services such as aid to elementary and secondary education, veterans’ health care, law enforcement, national parks, environmental protection, and biomedical and scientific research.” [Center on Budget And Policy Priorities, 5/21/12]
Romney Proposed Cuts To Veterans Disability Compensation. According to the Center on Budget And Policy Priorities, “The cuts that would be required under the Romney budget proposals in programs such as veterans’ disability compensation, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for poor elderly and disabled individuals, SNAP (formerly food stamps), and child nutrition programs would move millions of households below the poverty line or drive them deeper into poverty. The cuts in Medicare and Medicaid would make health insurance unaffordable (or unavailable) to tens of millions of people.
Obama White House.gov
The Obama Diary 
Yes?
Congrats Maryl1 on being 1st. I will take 2nd any day. Been reading too much today. Eyes are going crossed. 🙂
Thank you! I’m amazed. I know what you mean – I have to get off this site and actually accomplish something but it is soooooo hard.
Yes!
Hiya Mary, hellooooooo everyone.
Thank you Chips! This is as good as the dream I had last night. I dreamt I was invited to lunch with President Obama and Michelle. They came out to greet me and I walked hand in hand with PBO back into the White House. At first it was just me, but then other people came including some from TOD. The President asked me to sit near him on a big package of boiled ham. Then he and Michelle had to leave for a few minutes, while I considered changing my seat. However I figured sitting on boiled ham was a small price to pay for sitting near PBO and I also didn’t want to look disrespectful. I have no idea where this came from, but walking hand in hand with President Obama was amazing, even if only in my dream, and even if I had to sit on boiled ham!
ohhh thats hilarious Mary, lol. 🙂
Oh Mary! That was hilarious. You made me laugh so hard!
“Sitting on boiled Ham” 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 – the things we will do for our PBO (even in our dreams). That’s just too funny!!
lol
Whaaaattt????…..Haahhahahahaha.
1st? 2nd? LOL
Bringing this over:
http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2012/07/23/obama-ad-showing-romney-singing-off-key-proves-effective-with-independent-voters-
After showing independent voters the negative ad of Romney singing “America the Beautiful” off-key, for example, approval of Romney by those voters fell sharply from 16 points to 3 points. Obama’s numbers, on the other hand, barely moved after independents watched a negative ad about the president.
“People have made up their minds about Obama,” John Geer, political science professor at Vanderbilt and head of the project, told Whispers. “Whereas Obama’s ads have extracted a price for Romney. They are what’s moving the dial for the Obama camp. And the Obama campaign knows that.”
When surveyed, half of independents also said they were “disgusted” by the “America the Beautiful” ad, and the majority didn’t like it. But a voter’s approval of an ad is not necessarily a measure of its success, the Ad Rating Project’s results show.
Who knows what lurks in the minds of “independent” voters…maybe they felt that Romney’s off key rendition of America the Beautiful was disrespectful.
Congrats to you, maryl1!!
I have a feeling that those who were disgusted by the “Ameria The Beautiful” ad were so-called independent Republicans. I am always suspicious of folks who say they are independent.
Read: low information voters when you see ‘independent’. The problem is, they are persuadable by the stupidest stuff because they don’t pay enough attention to understand issues, but they do vote.
Good Afternoon TOD and Ms. Chips
You are absolutely correct. I know many, many years ago when I considered myself an independent, I didn’t know a damn thing because I was not paying attention.
1st #retroactively.
😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆
Teeheehee. Thanks, Chips. Grinning.
Tien, I hope they don’t retroactively play the Cayman Islands’ anthem for you when you’re being awarded your medal 😕
LOL…that would be bad, as I have no money there.
YAAAA!!! Good on you TienLe
Charles Pierce: Is there anybody in the Romney campaign — from the candidate himself, to my old Wingo Square pal Eric Fehrnstrom, to whoever it is that who orders the sandwiches every day for lunch — who’s actually any good at his job?
In the Mitt Romney campaign web and television ads that received national attention last week, a blunt Jack Gilchrist of Gilchrist Metal Fabricating in Hudson tells President Barack Obama that he, his father and his son _ and not the government _ built his company. But as it turns out, Gilchrist did receive some government help for his business, albeit a long time ago. In 1999, Gilchrist Metal received $800,000 in tax-exempt revenue bonds issued by the New Hampshire Business Finance Authority “to set up a second manufacturing plant and purchase equipment to produce high definition television broadcasting equipment,” according to a New Hampshire Union Leader report at the time.
