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Michael Tomasky: Mitt Tells Voters in Video to Drop Dead …. Sure it was a dumb move for Romney to denounce half of America. But he was just channeling today’s GOP.
…. Can he really believe this? It’s incomprehensible. And yet it’s not. This is the story conservatives have been telling themselves over and over in the Tea Party age … An inevitable consequence, I suppose, of campaigning among these people for all these years. You marinate a cherry in cheap whiskey long enough, the stink attaches.
…. It’s hard to judge the impact of this comment just yet ….. I would expect we’ll see “Obama voter — and I’m not a victim” and “I pay a higher tax rate than you, Governor!” signs at rallies by tomorrow. Indeed, the average person pays more in mere payroll taxes for Social Security and Medicare (15.3 percent) than Romney paid in total taxes for the year he released his returns (13.9 percent).
I suspect an impact that’s fairly big. People on the right will blame the media. But the real culprit is the words themselves. They slander millions of hard-working Americans ….. When Romney is licking his wounds on Nov. 7, that party and movement will fire all its arrows at him. He’ll deserve a lot of them. But they will have buried him with the ignorance and rage they demanded he adopt. His chief crime will have been his weakness in failing to confront them.
More here
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Paul Krugman: The Real Romney
Oh, my. Mother Jones has what it says is a video of Mitt Romney talking to donors; it sure looks and sounds real. And it reveals a candidate who despises half the country….
….. Actually, if you look at the facts, you learn that the great bulk of those who pay no income tax pay other taxes; also, many of the people in the no-income-tax category are (a) elderly (b) students or (c) having a bad year, having lost a job — that is, they’re people who have paid income taxes in the past and/or will pay income taxes in the future. The idea that half of Americans are just grifters is grotesque.
If this is real, it’s very, very ugly.
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Jonathan Capehart: Back in February, Mitt Romney stuck his ample silver foot in his mouth when he told CNN’s Soledad O’Brien, “I’m not concerned about the very poor.” He went on to say, “We have a safety net there. If it needs repair, I’ll fix it. I’m not concerned about the very rich, they’re doing just fine. I’m concerned about the very heart of the America, the 90, 95 percent of Americans who right now are struggling, and I’ll continue to take that message across the nation.”
….. That one-minute-seven-second clip lays waste to Romney’s concern “about the very heart of America, the 90, 95 percent of Americans who right now are struggling.” Worse, it reveals it to be a lie. He couldn’t care less about them, it seems. That condescending clip shows a contempt for half the country that demands an explanation from Romney.
More here
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NYT: …. Mr. Romney is absolutely correct that about half of American households do not pay federal income tax. (He is also tapping into a now long-running vein of conservative anger at those households.) But he is missing some crucial context on why they do not pay federal income tax.
The nonpartisan and highly respected Tax Policy Center derived the 47 percent number and published an excellent analysis of it last summer.
It found that about half of the households that do not pay federal income tax do not pay it because they are simply too poor…. The other half consists of households taking advantage of tax credits and other provisions, mostly support for senior citizens and low-income working families.
Put bluntly, these are not households shirking their tax liabilities. The pool consists mostly of the poor, of relatively low-income working families and of old people.
More here
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Mediaite: Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney held a surprise late-night press availability to address the maelstrom surrounding hidden camera video that surfaced …
Romney offered no apology, other than to concede that his point was “not elegantly stated,” and drew a distinction between a “political process” and what he says in front of people he knows can hear him.
Nothing Romney said at the ultra-brief presser was nearly as newsworthy as the very fact that he held it, a sign of the seismic panic this clip has caused. The campaign was already reeling from a Politico story about campaign disarray that had already dominated much of today’s news cycle. The hidden camera video, taken at a May 17 fundraiser at the home of hedge fund manager Marc Leder, is only the tip of the iceberg. Mother Jones’ David Corn has over an hour of footage from the event, which he says he will begin rolling out “soon.”
….. The decision to hold a surprise press conference at 10 pm eastern time (Romney was speaking from California) underscores the type of damage the Romney campaign fears from this tape, but it would have helped if Romney had said something that… helped….
More here
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Today: The President will welcome WNBA Champion Minnesota Lynx to the White House to honor the team and their 2011 WNBA Finals victory. In the afternoon, the President will travel to New York City for campaign events. While in New York City, the President will tape an appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman. The President will return to the White House in the evening:
11:15: Jay Carney briefs reporters at the White House.
11:30: VP Biden delivers remarks at a campaign event at the Bridge View Center in Ottumwa, IA.
1:10: President welcomes the WNBA Champion Minnesota Lynx to the White House.
3:00: VP Biden delivers remarks at a campaign event at Grinnell College in Grinnell, IA.
4:40: President Obama tapes an interview for the “Late Show with David Letterman” at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York, NY.
7:40: President Obama delivers remarks at a campaign event at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York, NY.
9:45: President Obama delivers remarks at a campaign event at the 40/40 Club in New York, NY.
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Morning everyone 😉
The Obama Diary 
Good morning everyone.
Morning Cheryllou, morning everyone.
Thank you Chips and everyone. I’m so fired up and ready to go for our beloved President, it’s not funny.
‘Morning Cheryllou. Congrats on your Fabulous First! 🙂
I rarely comment, but there is one thing in the Chris Matthew’s clip that I’d like to address. The audio recording from the primary 4 years ago of President Obama where he says that people “cling to their guns… etc.,” WAS TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT! Then and now! And the media continues to run with it. I remember the day it happened (it was a Huffington Post election reporter – I purposely erased her from my memory) and I listened to the entire tape before it ‘blew up’.
He was saying that these were people who had politicians coming through their towns every four years promising them the world if they voted for them, and then leaving and not doing anything for them. He said that after repeated disappointments, rather than trust government outsiders, they clung to what they knew, and what they could trust.
He was actually saying to the campaign workers about to go out in the field (was it Kentucky?) you can’t blame these people, they’ve been lied to for years, so when you meet them, go easy. Be understanding.
I swear this is the truth, and if you can get a hold of that tape and play the whole thing, THAT is what you will hear. NOT a man putting them down, but a man who has compassion for what they’ve experienced.
