Seriously, how can Mitt ROBBED ME really think he can NOT campaign and win a presidency?
Anyway, here:
President Barack Obama leads Mitt Romney in Colorado, Iowa and Wisconsin, reaching the key 50 percent support threshold in all three battlegrounds, according to the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist polls of these states.
In both Colorado and Wisconsin, Obama is ahead by 5 points among likely voters (including those learning toward a candidate), 50 percent to 45 percent.
And in Iowa, the president’s edge over Romney is 8 points, 50 percent to 42 percent.
I have to agree with radio lefty, Norman Goldman, how can Romney expect to win this and he is not campaigning?
This is one vague and weird presidential campaign I have ever witnessed. Romney actually believe that he can just carpet bomb these swing states, that daily DON'T look swing and become president on nothing? Well, we are witnessing the voters decision become HARD towards Romney, thanks to Romney doing himself in. While, his campaign is saying the public want more MITT!!! Seriously, after all your own bullshit has blown in the wind for all of us to smell it? Good Luck.
Next stop, the Republicans will run to the mattresses to save their own asses and say the hell with Mitt Romney.
A plurality of likely voters view Romney in a negative light in all three states. In Colorado, it’s 43 percent favorable to 50 percent unfavorable; in Iowa, it’s 42 percent to 50 percent; and in Wisconsin, it’s 43 percent to 46 percent.
By contrast, out of last week’s polls in Florida, Ohio and Virginia, just one of them – Ohio – found Romney’s favorable/unfavorable rating under water.
Lastly, Chuck Todd from NBC/MSNBC blasted Mitt Romney for not even CAMPAIGNING!! Seriously, this man thought he could run a ONE NOTE campaign, deliver no specifics and folks will flock to him. I think he is toast, but that does not mean we sit on our laurels and don't get this vote out. We double down and get every vote out!!
And the bonus, from Lawrence O'Donnell, The Last Word from last night:
All about Mitt and Ann Romney LYING. And you think you can win the people's vote by constantly lying? Good Luck and soon GOOD RIDDANCE.
People in Wisconsin are now waking up to having their rights for collective bargaining, STRIPPED AWAY, for good. When we know that collective bargaining in this instance does not have anything to do with Wisconsin's budget. NOTHING.
If anyone does not believe this is the whole intention of the GOP/Republicans, then think again. After listening to the prankster posing as billionaire David Koch, while speaking to Governor Walker of Wisconsin, all you needed to know was right there to hear.
America, it is past time that you WOKE UP.
I never understood Americans voting against their financial interests, by voting Republican. Never did. And now there is hope that many are waking up to the reality of what the Republicans in this country is trying to do.
The Republicans have been very successful in busting unions in the South; they have virtually SHUT THEM DOWN AND OUT. Now this same hard ball task is being assaulted on the Midwest, but it won't work.
I am from Illinois and know all these Midwestern states; many people have prospered to become middle class primarily because of the Unions and collective bargaining. This is how health care became available, pensions, college funds for your children. It is because of the UNIONS.
And I will go even further, back in "da day" when folks were KILLED by the robber barons because they demanded more in pay, weekends off, holidays off, etc., this happened on the backs of millions of Americans who came together to FIGHT for their rights from the greedy ass corporations in this country. That time is no different from now in the sense that many Americans feel a "sense of urgency now" by watching what is happening in Wisconsin and spreading over the Midwest.
If the people of Wisconsin lose this battle, this will open up a can of worms that will rapidly charge ahead across this country. And don’t be fooled on what the Republicans will attempt next, if successful, I see minimum wage war on their table. Don't think the Republicans won't try it; they have been haggling at the minimum wage for YEARS. While millions of Americans know it is very difficult to survive on $7.25/hour. But if the Republicans are allowed to continue in this fashion, who is to say that your employer can not come to you one day and say, "We have to reduce your salary/pay due to 'whatever fucking excuse'” they are allowed to find. Think it won't happen if Governor Walker in Wisconsin is successful, think again. Every government program available to help millions of Americans will be stripped for good, because it is all about the deficit, when we know this is a bald face lie. It can happen if this precedent is allowed to go forward.