This stuff is bad. In fact, this is hilariously bad…..
More here: http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/The_Romney_Bungling
Three of his “We Did Build It” businessmen were U.S. defense contractors. In 2002 Mitt himself thanked the U.S. Government saying “we couldn’t have done it without them.”
One of my favorite instances of incoMittency, was the Detroit speech to businessmen in an oversized, empty stadium and the campaign appearance at National Gypsum Co., a shuttered factory that was supposed to be proof President Obama’s economic policies weren’t working. Problem is, the company, with its Republican owner, was shut down under George W. Bush.
I’m still trying to find out if MIttens had ties to the Chinese drywall mess…it WAS the gypsum, after all…..
Pierce is Fierce!
Mitt Romendacity. Lying is the only accomplishment he has left to run on.
I don’t know why those didn’t post as actual tweets. They were in reply to Mark Knoller’s Romney quote about PBO not having ‘the American experience kind of pholosphy..
They did, Marylynne, & I’ve RT’d both of them!!!
Wow! Thank you! I’m honored!
You’re too kind, and I so much appreciate all your RTs!!!
What exactly does the statement “American experience type of philosophy” mean?
It means “not a black man whose father was Kenyan, who lived in other countries, whose middle name in Barack HUSSEIN Obama.” Or, as I prefer it, Barack “Who’s Sane” Obama.
[Mitt Romney] echoed the same sentiment last week, saying, “I know that you recognize a lot of people help you in a business. Perhaps the bank, the investors. There is no question your mom and dad, your school teachers. The people who provide roads, the fire, the police. A lot of people help.”
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2012/07/23/570771/romney-dog-whistle-obamas-philosophy-is-foreign-to-the-american-experience/?mobile=nc
So it’s foreign when the President says it but it’s true when Cayman Islands Mitt says it.
Mitt is afflicted with an impulse to say anything to get elected and an inability to convincingly sell his flip flops. That toxic combination is going to bite him in his pampered posterior when Mitt is no longer is coddled by friendly interviewers and has to debate the President on live camera, face-to-face.
The President is on top of his game and Mitt doesn’t have any game to speak of.
Thank you, Bob Cesca…I was in awe and totally mesmerized by this!
http://gizmodo.com/5928072/the-most-spectacular-night-view-of-earth-ever-captured-by-nasa
How beautiful…
Thank you for that…..
Great:) I also loved the music…..it was so perfect for this video.
As you view the video, please note that among the very sharp blades that #BainMitt grabbed is the ‘retroactive’ claim that he was the one who reported the Medicare Fraud to the Feds. If that were true, which it’s not, then imagine the enormous personal and Bain & Co., liability to every Corning Shareholder for selling them a bag of #$*t ….
Thus ….
BTW, Chips, so many sharp edges revealed in that Damon video, no matter how #BainMitt is forced to grab it, he’s going to lose some fingers, or more – like, perhaps, an indictment or three. Sure wish Corning shareholders got a clue how badly he stuck it to them.
PBO using the phrase “I understand that these are the games that get played in politics” in this video reminds of the time in during the 2008 campaign when he used similar words followed by a a “brush off the dust/insults from the shoulders” similar to Jay-Z
A doctor (the one that wrote this) had posted on Dashboard this morning. I thought that I would share. Important read!!
http://www.ncjw.org/insider/client/index.cfm/2012/1/26/Reproductive-care-before-Roe-v-Wade
Morning desertflower, I did tweet this one, people need to be reminded of what rights women worked so hard for & this story is telling.
Just wanted to point out to my friends at TOD that we’re running a special on Obama photo mosaic posters at Eclectablog:
http://eclectablog.com/2012/07/special-obama-photomosaic-poster-offer-a-gift-for-you-and-a-birthday-gift-for-president-obama.html
ordered & thanks Eclectablog !
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/24/us-usa-campaign-poll-idUSBRE86N05B20120724
(Reuters) – Sustained attacks by President Barack Obama’s campaign on Republican rival Mitt Romney’s business history and refusal to release more tax records appear to be working, a Reuters/Ipsos poll showed on Tuesday.
More than a third of voters who are registered to a party or as an independent said in the online survey that what they had heard about Romney’s taxes and his time at Bain Capital private equity firm had given them a less favorable impression of the Republican candidate.
