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Getbig Main Boards => Politics and Political Issues Board => Topic started by: Soul Crusher on March 23, 2011, 06:48:51 PM
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How fitting for my 50,000th post. How can we possibly deny our glorious leader a second term?
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I hate America and white people. And so can you! Obama-Qaddafi 2012-- Authentic Bannana Republic Politicians Seeking Equality For America!
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Obama visits Studio Museum tonight
March 29th, 2011 10:17 am ET .
Jennifer Eberhart NY Art Examiner
Tonight, the President of the United States will be visiting Harlem in an effort to fundraise and garner more enthusiasm for his political agenda. The events will be hosted by the Democratic National Committee.
Obama will first attend a fundraising dinner, for $30,800 per plate, at the new restaurant Red Rooster. The restaurant is owned by celebrity chef and Harlem resident Marcus Samuelsson, who was also a guest chef at Obama’s first presidential dinner. The restaurant, which “reflects the roots of American cuisine”, is located at 310 Lenox Avenue. Tonight’s event is said to raise $1.5 million for Obama’s campaign.
After the dinner, the president heads to the Studio Museum a few blocks away to meet with about 125 special guests, as a “thank you” to his supporters. Thelma Golden, director and chief curator of the museum, and one of the most influential African Americans in the art world today, will certainly be there to welcome the commander-in-chief. The museum is located at 144 West 125th Street.
At a time of financial crisis throughout the country, when many have lost their jobs or even their homes, President Obama is looking to bring hope back to the community that once supported him so ardently. This visit to Harlem will be a key factor in the president’s future bid for re-election.
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By Jennifer Eberhart NY Art Examiner.Jennifer is a Canisius College graduate with a dual degree in art history and in communication studies. She has always been an avid art enthusiast,...
Read more
http://www.examiner.com/art-in-new-york/obama-visits-studio-museum-tonight
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'Obama will first attend a fundraising dinner, for $30,800 per plate, at the new restaurant Red Rooster.'
EVERYONE does this shit.
All the dems, all the repubs. you act like shit is breaking news.
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I wonder how many people will get locked in the clset tonight over there.
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I didn't like everything I heard, but do remember this speech and thought he was an intriguing candidate. This is a prime example of how you have to get past a good speech and see where a person stands on the issues.
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Obama heads to New York for fundraising and interviews
By Perry Bacon Jr.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/44/post/obama-heads-to-new-york-for-fundraising-and-interviews/2011/03/29/AF67NzuB_blog.html
Less than 24 hours after delivering a major policy address on Libya, President Obama will shift to another role of a modern president: fundraiser-in-chief.
Obama will spend Tuesday night at two different fundraising events in Harlem. The first, at 6 p.m, is billed as a “small dinner and discussion,” with Obama at Red Rooster, a new restaurant run by Marcus Samuelsson, a chef who cooked at the state dinner Obama hosted for the prime minister of India in 2009. (Check out the restaurant’s menu.)
About 50 guests are expected, according to sources, and they will have donated to the Democratic National Committee $30,800, the yearly maximum. An hour later, Obama will attend a “thank you reception” for a larger group of past donors at the Studio Museum, an art center in Harlem. The reception is not a fundraiser, but the president is likely to encourage these donors to give when he ramps up his reelection effort.
Harlem is historically known as a center of black culture both in New York and nationally, but the events are not aimed principally at African Americans but major donors overall. Longtime Democratic donors say Obama needs to woo the big money elite of his party, some of whom have felt annoyed by his occasional bashing of big business as well as Obama’s limited outreach to donors over the past two years.
Obama held similar events in Washington this month, and the man he has tapped to be his campaign manager, Jim Messina, has been meeting Democratic donors across the country.
“It’s a different climate” than in 2008, said one longtime Democratic party donor. “The donor community has been disengaged from the White House.”
The donor outreach is only the end of a long Tuesday for Obama in New York. After he arrives this afternoon, the president will hold individual interviews with ABC, CBS and NBC that will be aired on their evening news programs as he tries to explain his Libya policy.
The president is constantly interviewed by individual outlets, but this full blitz is unusual, although he did it early in 2009 after Thomas A. Daschle’s surprise withdrawal as the nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services because of tax problems, and later that year to push his health-care bill.
Obama will also attend a event at the Union Nations to dedicate a building in honor of Ron Brown, the longtime Democratic party official who was serving as Secretary of Commerce in the Clinton administration until he died in a plane crash in 1996.
At the Brown event, Obama is likely to praise the United Nations for coming together on a resolution and military action in Libya.
By Perry Bacon Jr. | 11:51 AM ET, 03/29/2011
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This is a prime example of how you have to get past a good speech and see where a person stands on the issues.
More palin bashing. give it a break already.
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I'm surprised how silent you hve been on her lately.
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More palin bashing. give it a break already.
Barr 2008, Bitches.
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Updated: Thu., Mar. 31, 2011, 8:56 AM
Obama's donors
Last Updated: 8:56 AM, March 31, 2011
http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/obama_donors_ZsyQXeYy1wmjgdlLKUYaNJ
Posted: 1:53 AM, March 31, 2011
The guest list was top secret for President Obama's $30,000-a-head Harlem fund-raiser the other night. But sources tell us that those who helped raise more than $1 million for Obama included financier Orin Kramer of Boston Provident, New York State Democratic Committee Chairman Jay Jacobs with wife Mindy, Chelsea Piers president Tom Bernstein, and Evercore Partners' Ralph Schlosstein and wife Jane Hartley. Also there: White House adviser Valerie Jarrett and Rep. Charlie Rangel, who did not have to pay.
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Obama re-election announcement
By: CNN National Political Correspondent Jessica Yellin
WASHINGTON (CNN) - President Barack Obama plans to send supporters a text or e-mail message with a video announcing his intention to run for re-election, multiple Democratic sources tell CNN.
The message could come as early as Monday morning. The sources say his campaign team also hopes to file papers with the Federal Election Commission Monday to launch his 2012 re-election campaign.
The timing of the announcement and the filing could change depending on outside events. The White House is closely watching negotiations on Capitol Hill over the 2011 spending bill, which must be resolved this week to avoid a government shutdown.
This would come more than a week before the president hosts his first re-election fund-raiser in Chicago on April 14. These Democrats say no public event is planned because the White House wants to downplay the announcement and minimize the political distraction.
The president is making his campaign official slightly earlier than is typical for an incumbent so he can get a jump on fund-raising in a season that's likely to shatter all records. Obama’s team has been asking campaign bundlers to raise $350,000 each, no easy task since campaign finance laws limit gifts to $2,500 per donor. Two sources tell CNN the campaign team hopes that in total their bundlers will raise $500 million, leaving the campaign to raise another $500 million and amass a record-breaking $1 billion war chest.
According to these sources, the president has made calls to top donors and conference calls are planned this week to supporters and key Democratic groups. Vice President Joe Biden is already planning to be in New Hampshire Monday and will meet with key supporters in that crucial early voting state. For the past few weeks, Jim Messina, who will manage the campaign, and Patrick Gaspard, executive director of the DNC, have been flying around the country meeting with frustrated donors working to get them re-engaged.
So far no Republican contenders have formally announced. But these days the likely Republican presidential contenders are making endless visits to key early voting states and meeting with supporters across the country.
One top Democrat says, "The Republicans are out there day in and day out beating up on the president - they're basically running without filing. So to say we're going first isn't totally fair." This person adds, "No one wants to start running now. The president is engaged in the country, this is about getting (campaign) staff up and running."
Additionally, top Democrats say two former White House staffers are likely to set up a third-party outside spending group. Former Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton and Sean Sweeney, former aide to then-Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, have been approached by Democratic donors who are concerned about countering the influence of Karl Rove and the Koch brothers in the upcoming 2012 election.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/02/obama-re-election-announcement/#more-152608
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Oh great. Obama 2012 "it could have been worse".
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I will be moving to Bermuda (no taxes) if he wins in 2012.
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I hate America and white people. And so can you! Obama-Qaddafi 2012-- Authentic Bannana Republic Politicians Seeking Equality For America!
This could possibly be the most clueless thread ever, nice avatar btw...
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I support Barack Obama and the steadfast, unfaltering and not the least bit hypocritical stances he takes on a variety of issues. For example:
BERMAN: Obama’s selective outrage
President backs freedom for some but not for others
By most objective standards, President Obama’s Libya speech can be considered a success. After weeks of comparative silence, the president’s address - delivered on March 28 before the National Defense University - was as spirited a defense of America’s decision to intervene forcefully in Libya as any we have seen to date. So much so, in fact, that it raised eyebrows in many quarters. “Serious question,” one foreign policy observer asked wryly on Twitter in the wake of the president’s remarks. “Who did the neocons have to trade to get Barack Obama on their team?”
Indeed, with his newfound emphasis on humanitarian intervention, pro-democracy activism and the use of force, Mr. Obama these days sounds a great deal like his predecessor. Upon closer inspection, however, the similarities break down. The George W. Bush administration, in its 2003 national security strategy, boldly proclaimed a “forward strategy that favors freedom” - an idea that subsequently served as the cornerstone of its ambitious effort to remake the Middle East. The approach of the current White House, by contrast, can be described more accurately as supporting freedom for some, but not for all.
Take Mr. Obama’s contention, articulated in his Libya speech, that “when our interests and values are at stake, we have a responsibility to act.” A nice sentiment, to be sure, but a deeply problematic one, especially given that the Libyan scenario isn’t unique - quite the contrary, in fact. The brutality of Col. Moammar Gadhafi’s regime is commonplace in a region riddled with authoritarian governments and repressive juntas. Yet Washington, under Mr. Obama, has shied away from taking up the issues of these iniquities in other corners of the Middle East. Nor has it weighed in decisively in favor of the anti-regime stirrings in many of those same places.
Iran is a case in point. Recent weeks have seen a resurgence of the widespread grass-roots protests that erupted within the Islamic republic following President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s fraudulent re-election in June 2009. Unlike in the past, Mr. Obama has responded positively to these developments and taken a stand in support of Iran’s opposition forces. In his latest message, commemorating the Persian New Year, the president told the Iranian people in no uncertain terms that he supported their “freedom of peaceful assembly and association; the ability to speak your mind and choose your leaders.”
But that appears to be where the administration’s endorsement ends. At least so far, there is little indication that Mr. Obama’s support is anything other than notional - or that his government is prepared to commit any real political, economic or military resources in support of the cause of freedom within Iran.
On Syria, Team Obama has done even less. After decades of Ba’athist-imposed stagnation, major pro-democracy protests are challenging the repressive regime of Bashar Assad in Damascus. A brutal crackdown has followed, with widespread reports of mounting casualties as government forces bear down on protesters in Daraa, Jassem, Latakia and other cities. White House officials, however, have taken a deferential stance toward Damascus, with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton even going so far as to insinuate that at least some in the U.S. government believe Mr. Assad to be a “reformer.”
That, of course, must be news to Mr. Assad. After dissolving his Cabinet as a sop to his political opponents, the Syrian strongman used his most recent public address, on Wednesday, not to proffer additional concessions but to rail against the international conspiracies and seditionist elements working to undermine his rule. It is a safe bet that greater violence will follow. That the Obama administration will do something about it, however, is not.
So if the president’s defense of intervention in Libya sounds inauthentic, perhaps it is because his administration plies its outrage about human rights violations and Middle East repression so selectively. If it didn’t, the pro-democracy activists in Syria and Iran, and not just Libya’s rebels, might be able to take heart as well.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/apr/1/obamas-selective-outrage/
Team teleprompter Obama 2012!!!!!!
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By his actions, this is who you see Obama supporting...
The Neocons of the last decade.
The bankers.
The major corporations.
The pharmaceuticals.
The Military Industrial Complex lol...
But sadly NOT the average middle class sap working his ass off in America...
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>:(
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Obama reelection campaign expected to tap big-money donors
By Dan Eggen and Perry Bacon Jr., Saturday, April , 6:01 PM
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-reelection-campaign-expected-to-tap-big-dollar-donors/2011/03/26/AFKPO0wB_print.html
Facing an energized Republican Party and deep-pocketed conservative groups, President Obama is kicking off his 2012 reelection campaign with a concerted push for help from wealthy donors and liberal groups unbound by spending limits.
The strategy — which could begin in earnest as early as Monday with the formation of an official presidential committee — suggests a notable shift in emphasis for a president who has long decried the outsize role of money in politics.
Obama frequently points with pride to the role that smaller donors played in his 2008 election, when his campaign also openly discouraged spending by outside organizations. But now Obama finds himself seeking out the kind of big-money donations he has often criticized while encouraging independent groups to raise and spend unlimited money on his behalf.
Obama’s campaign manager-in-waiting, Jim Messina, has asked the party’s biggest supporters to raise $350,000 each this year, to be shared by Obama’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee, far higher than goals set during the 2008 cycle.
The effort could yield $140 million or more by the start of 2012, a pace likely to provide a major advantage to Obama and his party over potential GOP rivals. By comparison, Republican challenger Mitt Romney has set a minimum goal of $50 million for the primaries, though GOP strategists expect him to raise more.
The official start of Obama’s Chicago-based campaign is expected this week with an announcement to supporters and the filing of paperwork with the Federal Election Commission, advisers said. That will be followed by a whirlwind of major fundraisers scheduled later this month in Chicago, New York and California focused on both wealthy and middle-class donors.
With the 2012 presidential contest shaping up to be the most expensive political race in U.S. history, Obama last week traveled to New York to ask for help from dozens of wealthy Democrats. The first stop was the trendy Red Rooster Harlem restaurant, which played host to a 50-person, $30,800-a-head fundraising dinner for the DNC. Then it was off to the nearby Studio Museum for a thank-you reception with about 250 loyal donors, aimed at lining up support for the 2012 campaign.
“The dinner will be no more than 6 tables so that the President has time to spend at each table,” organizers noted in an e-mail message to attendees.
Senior Democratic aides say the early push among wealthy contributors makes sense given the lack of a primary race to inspire small donors. But DNC spokesman Brad Woodhouse said the campaign also will reach out to a broad group of potential contributors, including an aggressive use of Facebook, Twitter and other social media.
“Small donors, grass-roots donors, medium-sized and major donors were all part of the mix in 2008, and they will be again in 2012,” Woodhouse said. “We didn’t rely on one type of donor then, nor will we now.”
Democratic strategists say the aggressive fundraising goals are aimed in part at intimidating Republican rivals, who bested Democrats in overall political spending in 2010. The effort is expected to be bolstered by an outside group, now in the planning stages, headed by former White House aides Bill Burton and Sean Sweeney, advisers said.