The Republicans don't give a damn about the American Public. They answer to the big corporations in this country, period. And now Wisconsin is experiencing the wrath of big corporate influence right now. The battle lines have been drawn and Wisconsin must win or we will start to see the rapid demise of unions in this country.
Lastly, Wisconsin this is what happens when you don't vote and don't know who you are voting for. Scott Walker's bullshit has been out there for some time, but when you are asleep and don't know what hit you when you woke up, it can truly be too late to do anything about it. Let us hope that this is a LASTING wake up call for everyone because if we can not wake up, it really will be too late for us all.
President Obama spoke to union workers on Labor Day at Laborfest in Milwaukee. He announced a long-term jobs program that would exceed $50 billion to rebuild roads, railways and runways. He also criticized Republicans for causing hard economic times.
The President announces the Race to the Top Fund, a program where states will compete for over $4 billion in Federal funds to strengthen America’s schools and put children first. November 4, 2009.
I really hope no one is shocked, because the disruptions at these town hall meetings are from operatives from the GOP and lobbyists representing the health care industries and insurance companies.
For ten-year-old Kennedy Corpus playing hooky from school to see the President’s speech paid off. You can’t get in trouble for skipping school when your excuse note is written by the President, can you?
When Kennedy’s father was called on to ask a question of the President’s town hall in Green Bay, Wisconsin this afternoon he mentioned that his daughter was missing her last day of fourth grade to see the speech today.
“I hope she doesn’t get in trouble,” Mr. Corpus told the president.
“Do you need me to write a note?” the President asked and then proceeded to ask the girls name, take out a pen from his pocket, rip the corner of a sheet of paper at the podium, and then begin writing.
As the father began to ask his question about the timeline for health care reform, the President walked off the stage and delivered the note to Kennedy who was sitting a few rows back in the audience. read more here....
President Obama hands Kennedy Corpus her excuse note
Expect the President to ramp it up going forward in this fight.
President Barack Obama, facing challenges to his ambitious health care overhaul from Congress, is visiting supporters outside the capital and turning to them to muster up momentum for one of his top legislative priorities.
Obama on Thursday readied to fly to Green Bay, Wis., to talk directly with voters about his proposals to spend $1.5 trillion over the next decade to cover uninsured Americans. Administration aides said the visit was designed for Obama to build support for a health care overhaul that has eluded Democrats for decades, as well to inject a personal angle into a debate that affects some 50 million Americans without insurance.
Obama's trip comes as a possible compromise emerged in the Senate to one of the most vexing obstacles in the health care reform debate. Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., offered a plan to create health care cooperatives owned by groups of residents and small businesses. They would operate as nonprofits and without the government involvement that troubles Republicans and others about other public plan options. The chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Sen. Max Baucus of Montana, said Wednesday the idea could be key to a bipartisan health bill. read more here....
He is on the townhall meeting move, again. This time to tackle health care reform.
If it's time to talk about healthcare reform, it must be time for a "town hall.''
President Barack Obama, pressing Congress for legislation making healthcare more affordable and available for more Americans this summer, will head to Green Bay, Wis., on Thursday for a town-hall styled appearance.
Just as the president used the campaign-styled town halls in Indiana and Florida to press his economic-stimulus earlier this year, Obama plans to call in some of his political capital for the fight over health care -- he carried Wisconsin last year by 13 percentage points, and the latest Gallup Polls have showed his job-approval holding at just over 60 percent.
The president will take the stage at a high school in Green Bay on Thursday afternoon to take and take questions from an audience which the White House says will be "randomly chosen'' from people seeking tickets at a Website or calling a phone line - those lines were open on Monday, the Web-site still open until noon today. read more here.....
The Republican National Committee hasn’t booked ads for the next week in Wisconsin TV markets after running a series of spots attacking Barack Obama and congressional Dems, according to TV sources.
The decision comes amid speculation on whether Republicans may pull back in Wisconsin after several polls in the past week showed Obama up over John McCain by double digits. An RNC spokesman referred calls to the party’s independent expenditure operation, which is in charge of the TV ad buys.
