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President Wins Endorsement From Winston-Salem Journal
Here’s a great piece by Nathaniel Downes:
There are certain rules in the universe. The sun rises in the east, the moon controls the tides, Seattle can’t keep an NBA team…. and the Winston-Salem Journal endorses the Republican candidate for President of the United States.
Today, the universe just shifted, with the Winston-Salem Journal‘s glowing endorsement of President Obama in his re-election bid. From foreign policy to the economy, the Journal finds Obama the better candidate. They find him strong on defense, capable on education, wise on healthcare. They find Romney weak, inconsistent, and dismissive of the population at large.
In North Carolina? Wow! I’m impressed.
Related articles
- Republicans Flocking To Obama – President Wins Endorsement From Winston-Salem Journal (addictinginfo.org)
- Winston-Salem Journal endorsing Barack Obama for 2012 election (myfox8.com)
- Your Morning Addiction: Post-Debate LMAO Edition (addictinginfo.org)
- Rockingham commissioner, immigrant activist disagree on ‘joke’ (journalnow.com)
Today there will be debate evaluations everywhere…
There is general feeling on the television news shows that Romney scored last night, primarily by not screwing up. However, I agree with reporter Michelle Goldberg said in The Daily Beast:
“Romney lied brazenly about everything—notably on taxes—yet over and over again an honest but listless and meandering Obama failed to effectively challenge him.”
The fact that Obama didn’t call him on his lies, that he never hit on the 47% comments… well Goldberg sums it up thusly:
“Perhaps Obama, feeling comfortable in his lead, didn’t want to get down in the muck and call Romney a liar, or perhaps he was just unprepared for the level of deceit on display. Debating someone who is willing to simply make things up is incredibly discombobulating. Regardless, it means that most viewers will be left with a seriously distorted view of what the Republican candidate is proposing. Tomorrow, the fact-checkers will try to correct the record, but the Romney campaign has already decided that facts don’t matter.”
I expect this will change Obama’s approach to the next debate.
Don’t Forget:
Related articles
- Romney Won and the Truth Lost (thedailybeast.com)
- Video: The entire first 2012 presidential debate (cbsnews.com)
- Denver debate is a presidential wonkfest, send in the fact checkers (denverpost.com)
- The Debate: Evaluation (respectinpolitics.org)
- Video: First Presidential Debate: Partisan Gridlock (cbsnews.com)
- Debatable Thoughts (thepsychobabble.net)
- The First Debate (democracyforum.blogspot.com)
What is the potential of the youth vote in the election?
It’s a pretty substantial 20%… the question is will they show up? Here’s the demographics:
Here in the Shepherd University area where we see an awful lot of the youth category daily, we are curious as to how involved students are getting in the campaigns. From what I see it is minimal at best.
How is it where you are? Does it look like we will surpass the 2008 election or fall below it’s total of young voters? We’ll have to wait and see.
Related articles
- Loreto urges youths to register to vote (leytesamardaily.net)
- UPA ‘cheating’ youths: Modi (thehindu.com)
- ‘Discussion on Voter Turnout at the Economic Club (jonathanjuteau.wordpress.com)
- Reaching First Generation College Students (insidehighered.com)
- New ID Laws May Shoot Down College-Student Voters (huffingtonpost.com)
Defining the Enemy…
While campaigning in Connecticut, President Obama dubbed the tax proposals of his Republican rival an example of “Robin Hood in reverse.” He then gave a crucial name to Mitt‘s pan to take from the poor and give to the rich:
“It’s Romney-hood.”
Cheers and laughter followed.
Related articles
- Obama: Romney tax plan is “Robin Hood in reverse” (cbsnews.com)
- Romney tax plan is “Robin Hood in reverse”: Obama – Reuters (reuters.com)
- Obama: It’s ‘Romneyhood’ (politico.com)
- TRENDING: Obama debuts ‘Romney Hood’ (politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com)
Cartoon(s) of the Week – Romney’s Problems
Clay Bennett in the Chattanooga Times Free Press:
Romney has a popularity problem…
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Kevin Siers in the Charlotte Observer:
… and a focus problem…
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Tony Auth (formerly) in the Philadelphia Inquirer:
…and an image problem…
– and –
Jeff Koterba in the Omaha World Herald:
…and a communication problem…
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Mike Luckovitch in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
… but now, without real Republican competition, he is finding himself.