And particularly worrying for Romney is that a large slice of independent voters — whom he needs to win the November 6 election — are also buying into the Obama campaign’s portrayal of him as a ruthless businessman who may be hiding something in his taxes.
If it was my call the ad “Firms” would be running as much as we could pay for it. Alongside positive inspirational ads like “Choice.”
Obama—very, very, good.
Romney—awful beyond words.
This would work because everyone knows PBO—like him or not. We know he saved the auto industry, OBL, ACA.
But many folks aren’t too sure about who Romney is. Keep on letting them know how catastrophic a Pres. Mii would be for us. Obama/Biden 2012!!!
‘Not If, But When’: Bachmann’s Muslim Hunt Boosts Her Democratic Opponent
http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/07/bachmann-muslims-democrat-jim-graves.php
IMPORTANT AND INFORMATIONAL PIECE ABOUT PA VOTING!!!!!!!
http://www.balloon-juice.com/2012/07/24/when-the-league-of-women-voters-get-governor-corbetts-paycheck-the-league-of-women-voters-will-be-responsible-for-doing-his-job/
I think I saw this posted here earlier…never can be seen too many times!
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/07/24/573441/uninsured-aurora-2-million-medical-bill/
Caleb Medley was shot in the eye in the Aurora movie theater shooting and remains in the intensive care unit in an induced coma. Medley sustained the terrible injuries only days before his wife Katie was due to give birth to a baby boy they plan to name Hugo. She now joins him in the same hospital — just one floor away — where she was set to be induced.
But even if Caleb makes a full recovery and meets his son, what happened late Friday evening at the movie theater could ruin the young family’s finances. Caleb doesn’t have health insurance, and his medical bills could amount to $2 million, according to his family.
Longtime friend Michael West has created a website to raise money for Caleb, who has been an aspiring stand-up comedian since the eighth grade. “He needs to get better because he needs to be a dad,” West said.
It is a shame the NRA Is not responsible for his medical bills.
Games Romneys play:
since the media ignores the obvious lies by mitt the serial liar, is anyone here planning to highlight the lies that mitt IS GOING to tell at the VFW event today?
One report said Willard is going to hit the WH leaks hard, and they would never happen under his administration.
and also the defense cuts.
Michelle Obama on CBS now–don’t know where she is but she is adorable in her light blue.
http://www.cbsnews.com/liveFeed/widget.shtml
Thank you, Sharon.
Romney’s “You Didn’t Build That” Fails
—By Adam Serwer
—————————————————————
The problem is that the real-world examples Romney keeps seizing on include people who got help from the government. As ABC News’ Jake Tapper reported Monday, the star of a recent Romney ad hitting Obama over “you didn’t build that” had received millions in government loans and contracts. Romney stopped in Costa Mesa, California Monday to meet with a “roundtable” of small business leaders, held in front of a sign that says “We did build it!”
Naturally, it turned out that at least two of the companies represented—Endural LLC and Philatron Wire and Cable—had received hundreds of thousands of dollars in government contracts. When Romney visited the Boston’s historic black neighborhood of Roxbury last week, Romney touted an auto repair shop, declaring that “This is not the result of government…This is the result of people who take risks, who have dreams, who build for themselves and for their families.” Except it turned out that the auto repair shop guy started out without any funds and was only able to build his business because of a bond issed by the local government.
——————————————–
http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2012/07/romney-didnt-build-that-fail
PRICELESS!!!!!!!!!!!! Send this around to the campaign amk:)
Good morning all my O peeps! A wet morning, but still a great getting up day in TODdytown!!! It’s getting close to PBO’s birthday, so I will post a shameless plug for #2’s website of the t-shirts she designed for “80’s Babies for Obama”. She started it after hearing from many of her peer group that they weren’t as interested in this year’s election as they were in ’08. She wanted to stir up some enthusiasm. Remember, a portion of the proceeds are donated to his campaign. There are other designs available as well. Take a look around the site. http://www.zenfulrevolutionapparel.com/
My political take for today is, I’ll take the guy with the funny name and big ears, thankyouverymuch.
AWAITING PRESIDENT OBAMA’S DEPARTURE SFO: http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/livenow?id=8747189
Interesting chats going on here:) They must not realize they can be HEARD
I just finish listening to FLOTUS. I love hearing her encourage our people.
FLOTUS pump up the supporters.
Doggone it, I caught it just as they were closing the door to AF1. He’s early again!!
The Stupid…….It Hurts.
just went to pick up my cat at the Vet….