An official with the party’s IE arm did not immediately return a call from WisPolitics seeking comment.
Sources at Wisconsin TV stations in Eau Claire, Green Bay and Milwaukee said the RNC's latest buy ended Tuesday and no new purchases had been made for the week of Oct. 15-21. McCain’s campaign has TV buys in Wisconsin at least through Sunday.
A source at a Green Bay station said the RNC didn’t have anything running statewide for the next week. The group had been booking air time from week to week, but the RNC hasn't indicated if it will return to the air after the week of Oct. 15-21, the source said.
One Milwaukee station source said he had expected an RNC buy and said he was "shocked" that it hadn't reserved time for the rest of this week Republican National Committee halting ads in Wisconsin, Maine; focusing on red states.
If true, not surprised.
Just look at the treadline and the recent polls. McCain/Palin not making headway and losing on the economy.
Remember, McCain is now forced to defend all the Bush states, and it is grim.
(UPDATE)
Per First Read, McCain is not pulling out but the RNC is.
When I was growing up, at times my mother sounded like a broken record. Well, I am writing like a broken record on speed. REGISTER FOLKS TO VOTE!!!
There I capped it. Just register folks to vote.
Tomorrow, Monday, October 6th, for many states across this nation the voter registration deadline is close of business. If you know someone who is not registered point them to the Obama Website, click on states at the top and go to the nearest Obama Office and register to vote. If you don't see an office, go here, print out your state's registration form and take it your county registrar's office.
Florida, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, the swing states registration ends close of business tomorrow, October 6, 2006. It is critical and mandatory that we get as many folks to register in order to flip these states and WIN IN NOVEMBER.
Every vote count. We win the states with the VOTES, then we win the electoral college. If you don't vote, you have no right to gripe, bitch, moan or have a hissy fit. We have less than 24 hours. Get busy.
Photo Blogs
Let's Roll: Polls are open in Ohio by jmknapp; Bruce Springsteen PROVES he is truly,"The Boss" in Philadelphia for Obama by icebergslim; Obama the populist captivates 15,000+ in Reno by LaughingPlanet; Obama Campaign Blog, LaCrosse, Wisconsin; WIPEOUT!! - Biden TROUNCES Palin By 2 to 1 Margin by Al Rodgers; Obama Campaign Blog, Joe Biden Debate Day; Me, my Dad, Obama, and 18,000 others in Newport News by CK7; Anti-Palin Rally in OC by Kif Kroker; No Bruce Springsteen for me! by casperr; Gen. Clark PWNS in Florida for Obama! by jordans11; "McCain Lost My Vote" by bRan; VOLUNTEERS - Change for Colorado w/Pictures by aurabass; The Obamas and The Bidens in Detroit, Michigan, September 28, 2008
Bruce Springsteen, Vote for Change Rally, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Shoutouts, stuff you should read....
McCain Campaign Claimed Credit for Passage of Bailout Bill . . . Right Before It Collapsed! by Reggid; WSJ: "Palin Flubbed Mock Debates In NYC & PHILA", Infighting, Leaks & Poll" by Excelscior1; Tom Brokaw Will Try To Sink Obama in Debate by dthom71; The Worst Sarah Palin Clip Yet by Cenk Uygur; McCain's Non-Support for Troops and Veterans: The Master List by Brandon Friedman; McCain just broke his BIGGEST campaign pledge by butchcjg; David Plouffe Rolls on Tom Brokaw After McCain's Gwen Ifill Complaint by Steven R; OMG!!! Just found out I CAN VOTE!!! by UneasyOne; ABC News: Palin flub on bankruptcy has McCain camp flailing by awkward007; Obama Campaign Phonebanks The Deaf Community!!! by slinkerwink; Obama Going For Jugular!! McCain's "Radical" Health Care Plan by Steven R; We’ve Now Registered 12,814 Voters! by kath25; ABC News Exposes Palin Lie by OHDem; Sunday Morning Reaction: Obama +7 in Ohio by Kula2316; Could Obama win Appalachia? by Underground in Ohio; John McCain's Angry Interview with the Des Moines Editorial Board by Bryan Lefwitz; C.H.A.N.G.E. — Come Help A (N-word) Get Elected. WTF? by The Christian Progressive Liberal ; TV spending, week ending 9/30 by kos
Virginia Republicans are warning that John McCain's prospects for winning a state that has been in the GOP column in every presidential election since 1964 could be in jeopardy. With Barack Obama treating the Old Dominion like a battleground state and reliable polls showing a margin-of-error race there, some are cautioning that McCain is making a critical mistake by allowing the Democratic nominee to outpace him in terms of visits and resources committed.