The media IS the problem. I remember that full context, too. And knowing President Obama, I would never expect him to do anything like putting down a whole swath of people, or lying about it afterwards to cover up his mistake. It’s an insult that Romney even thinks he can be compared to an honorable person like President Obama.
yes, every word you say is true.
Mitz, I beleve you…I knew when the media played those words in the seemly endless loop, there was more to it. President Obama (and then Senator Obama) may not be a “perfect man and he may not be a perfect president” (his words), he is a kind man, a decent man, a caring man, a loving man and he would never say anything so mean-spirited, hurtful, unkind and not true.
I hope a responsible media person (do they exist?) will publish the President’s words in their entirety.
I remember as well rritz. But the bigger issue for me is this. . . . why should all of Willard’s incompetence reflect badly on President Obama? One has nothing to do with another. Mitt is an ass all by himself, so the knee jerk reaction from folks to point a finger in PO’s direction to say “see he did it too” is just silly and childish.
Good Morning TOD…congrats on 1st Cheryllou! Have a great “Obama” Day!
When not only evening news, international news, local news, major newspapers, local newspapers, swing state newspapers but now CSPAN Washington Journal is covering the 47% remarks; then you know the shit has really hit the fan.
And it’s about time.
Amen to that!
I am in tears right now. Tears of joy…..I have been praying and fasting for this day to come…..THE TRUTH!
Thank you, God for hearing our prayers. Let us stay focus and keep moving FOWARD. I need Prayer Warriors to pray like never before in the Spirit b/c what has been unleashed is not going down without a serious fight. There are a lot more people who are to be held accountable for these decades of hate that has tried to divide this country with lies, race and $$$$. Yes, including this lazy media, stubborn Congress, Grover Norquist, the KKK Bros. and those vile despicable Teabaggers. How could anyone follow a group with a serpent symbol on a flag? Where is the discernment?
This campaign has revealed a lot about who we are and what we stand for.
Thank you, Mr. President for not giving up. Thank you for hope and change. Thank you for TRUTH!
TRUTH makes all things new. We are moving FOWARD!
THIS!
When you hold a10 pm PC, the shit has already hit the fan and has flown down the pike.
Good morning Chips, TOD – congratulations to Cheryllou
May God continue to protect and bless our wonderful President and First Family,also Vice President and family. Love to all here.
Amen!
Amen, Amen, Amen.
AMEN!!!
Good Morning Everyone!
Thanks for the early Rise and Shine today, Chips! Nice post!
Good Morning my little D.J!
Good morning all! What a day yesterday was. Just trying to absorb it all. And I finally got a hearing aid, which means I hearing things I haven’t heard in decades!
GM Jackie and thanks for all that you are doing for the campaign and congrats on the hearing aid!
Thanks, Donna. You’re the champion when it comes to working for the campaign. I truly stand in awe of you.
Good Morning, Grandma Jackie. Good for you with the hearing aid, now you can hear me. 😉 Also, your granddaughter will be pleased to know that you can hear her every coo. 😆
Thanks Chiparoo.
You’re welcome UTaroo!!! Morning 😉
Perfect tweet UT! RT’d!! 🙂
The sad part is that there are a lot of people on the right who agree with him, even though many of them actually fall into that 47% that he’s talking about. The GOP base of seniors falls into that group. Many who receive subsidies – like farmers – fall into that category. Many students who are “disillusioned” by President Obama and think they’re going to be better served by Mitt Romney fall into that category. They’ve bought the lie that brown and black people are mooching off of society, and they never consider that they are actually the people that Mitt Romney is talking about.
And in a civilized country – there’s nothing wrong with a government caring for it’s old and investing in its students, or supporting agriculture and other industries. That’s what a government is SUPPOSED to do. That’s why the saying is “government of the people, by the people, for the people”. It’s all about supporting the people.
Part 2 of the Mother Jones Tapes
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/09/romney-secret-video-israeli-palestinian-middle-east-peace
I wish David Corn would have waited a day or two. The remarks on the 47%, very damaging to Romney, deserve a full news cycle at least. Instead, all those remarks on foreign policy will muddle the waters. Romney’s assertions on the Palestinian-Israel conflict are certainly damaging, but you wanna bet the republican pundits, and the media, will pivot to the question “is President Obama naive when it comes to dealing with people like Putin, Chavez, Ahmadinejad?”
I think you are wrong. This is a defining moment for Mitt and will last in people’s minds longer than a news cycle (you don’t insult nearly half of the electorate and that 47% he was referring to includes ALOT of white folks). Short of war or an attack on the homeland, foreign affairs is not a deciding issue of the campaign. PBO is very strong on foreign policy. He eliminated OBL and decimated terrorist organizations across the globe. Of course Mitt/GOP will attempt to weaken PBO in this area. That is Rovian politics. Just because they try a tactic against PBO does not mean it will work. Americans do not want to fight a war with Iran, and I think you and Bibi overestimate the importance most AMERICAN voter put on Israel’s wishes or whims. As for your concern about them labeling PBO as “naive”, they tried that in 2008 and it didn’t work then either. The GOP/Mitt is coming from a position of weakness concerning foreign policy (most Americans view the Iraq invasion as a huge mistake). Mitt made a fool of himself on his overseas trip. Why are you worried about voters prefering Mitt over PBO on foreign policy makes no sense to me.
I’m inclined to agree Lovepolitics, I would have liked to see the 47% business dominate the news cycle for at least another couple of days, at which point it would then have been perfect to release the foreign policy-related stuff to take it through the week.
Actually – I think I agree with EricFive. Mitt can’t multi-task, so it’s good that he’s being attacked on multiple fronts. Some people are concerned about the economy and want to believe Mitt’s lies. Others are concerned about national security, and with the fear-mongering being done over the uprisings in the Arab Spring, this will capture their attention. We’ve seen that Mitt can’t do more than one thing at a time, and neither can the media. They will be spread thing, and so will Mitt – as we saw from his disheveled state last night. They all underestimate the President, who has been exhibiting for several years now that he’s very able to juggle multiple balls at the same time, and chew gum at the same time – while whistling and drinking a glass of wine. Given that we’re this close to elections, and early voting has started – I’m glad that Mitt’s getting hit from multiple fronts, especially in the area where he’s most weak. It’s revealing his character. N
ot to mention – Palestine said he should tell the truth “for once” – relating to his peace talk comments, plus, the current account deficit numbers were very encouraging.