“This president is quite strong, and already has a very developed list of supporters from the previous time,” said Richard Danzig, the Clinton administration Navy secretary who helped raise more than $500,000 for Obama in 2008. “He has all the advantages of being an incumbent.”
Yet the race is dogged by fears among supporters that Obama may not be able to match the historic fundraising juggernaut of 2008, when the candidate brought in nearly $750 million, much of it from small contributions solicited online. Some backers worry that a limping economy and disaffection among liberal activists and Wall Street donors could dampen Obama’s fundraising ability this time around.
“It’s a different climate,” said one longtime donor who, like many others, spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to talk frankly about the challenges facing the campaign. “The donor community has been disengaged from the White House.”
Republicans also criticize Obama for setting such lofty fundraising goals while in office: “Between the domestic and international crises currently facing the country, the president should demonstrate leadership for our country, not just his party,” said Republican National Committee spokesman Sean Spicer.
Obama’s senior advisers and many of his biggest financial supporters are optimistic, saying he should have little difficulty matching his 2008 fundraising record. At the same time, backers say, Obama will continue his efforts to limit the influence of special interests, again refusing to accept donations from corporate political-action committees or registered lobbyists. He also will urge outside groups to disclose their donors, aides said.
Peter Buttenwieser, a Philadelphia education consultant who helped raise more than $500,000 for Obama in 2008, said, “Once things get rolling and people take a look at the options, the campaign will raise all the money it needs.”
Since 2008, when Obama shattered records for online campaign donations, he has frequently cast himself as having reshaped politics by relying more heavily on average Americans than the super-wealthy. He told CNBC earlier this year that “the vast majority of the money I got was from small donors all across the country.”
That depends on the definition of “small”: About a third of the money he raised during the general election campaign did come from donors who gave $200 or less, a notably larger proportion than previous races, according to the Campaign Finance Institute think tank. But about 42 percent of the money came from donors giving $1,000 or more.
Obama also formed a group of “bundlers” who collected checks from their friends and earned special access to him and his staff, just as previous candidates of both parties had done before, and he declined public financing to avoid spending limits.
Some Democratic donors and campaign experts say the millions of middle-income people who donated to Obama three years ago may not have the motivation to give again. The 2012 campaign will lack the combination of factors that animated the 2008 contest: a fresh-faced candidate who could be the first black president; polarizing opponents like Hillary Rodham Clinton and Sarah Palin; and the eagerness of Democrats to end Republican control of the White House.
“He begins the race with the biggest donor base in presidential history, but you also have to add the dimension that it will be hard to replicate the historic nature of his candidacy,” said Anthony Corrado, a campaign-finance expert at Maine’s Colby College.
Obama also will be hobbled by rocky relations with the business community and softer support among some liberals.
“His refusal to fight Republicans or Wall Street corporations has left small-dollar donors much less inspired than in 2008,” said Adam Green at the Progressive Change Campaign Committee.
The president himself has acknowledged he may face a deficit in enthusiasm, one that he is urging supporters to overcome.
“Obviously the first time around it’s like lightning in a bottle,” Obama said at a recent DNC reception in Washington. “There’s something special about it, because you’re defying the odds. And as time passes, you start taking it for granted that a guy named Barack Hussein Obama is president of the United States. It’s not.”
Get the latest political news from PostPolitics. Follow us on Twitter and friend us on Facebook.
eggend@washpost.com
baconp@washpost.com
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Obama to announce bid for re-election, sources say
Edited on Sun Apr-03-11 06:51 PM by underpants
Source: CNN
Washington (CNN) -- President Barack Obama plans to send supporters a text or e-mail message announcing his intention to run for re-election, multiple Democratic sources tell CNN.
The message, which might include a video that would be posted online as well, could come as early as Monday morning. The sources say Obama's team also hopes to file papers with the Federal Election Commission on Monday to launch his 2012 re-election campaign.
The timing of the announcement and the filing could change depending on outside events. The White House is closely watching negotiations on Capitol Hill over the 2011 spending bill, which must be resolved this week to avoid a government shutdown.
So far no Republican contenders have formally announced. But these days the likely Republican presidential contenders are making endless visits to key early voting states and meeting with supporters across the country.
Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/04/02/obama.re.electio...
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ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?
WWWTTTFFF????
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Posted at 06:04 AM ET, 04/04/2011
Obama announces 2012 reelection bid (video)
By Emi Kolawole
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/44/post/president-obama-announces-2012-reelection-bid-video/2011/04/04/AFc5JLaC_blog.html?hpid=z1
For the latest news and analysis on the president’s 2012 announcement, read The Fix by the Post’s Chris Cillizza .
President Barack Obama has announced his 2012 reelection campaign bid, formally placing himself in the running for a second term. The announcement came via a YouTube video posted to the campaign website BarackObama.com.
The video features individuals professing their desire to be involved in the Obama 2012 campaign effort. “The last couple of elections we’ve had have almost been turning point campaigns,” said one participant identified as “Ed.” Another interviewee, identified as Gladys says, “I’m kinda’ nervous about it, it’s coming, here it is, 2012 — the election.”
“I just saw the energy and hope that he had for this country,” says “Mike,” “even though I couldn’t exactly vote at the time I knew that someday I’d be able to help re-elect him.”
“Unfortunately, President Obama is one person — plus he’s got a job. We’re paying him to do a job so we can’t say, ‘Hey, could you just take some time off to get us all energized?’ So, we’ve got to figure it out,” says “Alice.”
The video ends on a blue screen with white text saying, “It begins with us,” and unveiling the Obama 2012 campaign logo, which incorporates the red, white and blue “O” from the 2008 campaign.
The announcement, while not unexpected, marks the formal beginning of Obama’s run for a second term. The campaign will file formal papers today with the Federal Election Commission, allowing them to raise money towards what may be the first $1 billion campaign effort. The Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza reviews the 2008 campaign veterans set to advise the president during his second presidential run.
The video was accompanied by an e-mail message sent to Obama supporters:
Today, we are filing papers to launch our 2012 campaign.We're doing this now because the politics we believe in does not start with expensive TV ads or extravaganzas, but with you -- with people organizing block-by-block, talking to neighbors, co-workers, and friends. And that kind of campaign takes time to build.So even though I'm focused on the job you elected me to do, and the race may not reach full speed for a year or more, the work of laying the foundation for our campaign must start today.We've always known that lasting change wouldn't come quickly or easily. It never does. But as my administration and folks across the country fight to protect the progress we've made -- and make more -- we also need to begin mobilizing for 2012, long before the time comes for me to begin campaigning in earnest.As we take this step, I'd like to share a video that features some folks like you who are helping to lead the way on this journey. Please take a moment to watch:
In the coming days, supporters like you will begin forging a new organization that we'll build together in cities and towns across the country. And I'll need you to help shape our plan as we create a campaign that's farther reaching, more focused, and more innovative than anything we've built before.We'll start by doing something unprecedented: coordinating millions of one-on-one conversations between supporters across every single state, reconnecting old friends, inspiring new ones to join the cause, and readying ourselves for next year's fight.This will be my final campaign, at least as a candidate. But the cause of making a lasting difference for our families, our communities, and our country has never been about one person. And it will succeed only if we work together.There will be much more to come as the race unfolds. Today, simply let us know you're in to help us begin, and then spread the word: http://my.barackobama.com/2012
Thank you,
Barack
Paid for by Obama for America
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Obama launches reelection campaign
By: Jennifer Epstein
April 4, 2011 05:31 AM EDT
www.politico.com
President Barack Obama launched his reelection campaign Monday morning with a web video posted on his website.
“It Begins With Us” features a series of supporters from around the country explaining why they support the president, but does not include Obama’s voice or any new film footage of him.
“This campaign is just kicking off,” the front page of BarackObama.com says. “We’re opening up offices, unpacking boxes, and starting a conversation with supporters like you to help shape our path to victory. 2012 begins now, and this is where you say you’re in.”
Reports over the weekend set the drumbeat for the official launch, which came soon after 5 a.m. on the fourth day of the fourth month, symbolic for the 44th president.
An official filing with the Federal Election Commission is expected to come Monday so that Obama can begin fundraising for his campaign. His first official fundraiser is scheduled for April 14 in his hometown of Chicago. Two more are set for the following week, in San Francisco and Los Angeles, with ticket prices ranging from $25 for young adults — “Gen44” — to $2,500 for VIPs.
Though the president’s voice isn’t heard in the announcement, it does come across in an email message sent to his mailing list Monday morning.
“We’re doing this now because the politics we believe in does not start with expensive TV ads or extravaganzas, but with you — with people organizing block-by-block, talking to neighbors, co-workers, and friends,” he says, explaining why the launch is coming more than 19 months before Election Day. “And that kind of campaign takes time to build.”
“So even though I’m focused on the job you elected me to do, and the race may not reach full speed for a year or more, the work of laying the foundation for our campaign must start today,” Obama continues in the written message. That includes fundraising for what could be the first-ever $1 billion campaign.
Former White House deputy chief of staff Jim Messina is Obama’s campaign manager and has set up shop in Chicago at One Prudential Plaza, overlooking Grant Park, where Obama gave his election night victory speech.
Summoning the grassroots supporters who helped elect Obama in 2008, the two-minute video is an exercise in covering the bases, with backers young and old. Four of the five people featured in the video come from battleground states, the fifth is a college student from New York.
“We’re not leaving it up to chance, we’re not leaving up to, ‘oh, the incumbent,’” a woman identified as Gladys, of Nevada, says. “It’s an election that we have to win.” Video footage shows her in a kitchen with three kids.
“Unfortunately, President Obama is one person,” says Alice from Michigan. “Plus, he’s got a job. You know, we’re paying him to do a job so we can’t say, ‘hey can you take some time off and get us all energized?’ So we better figure it out.”
There’s also an appeal to disaffected supporters.
“I don’t agree with Obama on everything, but I respect him and I trust him,” Ed from North Carolina says, echoing the views of some who backed Obama in 2008 but haven’t been happy with his performance in the White House.
And Obama makes his own outreach pitch in his email. “We’ve always known that lasting change wouldn’t come quickly or easily. It never does,” he says. “But as my administration and folks across the country fight to protect the progress we’ve made — and make more — we also need to begin mobilizing for 2012, long before the time comes for me to begin campaigning in earnest.”
“There are so many things that are still on the table that need to be addressed. And we want them to be addressed by President Obama,” Gladys says.
“I had this perception that politics was all show, it’s all sound bytes. But politics is how we govern ourselves,” Katherine from Colorado says. “At the grassroots level, it’s individuals talking to other individuals and making a difference.”
“It begins with us,” the screen says as the video closes, segueing into the same “O” logo with a rising American flag that Obama used throughout the 2008 campaign, before zooming out so that the “O” becomes part of “2012.”
© 2011 Capitol News Company, LLC
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:D
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Obama re-election launches with e-mail, website
By LIZ SIDOTI, AP National Political Writer Liz Sidoti, Ap National Political Writer – 10 mins ago
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_obama2012;_ylt=AjFe63K3gmd4QU6Fqhi2lVCyFz4D;_ylu=X3oDMTJlc3Y3NWszBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTEwNDA0L3VzX29iYW1hMjAxMgRjcG9zAzIEcG9zAzEwBHNlYwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcnkEc2xrA29iYW1hcmUtZWxlYw--
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama formally launched his re-election campaign Monday, urging grass-roots supporters central to his first White House run to mobilize again to protect the change he's brought over the past two years.
The official start of his second White House bid, in the midst of three wars, a budget fight with Congress, and sluggish economic recovery, comes 20 months before the November 2012 election.
"We've always known that lasting change wouldn't come quickly or easily. It never does," the Democrat said in an e-mail to more than 13 million supporters announcing his candidacy. "But as my administration and folks across the country fight to protect the progress we've made — and make more — we also need to begin mobilizing for 2012, long before the time comes for me to begin campaigning in earnest."
He told them he was filing the necessary paperwork with the Federal Election Commission, and directed them to his new campaign website where a launch video featured clips from supporters talking about their continued backing of the Democrat.
"I don't agree with Obama on everything but I respect him and I trust him," Ed from North Carolina says, delivering what's certain to become a key part of the president's pitch as he tries to re-energize liberals who have criticized some of his policies and independents who have fled from him in his first term.
[ For complete coverage of politics and policy, go to Yahoo! Politics ]
Between now and the election, the incumbent Democrat will work to convince a fickle America that he has delivered change, made the right moves and earned the chance to continue the job. He will have to defend policies that have proven divisive, chief among them his sweeping health care overhaul and his efforts to boost the slow-to-rebound economy.
Obama announced his bid just as the White House is in a budget standoff with Congress that could lead to a government shutdown, weeks after the commander in chief directed U.S. military operations to a third major warfront, Libya, and days after the post-recession economy showed more signs of a rebound with a report that the still high unemployment rate had fallen to 8.8 percent.
Widely expected, the procedural step of launching a campaign was planned to coincide with the second fundraising quarter of the year. Filing paperwork will allow the president to begin raising money in earnest for what allies say could be a record-breaking haul of more than $1 billion for his campaign. That begins this month; he's slated to visit major money venues of Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles in the coming weeks.
The campaign is based in Chicago, and many of the same people from his first bid remain involved, including former campaign manager David Plouffe, who now is in the White House, and chief political strategist David Axelrod.
Managing the campaign this time is Jim Messina, who played a senior role in the first bid and in the White House. Messina has spent the past few months touring the country to lay the groundwork with donors in hopes of building a massive fundraising network featuring both large and small contributions. He's asked some 400 donors — called bundlers — to bring in at least $350,000 this year; the re-election website is geared toward raising money from grass-roots backers. Obama raised $750 million for his 2008 campaign.
Obama faces no primary challenger.
On the other side, the race for the GOP presidential nomination is just getting under way; more than a dozen Republicans are considering seeking the chance to challenge Obama in the next election. Only a few have taken the initial steps toward a candidacy, though several more are expected to this month. It's a wide open race with no clear front-runner.
Nevertheless, Obama said he's not taking anything for granted.
"We're doing this now because the politics we believe in does not start with expensive TV ads or extravaganzas, but with you — with people organizing block-by-block, talking to neighbors, co-workers, and friends. And that kind of campaign takes time to build," he said in the e-mail.
"So even though I'm focused on the job you elected me to do, and the race may not reach full speed for a year or more, the work of laying the foundation for our campaign must start today," Obama added. He directed them to the new red, white and blue website for what he said was "a campaign that's farther-reaching, more focused, and more innovative than anything we've built before."
The website features Obama's new campaign logo — 2012 with the rising sun in the background, a version of his 2008 campaign logo — and announces that the campaign is kicking off.
"We're opening up offices, unpacking boxes, and starting a conversation with supporters like you to help shape our path to victory, and this is where you say you're in," it says, urging people to organize and donate.