Cartoon(s) of the Week – The State of Our World Changes
Robert Ariail in the Spartanburg Herald-Journal:
A whole party that can’t find the main issue…
– and –
Pat Oliphant, Universal Press Syndicate:
A state that has found a neat use for guns…
Clay Bennett in the Chattanooga Times Free Press:
A government that could take control of women’s reproductive health…
– and –
Mike Luckovich in the Atlanta Journal Constitution:
An enemy that responds to our media…
I’m starting to get form letters back from my representatives in the Senate and Congress…
… all glad to see my concern and all saying they’ll keep me in mind as legislation comes up.
However, not one of them, whether Democrat or Republican, got elected without financial support from the coal companies that are destroying West Virginia with mountain top removal to get coal. If you think that means they are going to regulate the coal companies who are destroying our state… ruining homes, water supplies and the tourist industry… then you have got to be kidding yourself.
Here’s a piece by Michael Jonathon:
So… of you’re anywhere in the states that have Appalachian coal mining, keep this in mind next Fall when the politicians are campaigning in your neck of the woods.
Related articles
- Jeff Biggers: Dear Soledad: Appalachian Leaders Respond to CNN’s Blair Mountain Special on Mountaintop Removal (huffingtonpost.com)
- Removing mountaintops yields coal, controversy (cnn.com)
- Lethal Fallout from Mining Spurs a Mountaintop Removal Moratorium Campaign to End to the Humanitarian Crisis in Appalachia (alternet.org)
- Extra 60,000 Cancer Cases from Mountaintop Removal (gcvconservation.wordpress.com)
- Sen. Manchin Maintains Lucrative Ties to Family-Owned Coal Company (nytimes.com)
- Poll: Majority oppose controversial coal mining practice (cnn.com)
- The new battle for Blair Mountain (cnn.com)
- WATCH: Soledad O’Brien Takes On Hugely Controversial Environmental Issue (huffingtonpost.com)
From a Massachusetts Businessman…
Devallon Bolles, PhD
My friend Devallon Bolles, who is a real-estate entrepreneur in Massachusetts, dropped this on Facebook after the Republican debate last night:
Enjoying the aftermath of the Iowa debates. As a MA resident for many years, I suffered under Romney’s governorship. Elected by promising jobs, state ranked 47th in job creation under him; He said he knew how to attract businesses. Businesses fled under him. Incredible that he would “run on his record.”
So, when Romney criticizes Obama on job creation, he has his record to stand on…No?
Related articles
- Romney Unscathed in Iowa Debate (newser.com)
- GOP Candidates Prepare For Debate in Iowa (foxnews.com)
- GOP Debate: Tim Pawlenty Goes After ‘Obamneycare’ In Iowa (VIDEO) (huffingtonpost.com)
- Fired up – After debate, Axe takes on Mitt (politico.com)
Celebrating New York State’s Legalizing Gay Marriage…
I was going to right something about the overwhelming vote in the New York State Legislature which has legalized Gay Marriage… but then I heard Jonathan Mann‘s Song-A-Day for today, and that about sums it up:
Nuff Said.
Related articles
- Gay Marriage Finally Legal In NYC! (since1910.com)
- ‘Gay Marriage,’ Libertarians, and Civil Rights (nationalreview.com)
- What’s Next For The Gay Marriage Movement? [Rites And Rights] (jezebel.com)
- New York makes gay marriage legal. Excelsior! (blogs.discovermagazine.com)
- NY becomes 6th US state to legalize gay marriage (morningtology.wordpress.com)
- New Yorkers Take to the Streets to Celebrate Gay Marriage Vote [Photos] (gawker.com)
- Gay Marriage is Now Legal in New York State (shoppingblog.com)
Quote of the Day (perhaps the Quote of the Month) from a Congressional Idiot:
Rohrabacher joins the Ranks of the Inverted
“Is there some thought being given to subsidizing the clearing of rain forests in order for some countries to eliminate that production of greenhouse gases? Or would people be supportive of cutting down older trees in order to plant younger trees as a means to prevent this disaster from happening?”
– Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R – California
Rohrabacher was questioning Todd Stern, the Obama administration’s climate change envoy, on whether the nation’s climate policy should focus on reducing the more than 80 percent of carbon emissions produced by the natural world in the form of decaying plant matter.
And was he serious about this question… it seems like he was. So let’s cut down the rainforests and turn the world into an oxygen-depleted desert. Perhaps he doesn’t realize that forests soak up more than 1/3 of the world’s carbon emissions… and maybe we would do better to not cut down any more forests…ever.
Responding to a NY Times article on Rohrabacher’s statement, a Dallas, TX, reader commented:
Rep. Rohrabacher may not be that far out of the GOP thinking on the environment. It was his fellow Californian Ronald Reagan who claimed in 1981 that: “Trees cause more pollution than automobiles do.”
Is the lack of thinking problem endemic to California? Or to Republicans? Or just to Congressmen in general? As Mark Twain said:
“Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.”
Related articles
- Republican’s Climate Solution: Clear-Cut the Rain Forest (green.blogs.nytimes.com)
- Lawmaker Explores Climate Solution in Clearing Rain Forests (dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com)
- GOP Rep. Rohrabacher Doesn’t Believe in Climate Change, But Wants to Clear the Rainforests Anyway (littlegreenfootballs.com)
- Do trees cause global warming? (politico.com)
- Republican Blames Trees for Global Warming [Science] (gawker.com)
Unofficial primary results – West Virginia Gubernatorial Races
Republican results (unofficial)
Bill Maloney
| Bill Maloney | 27,563 | 45.06% | ||
| Betty Ireland | 18,891 | 30.88% | ||
| Clark Barnes | 5,850 | 9.56% | ||
| Mark A. Sorsaia | 2,950 | 4.82% | ||
| Larry V. Faircloth | 2,369 | 3.87% | ||
| Mitch B. Carmichael | 2,045 | 3.34% | ||
| Ralph William Clark | 1,230 | 2.01% | ||
| Cliff Ellis | 277 | .0.45% |
Democratic results (unofficial)
Earl Ray Tomlin
| Earl Ray Tomblin | 51,191 | 40.37% | ||
| Rick Thompson | 30,572 | 24.11% | ||
| Natalie E. Tennant | 21,954 | 17.31% | ||
| John D. Perdue | 15,904 | 12.54% | ||
| Jeffrey V. Kessler | 6,715 | 5.30% | ||
| Arne Moltis | 481 | 0.38% |
Mountain Party
The mountain Party has no primary. Candidate is nominated in convention.
Related articles
- Maloney to Face Tomblin for West Virginia Governor (politicalwire.com)
- WV-Gov: Dems Win All Permutations, Tomblin Leads Primary (dailykos.com)
- Maloney Catches Ireland in West Virginia (politicalwire.com)
- Democrat Leads Field in W.Va. Governor’s Race (online.wsj.com)
- 6 Dems, 8 Republicans in W.Va. special primary (sfgate.com)
Clips from the web
A little bit of this, a little bit of that… more than I can get around to. Click on the authors’ links to read their whole posts
Rhode Island House Republican Leader Robert Watson is the latest living example of the Republican difficulty with practicing what they preach. Watson is fervently anti-Marijuana, but last Friday night he was pulled over and arrested for DUI and marijuana possession.
According to The Providence-Journal, “After handcuffing Watson and placing him under arrest, the arresting police officer said he found “a small plastic sandwich bag containing a green leafy plant-like substance and a small wooden marijuana smoking pipe” in Watson’s right pants pocket.”
– from Politicus USA
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John Boehner
Speaker Boehner says the Ryan plan “transforms Medicare into a plan that’s very similar to the President’s own healthcare bill.”
Only older people are sicker and more expensive to cover and Ryan doesn’t provide the funds for seniors to buy care. Beside that they’re identical.
– and –
The wage squeeze is putting most households in a double bind. Before the recession, they’d been able to pay the bills because they had two paychecks. Now, they’re likely to have one-and-a half, or just one, and it’s shrinking.
Will The Republicans Listen To Bernanke?
The Federal Reserve Chairman made his presentation to Congress today and was not thrilled with the House Republicans’ proposed budget cuts.