Lady at the desk taking my payment…( Senior citizen ) started complaining about the cost of her medicine….I asked her about the closing of the donut hole…She said….that is not until next year and that she still falls in it until her next re-fill.
Then she said….anyway after this election she won’t have to worry about that anyway……..implying that Romney will fix it….
I said …you realize it would open back up all the way, right ? She mumbled something ……..so I took a hint and just left.
You should’ve told her that the “donut” hole was put in there by GWB and the GOP. There are just some people you can’t get through to. When I was wine tasting this weekend, I had a pleasant conversation with an older couple next to me. Then we start talking about piracy and I said that the US Navy can’t be everywhere at once. The gentleman then said “Yeah, and Obama wants to get rid of the Navy”. Like I said, sometimes stupid can’t be fixed. Or bigotry.
BREAKING! Folks, I have sad news to report. The President of Ghana, my native country died a few hours ago. Pres. John Atta Mills was recently at the G-8 summit with Pres. Obama at Camp David sitting immediately to his right hand during the session on African development. Chips featured that photograph right here on TOD at the time. President Atta Mills who was also a Law professor prior to entering political office, was preparing for his re-election in December 2012. Cause of Death not yet reported.
During his official visit earlier this year to see Pres. Obama at the White House before the G-8 summit. Pres. Obama joked that they both were law professors in a fight for their political lives in re-election. In July 2009, Ghana hosted Pres. Obama’s first historic visit to sub-Saharan Africa. It was a highlight of both presidencies.
I have said here before that Ghana’s political divide exactly mirrors the US’s. Pres. Atta Mills’s party is the equivalent of our Democratic Party, and the shenanigans from the other party could not be more similar.
Now the vice-President who is himself a stellar leader (was on NPR in Washington just last week talking about his recently published memoir — “My First Coup D’Etat”) will take the reins of power. What happens next election-wise, I don’t know as of now.
Oh, my goodness, what a shock to your nation. I really hope everything turns out for the best for the people.
Thanks for the condolences. Yeah we will survive this and hopefully have peaceful elections.
So sorry to hear that, zizi…I hope that all goes well for the people of Ghana and that there are no “shenanigans” going on…the people deserve better.
Thanks for the thoughts. i hope there are calm days ahead.
Zizi,
SO sorry to hear about President Atta Mills! Was he unwell or something?
I really liked Prez Mills and his first lady and I thought his calm demeanor and focus on his the interests of country was something other African leaders should emulate.
Yes, you are right that Prez. Mills is one of the African leaders that PBO admired and trusted.
I will never forget the glamourous welcome the people of Ghana showed the First Family during President Obama’s first visit to Sub-saharan Africa.
Africa has lost one of it finest leaders.
My deepest condolences to the people of Ghana and to Prez Mills’ family and friends
Thanks for your kind thoughts. He had been ill for a while and had been coming to the US for treatment. I just read that he was battling throat cancer. i don’t know how accurate that it. All we knew was that he had been ill on and off. The announcement of his passing said it was a sudden cardiac arrest. Will update when I get more information.
So sorry, Zizi! Ghana is my second home (in my heart!). Sending all the very best for today and onwards.
Zizi2, my sincerest condolences on the loss of your beloved President. May he rest in peace.
I am very sorry to hear about the passing of President Mills. In recent years Ghana has been a star in Africa both in democratic practices and in having a growing economy. My deepest condolences to you and the people of Ghana. I pray that your country will have a smooth and peaceful succession.
Good Morning Chips, I woke up today & went to your last night’s thread, and it just put me in the best mood to see such enthusiasm here.
Question: When I was new here, & just getting used to twitter, I looked at your Tods on Twitter list, but there were many that hadn’t tweeted in a while. So, when you tuned up this amazing Diary, did you update list? Just wondering, thanks. (When you get around to it.)
I still think that number is too high for EtchRomney. What has he actually done or said that would make anyone feel confident he’d be a good CIC?
-He said he would not have gone after OBL
-He goes around saying how Russia is the enemy
-He’s beating the drums for a war with Iran (screw diplomacy)
and he can’t even keep his big fucking mouth closed about a conversation w/ Australian PM. And on top of that, he misconstrued what was actually said!
Who on earth would have confidence in this liar?
Truly.
I was catching up reading the comments in the last thread.
I’m not sure which TODer commented on the fact that the GOP are very good at using visceral words. It’s a fact!