The two best indicators of which states the campaigns are serious about – time and money – tell the story.
Since wrapping up the Democratic nomination in June, Obama, his wife, Michelle, and his running mate Joe Biden have visited the commonwealth a combined 12 times. The candidate himself was in the Tidewater city of Newport News Saturday.
Obama is also plowing millions into Virginia, blanketing the airwaves with TV and radio ads, filling up mailboxes with leaflets and, along with the state party, operating 49 campaign offices.
Together, McCain and his running mate, Sarah Palin, have held just one campaign event in Virginia. And the campaign has taken its ads off the pricey Washington, D.C. network affiliates that reach into the entire swath of the Northern Virginia, the commonwealth’s most populous region. continue
At Fort McNair, an army base located along the Potomac River in the nation's capital, a chance reunion takes place one day between two former POWs. It's the spring of 1974, and Navy commander John Sidney McCain III has returned home from the experience in Hanoi that, according to legend, transformed him from a callow and reckless youth into a serious man of patriotism and purpose. Walking along the grounds at Fort McNair, McCain runs into John Dramesi, an Air Force lieutenant colonel who was also imprisoned and tortured in Vietnam.
McCain is studying at the National War College, a prestigious graduate program he had to pull strings with the Secretary of the Navy to get into. Dramesi is enrolled, on his own merit, at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in the building next door.
There's a distance between the two men that belies their shared experience in North Vietnam — call it an honor gap. Like many American POWs, McCain broke down under torture and offered a "confession" to his North Vietnamese captors. Dramesi, in contrast, attempted two daring escapes. For the second he was brutalized for a month with daily torture sessions that nearly killed him. His partner in the escape, Lt. Col. Ed Atterberry, didn't survive the mistreatment. But Dramesi never said a disloyal word, and for his heroism was awarded two Air Force Crosses, one of the service's highest distinctions. McCain would later hail him as "one of the toughest guys I've ever met." continue
Joe at Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, Vice Presidential Debate
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icebergslim’s last word: hail mary = negative train to november 4th
I watched Sarah Palin through all these interviews and the debate. It is obvious that the woman is not qualified for the Vice Presidency and I give her props for her good debate performance. She can read off her cue cards, well.
When Palin was plucked from obscurity the question for me was not WTF? The question was, “Why her?” Well, we have seen that she has somewhat solidified the conservative base. I state somewhat because the fundamentalists love her, would follow her over a cliff, but the fiscal, non-conservatives still are not totally sold on her.
Palin’s job was to shore up that base. This is the base that GOTV’d for Bush in 2004 with fervor. To bring women to McCain’s fold, especially any disenfranchised Hillary voters and independents. Well, I am proud to state, it ain’t happenin’. After her disastrous interviews, being caricatured to death by SNL’s Tina Fey, and her teenaged student council performance at the Vice Presidential debate in St. Louis, Palin has shown she is just not ready at all.
But let’s back up a minute. John McCain was the ‘presump’ since February, late February. He has campaigned during this time, on leisure. He has raised money, dismally. His campaign was on the down low. They watched and followed the Hillary Clinton strategy. He hired the ex-Rove attack dogs, turned negative all summer, paid off temporarily, still could not totally get Obama. McCain then stopped using his brain and allowed the Rove strategists to pluck Palin from nowhere. Totally stepped on Obama’s post convention bounce, she became a star, temporarily. Then something really important happened during the Palin demise, the economy. Real issues to Americans.