Karma – big time.
Good Morning Chipsticks and TOD folks!! Chipsticks – I can’t wait to go back and read all that you posted – I hope this buries this guy in every swing state plus North Carolina and Texas and Arizona.
Good morning, TODville!!
It looks like a LOT of news happened overnight. That sound you hear is Romney and Ann circling the drain. Unfathomable that this idiot thinks he can be POTUS. And to have a presser at that hour was like shining a million klieg lights on his staggering incompetence. He can’t think, he can’t act, he can’t win.
Good morning Meta, Chipsticks and friends. Don’t forget, “It’s [their] turn now”. 🙂
Wow, I just watched the video above of Romney bumbling and mumbling and taking questions. He looks like a complete WEASEL. Absolutely no leadership qualities whatsoever. OMG, what a perfect idiot!
Today Show opens with BREAKING NEWS!!!———about Kate Middleton’s nudie patootie photos! Today is trying to make us all British citizens with their DAILY reports from/about GB.
Meh. My wife is WAY hotter. Besides, all that matters in my view is whether the couple is good to each other. The rest is a sideshow. It doesn’t matter who the couple is. That’s my opinion of relationships.
Good attitude. I agree.
hey Dodster3 – We are all born naked so I don’t see the big deal on the photos.
Good Morning, TOD Family! Good Morning, visitors! Good Morning, OFA! Goood Moooorning WORLD! It feels great to be alive AND to be able to watch the Mitt-Movie Madness! 😆 😆
Good morning, vcprezofan, you are soooooo right! It is raining and cloudy here in NY, but I am about to explode with unspeakable joy!
I am going outside and dance in the rain and pray that our President has a safe trip going and coming here today.
Hi LDS! Just be careful with the dancing in the rain part, we don’t need any accidents. 😉
Good Morning everyone!!
Ok, I’ve had all night to stew on this Rmoney thing and I swear, I keep getting angrier and angrier thinking of what that entitled heartless swine actually implied in his candid statements.
So let me get my Jeff Foxworthy on ( who ironically endorsed Rmoney) : If you make less than $200,000/year ( middle income as per him), you are a lazy bum. If you are a veteran/current troop member serving overseas, you are a lazy bum. If you are a senior citizen, you are a lazy bum. If you are a student ( who took student loans because your parents couldnt afford to send you to college), you are a lazy bum. If you are a working mon of 2 jobs making minimum wage, struggling every month so that your 3 children don’t’ starve, you ARE A LAZY BUM!!
I don’t think I’ve ever been this mad at a politician since I’ve actually started paying attention. HOW DARE HE?????????? He’s run for President the last 6 years, without holding ANY JOB!!!!! WTF????? There are people who sweat blood and tears in this country trying to feed their families, put a roof over their heads and hoping they dont get sick and he’s thinking that the reason they’re struggling is because they only want government hand-outs??? UGHHHH.
Ok. I’m going to take a breath and calm down, and work my damnest to have President Obama re-elected. Romney can honestly drop dead.
That sums it up. The truth is that Romney is a BUM who doesn’t need to be President and should not be president.
Melissa, you just said what everybody is feeling. Thank you. Willard has NEVER stepped out into the real world–he simply has no idea what life is like for people. Rich men have run for and served as president before, but never one this clueless.
Melissa – Romney’s living off the carcasses of the companies he bankrupted, putting so many families into harm’s way and forcing them to seek government assistance. They paid into their pensions and Medicare, Social Security, etc. He already took away their pensions to fund his lifestyle, and now is running to take away their government services – even though they paid into them! He’s a parasite of the worst order. He’s not contributed a thing to building this country – he has only taken. He even invests his money overseas to avoid paying a penny in taxes. And he then so arrogantly despises and derides his fellow Americans – lumping them all into “Obama supporters”, working to divide the country.
I am just as angry as you. He’s despicable. November 6 can’t come soon enough.
Good Morning TOD,
I home today with an upset stomach. Yes Mr. Romney you make me sick!! 😦
I know the feeling but I hope you take good care and get better soon!
I know this is probably TMI but as long as I am within 20ft of the bathroom I seem to be okay. 😉 Hopefully its just a stomach virus and I’ll be good as new tomorrow.
Ah Donna – no!!! You’re the third TODer in two days with a bug like this, I hope you’re not catching it from the blog 😕 Take care of yourself.
OMG I’ve got the TOD fever! Whatever shall I do. Be brave Donna, Be brave 😆
GM Donna…i’m home today as well…not feeling my best…sipping on coffee…
I hope you feel better soon PF58. Take care today.
Feel better, Donna and Prettyfoot. That bug was going around our office last week, too.
Oh noes. There’s a lot of this going around. My advice would be to stay away from the news!!
Take care of yourself today, Donna. Gets lots of rest and be better. You’re one of the great fighters in our battle to re-elect the president and you need to gather your strength and rest your spirit for the days ahead.
Donna you take care of yourself and be well soon! Today is actually not a bad day to be sick in our neck of the woods. I see there’s a potential for some very nasty weather this afternoon with damaging winds, rain etc during rush hr!
Thanks HF2! I’m glad I won’t have to deal with that today.
GM Donna. HOPE you feel better soon.
Thanks JB. How are you feeling? Did I read not long ago that your were bedridden???
Sorry to hear you are not well, but as an addict myself Chips’ comment above did put an idea in my head. Are all you sick TODobots absolutely sure you didn’t just want to be home so you could keep a CLOSER EYE on the political developments? 😉 Take care now {not heartless}.
,
get well soon Donna, take good care of yourself & rest… I believe Africa was sick the last couple of days too ~ so obviously this is contagious 😉 we’ll take care of the beast known as Romney today, so no worries~
Ha!
OMG, the State Dept will have to be working double time to stop this Romeny disaster.
wow! Romney is an absolute fool. His greed and callowness is only exceeded by his stupidity. Yesterday’s comments went viral (globally). God knows how the world will react after the latest revelations.