The video is a montage of testimonials from a demographically diverse group of backers who intend to stay involved in this campaign.
"It needs to reflect the changes that we've seen in the last two-and-a-half years," says Katherine from Colorado. "Then we had an underdog senator. Nobody thought that he had a chance. And now he's the president."
Gladys from Nevada adds: "We're not leaving it up to chance" and "It's an election that we have to win."
___
Online: www.barackobama.com
Follow Yahoo! News on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook
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I'm surprised how silent you hve been on her lately.
Are you really?
She's irrelevant until she runs and gives obama 4 more years.
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Are you really?
She's irrelevant until she runs and gives obama 4 more years.
What did you think of Bama's new video? Personally - it reminded me "Potemkin Village" or "The Crazies"
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http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4799753
Funny you should say that.
Here's my response to the E-mail I got from him today:
With all due respect to your office, Mr .President, I'm liberal, middle class, and a Vet. You threw me and people like me under the bus as soon as you got elected. Why don't you send this to your wealthy republican" friends". I'm sure they'll be wanting to donate to your campaign, you know, in a bi-partisan sort of way, and God knows, they are much better off financially than I am. After all, my income has been frozen, but they got massive tax breaks (again). In the meantime, I'll be donating what little bit I have to real progressives, that is, unless the government shuts down and I don't get my Navy retirement or social security checks.
I sincerely though our long national nightmare was over when you were elected, and I cried tears of joy and relief when it was announced that you had won. Little did I know that you were going to continue and even double down on some of George Bush's most abhorrent policies, and that not only was the nightmare not over, it was only just beginning.
I'm 65 years old, and cannot remember when I've been so disappointed in a politician. Every time I think about the disparity between Candidate Obama and President Obama, I get ill. If I were a republican operative, I'd just put up a split screen showing the "before and after". Nothing else would be necessary, and I'd be able to save a ton of advertising money. I can only say that you are quite fortunate that the republicans have such a plethora of certifiably insane people running; otherwise, you'd defeat yourself!
So much promise: squandered, overwhelming mandate: squandered, hope and change: squandered. I cannot even begin to tell you how disappointed and sad this makes me. I wish you well, but my personal code of ethics will not allow me to actively support someone who misrepresents himself in such an egregious manner.
(I'll vote for him if he's the candidate, but he's not getting one minute of my time or one penny of my money.)
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2 more years of this shit? Fuck!
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2 more years of this shit? Fuck!
well , really 6 more years ;D
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Are you fired up ready to go in 2012 for him?
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;D
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What did you think of Bama's new video? Personally - it reminded me "Potemkin Village" or "The Crazies"
shit if i know, i am not watching that crap.
trump and obama have many of the same positions on gun control and obamacare... so I'm guessing you're okay with most of what obama does.
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Are you fired up ready to go in 2012 for him?
240, as one of Obama's staunchest supporters and "bundlers", is fired up and ready to fleece his fellow trailer park dwellers out of their hard-earned money in order to reach that $350k goal.
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;D
Nice. :)
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Man With Obama Sign Attacked In San Francisco
CBS ^ | 4/5/11 | BCN
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) – A man who set up a table with political literature and a sign supporting President Obama was attacked in San Francisco’s North Panhandle neighborhood on Monday morning, a police captain said Tuesday.
The attack happened at about 11:30 a.m. Monday in the 1200 block of Fell Street, where the victim, a 29-year-old Daly City man, had set up his table, said Capt. Denis O’Leary of the Police Department’s Park Station.
A man and woman approached the victim, tore one of the signs and shook the table, causing the political literature to fall to the ground.
The suspects also kicked the man in the hand, O’Leary said.
The man and woman, who had dogs with them, fled south on Broderick Street before officers arrived, and haven’t been located, O’Leary said.
The victim said the pair made “no mention of a political affiliation,”
(Excerpt) Read more at sanfrancisco.cbslocal.co m ...
________________________ ________________________ _________________
AWESOME! AND NO - THIS WAS NOT ME AND MY GF!
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I will say that, unless they can come up with someone better than Romney, Bachmann or Palin, I'm voting for a 2nd term.
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Hmmmm...44th President announces re-election bid on 4/4.
Gotta love it.
Sandra
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Can someone please tell me one thing obama has done to earn reelection.
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Can someone please tell me one thing obama has done to earn reelection.
He has been terrible IMO. Someone told me yesterday that the unemployment rate for every month of Obama's presidency has been higher than any month during Dubya's eight years. Not sure if that's accurate, but if it is . . .
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I want his supporters to name just one thing he has done for the average 9-5 guy to say he has done something for them. Just one thing.
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Obama to hold Facebook
town hall; kicks off
campaign fund raising in
Bay Area
By Mike Swift
mswift@mercurynews.com
Posted: 04/05/2011 03:20:55 PM PDT
Updated: 04/05/2011 06:50:00 PM PDT
Hoping to grab some high-tech luster and begin
filling the campaign warchest he'll need in 2012,
President Barack Obama will visit Facebook this
month for an online town hall event with CEO Mark
Zuckerberg before going to San Francisco for a
series of pricey fundraisers, including a $35,800 a
plate dinner hosted by Salesforce.com CEO Marc
Benioff.
Obama, who announced Monday he would seek re-
election, is using the two-day visit to Silicon Valley
and San Francisco as an initial lap of the 2012
presidential campaign. He is expected to return to
the Bay Area multiple times before the election.
Facebook and the White House jointly announced
Tuesday that Obama will visit the Palo Alto
headquarters of the social network on April 20,
where the President will hold a special "Facebook
town hall" event that will stream live over Facebook
and the White House website, starting at 1:45 p.m.
Zuckerberg and Facebook chief operating officer
Sheryl Sandberg will moderate and sit onstage with
the President, in front of an audience of about 1,000
Facebook employees, small business leaders and
Silicon Valley entrepreneurs.
While the President is expected to take some
questions from the audience, the majority will be
selected from questions people post for
Obama on Facebook or the White House website
over the next two weeks.
Political insiders said the Bay Area offers the double
political advantage of being a fertile fundraising
area for Democrats, and as well as allowing
politicians to associate themselves with the world
changing technology of Silicon Valley.
Former President Bill Clinton "is really the one that
tilled this soil in Silicon Valley before anyone else,
and it proved to be very beneficial -- not only for
the dollars, but also with high technology in Silicon
Valley. That plays very well in Peoria and everywhere
else," said Santa Clara County Assessor Larry Stone,
a Democratic Party activist.
"Yes, the tech people have a lot of money," said
Barbara O'Connor, emeritus director of the Institute
for the Study of Politics and Media at California State
University, Sacramento, "but I think he's interested in
getting the message out to as many people as
possible, in an interactive format. That's important,
because you get to hear what people are thinking."
Enter "Facebook Live," a streaming interview feature
that the social network launched last year and has
since featured one-on-one interviews with figures
ranging from rock star and activist Bono and talk
show host Conan O'Brien to former British Prime
Minister Tony Blair and politicians like U.S. Rep.
Justin Amash, R-Mich. But this is the first time a
sitting president has used Facebook Live to reach
out directly to voters.
"We're honored that President Obama will be visiting
headquarters later this month and will be using the
Facebook platform to communicate with an
international audience," said Andrew Noyes, a
Facebook spokesman. "We're really heartened that
political figures are using Facebook to organize and
reach people in a direct, personal and simple way
that was really unimaginable a decade ago."
advertisement
http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_17777433?nclick_check=1
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I want his supporters to name just one thing he has done for the average 9-5 guy to say he has done something for them. Just one thing.
Not a supporter, but he's done about as much damage as he can. It's always darkest before the dawn. The anti-Obama nation needs to find a worthy, electable candidate, quickly. Romney's spin doctored image, Palin's incompetence and Bachmann trying to feed off Palin's image and make it her's, isn't going to cut it.
I'd rather let Obama sort it out than any of those 3 get near the oval office.
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Not a supporter, but he's done about as much damage as he can. It's always darkest before the dawn. The anti-Obama nation needs to find a worthy, electable candidate, quickly. Romney's spin doctored image, Palin's incompetence and Bachmann trying to feed off Palin's image and make it her's, isn't going to cut it.
I'd rather let Obama sort it out than any of those 3 get near the oval office.
By sort it out, do you mean drown to death in a Ted Kennedyesque DUI murder suicide with Star Jones as the passenger in the car that goes off the bridge, or did you mean that Obama should sort it out by getting an additional 4 years to destroy whats left of America?
Just wanted to clarify.
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Can someone please tell me one thing obama has done to earn reelection.
Your goals are different from his goals.
There are a hundred million americans (at least) who share obama's goals. The MAJORITY, or 53.9%, I believe. In terms of his plans and agenda, he got a lot of it done actually. Obamacare, finreg, DADT, schip, and many others.
Since you disagree with his bills, you say "he's got nothing done". If you agreed with his goals, you'd marvel at how much he got done.
I'm with you that I didn't support much of what he did (i could give a crap about if someone serving likes the cawk or not)...
BUT
I can admit that he did nail down quite a lot of things on his 'to do' list from 2 years ago.
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Good, then let the nation collapse and be over with it. If the 52% favor fiscal abyss, then fine, i hope we collapse and let those assholes starve and die for all I care.
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"Sticker shock" for Obama's pricey April SF fundraiser -- $35,800 PER PERSON?
727
.
Even loyal Obama supporters are raising their eyebrows at the very pricey fundraising -- like that exclusive $35,800-per-person dinner in San Francisco -- planned as part of the President's April 20 visit to the Bay Area.
The April Western U.S. swing by the President, which includes a stop in Reno and Los Angeles as well as San Francisco, is part of Obama's 2012 re-election kickoff campaign. But also scheduled is what the White House promises will be a jobs and economy event in the Bay Area on April 20.
On April 21, Obama heads to Los Angeles.
Cafe Presse
One of the Cafe Press designs pumping Obama's 2012 reelection campaign
Obama supporters acknowledge that the $35,800 per person San Francisco Obama Victory Fund dinner may represent a new pricetag high for political fundraising. After all, loyal Dems thought the ceiling was reached last Oct. 21, when tickets to that Obama dinner in the Palo Alto home of Google executive Marissa Mayer hit an astonishing $30,800 per person.
Yes, "there's a little bit of sticker shock,'' one Dem told us this week. The explanation: $30,800 of that donation will go to the Democratic National Committee, with $5,000 going to the Obama campaign -- $2,500 for the primary and $2,500 for the general election.
Here's the details of the Obama fundraising schedule as we know them so far:
*On April 20, organizers are promising a "low dollar" event at Masonic Auditorium in San Francisco, with tickets priced at $25, $250, $1,000 and $2,500. The high end ticket, $2,500, gets a donor a spot in the first three rows of the venue -- along with a photo line shot, according to the emails we've seen.
*April 20th evening: Obama will star at a very exclusive dinner at the San Francisco home of Marc Benioff, chairman and CEO of salesforce.com. That will allow just 60 high end supporters to dine with the President; potential donors are being told that Obama will "go to each table and speak with everyone individually,'' with photographer in tow for that $35,800 check. ("Yes, you read that correctly,'' another astonished potential check-writer told us.)
*April 21st: Breakfast at 7:30 at St. Regis Hotel in Los Angeles for an estimated 120 people. Tickets are $5,000 or $10,000, and that top VIP price gets you a photo with the President.
And this is just the beginning for California's deep-pocketed donors: remember, it's still 19 months until the 2012 election.
Posted By: Carla Marinucci (Email, Twitter) | April 05 2011 at 02:15 PM
Listed Under: Carla Marinucci
"Sticker shock" for Obama's pricey April SF fundraiser -- $35,800 PER PERSON?http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/nov05election/detail?entry_id=86397del.icio.us
Di
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/nov05election/detail?entry_id=86397#ixzz1IkCJQilN
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;D
This ad has gotten more hits than Obama's announcement! ha ha ha ha ha Even DU isrunnng this one.
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President Obama looks to Rev. Al Sharpton for help in 2012 reelection bid
New York Daily News ^ | 04/05/2011 | Jonathan Lemire
President Obama is making his second visit to the city in as many weeks - and is calling upon an unlikely ally to shore up the support of his political base.
Obama will be speaking Wednesday for the first time as commander in chief at the annual convention of the National Action Network and standing with its founder, the Rev. Al Sharpton - whom the President largely ignored before his 2008 election.
The symbolic speech at the Sheraton in midtown - coming just days after the President held two events in Harlem - indicates that Obama, who is battling slipping poll numbers, is trying to bolster his standing among African-Americans, political scientists said.
"It proves again that 2012 will be very different than 2008," said Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia. "Then, Obama was very wary of the race issue and of being labeled as a 'black candidate.'"
"But some of the enthusiasm surrounding that election has faded," said Sabato. "He needs an injection of energy and Sharpton can provide some of that, at least in the black community."
Obama and Sharpton have always been uneasy partners.
Sharpton - whose own political campaigns were defined by racial issues - initially questioned the Illinois senator's qualifications, and at first seemed inclined to support Hillary Clinton.
Obama spoke to the National Action Network in 2007. Although Obama often seemed to hold the Harlem icon at arm's length, he has consulted with Sharpton more frequently in recent years.
"The men will both benefit from the meeting," said political consultant Hank Sheinkopf.
"This shows clout and power for Sharpton," Sheinkopf said, "and for Obama the message he's sending is clear: 'I'm African-American, I'm protecting my base, and AlSharpton is going to help me do it.'"
"Obama knows he's going to need the minority voter and the liberal white voter to turn out in big numbers if he has a real opponent next November," he said.
Obama, who officially announced his reelection bid this week, will likely win the vast majority of the African-American vote, but political strategists see the Harlem events and the National Action Network speech as a way to inspire turnout.
"Obama needed four out of 10 white votes in 2008, so he had to strike a different tone [than Sharpton] and form a different coalition," said Sabato.
"But he can't forget this part of his constituency either," Sabato said. "He may not need the base in 2012, but he doesn't want to take any chances. He doesn't want to look back and say 'If only I had met with Al Sharpton.'"
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Holder, other US officials at NY Sharpton event
WSJ ^ | April 6, 2011 | AP
NEW YORK — The Rev. Al Sharpton is marking the 20th anniversary of his Harlem-based organization by teaming up with President Barack Obama and top White House officials to grapple with issues affecting black Americans.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
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Obama golf pal arrested in Honolulu prostitution sting
By Star-Advertiser staff
POSTED: 02:10 p.m. HST, Apr 06, 2011
(http://media.staradvertiser.com/images/300*441/20110406_br_titcomb1.jpg)
AP
This photo taken in December 2009 shows President Barack Obama, right, with Bobby Titcomb, on the 18th green as they play golf at Mid Pacific Country Club in Kailua.