McCain must come out Tuesday night, cohesive, understanding, sympathetic, and knowledgeable on the ills of the economy. And I mean, not just the Wall Street/Main Street mortgage mess, but jobs, college tuition, the cost of gas, the cost of food, and the health care crisis in this country. He has to go beyond a tax cut, because people need more than that. He must have solid plans and policies to argue Obama on Tuesday night in Nashville. If he comes off abrasive, condescending, angry and erratic, he will sink even further in the polls.
We know and understand the last leg of this campaign, for the McCain Campaign is the hail mary to the extreme negative. Infantile Palin started already with the ridiculous Ayers comment. The campaign desperately want this off the economy, but the campaign don’t get to make that call, the public does. As, long as we hear about jobs being lost and for September it was 159,000, people will worry. For the record, these numbers are the ninth straight month of job loss in this country. Folks are worried about their security, their pension/retirement funds, about holding onto their job, paying for college, etc. The list of worry is endless. Right now the mood is not on, “Who Obama may or may not have associated with?” The mood is which candidate will help me FINANCIALLY and ECONOMICALLY.
And the McCain Campaign, just don’t seem to have an answer.
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Campaign Appearances times and reservations can be found at barackobama.com
The polls are rolling OUT. Just look to your right under the flagship of Pollster.com and click on the links, even go to the site!! The polls are on a roll for Barack. It is all good.
But, I am a testy pessimist at times and this is one of them.
I am not a poll god, oops, goddess, so I refer my brain to be taken over by Nate at fivethirtyeight.com and read his analysis, also to the right. One of the best pollsters out here in the business. His model has beat many established pollsters this past primary and he deserves all the cred he is getting, but I refer to his analysis.
Anyhow, for me polls are pesky little numbers. They go up and they go down. I just want the number, but my brother and cyber friends always want to know what drives the numbers, it is called the internals. Again, I am a testy pessimist right now.
I will tell you why. Remember, New Hampshire? When the poll numbers were all over the place? Barack was supposed to win, but we know who actually did. Well, I am not anywhere to the point that Barack won't win this, but I believe the numbers are much tighter than what these public polls are dictating.
I am glad that early voting has started because we need to bank these votes NOW, not later, but NOW. Why? The McCain Campaign is bleeding and bleeding badly. The tricks and gimmicks of McCain have not gone over well to the public and Sarah Palin "Unleashed" has not been what the McCain Campaign expected. She is dangerously close to becoming a caricature, which means tomorrow night's debate is very important for her. Palin must convince the public that she deserves to be on the stage and is competent enough to become the Vice President of the United States, if elected.
When you are bleeding, you go with what you know. That is character assassination, which is going straight up racial, that is bringing back Reverend Wright. Folks, he is coming back, whether we like it or not. I am hoping he does not have the impact, as he did in March. I am hoping the public will move past this. But, nothing is guaranteed, which is why banking the votes early in these battleground states is imperative at this point. And McCain has to do this, the economy is not his thing, people are "meh" on the wars now, folks are worried about their money, jobs and future. McCain does not have any answers but he knows how to muddy up the waters and that is what will happen, I believe, sooner than later. Use race to divide the numbers and hope they swing your way, which is McCain's answer.
Of course we don't like this, but just remember to keep on your toes.
Chuck Todd and Charlie Cook on the Poll numbers and bringing back Reverend Wright
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John McCain the Angry Interview, Editorial Board of Des Moines Register
First off, why is McCain in Iowa? Barack has a double digit lead over McCain in Iowa, so why in the hell is he in Iowa? Personally, he is wasting time.
But the interview is fascinating. McCain is an old timer. His way or the highway. That attitude comes off crystal clear in this interview.
John McCain’s fade in recent polls, combined with a barrage of negative news coverage during the financial crisis, has leading Republican activists around the country worrying about his prospects and urging his campaign to become much more aggressive against Barack Obama in the remaining month before Election Day.
A flurry of new polls shows Barack Obama gaining in several battleground states – most notably Florida, Pennsylvania and swing states throughout the West. Officials worry early voting, which is under way in important states such as Ohio, is likely to favor Obama in this toxic political climate.