I’m very concerned about the reaction in the Arab world to his comments on the palestinians. God, another round of angry protests. Romney is much more than a bad candidate; he’s a very DANGEROUS one. The damage his remarks will cause…
If he wasn’t already disqualified to become President, this will seal the deal. The man would have absolutely NO credibility on the international scene. And he would be despised EVEN MORE than Bush.
I heard the Palestinians were highly offended, and told Romney he can’t speak to their intentions, and he should stick to “telling the truth, for once”. Everyone knows he’s a liar. And the world will not follow him – or a country that picks him to be its leader.
Now the Today Show is helpfully showing Trump’s video which was scheduled but never aired at the Repub convention—–isn’t that nice of them?—with the big “surprise” ending where Trump yells at Obama, “You’re Fired!” Now giving Trump more air time with phone interview with Matt Lauer. Why???
Thanks dotster for the info, I haven’t watched Today Show & won’t, looking #FORWARD to John Stewart tonight. Good Morning Chips and everyone else!
NBC is constantly shoving Trump down everyone’s throat. Is that the same network for The Apprentice or whatever his show is called?
The media doesn’t yet want to admit to a landslide for PBO – they will show anything to help in this regard – but it will not work for very long – Mitt is the worst candidate for many years with a disaster happening every other day.
Because new seasons of television shows are going to begin to air, include, I should imagine, Trump’s reality garbage.
Is r-money campaign dead yet ? Can we baptize it ?
via a tweet.
LOL! A Mormon baptism for the GOP?! How fitting.
It’s like ‘Ewwwww, those people—-who don’t live in gated communities—–or summer at their beach residence.
Idea copied!
YESSSS!!!!
A visual that says it all. Retweeted!
Scarborough also on Today with a pretty dismal assessment of the Romney campaign. I did hear him say earlier that Romney can still come back if he “flattens” Obama in the 3 debates. That was hilarious!
Funniest thing I’ve heard all month! Deer-in-the-headlights Mitt vs. No Drama Obama. Not even a fair fight.
As the President said in the last campaign “I like to think about what I’m going to say BEFORE I say it.”
The Mittster panics and spouts off.
I’ve never liked campaign debates but the upcoming ones should be very entertaining. For democrats.
Let’s spread this theme like wildfire!!
That’s brilliant!
Good Morning..
This story on Huff Puff has almost 85,000 comments.
Feelings… Nothing more than Feelings… Whoa whoa whoa Feelings…
Good morning.
Are you auditioning for the TOD Talent Show 2012? Cool.
TOD Talent Show 2012? Oh, dear. I’d better think of something……….{{pacing}}
Girl, just cook one of those delicious desserts of yours and do a little dance around the table and you’ll win hands down!! 🙂
http://pastrystudio.blogspot.com/
Not sure about the dancing part (PBO and I are from the same dance tribe), but OK! LOLz.
“the same dance tribe” lol.. meta I’m in that tribe too 😉
DEFINITELY!
David Brooks – the GOP dinosaur at the NYT lays waste to Mitt Romney.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/18/opinion/brooks-thurston-howell-romney.html?_r=1&hp&gwh=18D961209B7F09D6BEA46A1522F10271
Ladies and gentlemen for today’s moment of cuteness:
I’m loving this.
This article did discuss the class warfare irony.
http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/ballot-2012/2012/09/18/mitt-romney-unplugged-frank-fundraising-remarks-stir-up-campaign
They weren’t “frank” comments, they were derisive and insulting. The media continues to use their thesaurus in order to come up with softer ways to label Mitt’s actions as anything but what they really are – vile.
A little OT. Chips someone was looking for a video of FLOTUS yesterday at the girl’s school dancing. Here is a link which has a video of FLOTUS and the girls singing and dancing. It is a little muffled.
http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=news
SO sweet and cute! Thanks, COS! Here’s a direct link to the video itself:
http://video.gainesville.com/video/1845997433001
And thank you too! I think my kids will be thrilled. Maybe we can do it ‘with’ her!
Love it COS, thank you!!!
I love this. It reminds so much of Eleanor Roosevelt, who so loved the people.
That was me! Thank you so much! I will be sharing with my second graders tomorrow!
I see Soledad O’Brien must have been influenced by some rt.wing talking point as twitter peeps are criticizing her for trying to make the “both sides” case—–SIGH!—–re.Obama saying that some people cling to their guns and religion and vote against their economic self-interests. The BIG DIFF is that Obama was urging supporters to reach out to those voters, to include them as his policies would help them, while Romney was haughtily dismissing half the country. Best explained here:
http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2012/09/real-romney-is-a-sneering-plutocrat.html
Mrs. Greenspan did the same thing yesterday. I figured they would try and pull PBO into this, without telling the whole story about what he said.
I know the MSM will try to use this as an opportunity to rehash the “guns & religion” comments of 2008, but we need to remind them that this is the 2012 Presidential campaign, not the 2008 DEM primary campaign. We’re not going back, we’re moving FORWARD. And there are more important things on voters minds, like what is Romney’s vision for this country, and why hasn’t he released his tax returns.
She did take Bay Buchanan to the mat earlier….
The Obama campaign on Monday tried to raise expectations for Mitt Romney’s performance in this fall’s presidential debates, labeling them “make or break” for the Republican nominee.
Jennifer Psaki, the traveling press secretary for Obama’s reelection campaign, noted that the president had not participated in debates in four years, while Romney had been in about 20 in the past 12 months or so because of the Republican primary. For Romney, the debates represent a “make-or-break” moment, Psaki said.
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/249839-obama-spokeswoman-says-debates-will-be-make-or-break
I love Jen Psaki.
That is all!
Good question – that smirk is an absolute disaster. His eyes are lifeless – and if you cover his mouth, you can’t even tell that he’s smiling.
G’day! Pinning on my Obama-bling… Have a really great day! 🙂
Sam Stein of Huff n Puff is a dirty tool.
The man is a pervo. I wonder how that jives with the christian right’s family values.