A regular Hawaii golfing buddy and Punahou School friend of President Barack Obama was among four people arrested during a prostitution sting operation in Kakaako by Honolulu police Monday night.
Waialua resident Robert Richard "Bobby" Titcomb, 49, was arrested at South and Pohukaina streets at 9:40 p.m. Monday.
Titcomb was charged with solicitation of prostitution and released after posting $500 bail at 11 p.m. The offense is a petty misdemeanor that carries a $500 fine. People convicted may also face probation, community sevice or up to 30 days in jail.
Titcomb is described as a "commercial fisherman and airline employee" in an article profiling Obama that appeared in the spring 2007 edition of the Punahou Bulletin, the private school's quarterly alumni magazine.
Titcomb was one of four men who were arrested in a “reverse sting," targeting prostitution customers. HPD declined to give specifics about the location or other details about the operation.
The president last played golf with Titcomb during the first family’s most recent holiday vacation over Christmas and New Year’s. On Dec. 30, the president and his family spent the day at Titcomb's beachfront home in Waialua, where they ate barbecue, played volleyball and hung out on the beach.
Titcomb attended Punahou a year behind Obama but did not graduate from the school. Obama graduated in 1979.
http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/119366694.html
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White House fears gas prices could tank Obama
LA TIMES | 04/06/11 | Peter Nicholas
For much of President Obama's term, White House aides were convinced the main barrier to his reelection was the worrisome unemployment rate. But even as the economy bounces back, a new political obstacle has emerged: rising gas prices.
Trying to defuse the issue, the White House has arranged a slew of speeches and public events to reassure Americans that Obama has a plan for cutting gas prices.
On Wednesday, Obama flew to Pennsylvania — for a town-hall-style meeting devoted to energy. He travels Friday to Indiana, another important state on the election calendar, where he will appear at an event in Indianapolis also focused on high oil prices.
"It's on the minds of a lot of people right now because you're paying more at the pump. Anybody notice that?" Obama told workers at a wind turbine plant outside Philadelphia. "For a lot of people, money was already tight before gas prices started climbing."
Obama's attention to the issue comes amid new polling that has implications for the presidential race. With the economic recovery gaining momentum, fewer people say they are jittery about losing their job. But a growing percentage cites rising gas prices as a chief concern.
The Pew Research Center is coming out with a report this week showing a majority of Americans say gas prices have a "substantial impact" on their household financial condition.
"The bottom line is, unless gas prices go down, it puts the president in mortal peril," said Douglas Schoen, a former consultant to President Clinton. "Every American faces higher gas prices every day, so in a certain sense, it has the likelihood of being a more serious problem than the unemployment rate, because 9% are unemployed but 100% of the American people have to deal with the impact of rising fuel prices."
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
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April 7, 2011 - Obama Hits Losing Trifecta In Florida, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Increased Support For Offshore Drilling
Word format
President Barack Obama hits a losing trifecta with Florida voters: They disapprove 52 - 44 percent of the job he is doing; they prefer an unnamed Republican challenger by a too-close-to- call 41 - 38 percent in the 2012 presidential election and say 51 - 42 percent that the president does not deserve a second term, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.
Today's numbers compare to results of a February 3 survey by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University, when the President was almost dead even in the trifecta:
•47 percent job approval, with 49 percent disapproving;
•40 percent for Obama, compared to 42 percent for an unnamed GOP challenger;
•45 percent saying four more years compared to 48 percent saying no.
Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, who like Obama is on the 2012 ballot, is in better shape, with a 47 - 26 percent approval rating, a 43 - 39 percent lead over an unidentified Republican and voters saying 43 - 35 percent that he deserves another term in the Senate.
Florida voters support 51 - 44 percent a proposal before the Legislature that would require a woman seeking an abortion to first undergo an ultrasound procedure and be offered a chance to view the results. Women support the measure 53 - 43 percent, while men support it 48 - 46 percent.
"With President Barack Obama formally announcing his re-election campaign this week, one can expect that his team will be focusing on Florida, one of the nation's preeminent swing states and one that the president carried in 2008," said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "He has some work to do in the Sunshine State. On job approval, re-election and the matchup against an unnamed republican he does a good deal better among women than he does among men."
"Despite questions about his policies, the president is personally popular with Floridians," said Brown. Given four choices to describe their feelings about Obama:
•40 percent like him personally and like his policies;
•30 percent like him personally but not his policies;
•1 percent like his policies but not him;
•24 percent don't like him or his policies.
Taken together, 70 percent of voters like Obama, but only 41 percent like his policies.
By comparison, when voters are asked the same questions about Gov. Rick Scott, whose overall 48 - 35 percent disapproval rating makes him less popular than Obama, only 40 percent like him personally, while 34 percent like his policies.
Although by 65 - 30 percent, Florida voters back the U.S. Supreme Court decision establishing a woman's right to have an abortion, their support for requiring an ultrasound reflects strong Republican support and more modest opposition from Democrats and independents. Republicans approve of the ultrasound requirement 68 - 28 percent, while opposition is 54 - 41 percent among Democrats and 52 - 43 percent among independent voters.
On energy matters, voters support 60 - 35 percent increasing the amount of offshore drilling for oil and natural gas, with Republicans and independent voters behind the idea 82 - 16 percent and 58 - 38 percent respectively. Democrats are opposed 52 - 43 percent.
The public attitudes on building new nuclear plants in the state reflect the "Not In My Backyard" view. Voters split 48 - 47 percent on support for new nuclear plants in Florida, but they oppose 58 - 39 percent building nuclear plants in their city or town.
Support for the war in Afghanistan continues to deteriorate, as Florida voters say 59 - 36 percent the United States should not be involved in the war there.
Voters are divided 46 - 46 percent on whether they approve of the president's handling of the situation in Libya.
Support for Congress repealing the "health care law" that passed last year is 49 - 41 percent, and 54 - 40 percent when the question is phrased "health care reform law."
From March 29 - April 4, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,499 registered voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.9 percentage points. Live interviewers call land lines and cell phones.
The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio and the nation as a public service and for research.
For more data or RSS feed- http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, call (203) 582-5201, or follow us on Twitter.
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Obama's support among blacks slips unexpectedly, Hispanics too
April 7, 2011 | 3:38 am
Barack Obama rode to a comfortable presidential election win in 2008 on the electoral wings of a coalition based on liberal whites, independents and blacks, especially blacks.
However, this morning comes the most troubling political news for Obama's four-day-old reelection campaign: His job approval among blacks is sliding.
<snip>
Once monolithic, blacks' support for the first African American president is still....
....immense. But for unclear reasons it's declined about 7% from well above 90% to 85% in March. That's a new low since Obama's inauguration 26 months ago.
Equally ominous for Obama in 2012, his approval among Hispanics, the nation's fastest-growing demographic, has also fallen to again tie his term low of 54%. That's a drop of 11 points from its early high of 65%.
Read more...http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2011/04/obam...
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Don't you mean Red Robin :)
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Jewish Democrats asked to denounce Obama's meeting with Al Sharpton
IsraPundit ^ | 4/8/11 | Bill Levinson
To njdc "at" njdc.org; nynjdc "at" njdc.org
To: National Jewish Democratic Council
Copied to pro-Israel blog and conservative Web sites
Gentlemen,
The National Jewish Democratic Council is on record (http://www.njdc.org/media/entry/njdc_decries_mitt_romneys_embrace_of_henry_ford) as condemning Mitt Romney’s appearance at the Henry Ford Museum because of Ford’s publication of “The International Jew.” Henry Ford has been dead for more than 60 years, and he retracted and repudiated “The International Jew” before he died. This means that NJDC has set a red line at association with a dead EX-anti-Semite. We are therefore confident that NJDC will take prompt public exception to Barack Obama’s multiple appearances, the most recent on April 6 2011, with a live and unrepentant one.
“Civil rights leader” is a creative term for an individual who levies racially-motivated false accusations of rape (Tawana Brawley scandal) and leads a hate group whose racist and anti-Semitic hate speech inspires a deranged individual to set a Jewish-owned store on fire to kill seven of its employees along with himself. To this may be added Sharpton’s association with the reenactment of the Night of the Broken Glass during the Crown Heights riots.
(Excerpt) Read more at israpundit.com ...
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Obama is a failure.
Source: Oprah Winfrey Will Not Endorse Obama in 2012
Updated: Friday, 08 Apr 2011, 6:43 PM EDT
Published : Friday, 08 Apr 2011, 6:43 PM EDT
(NewsCore) - Oprah Winfrey, the queen of daytime television, will not be publicly endorsing President Barack Obama for re-election in 2012, a source told Pop Eater.
Back in 2008, the billionaire talk show host endorsed then-Senator Barack Obama -- the first time she had publicly taken sides in a US presidential election.
"For 2012, much has changed for Oprah," the source told Pop Eater. "She now has her own cable channel called OWN that has been struggling to find an audience -- she isn't going to do anything to alienate them."
Winfrey's daytime talk show will end its 25-year run on May 25. She will then spend the majority of her time at the helm of OWN, the Oprah Winfrey Network, a joint venture with Discovery Communications which debuted on Jan. 1.
After a big debut that averaged 583,000 viewers in primetime the first week, OWN has seen its ratings fall below those of the channel it replaced, the Discovery Health Channel.
"Unlike in 2008, when a drop in ratings didn't matter as much for the queen of TV, Oprah is now fighting every day to get people to tune into OWN," the source added, noting that while Winfrey will likely support Obama again, she will do so more privately.
"Helping a friend keep the most important job in the world is great, but making sure her OWN network thrives is now her priority," the source said.
In March 2011, Forbes magazine estimated Winfrey's net worth to be $2.7 billion.
PopEater
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No way.
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Obama is a failure.
Source: Oprah Winfrey Will Not Endorse Obama in 2012
Updated: Friday, 08 Apr 2011, 6:43 PM EDT
Published : Friday, 08 Apr 2011, 6:43 PM EDT
(NewsCore) - Oprah Winfrey, the queen of daytime television, will not be publicly endorsing President Barack Obama for re-election in 2012, a source told Pop Eater.
Back in 2008, the billionaire talk show host endorsed then-Senator Barack Obama -- the first time she had publicly taken sides in a US presidential election.
"For 2012, much has changed for Oprah," the source told Pop Eater. "She now has her own cable channel called OWN that has been struggling to find an audience -- she isn't going to do anything to alienate them."
Winfrey's daytime talk show will end its 25-year run on May 25. She will then spend the majority of her time at the helm of OWN, the Oprah Winfrey Network, a joint venture with Discovery Communications which debuted on Jan. 1.
After a big debut that averaged 583,000 viewers in primetime the first week, OWN has seen its ratings fall below those of the channel it replaced, the Discovery Health Channel.
"Unlike in 2008, when a drop in ratings didn't matter as much for the queen of TV, Oprah is now fighting every day to get people to tune into OWN," the source added, noting that while Winfrey will likely support Obama again, she will do so more privately.
"Helping a friend keep the most important job in the world is great, but making sure her OWN network thrives is now her priority," the source said.
In March 2011, Forbes magazine estimated Winfrey's net worth to be $2.7 billion.
PopEater
:o
I guess it doesn't matter. She's already a king-maker. Helped put this guy in office.
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If he lost opraha its already over.
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What's funny is CNN's byline on its front page says "Palin, Obama" get bad news. The author actually says "Obama, Palin." Not a big deal, but I see these subtle (and not so subtle) things from CNN all the time.
Obama, Palin get bad news in Florida poll
By: CNN Political Producer Alexander Mooney
Washington (CNN) - Dogged by a 34 percent approval rating among independents in Florida, a new poll out Monday indicates President Barack Obama would have a tough time beating either Republicans Mitt Romney or Mike Huckabee in that crucial campaign state.
According to the new survey from Sachs/Mason Dixon, Obama trails both past and potential presidential 2012 candidates in head-to-head matchups in the Sunshine State, losing to Romney, the former Massacusetts governor, by a 48-43 percent margin and lagging behind Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor, by a 49-44 percent spread.
Among all voters, Obama's approval rating in the Sunshine State stands at 43 percent, with 56 percent saying they are unhappy with his performance as commander-in-chief. That's consistent with a Quinnipiac University survey released last week that placed Obama's approval rating at 44 percent in the Sunshine state. The Quinnipiac survey also indicates that just over half of Florida voters don't think the president deserves re-election.
The new Florida poll may save its worst findings for former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who loses to the president by a sizable 51-39 margin. That's a worse showing than business mogul Donald Trump, who lags 8 points behind Obama with a 48-40 percent spread.
In even worse news for Palin, the onetime GOP vice presidential nominee places sixth with only 5 percent of support among registered Republicans when it comes to the horserace for the GOP primary in Florida, behind Huckabee at 23 percent, Romney at 18 percent, Trump at 13 percent, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich at 11 percent, and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty at 8 percent.
The poll surveyed 800 registered Florida voters from April 4-7 and carries a sampling error of 3.5 percentage points. For the Republican primary breakdown, the poll surveyed 400 Republicans and carries a sampling error of 5 percentage points.
The survey comes as the Florida Republican Party is currently in a heated debate with other state parties over when it will hold its presidential primary. The state, per an official calendar adopted by the national party, had been slated to hold its nominating contest in March, behind the traditional first four – Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada.
But Florida Republicans bucked that request earlier this year when it leapfrogged those states, saying they will conduct their primary on January 31, 2012, in direct violation of the calendar ratified last year by the Democratic and Republican National Committees, which carved out February for the official start of the nomination fight.
But amid heavy criticism from national Republicans and those of other primary states, Republican Party of Florida chairman Dave Bitner indicated last month he is open to moving the state's primary date back behind the traditional four.
Florida has famously see-sawed between the Democrats and Republicans in recent presidential elections: Obama carried the state by 3 percentage points in 2008 while former President George W. Bush won there by 5 points in 2004. And of course, Bush barely won the state in 2000 after a drawn-out recount.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/11/obama-palin-get-bad-news-in-florida-poll/#more-153785
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nice.
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Obama predicts: 'American people will feel that I deserve a second term'
The Hill ^
Obama predicts: 'American people will feel that I deserve a second term' By Michael O'Brien - 04/15/11 02:59 PM ET
President Obama said Friday that he's convinced that voters will come to see him as the candidate best prepared to serve as president by next fall's elections.
The president said he thinks that he can make the case for a second term, though he acknowledged that the state of the economy could be his biggest hurdle to clear in winning reelection.
"I think the economy's going to continue to improve, and I think I'm going to be able to make an effective case that ... I am the person who is best prepared to finish the job so that we are on track to succeed in the 21st century," Obama said in a video interview this morning with The Associated Press.