Several state GOP chairmen in interviews urged the McCain campaign to be more aggressive in hitting Obama’s vulnerabilities, such as his past relationship with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright and other problematic associations from Chicago.
But as September turns to October—Wednesday marks 34 days to the Nov. 4 election—it is clear McCain himself is to blame for the most urgent problems. His snap decision to throw himself into the bailout debate has proven disastrous, since his efforts looked late and half-hearted, and many in the GOP ignored his pleas in Monday’s House vote.
And his selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate, initially a political boon, has become a distraction inside and out of the campaign, with top staff now sidelined trying to avoid a debate disaster on Thursday night, officials close to the campaign say. continue
CNN on the battleground states and their polling numbers
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Barack in Washington, DC to cast vote for the "Bailout Bill"
There are a set of poll numbers out from Quinnipiac for Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania. The numbers are a resounding rout against McCain. In fact, Obama is over 50% in all three states. This is wonderful, but proceed with caution.
We have 34 days until November 4th, but more importantly Ohio is early voting already, Florida starts early voting October 20-November 1st. Pennsylvania does not have early voting, only requesting absentee ballot.
At this point in the game it is time to hunker down. That means go the the ground. It is time to get these last minute people NOT registered to vote or need to change their voting location to do so NOW. It means sending around the information for folks to register to vote NOW.
The deadline for voter registration starts on October 4th. Half of the country the deadline is October 6th. If you know someone who needs to register, let's help them along. They can download the form from their state and mail it in.
NO EXCUSES.
Next, we need to move from behind our computers and start volunteering to GOTV. For any early states and on November 4th.
This election is won by votes. By the most votes per state, that will then be a win in the electoral college for Obama.
This is far from over and no one should become complacent because of poll numbers.
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Barack in Reno, Nevada
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The Senate Takes Charge of the "Bailout Mess"
After the failure of the House of Representatives to pass the government’s $700 bailout package earlier this week, the Senate will consider a new version of the bill today. The Times’s Carl Hulse and Robert Pear note that the latest version includes several key changes:
Top lawmakers said the Senate proposal, worked out after a day of behind the scenes maneuvering, would include tax breaks for businesses and alternative energy and higher government insurance for bank deposits.
And, if passed in the Senate today, there are indications that the re-tooled plan might meet a better outcome among House members who sent the original proposal back to the drawing board with their 228-205 vote against it on Monday:
House Republican leaders, who said they had been advised about the Senate plan, said the new elements would appeal to their rank-and-file, which voted strongly against the legislation Monday. A spokesman for Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio, the Republican leader, said that “Mr. Boehner was consulted and gave the green light.” continue
Angry at the media for finally reporting the facts of the McCain/Palin lies. This was bound to happen for a number of reasons. The Obama Campaign has finally been working the refs, for fair coverage. Making the media front and center and pressuring them to perform accurate journalism about the McCain Campaign obvious lies has put the McCain Campaign on the defense. Again, it took the ladies of The View and the critical questioning of McCain to really shed light on the campaign of lies. Finally, credibility means something in the world of “spin”.
The McCain Campaign's strategy is to make this a campaign of "personalities" and not "issues". Well, banks failing, established investment houses failing, insurance companies failing, issues are now DEMANDED to be discussed by the American public.
Now the McCain Campaign is bringing up stuff the Clinton Campaign brought front and center during the campaign. William Ayers, the Daleys of Chicago, Tony Rezko, etc. All of this cast of characters that we saw rinsed and repeated during the primary war.
Sen. John McCain’s top campaign aides convened a conference call today to complain of being called “liars.” They pressed the media to scrutinize specific elements of Sen. Barack Obama’s record.
But the call was so rife with simple, often inexplicable misstatements of fact that it may have had the opposite effect: to deepen the perception, dangerous to McCain, that he and his aides have little regard for factual accuracy.
The errors in McCain strategist Steve Schmidt’s charges against Obama and Sen. Joe Biden were particularly notable because they seemed unnecessary. Schmidt repeatedly gilded the lily: He exaggerated the Biden family's already problematic ties to the credit card industry; Obama’s embarrassing relationship with a 1960s radical; and an Obama supporter’s over-the-top attack on Sarah Palin when — in each case — the truth would have been damaging enough.