He really is a moron.
so really as President, Romney plans to do absolutely nothing- the 47% of Americans are unsaveable… the ME is unsaveable.. so he apparently plans to put all his efforts to ending everything POTUS Obama has accomplished.. and make life much easier for the one percent.. other than that.. nada. He’s a true POS. And FYI- no one has mentioned that crap He & his rich pals said about POTUS being “corrupt”.. nor the fact that POTUS won election by more than 47% of the votes. I started working at age 12, started paying taxes at age 16.. and only live now on social security because a ONE PERCENTER Doctor nearly killed me during a botched operation.. but I’m nothing more than a moocher to the likes of Romney because I voted for President Obama. Seriously F&(K him, his horse & his nasty wife.
Yes – I caught that comment about President Obama being corrupt and was fuming. We need Keith Olberman: Mitt Romney is one of the worst persons in the world. All those who think he’s pretending, better think twice. If he ever becomes the most powerful man in the world, it will be extremely dangerous for everybody – rich and poor alike. He’s got no moral barometer. His god is money.
Further Thoughts about Romney.
What I found gobsmacking about the tapes is how invisible the wait staff was to all those rich people – they just talked about all this damaging stuff so freely. Now I am sure that people have to sign confidentiality agreements to work those events (and I am not suggesting that a person working the dinner had anything to do with video necessarily) but what it revealed was an almost Victorian attitude to the servants – ‘those people’ are inconsequential/invisible. Sooner or later, attitudes like Romney’s and his friends ( who can forget ‘the nails ladies’) are what make leaks like the video possible. How long before the tax returns are leaked … I am convinced that something far worse is going to be revealed about Romney and from sources other than the person connected to the video. It reminds me of the film ‘Angels and Insects’. The servants get their revenge in the end.
Great points, i.e. the servants’ revenge. Quite possible.
Donald Trump said Tuesday that Mitt Romney shouldn’t apologize for his remarks dismissing nearly half of Americans as dependent on government and out of the reach of his campaign, adding “what [Romney] said is probably what he means.”
“He has to not apologize, I think we’ve seen enough apologizing already,” Trump said on NBC’s “Today.” “He can not apologize. What he said is probably what he means, and he did say ‘inartfully stated.’ The fact is he can not apologize, he is going for those independents. He won’t get the votes of a lot of people he’s discussing, and if you’re not going to get the votes, let’s go on with it.”
–
The Billionaires Club 2!
Sorry guys, but for once I agree with Donald T – at least with what’s shared here. Romney has said what he means and it’s pointless to ask him to apologize so as to provide an excuse for the pundits et al to use in discussion
Hopefruit, what did Sam Stein say ?
I posted his tweet (above). He said that two weeks from now, this story of Romney and the video tape will fade, the race will be close, and the story line will be: “Why can’t Obama put Romney away?”
Thanks. Yes, what an idiot – good for you for the pushback.
11:15: Jay Carney briefs reporters at the White House.
11:30: VP Biden delivers remarks at a campaign event at the Bridge View Center in Ottumwa, IA.
1:10: President welcomes the WNBA Champion Minnesota Lynx to the White House.
3:00: VP Biden delivers remarks at a campaign event at Grinnell College in Grinnell, IA.
4:40: President Obama tapes an interview for the “Late Show with David Letterman” at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York, NY.
7:40: President Obama delivers remarks at a campaign event at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York, NY.
9:45: President Obama delivers remarks at a campaign event at the 40/40 Club in New York, NY.
Not sure if PBO’s speeches will be televised, trying to find out
Oh boy, Letterman is going to have some fun.
Methinks it will be spectacular, Meta 🙂
Jay Z, Beyonce!
And Jovie! That’s sounds like a tuneful trio! 🙂
Good morning Chips and TOD. This latest Mitt video seems to have everyone’s attention. My sons sent me texts about it last night and they know how big a deal it is.
Yes, as mentioned above, there will be comparisons to the “cling to guns and God” remakrs made by PBO in 2008. So be prepared to hear that from people. However, there is a simple response. PBO was empathisizing with the people he was talking about, speaking about how people turn to things they are comfortable with when times are hard. He was NOT denigrating them.
Romney was speaking with disdain about 47% of the people of this country.
Big difference.
Agreed. I’ ll add that , sales of guns have risen, rethug campaigning full of references to God. They have provided proof of the truth of PBO’s statement
.
Not to mention that Santorum said “thank God that we cling to our guns and religion”. You don’t hear any of the 47% saying “thank God Romney thinks so little of us” – even though many in that 47% are the GOP base…
Picture of which states have the most/least people who pay no fed income tax – from the tax foundation who documented the 47%
The entire south…how fitting.
Good one to retweet:
More details…http://thinkprogress.org/security/2012/09/18/863951/romney-fundraiser-middle-east-peace/
Here’s Why Mitt’s 100% Wrong on the 47%
by David Frum
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/09/18/here-s-why-mitt-s-100-wrong-on-the-47.html
To repeat…Romney bought a sweatshop…..
http://bobcesca.com/blog-archives/2012/09/about-that-chinese-sweatshop-in-the-romney-video.html
The Real Romney Captured on Tape Turns Out to Be a Sneering Plutocrat
http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2012/09/real-romney-is-a-sneering-plutocrat.html
Yup. That’s the word of the day; “Sneering Plutocrat.”
Just perfect, UT.
http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/poll-38-percent-say-they-are-less-likely
Poll: 38 Percent Say They Are Less Likely To Support Romney Due To Time At Bain
I would like to have a campaign button that says, “I pay a higher tax rate than Mitt.” Vote Obama/Biden.
Good morning all you TODdies!!!! It’s a chilly but great getting up day in O city right now. I’ve gotta scramble and get my houseplants inside. It was in the 40’s here last nite and the forecast is 43 for tonight. Brrrr and it’s still September. Anyhoo, it’s an interesting political landscape today and Stephenie Cutter was very good in pointing out the difference between PBO’s clinging to guns statement and what Mitt said. She said they were very opposite messages. PBO was saying he understood the frustrations and when things are bad people will cling to the stuff that makes them feel safe and secure. Mitt is saying F ’em. ( she didn’t say F ’em, I took literary license).