"I think I can make that case, and I think that, in the debates that take place over the next 18 months, the American people will feel that I deserve a second term," Obama added.
The president launched his campaign earlier this month by filing paperwork with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to formally indicate he would seek a second term. Obama advanced that effort with a trio of fundraisers last night in his adoptive hometown of Chicago, the city where his reelection effort will be headquartered.
Obama enjoys an early advantage over most of the Republicans vying for the nomination to challenge him in 2012, but polls suggest that the president doesn't enjoy broad support on the issue he says is most important: the economy. In a poll released on Friday, Gallup found Obama's approval rating stood at 41 percent, an all time low. Gallup said the figure was fueled by economic dissatisfaction.
"I think that my biggest concern, when it comes to reelection, is my biggest concern as president of the United States, which is our economy moving fast enough to give people the kind of relief that they need," Obama said.
As for the biggest strength Obama believes he has heading into 2012? He said it was his "confidence in the American people."
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Obama predicts: 'American people will feel that I deserve a second term'
"I think I can make that case, and I think that, in the debates that take place over the next 18 months, the American people will feel that I deserve a second term," Obama added.
I sure hope not.
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By MIKE ALLEN | 04/19/11 8:07 AM EDT
http://www.politico.com/playbook
OBAMA IN HOLLYWOOD – Variety’s Ted Johnson: “On Thursday, Obama will trek to Sony Pictures Entertainment in Culver City for a late-afternoon backlot rally with a capacity of 3,000 and Jamie Foxx on the bill as a ‘special guest’; tickets range in price from $100 to $2,500 for VIP seating. That will be followed by a much smaller dinner on the lot for some 60 people, with tickets priced at $35,800 per person; the president is expected to go from table to table to spend face time with donors. A second dinner will follow at the Brentwood restaurant Tavern. Among those expected are such moguls and major L.A. figures as Jeffrey Katzenberg, Michael Lynton, Berry Gordy, Elon Musk and Russell Goldsmith.” http://bit.ly/dZl5RO
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By MIKE ALLEN | 04/19/11 8:07 AM EDT
http://www.politico.com/playbook
OBAMA IN HOLLYWOOD – Variety’s Ted Johnson: “On Thursday, Obama will trek to Sony Pictures Entertainment in Culver City for a late-afternoon backlot rally with a capacity of 3,000 and Jamie Foxx on the bill as a ‘special guest’; tickets range in price from $100 to $2,500 for VIP seating. That will be followed by a much smaller dinner on the lot for some 60 people, with tickets priced at $35,800 per person; the president is expected to go from table to table to spend face time with donors. A second dinner will follow at the Brentwood restaurant Tavern. Among those expected are such moguls and major L.A. figures as Jeffrey Katzenberg, Michael Lynton, Berry Gordy, Elon Musk and Russell Goldsmith.” http://bit.ly/dZl5RO
Business/politics as usual. That kind of money ($35k) buys you a seat at the table after the election.
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And 240/mal/blackass/andre/licker/straw/benny/garebear THINK bama reallygives a fuck about them. ha ha ha ha ha
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Gallup: Obama’s Approval Among Hispanics Drops to All-Time Low of 47 Percent
csnews.com ^ | 4-19-11 | Terence P. Jeffrey
As President Barack Obama was preparing to meet at the White House on Tuesday afternoon with a group of business, religious and law enforcement leaders to talk about immigration reform, the Gallup poll released its latest weekly presidential job approval numbers indicating that Obama’s approval among Hispanic Americans had dropped to an all-time low.
In the week of April 11-17, Gallup reported, only 47 percent of Hispanics said they approved of the job Obama was doing as president.
This was only the third week during Obama’s presidency that his job approval among his Hispanics has been lower than 50 percent. The previous two occasions were Sept. 20-26, 2010, when Obama’s approval dropped to 49 percent among Hispanics, and the week of July 26-Aug.1, 2010, when it dropped to 48 percent.
Obama’s approval among Hispanics peaked at 85 percent--a level it attained in the week of April 20-26, 2009 and again in the week of May 11-17, 2009.
Gallup typically asks at least 500 people per day--or more than 3,500 per week--whether they approve or disapprove of the job the president is doing. Last week, it surveyed 3,614 people.
Obama’s 47-percent job approval among Hispanics during the week was slightly higher than his overall job approval, which was 43 percent.
According to the Pew Hispanic Center’s analysis of the 2008 presidential election exit polls, then-Sen. Barack Obama defeated Sen. John McCain 67 percent to 31 percent among Hispanic voters.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnsnews.com ...
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Obama flubs history lesson
Minnesota State News ^ | 19 April 2011 | Jon Miltimore
In an interview Monday with reporter Brad Watson of WFAA-TV of Dallas, Obama seemed to confuse the state’s current political history with its Democrat past.
“Texas has always been a pretty Republican state,” Obama said, when asked why the President was so unpopular in Texas.
In fact, since the Civil War and until 1980, the Lone Star state swung toward the Democratic candidate in 23 of 27 presidential elections.
(Excerpt) Read more at mnstatenews.com ...
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Obama flubs history lesson
Minnesota State News ^ | 19 April 2011 | Jon Miltimore
In an interview Monday with reporter Brad Watson of WFAA-TV of Dallas, Obama seemed to confuse the state’s current political history with its Democrat past.
“Texas has always been a pretty Republican state,” Obama said, when asked why the President was so unpopular in Texas.
In fact, since the Civil War and until 1980, the Lone Star state swung toward the Democratic candidate in 23 of 27 presidential elections.
(Excerpt) Read more at mnstatenews.com ...
I'm sure people will be jumping all over him for this. ::)
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Obama mines California donors ("It wasn't my campaign; it was your campaign. It was your..")
Los Angeles Times ^ | April 20, 2011 | Seema Mehta
"It wasn't my campaign; it was your campaign. It was your investment. It was your time. It was your energy. It was your faith and it was your confidence that is allowing me to try to live up to those values that we share," he said in Chicago last week. "And if you remember that, and if you take ownership for that, and if you are just as fired up now — despite the fact that your candidate is a little older and a lot grayer — then I have every confidence that we are going to be able finish the job."
President Obama begins a two-day swing through California ...underscores the conflicting roles the state plays in presidential politics: Its strong Democratic bent means it will once again be written off by both sides during the 2012 general election, but the trove of supporters here will once again be mined to bolster Obama's efforts elsewhere.
"He doesn't have to campaign here to win," said....,a government professor at Claremont-McKenna College. "He does need to tap the deep resources of Democratic political money, and he needs to inspire volunteers."
Last time around, California donors gave $78 million to Obama's campaign. Tens of thousands of Californians volunteered, phoning voters and flooding crucial swing states such as New Mexico and Nevada.
"I'm not going to lie — there are a lot of people I know who … do complain to me that he hasn't done enough in two years, that he promised lots of stuff he hasn't delivered," said Omar Torres, 29, a San Jose State student who volunteered for Obama in Las Vegas and plans to do so again. "I try to tell them, 'Look, it's politics. You can't fix eight years of disaster in two years.' "
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
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The latest on California politics and government
April 20, 2011
Outside Facebook, former Obama volunteer protests him now
President Barack Obama could hardly find friendlier ground as he starts a fund-raising swing through California today, but there were signs of discontent outside Facebook headquarters, where he is hosting a town hall.
It wasn't that the crowd was large - it wasn't - but that many of the people hoisting signs were young, liberal voters who cast their first ballots for Obama, even volunteered for him, in 2008.
Chelsea Byers, a Code Pink intern who was studying abroad in 2008, helped organize an effort that year encouraging students to return absentee ballots for Obama. But she said she is upset with his actions in Libya.
"We just had hopes of seeing this great new Democratic base against wars," she said. "I definitely am a fan of Obama. I like Obama. But his policies, and what they're doing, it's got to stop."
Byers and her colleagues held signs that encouraged Obama, in the vernacular of the social networking site, to update his war status and budget profile.
"He made a lot of promises," she said. "It's dissatisfying."
A crowd has gathered inside Facebook for Obama's town hall event, to be streamed live on Facebook this afternoon. Supporters lined up hours early, and about 500 people, many of them Facebook employees, are expected to attend.
Obama will attend several fundraisers this week in San Francisco and Los Angeles. They include a private dinner and a rally tonight at Nob Hill Masonic Center and a breakfast Thursday morning at the St. Regis San Francisco. Tickets ranged in price from $25 to $35,800 per person.
Read more: http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2011/04/outside-facebook-former-obama.html#ixzz1K6amHamb
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???
33, do you have a problem with politicians having these dinner for $tens of thousands for a 'seat at the table'?
Cause you're pissed obama is doing it - yet I don't see you complaining when repubs do it ???
Everyone does it. The 2012 winner will raise 600 mil to $1 bil. They aren't going to be finding that kinda $ in the seats of their couch. Since both parties do it - there's nothing to bitch about. Ron Paul will be doing this if he wins the nod - which probably won't happen cause you'll vote for a lib in the primaries...
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Its the hypocrisy stupid.
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Its the hypocrisy stupid.
???? how so? Has obama ever criticized the repubs for holding fundraising dinners?
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No. Its bama and his sycophants always screaming about the evil rich, gop as party of the rich, bama claiming he is for the little guy and middle class, bama bullshitting the tax and deficit issues, bama screaming about citizens united, etc.
Not that this matters to you considering you want jeb for potus but also believe his family has forewarning or worse on 911.
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No. Its bama and his sycophants always screaming about the evil rich, gop as party of the rich, bama claiming he is for the little guy and middle class, bama bullshitting the tax and deficit issues, bama screaming about citizens united, etc.
Not that this matters to you considering you want jeb for potus but also believe his family has forewarning or worse on 911.
Sure, you can't separate the moral from the utilitarian aspects of things. it's cool. i was emotionally immature like that in the past. "how could anyone let a 911 happen".... in the bigger scheme, 100 years from now when those dozens of bases in afghanistan are holding shit down in energy wars against RUS, CHINA, and whoever else... well, people will look at cheney and friends like heroes for 'letting' a 911 happen.
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You are really nuts.
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ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?
WWWTTTFFF????
LOL!! What a bunch of retards. Some people are so gullable it's a wonder they havent been robbed of everything they own yet. Actually maybe they have been and thats why they want Obama to pay for thier gas and mortgage, etc.. now.
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White House fears gas prices could tank Obama
LA TIMES | 04/06/11 | Peter Nicholas
For much of President Obama's term, White House aides were convinced the main barrier to his reelection was the worrisome unemployment rate. But even as the economy bounces back, a new political obstacle has emerged: rising gas prices.
What drugs is this person smoking? I swear, there is no hope for America, none at all. There's just too heavy a weight around the ankle of intelligence to make any meaningful change. The public will be screaming for help from the same idiots that put them on the street. These folks really need to take a long hike.
I stand corrected, McDonalds is hiring 50,000 new employees. Lets hear it for progress. woohoo.
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You are really nuts.
and you're trapped in the good vs. evil mindset sold to us in mother goose books.
any world leader would trade 3000 lives for 100 military bases in oil rich nations with strategic defense lines against RUS and CHI.
you can pretend otherwise if it makes you sleep better at night. you wear your moral goggles but don't realize some people wear utilitarian glasses.
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Obama's Likability Gap - Obama today is different than the 2008 candidate.
Wall Street Journal ^ | 4/21/11 | DANIEL HENNINGER
If it is true, as Michelle Obama said in February, that her husband isn't smoking anymore, maybe he'd better start mellowing out with the cigs again before it costs him the presidency.
The Barack Obama we've been seeing lately is a different personality than the one that made a miracle run to the White House in 2008.
Obama.2008 was engaging, patient, open, optimistic and a self-identified conciliator.
Obama.2011 has been something else—testy, petulant, impatient, arrogant and increasingly a divider.
Never forget: That historic 2008 victory came with 52.9% of the total vote and 52% of independent voters. David Axelrod recently noted "how small the margin for error is."
Presidential personality is well inside the margin of error for 2012, but the one on display recently has not been attractive. And it's happening a lot.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
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BELTWAY CONFIDENTIAL
Politics from the Nation's Capital Obama: Mistakes? Can't think of any.
TAGS: Barack ObamafacebookGeorge W. Bush
Comments (0) Share Print By: Byron York 04/20/11 11:34 PM
Chief Political Correspondent Follow Him @ByronYork
. Seven years ago, in April 2004, President George W. Bush held a formal news conference in which he was asked, "What would your biggest mistake be…and what lessons have you learned from it?" Bush's hemming and hawing answer -- in several minutes of flailing about, he never managed to come up with a single mistake to cite -- was widely criticized in the days that followed.
On Wednesday, President Obama held a town hall at the headquarters of Facebook in Palo Alto, California, during which he was asked, "If you had to do anything differently during your first four years, what would it be?" Obama, it turns out, is no better at analyzing his own missteps than Bush.
The president began his response haltingly, pointing out that he has actually been in office just two and a half years, and "I'm sure I'll make more mistakes in the next year and a half." But what mistakes has he already made? "There are all sorts of day-to-day issues where I say to myself, oh, I didn't say that right, or I didn't explain this clearly enough," Obama said, "or maybe if I had sequenced this plan first as opposed to that one, maybe it would have gotten done quicker."
But the president mentioned no actual mistakes. Next, he brought up the health care battle, not to admit error but to praise the work of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in pushing the national health care bill through Congress. The fight got pretty complicated, Obama said, "and I've asked myself sometimes is there a way that we could have gotten it done more quickly and in a way that the American people wouldn’t have been so frustrated by it?" Was that possibly a mistake? Obama quickly excused himself. "I’m not sure I could have because there’s a reason why it hadn’t gotten done in a hundred years," the president explained. "It's hard to fix a system as big as health care and as complicated as our health care system." After a good bit of talking, Obama still had not mentioned any mistake or anything he would do differently.
At that point, Obama decided to steer away from the subject of mistakes altogether. "I think the best way to answer the question is what do I feel I still have to get done," he said. He briefly mentioned the deficit and immigration reform.
And then it was on to energy. "We haven’t talked a lot about energy today," Obama said, "but first of all, $4-a-gallon gas really hurts a lot of people around this country…" With that, Obama began a long discussion of gas mileage, solar energy, wind energy, biofuels, clear car technology, the federal auto fleet, electric cars, hybrids, fuel-efficiency standards, oil production, and more. After that it was the big oil companies. They shouldn't receive government subsidies, Obama said, nor should they get special tax breaks.
"So when it comes to energy," said Obama, summing up, "when it comes to immigration, when it comes to getting our deficit under control in a balanced and smart way, when it comes to improving our math and science education, when it comes to reinvesting in our infrastructure, we’ve just got a lot more work to do."