“Any time the Obama campaign is criticized at any level, the critics are immediately derided as liars,” Schmidt told reporters.
This is whining, at its worst, meaning the internal polling numbers must not be there.
The reason for this happening is the press coverage of the McCain Campaign and the lies out of that camp has been so over the top; the press was literally FORCED to report the facts. This is not sitting well with them. So, up comes the guilt by association play of the McCain Campaign.
Schmidt criticized the press for the relatively sparse coverage of the fact that one of Biden’s sons, Hunter, is a registered federal lobbyist.
“His son is a lobbyist for the credit card and banking industry,” Schmidt said.
But Hunter Biden’s lobbying clients don’t include any banks or credit card companies. He did work, as a vice president and then as a consultant, for MBNA, a Delaware-based bank and credit card giant to which Biden had close ties. But he does not appear to have lobbied for the firm.
“Steve Schmidt lied — or just got it flat wrong," said Biden spokesman David Wade. "Hunter Biden has never — never — been a lobbyist for the credit card or banking industry."
Schmidt attacked Obama for his ties to William Ayers, who has spoken of his role in 1960s anti-war bombings committed by the Weather Underground.
"What we know for sure, and is beyond debate and argumentation is this: Senator Obama said that William Ayers is a guy that lives in his neighborhood. We know that that is a disingenuous and untruthful answer,” Schmidt said.
“Senator Obama began his political career in its early stages raising money at Ayers’ house,” he said.
Obama did hold a 1995 campaign event at Ayers’ house. It was not, however, a fundraiser, and Ayers did not contribute money to Obama’s first campaign, according to Illinois records.
Schmidt also complained of Obama backers’ attacks on McCain’s running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.
“As soon as Gov. Palin was nominated, one of … Obama’s chief campaign surrogates, [Florida Rep.] Robert Wexler, went out and accused her of being a Nazi sympathizer,” Schmidt said. “Where is the outrage to that aspersion on the part of some of the biggest newspapers in the country?”
But Wexler didn’t call Palin a Nazi sympathizer. He called former presidential candidate Pat Buchanan a Nazi sympathizer, and attacked Palin for allegedly having endorsed him.
The lack of backing up these claims against the Obama Campaign proved a vacuum for the McCain Campaign, in other words, no comment. Meaning they hoped the press would just jump at their complaints and start writing about these characters who have been WRITTEN about for 2 years.
All I can write is, Good Luck, as I view the the photo above. Who is really zoomin' whom here? Oh, and they HATE the New York Times. Maybe, because they are actually performing their job called "reporting the facts."
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All pet and animal lovers, should LOVE THIS
The Humane Society Endorses Obama/Biden!!!
I wanted to let you know that today, on behalf of the Humane Society Legislative Fund, I announced our endorsement of Barack Obama for President. Please see my blog below for more information, and help spread the word to animal lovers across the country.
Well, let's look at the basics. McCain does not have boots on the ground. He does not have offices open across the country and many have been open for Obama pre/post primaries. McCain does not have that.
John McCain was never the conservative pick. He was not. They never liked him nor trusted him. He is a media darling, but not to this group.
The conservative base is what got George W. Bush elected in 2004, period. This is the far right of the Republican Party that has boots to put on the ground and know how to perform GOTV. John Kerry lost this race on the ground.
The far right demanded that McCain pick a person of "their liking" not the other way around. As have been reported, and you can read it from the links in, This Week With Barack Obama, Joe Lieberman was McCain's choice, followed by former Governor Ridge of Pennsylvania. The problem, both are pro choice. The far right was not going to stand for it and threatened havoc at the Republican Party.
Thus, Sarah Palin.
Forget her personal family issues, that is not important. She brings other baggage troopergate, former member of AIP in Alaska, lied about the "bridge to nowhere" which she supported, former director of indicted Alaska Senator Ted Stevens' 527 group, said she did not take/was against earmarks but got 40M for her tiny town of 8000 in Wasilla. This is not a reformer nor change. This is a riddled candidate with issues back home.
