President Barack Obama walks with Chief of Staff Jack Lew during a break from debate preparations in Williamsburg, Va., Oct. 14 (Pete Souza)
A line of people waiting to see first lady Michelle Obama snakes through the campus of Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio, Oct. 15 (AP/Andrew Welsh-Huggins)
Ohio Wesleyan University, October 15 (Jewel Samad/AFP/GettyImages)
(Pool/Getty Images)
(AP Photo/Pool-Shannon Stapleton)
Salt Lake Tribune: …. From his embrace of the party’s radical right wing, to subsequent portrayals of himself as a moderate champion of the middle class, Romney has raised the most frequently asked question of the campaign: “Who is this guy, really, and what in the world does he truly believe?”
The evidence suggests no clear answer, or at least one that would survive Romney’s next speech or sound bite. Politicians routinely tailor their words to suit an audience. Romney, though, is shameless, lavishing vastly diverse audiences with words, any words, they would trade their votes to hear.
…. If this portrait of a Romney willing to say anything to get elected seems harsh, we need only revisit his branding of 47 percent of Americans as freeloaders who pay no taxes….
…. our endorsement must go to the incumbent, a competent leader who, against tough odds, has guided the country through catastrophe and set a course that, while rocky, is pointing toward a brighter day. The president has earned a second term. Romney, in whatever guise, does not deserve a first.
Full endorsement here
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Two-year-old Sacha Marzett waits in line to attend a campaign rally with her mother Lazette Marzett and friend Catherine Ignacio at George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia (Chip Somodevilla/Getty)
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Tampa Bay Times: Four years ago, Barack Obama offered an inspiring message of hope and change to an uneasy nation bogged down in two wars and facing economic collapse. The rosy idealism quickly gave way to the harsh realities of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. The recovery has proven more difficult than anyone imagined. But conditions would be far worse without the president’s steady leadership. This is not the time to reverse course and return to the failed policies of the past. Without hesitation, the Tampa Bay Times recommends Barack Obama for re-election as president.
…. We wish the economic recovery was more vigorous, and we would like the president to present a sharper vision for a second term. But Obama has capably steered the nation through an incredibly difficult period at home and abroad, often with little help from Congress. The next four years will not be easy for whoever occupies the Oval Office, but Obama has been tested by harsh circumstance and proven himself worthy of a second term.
For president of the United States, the Tampa Bay Times recommends Barack Obama.
Full endorsement here
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George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia (Chip Somodevilla/Getty)
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An Obama campaign volunteer high-fives people waiting in line for President Obama’s rally at George Mason University (Chip Somodevilla/Getty)
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Two-year-old Sacha Marzett waits in line to attend a campaign rally with her mother Lazette Marzett and friend Catherine Ignacio at George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia (Chip Somodevilla/Getty)
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11:45: President Obama speaks at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va.
Livestream * C-Span * CBS 1 * CBS 2 * CNN
@OFA_VA: Great crowd here at George Mason to see @BarackObama. #ForwardVA
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At the same time:
11:45: VP Biden speaks at a campaign event at the Sun City Community Center (C-Span)
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Later:
2:0: Michelle Obama speaks at a campaign event in Racine, Wisconsin (listed by CNN and CBS)
3:30: VP Biden speaks at a campaign event at Lincoln Park High School
5:15: Michelle Obama speaks at a campaign event at the University of Wisconsin-Wausau (listed by CNN)
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@OFA_VA: Some of these folks have been out here since 9PM last night. Excited? We think so.
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George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, Oct 5
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Paul Krugman: …. Today’s full-scale freakout over a decent jobs report is a sight to behold …. it’s ridiculous to imagine that the Obama administration could arrange (on short notice, no less) to cook the jobs numbers. The sheer logistics would be impossible, plus these are civil servants who have to live under both parties.
…. The thing is, although such antics are funny in a way, they’re also menacing. By attacking anyone who presents awkward facts, the right exerts an intimidating effect. It won’t get the BLS to retract today’s jobs report, but it might bully news organizations into avoiding objective economic analysis, and maybe even into blurring their reporting right now.
So this is crazy and stupid; but it’s also scary.
More here
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Steve Benen: The death of a talking point
If I had a nickel for every time Mitt Romney has said the unemployment rate has been above 8% throughout the Obama presidency, I’d have, well, nearly as much money as Mitt Romney.
Today, however, the talking point died. The unemployment rate fell unexpectedly, dropping from 8.1% to 7.8%.
Full post here
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BuzzFeed: Romney Misstates Reason For Unemployment Rate Drop:
“The reason it’s come down this year is primarily due to the fact that more and more people have just stopped looking for work.”
But the labor force has actually grown since the start of the year….
More here
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Greg Sargent: Mitt Romney’s selection of Paul Ryan as his vice presidential nominee has drawn national attention to Ryan’s Medicare plan. One measure of this: Rob Zerban, the Democrat challenging Ryan for his House seat in Wisconsin, has been able to raise some $770,000 for his race — outraising Ryan himself.
According to the Zerban campaign, 84 percent of his contributions come from outside Wisconsin, underscoring the intensity of feeling among Democrats nationally towards Ryan and his plan.
In this context, the new ad that Zerban is set to run against Ryan is worth watching….
More here
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Scout Tufankjian for Obama for America
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Next:
2:30: President Obama delivers remarks at Cleveland State University in Ohio
Livestream * C-Span * CBS 1 * CBS 2 * CNN
Streaming has started at CBS
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Later:
2:30: President Obama delivers remarks at Cleveland State University in Ohio
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President Barack Obama meets with John and Nicole Armstrong, along with their twin children, in the family’s backyard to discuss Recovery Act investments in Fairfax, Virginia, on September 13
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