So for now they are using STRANGE and FOREIGN any chance they get…..like we don’t know the reason for it…catnip for their base.
Do you guys remember months ago about the word ”weird”…
”David Axelrod calmed things down by saying that going forward, using the word “weird” to describe Mitt Romney would be a fireable offense”
The Romney camp was outraged that the word ”weird” had been used to describe Romney and Axelrod calmed things down.
And look what’s going on now……
Thank you LL!!….exactly!…..since they don’t get a taste of their own medicine, they don’t care…they will continue…
If Axe as a problem with the word weird….I’m sure there’s other words we could use,….beside liar…..
I read on TOD earlier that “Fishy and Suspect” were suitable for mitt and I agree. He’s down there in the bottom of the abyss(PBO said he might have gone over the edge) floundering suspiciously.
Wheels up! Off he goes!
Lift off! Fare thee well, until next time, PBO!!
Willard’s focus on “you didn’t build that” is a misleading conversation. Very few people out of our population of 312 million are going to rely on starting a business for their life’s career. The capital is not available to most, and the risk involved is much more than most are willing and are able to accept. A successful career path for the great majority is to get the best education possible and then go into the private or public sector and work their way up.
Willard’s father did not start the auto manufacturing company he headed. Bain Capital was a spin off from Bain & Company where Willard started after graduating from Harvard. This talk of “building it yourself” is simply another version of the Ayn Rand rubbish.
They have nothing so lying about the President and distorting his comments is all they have..
Gun Control is a Losing Issue
by BooMan
chucktodd
Something to ponder re: these VFW speeches; First time in TWO generations (maybe longer) that BOTH major party nominees are NOT veterans
Big difference between a war mongering draft dodger who was hiding in France during the war and an 8 years old,….
Dona Bredwood
@DonaBredwood
@chucktodd:The two candidates are not veterans b’cause #BainMitt hid in France and PBO was an 8yr old child. You moron!
Reply Delete Favorite
1:53 PM – 24 Jul 12 via web
It’s time!
Dan Senor is going on Willard’s trip and is going to “debrief” Mrs. Greenspan. At least all of her fans will learn about Willard’s foreign policy creds.
Wow! Way to go FLOTUS!
Bush still has not made a public appearance with Romney. They have the same policies, so what’s the deal? Why isn’t our media concerned that a former president and the presumptive nominee are shunning each other?:
“Former President George W. Bush, who is skipping the Republican National Convention and has endorsed but not publicly embraced Mitt Romney, conveyed his support for the presumptive GOP nominee’s campaign today by visiting his Boston headquarters.
Accompanied by former first lady Laura Bush, the ex-president was introduced to the staff by Ann Romney before he spoke, a campaign spokeswoman said.
“The former president praised the steady leadership of campaign and encouraged staffers present ‘to seize the moment,’” ABC News reported.
Mitt Romney did not attend because he was preparing to speak to a VFW convention in Reno, Nev.
While former President George H.W. Bush has appeared with Romney to endorse him, his son has not held the same public event.”
Steady leadership about what? Beside lying about the President and hiding his records, taxes, anything really… what leadership?
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/07/23/how_republicans_sabotaged_the_recovery
Imagine, for a moment, how difficult it would have been to land a man on the moon if half of the U.S. Congress had believed that the sun revolved around the earth. Or consider how the War in the Pacific might have progressed if half of Congress had still thought the world was flat. Or whether polio would have been eradicated if half of Congress insisted that the best cure was bleeding using leeches. Unfortunately, this was the situation the United States in January 2009, when Barack Obama assumed the presidency. The nation was trying to climb out of the deepest economic hole since the Great Depression, but the Republican Party had about as scientific an approach to the economy as medieval alchemists did to the periodic table.
Sorry… alittle more:)
Sometimes, mistaken ideas can be harmless or even humorous. But in a crisis, they can be downright dangerous. By the time Obama took office, Lehman Brothers had failed, and the Treasury was already trying to prop up banks and other financial institutions to prevent a complete collapse of the economy. In addition, the nation had undergone a tremendous fiscal transformation. Back in 2000, the United States had expected to rack up more than $4 trillion in budgetary surpluses over the coming eight years, but the Bush administration enacted tax cuts that brought the tax burden for upper-income Americans down to the lowest levels since the 1940s. These cuts, combined with two expensive wars and a short recession, sent the nation into deep deficits. The new president faced an enormous task to revive the economy — one that he could not complete without Congress’s help. Together, they would have to protect Americans from a prolonged economic slump while attempting to chart a course toward a more fiscally responsible future.