My political take today is Mitt’s clinging to his guns and the WRNJ are giving him a high five for it. They think it’s about time he came on gang busters. They’re not thinking about their own parents, their neighbor, or even themselves who are in the 47% he’s called lazy. It’ll be crazy when it dawns on them that he’s lumped them in with the lazy, good for nothing, welfare grabbing, shiftless, non-bootstrap pulling, others. Then again, it’ll never dawn on them, that’s why he said it and they applaud it.
True, some will never awaken, so we need not again say they are voting against their own best interests, as their “best interest” is to get the black man out of the white house. They would deny food to their starving kids to punish that uppity negro who thought he should be president. My take and I’m sticking with it 😀
Wow, I’m happily surprised about this. Proof that the loudest voices don’t necessarily represent the majority.
As much as I disliked the ending of the movie ‘The Dead Zone’, everytime I see Romney do this absolute BS I think about it. What kind of a man would he be as a leader. Scary….
TODers, check your email. PBO and OFA asking us to volunteer on Election Day.
Peter Harts Focus groups are questionable, he makes the Race a referendum on the President, with his questions.
I question His motives!
Yes we were discussing it here yesterday. The focus group was clearly agenda-driven, and Donna Dem and I called out the ABC gossip (Amy Walter) covering the group, and who calls herself a journalist.
30,000 wows – I’ve just noticed that you’ve helped the TOD fundraiser reach its target:
https://donate.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/2012/theobamadiary
Thanks a trillion, gazillion everyone! 😉
You are a major star Obama bundler!
Isn’t it amazing? Do you remember what your first goal amount was?
Probaly $100 Claire! Incredible donating from everyone, and to all the other TOD fundraisers – thank you again people, you’re the best.
Hard work pays off. You have worked so hard to make this a wonderful place for Obama supporters and the donations show how hard you have worked for the Obama campaign. I always feel good when I donate to your fundraiser because I love TOD and so appreciate your management of this blog. You are the BEST!
Congratsssssssssssss…..!!!
Hey Chips! Congrats! I know all of us that contributed are thrilled that you met your goal! You are da woman!
Make that all of us are thrilled that you met your goal!
Thank YOU Dakota, it would still be at $23 if it wasn’t for YOU PEOPLE! 🙂
Congratulations Chips, on your incredible fundraising accomplishment!!
Congratulations!!! Chips you’re a marvel.. well done to all of TOD.. I can say this: WE Rock 😉
Yes we do sherijr! We’re actually rather awesome 😆
thanks very much to you & your creation of love here at TOD- we are indeed quite awesome Ms. Chips 🙂 🙂
amen! your devotion to the campaign is a real gift to the nation, dear chips.
I would be curious to know how much money TODers raised collectively via this blog. I bet it would be close to $60K
Hello TOD’ers, new to the site….well just new to commenting, i visit daily. I’m 24 (youngin’ on here?) and a proud Obama supporter (clearly). 🙂
Anyway, the one thing i love about the Mittster saying what he said, is that he has ZERO ways of reversing it, there’s absolutely nothing he can come up with to justify it. I can’t wait until he get asked about this in the debates. Yeahhhh buddy! MUST SEE TV!
Obama/Biden 2012
#Forward
“I’m 24 (youngin’ on here?)”
Oi, cheeky! 😆
Welcome ObamaBoy, great to have to here, thanks so much for commenting.
YES, indeed!!
I echo Chips. And bring some of your “youngin” friends along 😀
Welcome, youngblood:) Glad you’re here!
Welcome and do comment often. We’re all youngins’ at heart in TODville.
lol…YES we are….altho i go to bed early and use my antiwrinkle and firming cream…every night….hahahahahahah
Anti wringle cream? I use a sand blaster and rubber bands, with a weekly wipe down of bleach straight from the bottle.
lololololol…oHHHH MYYY Gooooodnessss… 😆
lolololol
http://www.businessinsider.com/mitt-romney-47-percent-no-income-tax-map-red-republican-states-2012-9
Tweeters should Tweet:)
http://www.businessinsider.com/romney-comments-reveal-republican-party-2012-9
I’ve lamented in the past about how frustrating it is that, thanks to the increasing social extremism of one of our two mainstream parties, I can’t vote for a fiscal conservative without also supporting Religious Aggressives. Conservatives are supposed to advocate limited government and freedom, not a government so pervasive that it strips away choice and legislates a particular view of morality (e.g., eliminating choice, limiting “marriage” to a man and a woman). But today’s Republican party has become anti-freedom and pro-big-government in some important respects. And that’s frustrating.
And now Romney’s remarks have revealed another frustrating problem with today’s Republican ideology, one that further marginalizes the party and makes it less likely that a reasonable Republican candidate will ever win the Presidency.
In a brutal New York Times column entitled “Thurston Howell Romney,” the conservative columnist David Brooks calls out this issue:
In 1987, during Ronald Reagan’s second term, 62 percent of Republicans believed that the government has a responsibility to help those who can’t help themselves. Now, according to the Pew Research Center, only 40 percent of Republicans believe that.
snip/
If today’s mainstream Republicans really believe that 47% of Americans fall below the threshold necessary to pay federal income tax because they refuse “to take personal responsibility and care for their lives,” the party is in serious trouble.
There are lots of jobs in this country that need doing that pay wages low enough that the people who do them won’t pay much federal income tax. Entry level jobs across many industries, for example. Retail jobs, local service jobs, education jobs. Most of the people who do these jobs are taking full responsibility for themselves. They’re also doing necessary work, working hard, and, in many cases, being successful.
But to listen to Romney, and many of today’s Republicans, these 100+ million Americans are just worthless freeloaders.
Conservatives are supposed to advocate limited government
*****************************
i think this has always been a myth….
look at Wall Street….look at the tax codes for example….our government is tilted to benefit the wealthy…always has been…
what they have been able to do is channel that hatred…bigotry and resentment towards people of color…poor and women… into a political force…
to drive a wedge between natural allies…and to blind these same forces to the manipulation of “Powers that Be”
BINGO! this is how Mitt Win. (what they have been able to do is channel that hatred…bigotry and resentment towards people of color…poor and women… into a political force) If blacks and young people don’t get out to vote Obama will lose. I hear mostly white democratic some who are close to me, we work together for years always vote democratic who is not racist but scary of the black man, plus they talk about a race war if Obama is re-elected. They want thing to go back to being normal between the two race.