What are the odds that these turkeys ignore him?
Here’s a clip from a longer McClatchy article:
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Related Articles
- Fed’s Bernanke testifies to Senate Banking panel (reuters.com)
- Bernanke Warns on Debt-Limit ‘Chaos’ (blogs.wsj.com)
- Bernanke Says Economy Still Gaining Momentum – NYTimes.com (opsudwinger.wordpress.com)
Quote of the Day – Russ Feingold, former Wisconsin Senator, to Scott Walker, Wisconsin Governor
“This is not about the budget at all… this is about trying to destroy people’s right to collectively bargain. If you begin with a dishonest approach…and begin making threats…it’s a really an assault on Wisconsin‘s traditions. It’s really something a new governor shouldn’t be doing.”
“I call on him tonight to pull back, to drop this issue of collective bargaining and get back to budgeting“
Related Articles
- Russ Feingold explains the bait and switch of Scott Walker (iflizwerequeen.com)
- Russ Feingold Rallies Protesters In Wisconsin (huffingtonpost.com)
- The dirty secret about Wisconsin (salon.com)
- “Billionaire Koch Brothers Bankrolled Scott Walker’s Campaign: Out of State Big Money Agenda Guides Union Busting Efforts” and related posts (faithfulprogressive.blogspot.com)
OK… DADT is now history… the Senate has voted it out and the bill is on its way to Obama.
So the score so far today is Democrats 1 (Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is voted out), Republicans 1 (Dream act voted down… 
actually, it didn’t get passed the 61 vote filibuster requirement). Tomorrow they will be debating and maybe voting on the START treaty… whoever wins on that one will break the score.
I hope Harry Reid can keep everyone there until the work is done.
Related Articles
- DADT Breaks Filibuster (talkingpointsmemo.com)
- Cloture Vote on DADT Repeal Passes 63-33 (themoderatevoice.com)
- So Is DADT History? (talkingpointsmemo.com)
- Six GOP-ers push DADT over the top (politico.com)
- Fate of DADT and DREAM Act decided today (dailykos.com)
So here’s what the Right thinks will happen on the extension of Tax Cuts…
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“We need to redouble our efforts to resolve this impasse — in the next few days — to give the American people the peace of mind that their taxes will not go up on January 1st,” Obama said. “It will require some compromise, but I’m confident that we can get it done.” The White House is pressing the GOP to allow an extension of unemployment benefits and the tax breaks in the stimulus bill in exchange for an extension of income tax rates. According to the Huffington Post, Obama will allow the cuts to expire if the GOP refuses. On that score, McConnell claimed there’s no impasse.
Related Articles
- Mitch McConnell Foresees Deal On Tax Cuts, Unemployment Benefits (outsidethebeltway.com)
- Republicans, Democrats Indicate Deal Likely on Tax Cuts, Unemployment Benefits (politicsdaily.com)
- Senate’s GOP leader says tax cuts will be extended (charlotte.news14.com)
- Mitch McConnell: Don’t’ Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal Won’t Happen This Year, Tax Cuts Will Be Extended (VIDEO) (huffingtonpost.com)
- Senate’s GOP leader says tax cuts will be extended (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
- McConnell optimistic on deals with Obama (msnbc.msn.com)
Son of a Bitch! Why do Republicans need to attack first and ask questions later?
Lindsey Graham Makes The Case For Strike On Iran
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Let’s get out there and attack, is that it? And now that we have more Republicans in power, here’s a great way to get a new Iraq. And maybe we can borrow more money to pay for it.
Related Articles
- Lindsey Graham is a War Loving Fool (zwingliusredivivus.wordpress.com)
- Lindsey Graham in a confrontational mood (washingtonmonthly.com)
- ‘Neuter’ Iran, U.S. senator tells conference (cbc.ca)
Speaking of Pennsylvania, Sestak just pulled 1 point ahead of Toomey…
…in this morning’s PPM Poll.
From HuffPo:
A new poll and high-profile prognostication have heightened the electoral prospects of Pennsylvania Senate Democratic candidate Joe Sestak and spurred talk of another dramatic campaign comeback.