Not everyone in Congress was in a mood to cooperate. Stung by their electoral defeats and facing Democratic domination of both houses, the Republicans did everything they could to slow the new president’s agenda, from filibusters and procedural votes to delayed appointments and partisan bickering. Clearly, the election campaigns of 2010 and 2012 had already begun, and Republicans were determined to stop the new president from keeping his promises. But in the early days of the financial crisis that began in September 2008, the Republicans knew that they had to seem like they were doing something about the economy, too.
Ms Chips…I’m thinking that you may want to put this out there…..important stuff…
good stuff, desert
Anyone watched Andrea Mitchells earlier?….from what I see on twitter, she asked Choke Todd about Romney using the word ”foreign??
I’m not sure if I got it right……I’m curious to know what his response was,…
Anyone?
I understood his response to be that the Willard campaign is not trying to present PBO as being “foreign” which Mrs. Greenspan was suggesting. I took it as another example of Todd defending Willard.
Pathetic!
Chuck was saying that this is part of the ‘otherness’ offense. Chris Cilliza (sp) said that with Sununu last week talking about PBO not knowing how to be American and now Rmoney saying foreign, it’s deliberate to do the just short of birther talk. Chuck also said, that the new poll out today shows PBO leading Pittiful on better tactic campaign, keeping him on defense. He also said that the number we’re hearing about Pittiful being the better business leader, won’t overcome PBOs huge lead in ‘better for the middle class’ , commander-in-chief, and issues of trust. He said Pittiful still can’t do more than, better me than him routine. That’s my take anyway. He’ll give more detail during the NBC nightly news broadcast this evening.
Lynn Sweet has an article that is a Romney campaign’s release about his “major” foreign policy speech today in which he will outline how President Obama has not shown leadership of the world. I thought the President’s speech yesterday was very effective and he was well-received–note the praise given in his introduction and the declaration that he kept his promises to them. Plus he unveiled a new initiative for them.
Romney’s speech seems out of place here. The VFW’s purpose is to provide support for veterans. Romney is coming in to criticize the very president who has kept all of his promises and carried out many of the things most important to this group. Seems weird to me.
Release also shows a bit of copycat again with Romney being interviewed by local stations.
http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2012/07/romney_to_deliver_major_policy.html#more
PBO leads Rmoney by about 10 points or so on foreign affairs. He’s trying to close the gap in his usual Mitt the Pitts style of campaigning.
Hey TOD. I was in the middle of the excitement in Oakland yesterday, and although I didn’t get to see PBO speak, I did get the unexpected surprise of witnessing the motorcade go down the street I happened to be on! The crowd was fired up. You can hear a lady standing near me say “This is so exciting! I’m gonna cry!” I was busy taking in the historical significance of the moment. 🙂
too kewl JamilaJP!
So exciting! Thanks for capturing it for us!
That was really great, Jamila! I don’t know if I would have had the presence of mind to film that moment:) Thanks for sharing that excitement with us:)
oh how wonderful Jamila… I swear I nearly cry just watching the videos of his motorcade 🙂
I LOVED that. I loved people’s remarks. sherijr….I did cry…imagine watching a motorcade on video…..
It is wonderful to see and hear people’s love for our president. Just seeing his car is enough to give goose bumps. Amazing. Thanks for sharing this.
What I thought of as I saw this…..is that As California goes, (eventually) so goes the nation.
I cannot imagine seeing him.. or his motorcade in person– I wouldn’t hesitate to yell out “We Love you Mr. President, thank You! lol… my kids would be so embarrassed 😉
thank you very much for the video. I was looking for these reports from the ground in Oakland.
I also heard of where PBO reportedly got out of his car and shook some hands. was this true ?
RENO, Nev. — Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is accusing President Barack Obama of leaking for political gain classified details of the raid that killed al-Qaida terrorist leader Osama bin Laden.
Romney was to make the accusation Tuesday afternoon during an address to the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in Reno, Nev.
In excerpts of the speech released by his campaign, Romney called the leak “contemptible.” He says such action betrays the national interest, compromises troops in the field and demands a full and prompt investigation.
Romney adds that an administration led by him would not reveal classified material for political purposes.
—-
Argh !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A week short and a dollar shy. Quit whining, Willard. OBL is DEAD and no troops were harmed. STFU.