They fear the republican will start a race war, so they are on the fence.
On what planet are the people you are describing NOT racist? Fear of a person due to his race and talk of impending race war would lead me to think “this guy may be a racist”. Which side will your friends by fighting on when this “race war” starts? THese people you are describing certainly did not vote for PBO in 2008 and PBO won. Some people are not reachable, what ever the reason. You seem kind of bullish about Mitt considering how badly the past month has been to him (both gaffe and poll wise).
What does it mean “they want things to go back to normal between the two races”. There is no normal – unless you’re talking about the superiority complex held by many of those who are calling for a race war. It’s not normal to consider one group less than yourself, simply because they have a different skin color or place of origin. That’s not normal. It’s racist. Pure and simple.
I like that term: “Religious Aggressives.” Perfect description of these knuckledraggers.
The author is still delusional in thinking that republicans have ever been fiscal conservatives, but whatever…
Has this been posted already?
Intrade:
President Obama 67.4%
Romney 32.5%
XtineTrade:
President Obama 100%
Romney: 0%
HopeTrade
President Obama: 100%
Romney: -2%
😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 I read that quickly and said “HUH?!?!”
I’m loving these TODTrades!!
😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆
Hey Chips, HF, maybe put out these TODTrades every day or week and by October 30, Willard will be negative-100%! 🙂
Bonjour mes amis
I am in France and so thankful for this lifeline to the campaign. As horrifying as Robme’s proclamations (not in the least surprising), it is good to read about them in the TOD community where they are surrounded by love for POTUS VPOTUS FLOTUS ane Dr. Jill
Also, in the EU everyone I meet loves PBO so I don’t have to watch what I say for fear of being attacked as a “screaming liberal.” Feel like I’ve been waiting to exhale.
Bonjour Susan, Comment t’allez vous? Is that right? Took 4 years French in high school, studied 8 weeks there, and what you just read, is all that I know. LOL money well spent.
Bonjour, CookeMom
I can speak only the least little bit…of French. Didn’t study at all, but I do love it here where I visit friends and limp along at the marche’ buying things I hope are edible! No matter the cost, I’m sure your 8 weeks of study there returned a lifetime of memories. How lucky you were.
Je m’appelle mitt romney . 🙂
You’re bad… 🙂
Bonjour Susan, it is always a pleasure to get an overseas perspective. Keep on posting!
Congratulations Chips Chica for busting through your fundraising goal of $30,000.00. What a phenomenal feat. I just totaled the entire The Obama Diary Fundraising Team and we have collectively raised a whopping $76,736.00 for the Presidents reelection. Booyah!!!!!!!!!!!
Congratulations to all the fundraisers and to those who have contributed 🙂
$76,736? 😯 That’s phenomenal Donna, we’re a fired up bunch! Keep up YOUR amazing work, you’re an inspiration!!
Wow, that’s amazing!! Outstanding work! Thank you to all of the TOD fundraisers!
Stingy TOD’ers. 🙂
😆 😆 What part of the planet are you on amk, did you get home? (And did you remember to bring the dresses with you?)?
Still in burt sert land but abut 100 klicks away from Nairobi where the innernetz speed truly sux.
And I am about to start on my g&t. You peeps don’t know how lucky you are. 🙂
Your life is way too much fun amk. Am I resentful? Damn right I am.
Irish ‘Green’ speaking ?
Yes, permanently envious 🙂
Wowwwwwwwww……we are truly greater together than alone….YeeeeeeeeeeeeHAAAAAA!
Fantastique!
You rock Chips and the entire TOD fundraising team.
It’s an exceptional team Susan!!
WOW! I mean, WOW! Astonishing folks out there who have donated so much to help our POTUS. Humbled, happy. TODers are FIERCE!!
Magnificent, even with my couple of 2 cents here and there 😀
holy smokes- that really is amazing… so proud of TOD!!
That is OUTSTANDING fellow TOD’ers. Well done and thanks to our fearless leader Chipsticks, who works so hard for us.
WOW just wow. lolol I just got a chance to read Chips’s post and thought about how much was raised collectively. My gut said $80K but scaled back and said $60K.
How cool are ya’ll?
PPP polls some really stupid things. mcccain was not elected. end of story.
Good morning,Chips: sorry, I got carried away up there and did not tell my favorite person good morning.
I am so sick of this fool hiding his tax returns and the media not pushing him to do it. While everyone including that Donald Frump was badgering our President for his birth certificate. Why is that idiot on any talk show this morining? Is he Mitt’s spokesperson or something.
We must not let up on lying Mitt to show his tax returns since he says we do not pay federal taxes.
The 47% should send him a copy and make him pay for the postage, we just might help save another Post Office from closing down.
I am joyful but also mad as hell that the media is taking this so lightly.
I will continue working hard to get our Presideint re-elected. I do not trust the repugs and their media.
Fascinating read on how the 47% video eventually came to light:
https://twitter.com/NJedwina/status/248069859311751169
Well, hullo there Ms Chips, and TODsters. Have finally returned from my travels, i.e good ole US of A, England,Olympics, Paralympics,visiting friends, celebrating 50 years of Trinidad and Tobago’s Independence etc.etc. All in all,I had a fantabulous time, but still managed to lurk when I could, to keep up with you fierce loyalists. Of course I am now getting back on track with my routines, which follows that my input will also hit the pages soon.Great to be back.
Welcome back ladyjazzfromtrinidad, what a trip, it sounds stunning!!! Hope you had a blissful time, great to have you home!!!
Mother Nature is pissed off at Romney.
Shoot….don’t you know Mother Nature is the Queen Bee of the 47%?!?!
Jay Carney’s press briefing starts at 11:15 ET:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
Barbara Walters is defending Romney on The View, saying everything he said was true. So is Sheri, unbelievably, saying he was talking to his millionaire peeps, so…….who cares. Elizabeth was the most outrageous and said Willard just wants people to be free!!!!!!!——-and that there are so many people who are becoming dependent on the government that next year we will be celebrating Dependence Day rather than Independence Day!!!!!!!! Oh, the stupid. Only Whoopi inserted some facts, pointing out that the states where the referenced 47% live are red Repub states. No one seemed to care about that fact. But that show is just an insult! Wowee—-kazowie!