By then, it was hard to remember that Obama's long and rambling answer was in response to the question, "If you had to do anything differently during your first four years, what would it be?" Obama's answer, even with all its twists and turns, was smoother than Bush's had been seven years earlier. But in substance it was no different.
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Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/2011/04/obama-mistakes-cant-think-any#ixzz1KBBZGCnU
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A bad time for Obama’s approval dip
By Sam Youngman - 04/20/11 06:25 AM ET
President Obama’s approval ratings are plummeting, and the timing is terrible for the White House.
Even as Obama skewered Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and the House GOP budget plan, his approval rating dipped in a Gallup poll to 41 percent, the lowest number yet of his presidency.
A Washington Post/ABC News poll released Tuesday shows Obama at 47 percent, down seven points since January.
Worse yet for the White House, Gallup shows the president in a nosedive with independents, who are coveted by the Obama-Biden 2012 campaign.
From April 12-14, independents’ approval of Obama fell to 35 percent, 9 percentage points off his average for the year, according to Gallup.
Rising gas prices are no doubt a problem for the White House, and may be a main factor in the plummeting poll numbers. The higher gas prices generally rise, the lower a president’s approval ratings tend to be.
Still, it is disconcerting for the White House and Obama’s new campaign operation in Chicago to see falling poll numbers just after the president launched his reelection campaign with a strategy of focusing on the economy and the contrasting economic visions of the president and the GOP.
White House officials insist they are focused on the long run and do not put much stock in short-term polls. With time, officials say, the arguments Obama is laying out will work to his advantage.
But there are trends at play that should give even a long-ball player like Obama political adviser David Plouffe some concern.
The White House has repeatedly angered its liberal base by seeking compromise with Republicans, increasing the importance for Obama of attracting independent voters next year.
If anything, the deal to avert the government shutdown should have helped Obama with that bloc. Instead, polling showed that the president didn’t get noticeable credit or blame.
The trouble started, according to the polls, when Obama went nuclear on Ryan and the GOP, inviting them to a speech on fiscal policy that turned out to be a public kick in the pants.
While White House advisers pushed back hard on the idea that Obama was giving a campaign speech, a subsequent campaign email from Obama campaign chief Jim Messina that night and Obama’s incorporation of the theme into campaign events in Chicago seemed to put that point to rest.
The concern for the White House is that voters don’t like their president to be acting like a candidate when they want him focused on the economy.
With just a few days of hindsight, it’s not difficult to imagine that Obama’s advisers saw the Ryan plan, and particularly its proposed reforms to Medicare, as a political gift. The White House could not resist the temptation to go for a knockout punch.
In swinging for the knockout, the president might have gone too far.
Despite the ever-present acrimony in Washington, Obama generally gets credit from independents for trying to change the tone in Washington. By pulling out the big guns on Ryan, Obama might have holstered one of his most valuable traits.
Democratic strategists, hopeful that the downward polls are the result of rising gas prices, say that Obama is taking a “calculated risk” in trying to rally his liberal base with some good old-fashioned partisan warfare.
“Right now he needs to fire up his base and get the grassroots operation and fundraising into gear,” said one Democratic strategist. “There is time to come back to independents — particularly since the GOP has lost its way so badly and Trump could be their nominee.”
Democrats believe that every day real estate mogul Donald Trump is appearing in living rooms around the country as a possible GOP presidential candidate, the more Obama looks like a serious, sober-minded president focused on issues people care about.
Lara Brown, a political science professor at Villanova University, said she agrees that Obama used last week’s speech as an effort to bring Democrats in line.
“His partisan budget speech last Wednesday may help restore some of his support among Democrats and begin the process of rallying his base in advance of the 2012 election,” Brown said.
On the other hand, Monday’s decision by Standard & Poor’s to downgrade its outlook on U.S. debt is bad news for the president’s efforts to attract independents, Brown said.
With that announcement, “it would not be surprising to see the president’s support continue to fall among independents who for the past year have seemed nearly as concerned about the nation’s fiscal future as bond traders,” she said.
Youngman is the White House correspondent for The Hill. Find his column, Obama’s Bid for Reelection, on thehill.com
http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/obama-rerun/156889-obamas-approval-rating-falls-at-bad-time
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www.drudgereport.com
Protesters hit high-end Obama fundraiser...
Thurs April 21 2011 12:52:09 EDT
Subject: Pool report #1
San Francisco -- ***Protestors in high-end fundraiser - see below***
Motorcade left the Intercontinental Hotel at 9 am local and arrived at the St. Regis for President Obama's last Bay area fundraiser. A couple dozen demonstrators are on a corner across the street from the hotel. They have signs - "Yes We Cannabis" and "Protect Marijuana Patients Rights" - and are chanting something your pooler couldn't make out. One of them also has sign of Uncle Sam's face with "LIAR" written on his hat.
About 200 donors were at the breakfast fundraiser, per a Democratic official.Your pooler counted 15 tables with 10 chairs each, however, and not all tables were full, including one in the back where Valerie Jarrett, Jay Carney and Patrick Gaspard sat with two other people. Tickets are $35,800 each. The money goes to The Victory Fund, a joint account of the Obama campaign and the DNC. $5,000 goes to the campaign, and $30,800 goes to DNC.
POTUS was introduced by Nancy Pelosi. "We can thank him for bringing hope where there was despair for some," Ms. Pelosi said. POTUS, she said, was a job creator from the start."His reelection is absolutely essential to our country's future," Ms. Pelosi said. POTUS spoke with a handheld mic. "I'll admit I sort of slept in," POTUS said.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Lt Gov. Gavin Newsom was seated front, former Mayor Willie Brown, "no matter how hard I try, Willie is still better dressed than me - although I'm still getting used to the no mustache thing." POTUS called Ms. Pelosi one of the greatest speakers in history. He started to launch into his stump speech when Ms. Pelosi interrupted to say Gov. Jerry Brown had been there.
Mr. Obama was in the middle of his remarks when a woman in a white suit stood up and said, Mr. President we wrote you a song. POTUS tried to get her to wait until later, but she persisted and the table of 10 broke into a song that pointed out they'd just spent $5,000 donating to his campaign and went on to protest the treatment of Pfc. Bradley Manning. The woman stayed standing as they sang. Mr. Obama looked to Ms. Pelosi and asked, Nancy did you do this? Ms. Pelosi had a look on her face, as she stared at the singing group, that definitely said she did not. The song - will send quotes after transcribe - talked about Bradley Manning and how he is "alone in a cell..."
The 10 singers then passed around 8.5x11 signs that said "Free Bradley Manning" or had a photo of him.Then the woman in the white suit stripped off her jacket to reveal a black T-shirt that said Free Bradley Manning, with an image of him. "We paid our dues. Where's our change?" they sang. USSS and WH staff had moved near the table at this point. The woman was escorted out. Two others left on their own. (The rest stayed and applauded at the end of POTUS's speech.)
"That was a nice song," a displeased Mr. Obama said. "Now where was I?" POTUS asked. As was indicated by that song, "Over the last 2 and a half years, change turned out to be tougher than we expected," POTUS said.
Subject: Pool report #1a - song lyrics
Here it is:
Dear Mr. President we honor you today sir
Each of us brought you $5,000
It takes a lot of Benjamins to run a campaign
I paid my dues, where's our change?
We'll vote for you in 2012, yes that's true
Look at the Republicans - what else can we do
Even though we don't know if we'll retain our liberties
In what you seem content to call a free society
Yes it's true that Terry Jones is legally free
To burn a people's holy book in shameful effigy
But at another location in this country
Alone in a 6x12 cell sits Bradley
23 hours a day is night
The 5th and 8th Amendments say this kind of thing ain't right
We paid our dues, where's our change?
One of the singers gave your pooler the lyrics, written out on the back of the menu for the fundraiser. It includes the website freshjuiceparty.com
Also, on POTUS - your pooler would say he took the song in stride and at first he didn't seem to realize it was a protest song.
In other news, the menu included scrambled organic Petaluma farmed eggs, chicked apple sausages, organic fingerling potatoes; fruit and berries; miniature danishes and Matzo crackers. Motorcade is rolling to the airport at 10 am local.
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ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?
WWWTTTFFF????
These are the kinds of ads he will have to run. Very little of him (or just soundbites from speeches). Nothing about his accomplishments. Just vague references that have an emotional appeal.
He can't run on his record.
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;D
If only they threw shoes at his ass.
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Obama speaks to the stars; Tom Hanks suggests 'five and a half more years'
The Hill ^ | April 22, 2011 | Jordan Fabian
________________________ ________________________ ______
President Obama asked for support Thursday from a small Los Angeles audience dotted with Hollywood stars.
Speaking in a tiny room of the Italian restaurant Tavern to a an audience of 60 that included Steven Spielberg, Will Ferrell, Tom Hanks and George Clooney, Obama said he understood frustration with his compromises with centrist Democrats and Republicans on healthcare, ending the Bush tax rates for the wealthy and other issues.
Over the past two and a half years, Obama said, he was sure there were times "where you're reading the papers or you're watching TV and you're saying, 'Ah, Obama, you know, why's he compromising with the Republicans?' Or 'Aw, why did healthcare take so long? and I want single-payer plan anyway.' "
The president then joked: " 'Golly, you know, if he was just as good a communicator as George Clooney, I'm sure the American people would understand exactly what needs to be done.' "
The remark cracked the room of donors up, according to a White House pool report.
Obama, who returns to Washington from California on Friday, has held a series of fundraisers in the Golden State over the past two days as he completes a week of barnstorming across the country that foreshadows the presidential campaign.
The president has spoken to liberal supporters in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Palo Alto whose continued support will be critical if Obama's campaign is to meet a goal of raising $1 billion in campaign funds for 2012.
A big part of Obama's message on the West Coast has been that the White House has accomplished much, but that the president needs another four years to continue his work.
"We've pulled this economy out of a recession. We've stabilized the financial system. We've passed historic healthcare legislation to make sure 30 million people aren't going to go without coverage. We have repealed 'Don't ask, don't tell.' We have put two women on the Supreme Court, including the first Latina. We've passed equal pay for equal work.
"We can go down the list," Obama told the crowd. "But we also know we've still got a lot more work to do. We've just started, and we've got a lot more work to do."
Obama's 2008 campaign had serious backing from Hollywood and Silicon Valley, but the left has soured a bit on the White House over the course of Obama's time in office. A stepped-up effort in Afghanistan was a disappointment to the anti-war left, and Obama's decision to allow the Bush tax rates for wealthier taxpayers to be extended for two years more recently irritated liberals.
Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) recently said he and other members of Congress needed to pressure Obama to act more like a Democrat.
The White House has intensified its effort to attract independents to Obama's 2012 bid. Those voters were also critical to Obama's 2008 success, but polls suggest their support has weakened substantially. In working with Republicans on December's tax deal and, more recently, on spending cuts, the White House is making a play for independents. But this risks alienating the left.
The signs of frustration from liberal supporters of the president could be seen during his swing through California over the past few days — ten protesters broke into Obama's first fundraiser of the day on Thursday, singing, “We’ve paid our dues / Where’s our change?” at the San Francisco event.
And several picket signs could be seen along several of his motorcade routes voicing opposition to the U.S. military intervention in Libya.
At the Tavern event, at least, Obama seemed to make some headway.
Hanks, for one, could be seen turning to his table mates and saying: "Five and a half more years."
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Brutal NYT/CBS Poll For Obama
Washington Examiner ^ | April 21, 2011 | Conn Carroll
The New York Timesis burrying the lead on their latest poll. The numbers are just brutal for the White House:
70% of Americans feel things in this country are seriously off on the wrong track. That is the highest number since the 79% registered in 1/11/09 when President Bush was still in office.
80% rate the national economy as bad (44% fairly/36% very). Only 19% rate it as good (2% very/17% fairly).
39% think the economy is getting worse, only 23% say it is getting better. Last month those numbers were even at 26. In February they were flipped at 32% better, 22% worse.
57% disapprove of Obama’s handling of the economy. That is the highest disapproval measured by the CBS/NYT poll. His 38% approval is matched only once by a pre-Democractic election wipe out October poll.
59% disapprove of Obama’s handling of the federal budget. Also the highest CBS/NYT has ever measured that number.
Obama’s Libya approval numbers have completely flipped from 50/29 approve in March to 45/39 disapprove today.
46% disapprove of the way Obama is handling foreign policy. That is the highest number ever for Obama in a CBS/NYT poll. His 39% approval on FP is also his lowest score ever.
55% tell NYT/CBS they would rather have a smaller government providing fewer services. Only 33% want a bigger government with more services.
When asked “Do you think Barack Obama has the same priorities for the country as you have, or doesn’t he?” 53% said no and 43% said yes. When Obama was inaugurated those numbers were 65% and 28% no.
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The daily beast
Politics
Obama's Awful '70s Show Echoes Jimmy Carter
by Eric Alterman Info
www.realclearpolitics.co m
Eric Alterman is a Distinguished Professor of English and journalism at Brooklyn College and the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, a senior fellow of the Center for American Progress and media columnist for The Nation. His most recent book is Kabuki Democracy: The System vs. Barack Obama.
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print TwitterEmailShare Gas prices are heading toward $5, single-family home sales are at a low—and with President Obama ignoring his base like Jimmy Carter did, he could end up being another one-term president, Eric Alterman writes.
Can You Spell “M-A-L-A-I-S-E?”
Jim Young, Reuters / Landov
Stylistically speaking, Barack Obama could hardly be further from Jimmy Carter if he really had been born in Kenya. Carter was a born-again Baptist who was raised on his father’s peanut plantation and supported George Wallace on the road to the Georgia state house. Barack Obama—well, you know the story. But the two men have a great deal in common in their approach to the presidency, and not one of these similarities is good news for the Democrats or even for America. Both men rule without regard to the concerns of the base of their party. Both held themselves to be above politics when it came to making tough decisions. Both were possessed with superhuman self-confidence when it came to their own political judgment mixed with contempt for what they understood to be the petty concerns of pundits and party leaders. And worst of all, one fears, neither one appeared willing to change course no matter how many storm clouds loomed on the horizon.
Ask yourself if the following story does not sound like another president we could name The gregarious Massachusetts pol, House Speaker Tip O’Neil, could hardly have been more eager to work with a Democratic president after eight years of Nixon and Ford. But when they first met, and O’Neil attempted to advise Carter about which members of Congress might need some special pleading, or even the assorted political favor or two with regard to certain issues, to O’Neil’s open-jawed amazement, Carter replied, “No, I’ll describe the problem in a rational way to the American people. I’m sure they’ll realize I’m right.” The red-nosed Irishman later said he “could have slugged” Carter over this lethal combination of arrogance and naivety, but it would soon become Carter’s calling card.