So Romney wants to hit President Obama about leaks, huh?
What Romney really should tell the VFW is that his policies would create even more veterans of foreign wars, so they should vote for him because he will increase their membership. At least if he was being honest he would say that.
Absolutely, japa. He’ll appear fake like he always does…and I’m sure they all know that he advocated for the draft while lounging in a Parisian mansion….his words will ring hallow with them. PBO did not serve in the military, but he has his accomplishments and laws to benefit veterans to run on. Willard has empty words and rhetoric.
Honor the Aurora Shooting Victims With an Honest Discussion of Responsible Gun Laws
By Milt Shook
———————————–
I’m so tired of hearing so-called “progressives,” declare President Obama and the Democrats “disappointments” for supposedly “not fighting,” when it’s actually them who fail to fight for what they claim to believe in. Yelling and screaming and demanding is not “fighting,” it’s petulance. If you want to make the NRA (and Citizens United and PACs and every other boogieman out there) completely ineffective is to ignore those extremist morons and present your own case to the American people. Make sure groups like the NRA can’t win.
Politicians do NOT LEAD. They are OUR representatives. If they want to keep their jobs, they will FOLLOW us and do what W want them to do. If we can gt a majority of Americans to make it crystal clear that it’s time for common sense gun control, there will be common sense gun control. The reason it looks like the NRA is winning is because we’re rolling over and letting them. Instead of screaming back at the NRA, and complaining about everything that makes us mad, let’s offer a rational solution that makes the NRA gunloons look like complete radicals.
.
.
This report by NBC News from a few months back shows the problem in even more detail, because it demonstrates just how easy it is for anyone to buy a gun legally, through licensed gun dealers, and then list the gun on a website like Craigslist, no questions asked:
——————————————
http://pleasecutthecrap.typepad.com/main/2012/07/honorauroravictimswithrealguncontrol.html
Willard just said PBO has been insulting our friends and apologizing to our enemies.This may be his worst performance ever.
That Mormon is a filthy liar.
He is using Secretary Gates and Senator Feinstein to criticize PBO for leaks. His speech is one big bash, nothing uplifting to the Vets.
This Romney speech is absolutely disgusting. Worst kind of distortions possible. Strikes me as someone trying to undermine the American government. How it strikes me.
He most likely has some more “plants” in the audience to get that pathetic applause going after each declaration. Disgusting.
I am becoming ill listening to it.
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY – ‘SABOTEURS ARE US’
An expensive hostage strategy
By Steve Benen
—————————–
Last year, for the first time in our history, literally every Republican on Capitol Hill held the full faith and credit of the United States hostage as part of an easily-avoidable debt-ceiling crisis. The GOP made a series of non-negotiable demands, and said they would crash the economy, on purpose, unless Democrats paid the ransom. It was a move without parallel in the American political tradition.
We’re still coming to terms with just how much damage this crisis did to the country. At one level, we know the GOP-instigated fiasco undermined the integrity of the nation and our reputation around the world, but there’s also ample evidence that the crisis undermined the economy, job market, and investor confidence.
Yesterday, we also learned that the crisis was expensive.
——————————-
http://maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/24/12930461-an-expensive-hostage-strategy
Shop Costco, not Wal-Mart, not Sams Club.
Going to have to renew my membership:) Never go to the others anyway..ESPECIALLY WALMART! AWFUL IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE!
Love me my Costco. They have always supported Democrats and they put their money where their mouth is. They pay higher wages than the industry average, they give better benefits than the industry average. This is why I still see the same people at my local Costco taht were there 10 years ago.
Now THIS is interesting…but not totally unexpected. Sometimes they actually just DO shoot themselves in the foot….
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/07/rick-perry-rate-review-obamacare-texas.php?ref=fpa
Gov. Rick Perry’s persistent refusal to implement ‘Obamacare’ in the name of states’ rights might further endear him to the GOP base. But if states’ rights is the goal, his strategy is counterproductive as it’s providing the Obama administration more power over Texas.
The latest chapter in this story, as NPR reports, is Perry slow-walking the law’s probe of insurance company rate hikes, known as rate review. The move could similarly turn over his administration’s authority to police insurance company practices to the federal government.
I love the way the President stated his points this time in such a positive way: What helps businesses succeed, in addition to hardwork, ingenuity, etc…..is an educated and skilled group of people….ports, roads…..That is putting it in such a positive way. I know Romney will try to mess that up, but I do think people are catching on to what he is doing.