On Tuesday the Democratic-leaning polling firm PPP released findings showing Sestak leading his Republican challenger, former Club for Growth President Pat Toomey, for the first time this cycle: 46 percent to 45 percent. Sestak’s campaign did not pay for the poll, which was done with recorded voice interviews and with respondents sampled from actual voter lists. A day prior, the odds-makers at ABC News had moved the race from “lean Republican” to “toss up.”
The dual pieces of news added a jolt of hope to Democratic Party infrastructure, which had been waiting for weeks for some upward movement from the Sestak campaign. It also jarred loose a sense of déjà vu for those who watched the congressman close the gap against Senator Arlen Specter (D-Penn.) during the closing days of the Senate primary.
“This is his shtick,” said one high-ranking operative.
Last week when Sestak came out with this ad, people said things would start turning around:
Toomey has now blown a ten point lead from two weeks ago. This is one worth watching!
Related Articles
- New Public Policy Polling survey confirms internal polls that show Sestak and Toomey in dead heat (pennlive.com)
- Sestak Catches Toomey in Pennsylvania (politicalwire.com)
- Sestak Making a Race of It? (talkingpointsmemo.com)
Things are changing in Colorado…
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Related Articles
- Bennet And The Gay Issue (andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com)
- Election 2010 Monday Polls: Voter Enthusiasm, Nevada, Colorado (politics.usnews.com)
- Colorado’s Senate Candidates Bennet, Buck Spar Over Rape Case (businessweek.com)
- Republicans Bucked by Colorado Candidate Buck? (lezgetreal.com)
Here’s a great piece from “I Tried Being Tasteful…”
You can go to her site for links: http://youcallthatart.wordpress.com
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Related Articles
- Pence preaches social issues in Iowa (politico.com)
- Fetuses trumpt finances…. (tagg-lines.com)
- Planned Parenthood director turned pro-life champion receives award for courage :: EWTN News (deaconforlife.blogspot.com)
- Planned Parenthood Advocacy Project Los Angeles County Honors ‘Champions of Choice’ at Politics, Sex & Cocktails (prnewswire.com)
When will people make up their minds?
This from Taegan Goddard’s Political Wire:
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Related Articles
- “Beyond the tea party: What Americans really think of government” and related posts (defence.pk)
- Government Performance: For Instance – help! (nowpublic.com)
- Bill Scher: The Health Care Ad Wars: “Cutting Medicare” = “Reckless Spending” (huffingtonpost.com)
Things are changing in Connecticut…
It looked last week like Linda McMahon (who I once worked for when she and her husband, Vince, owned the Cape Cod Coliseum) and Attorney General Richard Blumenthal were a virtual toss-up for Senate in my old home state of Connecticut. Then McMahon revealed her lack of knowledge of what the minimum wage was as she campaigned to revise it and all of a suddenthings have shifted.
As I understand it, McMahon has just released a TV commercial (prior to this evenings debate) bringing up Blumenthal’s misstatement on his overseas military experience… but it doesn’t look like this is really helping Mrs. Wrestling.
From Taegan Goddard’s Political Wire:
Blumenthal Leads by Double-Digits
With their first debate scheduled for tonight, a new Public Policy Polling survey in Connecticut shows Richard Blumenthal (D) leading Linda McMahon (R) in the U.S. Senate race by 12 points, 53% to 41%.
Blumenthal’s favorability rating is 53/39, while McMahon’s is the opposite, 39/59.
The only Republican Senate candidates with worse favorability numbers than McMahon were Joe Miller, Sharron Angle, and Christine O’Donnell.
Related Articles
- Linda McMahon Bodyslams Blumenthal With Ad About Vietnam War Comments (VIDEO) (huffingtonpost.com)
- How Old Is Linda McMahon? (politicsdaily.com)
- National Dems bash McMahon in Conn. Senate race ad (sfgate.com)
Passing on an important message from Howard Dean:
Governor Dean’s organization is trying to keep the best progressive Congressfolk in place as they are challenged by very dangerous people from the right. I pass on this message I received from him this morning:
Related Articles
- ‘Cheddarbomb’ for Russ Feingold (americablog.com)
- Sen. Feingold Faces Tight Race In Wisconsin (npr.org)
- Cheeseheads wouldn’t do this, would they? (washingtonmonthly.com)