Obama, like Carter, is reacting to warning signs by seeking to split the difference between dispirited Democrats and increasingly radicalized Republicans.
Well that was the ‘70s, you say, and America is a different country these days. True enough, but while history never repeats itself, political patterns do. More and more, Democrats are starting to worry they that they have a more um, colorful version of Jimmy Carter on their hands. Obama acts cool as a proverbial cucumber but that awful ‘70s show seems frightfully close to a rerun. Consider the following and see if the hair on your arms doesn’t start to stand up straight in a horror-movie kind of way:
• Multiple news organizations are reporting that gas prices are rising so fast, we could easily face a summer of $5-a-gallon prices at the pump.
• The New York Times reports that, “New single-family home sales are now lower than at any point since the data was first collected in 1963, when the nation had 120 million fewer residents.” Instead of nice, new houses, buyers are looking for something small, cheap and (thanks to rising gas prices) close to work. Foreclosure homes are all the rage, even as we apparently emerge from a recession. “That often means buying a home out of foreclosure from a bank,” the Times said.
• Politico reports that organized labor is losing patience with the president. As unemployment remains near 9 percent, the president is pushing business-friendly trade agreements in Latin America with little concern for their impact on labor at home, or even abroad. In Colombia, for instance, it’s not safe to be a labor leader. Rep. Mike Michaud (D-Maine), who chairs the House Trade Working Group, says he is “appalled that the administration is putting forward this action plan as the answer to Colombia’s rampant human rights and labor rights violations.” Politico also notes that "a larger group of liberal Democrats—including close Pelosi allies George Miller (D-Calif.), Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.)—last month demanded assurances from Obama that 'Colombia’s long track record of repression, violence and murder of labor unionists has truly changed,’” but Obama nevertheless "subsequently hosted Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos at a cordial White House meeting to promote the trade agreement."
• The Times also reports that “Americans are more pessimistic about the nation’s economic outlook and overall direction than they have been at any time since President Obama’s first two months in office,” with well fewer than 50 percent expressing confidence in the president’s leadership or the direction in which he’s taking the country.
• Meanwhile, Obama, like Carter, is reacting to these warning signs not by rallying his own side, or focusing on those aspects of his party’s platforms that remain popular, but by seeking to split the difference between dispirited Democrats and increasingly radicalized Republicans. According to recent polls, only 29 percent of Americans questioned believe that this rush to slash the deficit will help create jobs. Seventy-two percent favor Obama’s promise to restore pre-Bush tax rates for those enjoying incomes of $250,000 a year, but of course he caved on that in 2010, and it’s hard to see why he won’t do so again in another election year. When asked specifically about Medicare, those questioned say they are willing to pay higher taxes rather than see its services cut, and a plurality of 45 percent prefer military cuts instead.
So what does Obama propose? Well nothing so simple as his own party’s highly popular political platform for this president. He’s too smart for that. Rather, as Ezra Klein points out,, Obama’s deficit reduction plan, while not quite as brutal as the Republican Ryan plan, is even more conservative than the Simpson-Bowles plan, which was itself deeply conservative. He calls for raising less money in new taxes and far smaller cuts in the defense budget, chasing the Republicans into territory that is well to the right of anything even Ronald Reagan dared propose before his 1980 shellacking of Jimmy Carter.
Carter, as it happens, took much the same path. Turning his back on O’Neil, his party and its primary constituencies, he accepted the Republican argument that the only way to solve the country’s economic problems was to attack the deficit. He would later explain to a group of political scientists after leaving the presidency, "A lot of my advisers, including Rosalyn, used to argue with me about my decision to move ahead with a project when it was obviously not going to be politically advantageous, or to encourage me to postpone it until a possible second term and so forth. It was just contrary to my nature...I just couldn't do it. Once I made a decision I was awfully stubborn about it.”
Sound like any presidents you know?
Eric Alterman is a Distinguished Professor of English and journalism at Brooklyn College and the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, a senior fellow of the Center for American Progress and media columnist for The Nation. His most recent book is Kabuki Democracy: The System vs. Barack Obama.
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From: "Jim Messina, barackobama.com" <info@barackobama.com>
Date: Mon, 25 Apr 2011 16:08:12 -0400
To: 333386
ReplyTo: info@barackobama.com
Subject: Video: First look at our campaign plan
Friend --
I want to show you a quick presentation I've been giving to the first staff coming on board here in Chicago, outlining our strategy to win and our overall approach to this campaign.
In the weeks and months to come, we'll ask grassroots supporters like you to meet with one another and local organizers to take the first steps to victory on November 6th, 2012.
But before we begin meeting in living rooms and backyards across America, it's important that we communicate with each other about a set of principles for the organization and our overall strategic thinking about how the race will shape up.
The most important aspect is this: Our campaign will be grounded in President Obama's experience as a community organizer. This notion of ordinary people taking responsibility for the organization at the neighborhood level is not only the way to win, it's also the way politics ought to work. Our campaign will be an example of innovation and efficiency, but it will also be an example of civic engagement at its best and most rewarding.
Have a look at the briefing, then say you're in to help build this campaign:
http://my.barackobama.com/First-Look
This plan will evolve as we get feedback from grassroots supporters like you over the weeks and months ahead. That's already happening -- as you know, we've already started the process of having one-on-one conversations with people in every state to gather thoughts and ideas, and thousands more talks will take place over this spring and summer.
But this briefing should give you a sense of our current thinking about how we'll build an unprecedented grassroots campaign to win -- with you leading it.
Thank you,
Messina
Jim Messina
Campaign Manager
Obama for America
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Fox's Brit Hume: No Chance for Obama in 2012
Monday, 25 Apr 2011 01:37 PM
By Tom O'Connell
It will not be difficult for a Republican to defeat President Barack Obama in 2012, despite pundits who say the current crop of potential challengers is too weak, Fox political correspondent Brit Hume says.
Consumer dissatisfaction over the price of gas and goods will be central to how people vote, Hume said on “Fox News Sunday.” If the economy remains the way it is now on election day, Obama doesn’t have a chance.
“If these high gas prices were unaccompanied by higher prices that people are feeling at the grocery store and elsewhere, it wouldn’t be nearly so large a problem,” Hume said.
Hume was blunt in his prognosis for 2012.
“If the election were held today, in my view, Barack Obama would lose,” he said. “He might lose big. Obviously, he’s got some time. Events change. He would lose to any reasonable nominee from the Republican Party. The Republican Party might be able to lose the election if they nominate some extremely colorful freakish candidate.”
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/Obama-BritHume-2012-election/2011/04/25/id/394013
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Fox's Brit Hume: No Chance for Obama in 2012
well if a fox announcer calls obama a failure, i'm sold.
we're not going to find a more fair and balanced evaluator of a liberal democrat president than this.
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::) ::)
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Schiff destroyed bama tonight.
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Obama Visit To Create Traffic Nightmare
Updated: Wednesday, 27 Apr 2011, 7:20 AM EDT
Published : Wednesday, 27 Apr 2011, 5:41 AM EDT
http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/news/obama-visit-to-create-traffic-nightmare-20110427-lgf
MYFOXNY.COM - President Obama is going to be in New York City for the third time in a month on Wednesday, and this visit could create a real nightmare of an evening commute.
Obama's motorcade could force the closure of the FDR Drive from Wall St. to E. 61st St. from 5 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Fifth Avenue from East 89th to East 59th streets will be closed from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Central Park's transverse roads along with all avenues from York to Fifth could be blocked during that period.
There is also a Yankees game tonight, so Gridlock Sam warns to avoid the FDR and the East Side at all costs this evening.
The president is planning on attending a $35,000 a person fundraiser on the Upper East Side, a high-priced dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria, then a Midtown concert by the Roots with prices more reasonable for the average Joe.
As the president heads out of town in the 11 p.m. hour, avenues east of Broadway and the FDR will be blocked again.
President Obama is starting his trip in Chicago. He is flying there this morning to tape an appearance for the Oprah Winfrey show.
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Obama Visit To Create Traffic Nightmare
THIS is what you're resorting to complaining about? THIS?
Every friggin' president in history has shut down traffic with his motorcade. THIS is what you're mad about? Dude?
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THIS is what you're resorting to complaining about? THIS?
Every friggin' president in history has shut down traffic with his motorcade. THIS is what you're mad about? Dude?
Please tell me where in bama's schedule he is trying to address oil prices? Between 35,000 dinners and oprah appearances?
Fuck him - he is a disgusting grifter, communist, and marxist ape, piss and shit be upon him him forever.
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Please tell me where in bama's schedule he is trying to address oil prices? Between 35,000 dinners and oprah appearances?
Fuck him - he is a disgusting grifter, communist, and marxist ape, piss and shit be upon him him forever.
so youre mad about his policies, and not his travel plans and their effect upon traffic?
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so youre mad about his policies, and not his travel plans and their effect upon traffic?
::)
go vote for him in 2012 - you deserve him.
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go vote for him in 2012 - you deserve him.
sheeeeeeeeit, i'm getting my ron paul tattoo :)
and i'm gonna ninja kick every "republican" who votes for any other candidate in the primaries.
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sheeeeeeeeit, i'm getting my ron paul tattoo :)
and i'm gonna ninja kick every "republican" who votes for any other candidate in the primaries.
Have you ever attended a Ron Paul event?
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Have you ever attended a Ron Paul event?
nope. cant wait til he gets to my area!
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Obama Approval At Lowest Level Ever In Pennsylvania, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds
Quinnipiac University Poll ^ | April 28 2011 | Quinnipiac
President Barack Obama's job approval rating in Pennsylvania is a negative 42 - 53 percent, an all-time low and a major drop from his 51 - 44 percent approval February 17, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. Pennsylvania voters say 52 - 42 percent he does not deserve a second term, his worst showing on that measure also. In a mythical matchup, he gets 40 percent to an unnamed Republican challenger's 41 percent in the 2012 presidential race.
(Excerpt) Read more at quinnipiac.edu ...
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::)
go vote for him in 2012 - you deserve him.
I'm going to vote for him and there's not a GD thing you can do about it, punk.
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I'm going to vote for him and there's not a GD thing you can do about it, punk.
And my vote for bettlejuice/vandersloot/madoff/trump/BTK Killer/Springer will cancel out your vote for the ObaMessiah.
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NYC hecklers distract Obama
Politio44 ^ | 04/28/11 | MATT NEGRIN
________________________ ________________________ _______-
It seems that no matter where President Obama raises money these days, he can’t avoid getting heckled.
Audience members interrupted Obama a handful of times at a 1,300-person fundraiser Wednesday night, speaking loudly enough to briefly derail him from his planned remarks.
The first interruption came at the very beginning of the New York City fundraiser, from a few people in the audience. But their objections were “inaudible,” according to the White House’s official transcript.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
________________________ _______________________
Good - this jerkoff and grifter needs to be heckled EVERYWHERE he goes.
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Obama’s Approval Remains at All-Time Low for Second Week in Row, Says Gallup
Thursday, April 28, 2011
By Terence P. Jeffrey
President Barack Obama (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
(CNSNews.com) - President Barack Obama’s weekly approval rating remained at its all-time low for the second straight week, according to the Gallup poll.
In the week of April 11-17 and again in the week of April 18-24, 43 percent of the Americans polled by Gallup said they approved of the job Obama was doing as president.
That matched the all-time low for Obama’s weekly approval in the Gallup poll. Previously, Obama had earned a 43 percent approval rating in the back-to-back weeks of Aug. 16-22, 2010 and Aug. 23-29, 2010.
Obama’s weekly approval rating peaked at 67 percent in the week of Jan. 19-25, 2009—the week he was inaugurated.
Gallup publishes approval ratings for the president on both a daily and weekly basis. The daily approval number is based on a three-day average. The lowest three-day average approval the president has ever received is 41 percent. Obama’s three-day approval rating has hit that nadir five times—including for the three-day periods of April 12-14, 2011; April 13-15, 2011; Oct. 21-23, 2010; Aug. 16-18, 2010; and Aug. 15-17, 2010.
For the three-day period ending yesterday, Obama’s approval rating was 42 percent, one point above its all-time three-day low.
Gallup typically asks more than 3,000 people per week whether they approve or disapprove of the job the president is doing. Last week, the polling firm asked 3,037 people of they approved or disapproved of the job Obama is doing, and the week before that it asked 3,614.
The complete weekly trends in Obama's approval rating since the beginning of his presidency is available on the Gallup website here.
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Obama Administration punishes reporter for using multimedia
649
The hip, transparent and social media-loving Obama administration is showing its analog roots. And maybe even some hypocrisy highlights.
White House officials have banished one of the best political reporters in the country from the approved pool of journalists covering presidential visits to the Bay Area for using now-standard multimedia tools to gather the news.
The Chronicle's Carla Marinucci - who, like many contemporary reporters, has a phone with video capabilities on her at all times - pulled out a small video camera last week and shot some protesters interrupting an Obama fundraiser at the St. Regis Hotel.
She was part of a "print pool" - a limited number of journalists at an event who represent their bigger hoard colleagues - which White House press officials still refer to quaintly as "pen and pad" reporting.
But that's a pretty Flintstones concept of journalism for an administration that presents itself as the Jetsons. Video is every bit a part of any journalist's tool kit these days as a functioning pen that doesn't leak through your pocket.
In fact, Carla and her reporting colleague, Joe Garofoli, founded something called "Shaky Hand Productions" - the semi-pro, sometimes vertiginous use of a Flip or phone camera by Hearst reporters to catch more impromptu or urgent moments during last year's California gubernatorial race that might otherwise be missed by TV.
The name has become its own brand; often politicians even ask if anyone from Shaky Hand will show at their event. For Carla, Joe and reporters at other Hearst newsrooms where Shaky Hand has taken hold, this was an appropriate dive into use of other media by traditional journalists catering to audiences who expect their news delivered in all modes and manners.
That's the world we live in and the President of the United States claims to be one of its biggest advocates.
Just the day before Carla's Stone Age infraction, Mr. Obama was at Facebook seated next to its founder, Mark Zuckerberg, and may as well have been wearing an "I'm With Mark" t-shirt for all the mutual admiration going back and forth.
"The main reason we wanted to do this is," Obama said of his appearance, "first of all, because more and more people, especially young people, are getting their information through different media. And historically, part of what makes for a healthy democracy, what is good politics, is when you've got citizens who are informed, who are engaged."
Informed, in other words, through social and other digital media where videos of news are posted.
The President and his staffers deftly used social media like Twitter and Facebook in his election campaign and continue to extol the virtues and value. Except, apparently, when it comes to the press.
So what's up with the White House? We can't say because neither Press Secretary Jay Carney nor anyone from his staff would speak on the record.