Do we have any live streams for POTUS arrival?
Good question, socasweet:) Maybe JER will find one for us? 🙂
If you can tolerate Fox: https://twitter.com/fox12oregon/status/227831404099141632
EWWWWWWWW… 🙂 Is that they ONLY link, JER???
One might be here: http://www.koinlocal6.com/content/breaking/story/Obama-campaign-stop-details-live-stream/s0AP8fClmUacLaATbKy6bQ.cspx
Yesterday President Obama reaffirmed his support for veterans in front of the VFW. Romney will have to defend the GOP’s voting record on veterans bills they have blocked.
Veterans Bills rejected by GOP during Obama Administration:
H.R. 466 – Wounded Veteran Job Security Act became H. R. 2875.
H.R. 1168 — Veterans Retraining Act
H.R. 1171 – Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program Re-authorization
H.R. 1172 — Requiring List on VA Website of Organizations Providing Scholarships for Veterans
H.R. 1293 — Disabled Veterans Home Improvement and Structural Alteration Grant Increase Act of 2009
H.R. 1803 — Veterans Business Center Act
H.R. 2352 – Job Creation Through Entrepreneurship Act
—–
Linda…do you have a link for this…???
thanks Linda have now posted this to my facebook page- I appreciate this.
New Ad…
Sorry. NOT an ad…but a video of PBO talking about MItt’s out of context LYING AGAIN
But Chips has this up already…good lord. I need a nap.
Hey,
Anyone watching Willard’s speech?
Affirmative – but I’m only doing it as an appetite suppression for my new diet. It works, too!
well, the things one can do further one’s health (wink!)
New post everyone:
http://theobamadiary.com/2012/07/24/how-republicans-sabotaged-the-economy/
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/07/schumer-republicans-middle-class-tax-hikes.php?ref=fpnewsfeed
Hammer. This. Home!
Senate Democrats are working to shatter the GOP’s central argument in the tax battle — that unlike Democrats, they oppose raising taxes on anyone.
“It turns out that’s simply false,” Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) told reporters Tuesday. “That’s because buried deep inside Senator Hatch’s proposal are three back-breaking tax hikes on middle class families. They’re actually willing to increase taxes on the middle class.”
At a Capitol press briefing alongside Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Schumer highlighted three expiring working class tax cuts that new Republican tax plan by Senate Finance Ranking Member Orrin Hatch (R-UT) lets lapse. The Democrats’ plan extends all three.
The first is the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for low- and middle-income workers with qualifying children; the second is the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) that partially refunds college tuition, and the third is the expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC) for families raising children. All three were passed in the 2009 stimulus package and extended in December 2010 with bipartisan support.
The liberal-leaning Citizens For Tax Justice calculates (PDF) that extending the EITC and CTC status quo “would save 13.1 million working families, with 25.7 million children, a total of $11.1 billion, an average of $843 per family” in 2013.
“This idea that [Republicans] don’t want to raise taxes on anyone — they’re OK to raise taxes on many middle class people as long as they get their tax breaks for the very wealthiest among us,” Schumer said. “That’s an amazing and astounding point.”
BRIDGE BRIEFING: Romney’s Record On Veterans
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Romney’s Budget Plan Cuts $176 Billion From Non-Defense Discretionary Spending By 2016, Including Veterans’ Health Care. According to the Center on Budget And Policy Priorities, “Non-defense discretionary spending would be cut by $176 billion in 2016 — and $1.7 trillion through 2022 — in addition to the deep cuts already reflected in the budget baseline as a result of the caps in the BCA and the appropriations bills passed during 2011. This category of spending covers a wide variety of public services such as aid to elementary and secondary education, veterans’ health care, law enforcement, national parks, environmental protection, and biomedical and scientific research.” [Center on Budget And Policy Priorities, 5/21/12]
Romney Proposed Cuts To Veterans Disability Compensation. According to the Center on Budget And Policy Priorities, “The cuts that would be required under the Romney budget proposals in programs such as veterans’ disability compensation, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for poor elderly and disabled individuals, SNAP (formerly food stamps), and child nutrition programs would move millions of households below the poverty line or drive them deeper into poverty. The cuts in Medicare and Medicaid would make health insurance unaffordable (or unavailable) to tens of millions of people.
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Much more here….
http://www.americanbridgepac.org/2012/07/wire/research/bridge-briefing-romneys-record-on-veterans/