I say, if Palin withdraws it will be for troopergate. CNN reported there are now emails, more documents and phone calls coming forward implicating the governor in this investigation. She finally had to lawyer up. Not good.
One thing you don't want on your ticket is a candidate that is problematic with ethic problems, along with everything else. Not good.
I viewed the media, yes questioning Palin and the pregnancy of her 17 year old daughter, but really going after the McCain Campaign and their lack of vetting. Especially, since they just sent a dozen aides to Alaska on Sunday. Perplexing, yes, indeed.
No one wants to talk about teen pregnancy. It is a major problem in this country. But it was the Palins who decided to put their daughter out there like that and it is unfortunate.
I agree, the families should be off limits, but when you run for the President and Vice President of the United States of America, VETTING FROM THE MEDIA WILL BE DONE. Period.
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barack in milwaukee, wisconsin
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Obama speaks at end of Detroit Labor Day parade
Buffeted by years of jobs loss overseas and a domestic auto industry struggling simply to stay afloat, local and national union leaders are looking to Barack Obama as their life preserver.
Thousands of Obama's supporters, many from organized labor, jammed into Hart Plaza along the downtown Detroit riverfront to hear the Democratic presidential candidate assure them of their place of importance in his White House.
"I'm a labor guy. I believe in the labor movement. I believe in American workers," Obama said. "I think it's important to have a president that doesn't choke on the word 'union.'"
Then he began to speak about a different type of solidarity and urged his listeners to support relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Gustav.
"Today is a day for all of us to come together as Americans and send our thoughts and prayers to our brothers and sisters who are concerned about their loved ones and their homes," Obama said. continue
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Obama does have executive experience
How? What has he been running for almost two years? A ground breaking, disciplined organization that never was riddled with money problems, people problems and management problems.
Barack Obama told CNN's Anderson Cooper on Monday's edition of "360" that he has more executive experience than Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. He compares his national campaign organization to Palin's stint as a mayor of a small town and ignores that she is a governor.
On CNN's "360" Obama "also countered critics who suggest that he has less executive experience in this situation compared to Alaskan Gov. Sarah Palin saying, "...my understanding is, is that Governor Sarah Palin's town of Wasilla has, I think, 50 employees. We have got 2,500 in this campaign. I think their budget is maybe $12 million a year. You know, we have a budget of about three times that just for the month. So, I think that our ability to manage large systems and to execute, I think, has been made clear over the last couple of years. continue
First off, this was one of the best staged conventions that I watched on television in years. Usually, these conventions are boring, but not this year. In fact the ratings were off the chain from Monday to Thursday. It averaged 30 million viewers a night. These numbers are huge for a political event and proves that the public is getting engaged.
From the surprise speech of Ted Kennedy; to the passionate plea of Michelle Obama; to the "set the record straight" speech of Hillary Clinton; to the "Yes he can, but first you got to vote for him" speech of Bill Clinton; to the introduction of Joe Biden; and to the final climax of the best convention speech given in modern day history by Barack Obama, it was a smash.
Some other speeches I fondly remember is Governor Schweitzer of Montana, this was the one speech my husband said, "should have been the keynote address." John Kerry's peeling the onion of John McCain and George W. Bush made me wish he was like that in 2004. Senator Bob Casey stating we don't need four more years, we can't take four more months. The democrats followed the lead of Obama with the ending being a convention to be talked about for years to come.
Job well done, Democrats.
obama's acceptance speech to the democratic convention in denver, colorado
icebergslim's last word: our team is the best team
After the past three days and all that drama? Compare our team to their team.
God Bless, Joe Biden.
Nuff said.
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Weekly Slideshow..................
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well, barack is our official nominee and he has joe by his side. after all this weekend drama, i told my mother, "i am glad joe biden is barack's vp." can you just imagine after all this crap, otherwise? at any rate, we have a lot of work to do. continue to donate to the campaign, and you can tip my obama jar for that. continue to volunteer, phone bank, all information below. the general election has commenced, as always keep your powder dry and remember to focus on obama and not the drama.....................
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