All the hosts on the view are in the 1% category, therefore they do not empathise, he was not talking about them. This is the same show that allowed Trump to come on and question the President’s birthcertificate. These people are paid to talk. I never watch their gable gable.
This about says it all. Whoopi has known bad to the bone poverty first hand. The others not so so much. They are right in tune with Mitt’s comment.
Sherri would say, not too fast. Just saying.
Is Joy Behar still on that show? I’m surprised she wouldn’t have pushed back on that stuff.
oh brother……I did not even know that sorry show was still on.
It’s way too popular so it won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.
Popular means jacksquat in terms of driving political narratives. These 1%ers aren’t going to decide the voters’ minds. They all squawk for one day and move on to the next shning object the next day. Voters can’t and won’t.
Exactly. Popular and influential are two different things.
Sheri blows back and forth with the wind, she doesn’t have a mind of her own. How did Joy responded? I can’t stand Elizabeth.
Joy and Whoopi would Not spout such idiocy.
Isn’t Sheri the one who argued that the world was still flat? I don’t know how she manages to keep herself alive and upright on a daily basis.
Oh Mitt.
https://twitter.com/NJedwina/status/248083449511026688
Happening Now: VP Biden speaking in Iowa: http://www.cnn.com/video/flashLive/live.html?stream=1
Thank you JER!!!
VP Biden live now:
http://edition.cnn.com/video/flashLive/live.html?stream=4
Hi Chips,
Full video to be released today by Mother Jones:
http://t.co/xlj8AtFQ
Should you think it helpful, the little item I posted last night can certainly be shared.
#FORWARD
Thanks Bob! I had to check out early last night, have you a link to that ‘little item’?? Thanks again.
Hope you had a good and much deserved rest, Chips.
http://theobamadiary.com/2012/09/17/its-going-to-get-extraordinarily-dirty-extraordinarily-fast/#comment-492180
Brilliant.
This is the kinda positive news (and all the negative of news of rethugs) we all TOD’ers should be highlighting
I am picturing President Obama’s face and tone when this happened:
“Netanyahu has repeatedly called for Obama to declare his “red lines,” or, in other words, to put his cards on the table when it comes to Iran. In an hour-long phone call on Tuesday, Obama responded THAT HE INTENDED TO DO NO SUCH THING.”
Netanyahu has no shame. President Obama helped him save the lives of Israelis when trapped last year. He went to the UN to warn them that he would veto any action by the Palestinians to unilaterally call for a vote for statehood. He’s helped to fund and build the “Iron Dome” that stopped many of the missiles launched at the Israelis. I am not surprised that the Israelis are waking up to the fact that Netanyahu is not looking out for their interests – he’s cut from the same cloth as Cheney and Romney.
Isn’t our WHPC pathetic? Absolutely pathetic? What is wrong with them? They’re almost a comedy show. I tried to watch a little of Carney, but when he got the 5th or 6th question along the lines of “Does President Obama regret what he said about people clininging to his guns and religion?” and “Did President Obama learn his lesson after disparaging the people who cling to their guns and religion?” etc. etc. etc. It was all about President Obama’s statements from 4 years ago. It was outrageous. Something is definitely wrong with our news media. It’s beyond preposterous.
They were pretty desperate to elevate that false equivalency, weren’t they? They need Romney off the hook for this, but their silliness isn’t going to accomplish the desired effect. Romney offended people in this campaign, so saying that candidate Obama did the same thing 4 years ago doesn’t fix that. Sad, sad attempts for a sad, sad candidate.
If I were Jay Carney, I would tell him that the American people made their judgments about the “guns and religions” comment since November 4, 2008. Maybe it’s time for the media to move on…
The “guns and religion” crowd have lived up to the charge by actually clinging to their guns and religion… Gun sales soared to the level where they had a bullet shortage. The GOP have become the American Taliban and want to run the country (and the world) based on their twisted version of Christianity, and to declare the country a “Christian nation” – in word at least, if not in deed. They are who President Obama said they were.
wow. been watching some of the jay carney press gaggle for the first time in a long time. can’t believe how pathetic 95% of the questioners are! mittbot makes crazy statements, so naturally the majority of the questions are negative toward president obama about out of context comments from 4 years ago?!? they turn mittbot’s comments into a negative for president obama and positive for mittbot. so, so weird.
and holy moley…just saw (outside of the photo) and heard mark knoller for the first time…yowzers! the guy has a face for radio, voice for print, and brain for…well, nothing.
They ask such dumb questions. That’s why I hate watching the press briefings.
How did Jay answer? I hope he quelled some of these questions and showed some disdain for the way they are trying to turn a major, major mistake (more than one actually) by Romney against our President. This is really ridiculous.
And they wonder why PBO goes outside of their range for a press conference. They have earned the right to be ignored.
They should be ashamed. Romney’s video covered the American people, Palestinians and the pursuit of peace, Iran and advice to them on how to threaten the US with a dirty b*mb, the merits of China slave workers. And that is held to an equivalent level as President Obama making a true statement about a group of people who have proudly shot up the country and become the American Taliban? This country is in serious trouble with this media.
Yeah, Mark Knoller was so whiney when he asked that question. The President doesn’t hate 98% of the American people, so he’s never going to be caught on tape making statements that reveal any kind of disdain for Americans.
And we are freely expressing our outrage at romney’s fundraiser comments.
https://twitter.com/RedRoadRail/status/248097593396170752
AMK, seems that page was removed? Or something?
yeah looks it. Probably deleted by OP.
Wowzers!
Hi meta,
This is Chuck Todd here. This is a statistical tie, and in light of Obama’s recent comments about guns and religion, you can expect to see movement away from President Obama and to Romney in the coming weeks….It’s a win-win for the Romney camp.
Love,
Chuck
Who let Chuckie Toad in here? Chips, you got some splainin to do!
hahahahaha,,,,
Hey, hopefruit! Chuck can cluck and duck but he is …….well, you know.
hahaha!! too funny, hope!!
Those are wicked cool!
Oh – I like those!
New post everyone:
http://theobamadiary.com/2012/09/18/heads-up-minnesota-lynx-in-the-house/