Other sources confirmed that Carla was vanquished, including Chronicle editor Ward Bushee, who said he was "informed that Carla was removed as a pool reporter." Which shouldn't be a secret in any case because it's a fact that affects the newsgathering of our largest regional paper (and sfgate)and how local citizens get their information.
What's worse: more than a few journalists familiar with this story are aware of some implied threats from the White House of additional and wider punishment if Carla's spanking became public. Really? That's a heavy hand usually reserved for places other than the land of the free.
But bravery is a challenge, in particular for White House correspondents, most of whom are seasoned and capable journalists. They live a little bit in a gilded cage where they have access to the most powerful man in the world but must obey the rules whether they make sense or not.
CBS News reporter, Mark Knoller, has publicly protested the limited press access to Obama fundraisers, calling the policy "inconsistent." "It's no way to do business," wrote Politico's Julie Mason, "especially [for] a candidate who prides himself on transparency."
A 2009 blog by the White House Director of New Media states that "President Obama is committed to making his administration the most open and transparent in history."
Not last week.
Mason referred to the San Francisco St. Regis protest as "a highly newsworthy event" where "reporters had to rely on written pool reports..."
Except, thanks to Carla's quick action with her camera, they didn't.
I get that all powerful people and institutions want to control their image and their message. That's part of their job, to create a mythology that allows them to continue being powerful.
But part of the press' job is to do the opposite, to strip away the cloaks and veneers. By banning her, and by not acknowledging how contemporary media works, the White House did not just put Carla in a cage but more like one of those stifling pens reserved for calves on their way to being veal.
Carla cannot do her job to the best of her ability if she can't use all the tools available to her as a journalist. The public still sees the videos posted by protesters and other St. Regis attendees, because the technology is ubiquitous. But the Obama Administration apparently wants to give the distinct advantage to citizen witnesses at the expense of professionals.
Why? Well, they won't tell us.
Some White House reporters are grumbling almost as much as the Administration about Carla's "breaking the rules." I can understand how they'd be irritated. If you didn't get the video because you understood you weren't supposed to, why should someone else get it who isn't following the longstanding civilized table manners?
The White House Press Correspondents' Association pool reporting guidelines warn about "no hoarding" of information and also say, "pool reports must be filed before any online story or blog." While uploading her video probably was the best way to file her report, Carla may have technically busted the letter of that law.
But the guidelines also say, "Print poolers can snap pictures or take video. They are not obliged to share these pictures...but can make them available if they so choose."
Then what guidelines is the White House applying here? Again, we don't know.
What the Administration should have done is to use this incident to precipitate a reasonable conversation about changing their 1950's policies into rules more suited to 2011. Dwight Eisenhower was the last President who let some new media air into the room when he lifted the ban on cameras at press conferences in 1952.
"We've come full circle here," Tom Rosenstiel, director of the Pew Foundation's Project for Excellence in Journalism told me today. "A newspaper reporter is being punished because she took pictures with a moving camera. We live in a world where there are no longer distinctions. The White House is trying to live by 20th century distinctions."
The President's practice not just with transparency but in other dealings with the press has not been tracking his words, despite the cool glamour and easy conversation that makes him seem so much more open than the last guy.
It was his administration that decided to go after New York Times reporter James Risen to get at his source in a book he wrote about the CIA. For us here in SF who went through the BALCO case and other fisticuffs with the George W. Bush Attorney General's prosecutors, this is deja vu.
Late today, there were hints that the White House might be backing off the Carla Fatwa.
Barack Obama sold himself successfully as a fresh wind for the 21st century. In important matters of communication, technology, openness and the press, it's not too late for him to demonstrate that.
Posted By: Phil Bronstein (Email, Twitter) | April 28 2011 at 04:48 PM
Listed Under: SF Politics
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Obama to donors: Give me $5
Politico44 ^ | 04/28/11 | MATT NEGRIN
Posted on April 28, 2011 10:56:46 PM EDT by ColdOne
President Obama is asking supporters if they can spare some change.
“I will be direct: Can you step up and make a donation of $5 to get us started?” read an email signed by “Barack” to his fans on Thursday.
In the letter, sent hours after Obama returned from a parade of fundraisers in New York City, Obama said he has “not nearly” accomplished everything he wants to do as president. “But that's a reason to work harder, not to let up,” he wrote. “That's why we're building this campaign now. And you have to take ownership of it.”
“The stakes are even higher this time,” Obama said.
Here’s the full text:
“Friend --
If it were easy to do the big, meaningful things we believe will make our country better -- if it were quick -- someone would have done those things long before any of us showed up.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
TOPICS: Politics/Elections; Click to Add Topic
KEYWORDS: Click to Add Keyword
Hey! FReepers!
Help Fill The Tank!
How About It? Huh?
It Ain't Askin' Too Much
Ya Know....
Click The Pic To Donate!
[ Report Abuse | Bookmark ]
1 posted on April 28, 2011 10:56:47 PM EDT by ColdOne
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To: ColdOne
"Obama said he has “not nearly” accomplished everything he wants to do as president. "
Considering where his loyalties clearly lie, that is one frightening declaration.
2 posted on April 28, 2011 10:59:36 PM EDT by TheClintons-STILLAnti-American
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To: ColdOne
Nonsense.
3 posted on April 28, 2011 10:59:47 PM EDT by Mears
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Comment #4 Removed by Moderator
To: TheClintons-STILLAnti-American
Truly! It takes longer than two years to destroy the US and make us all serfs.
5 posted on April 28, 2011 11:00:52 PM EDT by ProtectOurFreedom
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To: ColdOne
I’ll give 5 bux if I can kick him in the face in exchange..
6 posted on April 28, 2011 11:01:06 PM EDT by max americana (FUBO)
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To: ColdOne
I can promise 5 kicks to A$$.
7 posted on April 28, 2011 11:02:04 PM EDT by MtnClimber (Osama and Obama both have friends that bombed the Pentagon.)
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To: ColdOne
“The stakes are even higher this time,” Obama said.
Yeah. Because now there is no doubt that every one of the worst fears about what he'd be like as president have been proven true to anyone willing to see it.
8 posted on April 28, 2011 11:02:14 PM EDT by TheClintons-STILLAnti-American
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To: TheClintons-STILLAnti-American
"Obama said he has “not nearly” accomplished everything he wants to do as president. " That stood out to me as well. Very disturbing.
9 posted on April 28, 2011 11:04:10 PM EDT by ColdOne (I miss my poochie... Tasha 2000~3/14/11)
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To: ColdOne
Sorry, my last $5 went into MY GAS TANK!
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson
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Obama mocking the faked moon landing conspiracy? How rude.
Obama Mocks Trump's Presidential Ambitions
Saturday, 30 Apr 2011
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is mixing mixed comedy with some early campaigning at the White House Correspondents' Association annual dinner, focusing mainly on Donald Trump.
With Trump in attendance, Obama said the billionaire businessman has shown the acumen of a future president, from firing Gary Busey on a recent episode of "Celebrity Apprentice" to focusing so much time on conspiracy theories about Obama's birthplace.
After a week when Obama released his long-form Hawaii birth certificate, he said Trump could now focus on the serious issues: "Did we fake the moon landing? What really happened in Roswell? And where are Biggie and Tupac?"
Trump chuckled.
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/Obama-Correspondents/2011/04/30/id/394685
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Bama was a rude jerkoff as always.
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Drudge - NYT MONDAY: Dem strategists believe Obama faces 'tougher-than-anticipated' re-election
drudgereport ^ | Sunday May 1, 2011
Posted on May 1, 2011 7:59:47 PM EDT by Bigtigermike
NYT MONDAY: Dem strategists believe Obama faces 'tougher-than-anticipated' re-election...developing
(Excerpt) Read more at drudgereport.com ...
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Bin Laden death now part of Obama's re-elect message
Los Angeles Times ^ | 5-10-2011 | Peter Nicholas
Posted on May 10, 2011 9:09:58 PM EDT by bimboeruption
Reporting from Austin, Tex.—
Osama bin Laden, mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, is now an applause line in a presidential campaign speech.
Bin Laden’s name came up a couple of times in Obama’s address Tuesday evening at a fund-raising event in Austin, Texas.
Early in Obama's appearance, someone shouted out, “Thank you for getting Bin Laden!’’
Obama said that was a “case in point’’ – a reason for voters to let him “finish what we started.’’
Later, Obama ticked off what he described as his administration’s accomplishments: lifting the ban on gays in the military; bringing troops home from Iraq.
And then: “And because of the extraordinary bravery of the men and women who wear this nation’s uniform and the outstanding work of our intelligence agencies,’’ Obama said, “Osama bin Laden will never again threaten the United States.’’
The crowd roared.
While the president has basked in the success of the operation, Bin Laden's sons released a statement Tuesday criticizing the administration, saying the U.S. broke international law in killing an unarmed man.
In Washington, Vice President Biden, coming off another round of deficit talks, was asked by reporters whether Bin Laden's killing at the hands of the U.S. military was illegal.
"Are you kidding?" Biden replied.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; Click to Add Topic
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Economy's still O's Albatross
Sorry, Bam: You're no Bubba
Last Updated: 1:27 AM, May 11, 2011
Posted: 11:11 PM, May 10, 2011
More Print Charles Gasparino
Last week was great for President Obama -- from nabbing Osama bin Laden on Sunday to good news on jobs on Friday. Republicans I speak to around Wall Street are even predicting that he's now a shoo-in for re-election in 2012 -- recovering just as Bill Clinton did from his own early screwups.
Not so fast. First, the "bin Laden bounce" is fading fast, down to 3 points in one poll. More important: If Obama is to follow in Bill Clinton's footsteps, he'll need a lot more weeks like the past one. And he's not likely to get them -- because his policies have always been more anti- growth than Clinton's.
REUTERS
Building zero confidence: Obama's policies have been far more hostile to growth than Clinton's.
Reminders of the folly of Obamanomics are everywhere, from continued high unemployment to $4-a-gallon gas.
Sure, the economy is finally recovering from the after-effects of the 2008 banking collapse that Obama inherited. The Labor De partment reported that the private sector created 268,000 jobs in April, the third straight month of sizable gains; meanwhile, the stock market is moving toward 13,000 -- levels not seen since before the bottom fell out of the financial sector. But the economy is far from surging.
When Clinton won in 1996, unemployment was around 5 percent and heading lower -- thanks to the Internet and tech revolutions that were creating millionaires by the day. What do we have now?
* A government-driven "green energy" agenda that doesn't create nearly enough jobs, but offers tax breaks to companies like GE, which turn around and expand in China.
* Near zero-percent interest rates that let banks make billions by trading bonds instead of making loans to small businesses.
* Inflation, particularly in commodities like oil -- the result of those low interest rates and the president's no-drilling policies.
* An unemployment rate edging higher -- to 9 percent, up from 8.8 percent, as people who'd given up looking for work start trying again. And many who do find a job have to settle for lower pay than they had before the Great Recession.
Forget Clinton's 5 percent unemployment; I haven't found a private- sector economist who thinks we're heading below 7 percent anytime soon. According to several estimates, the economy must create a whopping 7 million jobs just to get to prerecession levels.
President Obama will tell you (and does, every chance he gets) that he started off in a deeper hole: A massive financial crisis and waves of unemployment. But Ronald Reagan inherited a mess back in 1981 -- massive inflation, high interest rates and an economy stricken by the malaise of the Jimmy Carter years. With help from Paul Vol cker at the Fed, Reagan had a massive recovery going by 1983.
Sorry: The nation's still paying economically -- and Obama's paying politically -- for the utter recklessness of his policies, from his decision to socialize medicine rather than focus on creat ing jobs to his failed "stimulus" program that did little more than transfer $800 billion to state and local coffers so the pay and benefits would keep flowing to public employees.
Obama's building zero confidence about the future, too. He's back to insisting on the end of the Bush tax rates after next year -- promising higher taxes on "millionaires and billionaires," meaning small businesses and families that make $250,000. And his plan to supposedly cut $4 trillion in spending over the next 12 years doesn't add up -- everyone knows it's just a pose, so he can pretend to be responsible as he fights Republican efforts to make real cuts.
As his no-drill policies help push up energy prices, his only answer is more politics -- bashing the oil companies and threatening special tax hikes on them, as if that wouldn't push up prices. For all this and more, the economy will be an albatross for Obama all the way to November 2012. He might yet win -- the weak Republican field is itself fumbling to come up with a growth agenda. But don't start the re-election parties just yet.
Charles Gasparino is a Fox Busi ness Network senior correspondent.
Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/economy_still_albatross_AnbNrr0MpExxUdyc97jlgK#ixzz1M2nWcaIq
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NATIONAL REVIEW ONLINE www.nationalreview.com PRINT
The Campaign Spot
Election-driven news and views . . . by Jim Geraghty.
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Latest AP Poll Sample Skews to Democrats by 17 Points
By Jim Geraghty
Posted on May 11, 2011 8:55 AM
Wow! The AP poll has Obama’s approval rating hitting 60 percent! And 53 percent say he deserves to be reelected!
And on the economy, 52 percent approve of the way Obama’s handling it, and only 47 percent disapprove! He’s up 54–46 on approval of how he’s handling health care! On unemployment, 52 percent approval, 47 percent disapproval! 57 percent approval on handling Libya! Even on the deficit, he’s at 47 percent approval, 52 percent disapproval!
It is a poll of adults, which isn’t surprising; as I mentioned yesterday, you don’t have to be a registered or likely voter to have an opinion on the president.
But then you get to the party ID: 46 percent identify as Democrat or leaning Democrat, 29 percent identify as Republican or leaning Republican, 4 percent identify as purely independent leaning towards neither party, and 20 percent answered, “I don’t know.”
For contrast, the AP’s immediate preceding poll was 45 percent Democrat, 33 percent Republican; the likely-voter pool in October 2010 was 43 percent Democrat, 48 percent Republican. The poll’s total sample in October 2010 split 43 percent Democrat, 40 percent Republican.
With a poll sample that has a 17-percentage-point margin in favor of the Democrats, is anyone surprised that these results look like a David Axelrod dream?
(Interestingly, George W. Bush is at 50 percent approval, 49 percent disapproval, even in this sample wildly weighted in favor of the Democrats.)
UPDATE: Notice that in Gallup’s polling, party ID remains pretty stable. In roughly 40 polls since mid-2009, Democrats and Republicans have both ranged in the 40s with leaners. During that time, the split has never been larger than 7 percentage points. Their most recent split, from late April, is 31 percent Republican, 36 percent Independent, and 32 percent Democrat; with leaners, it’s a 46-46 split. Of course, the OBL kill could have prompted more Americans to self-identify as Democrats. Some pollsters are okay with dramatic shifts in their party ID from poll to poll; they see respondents’ party self-identification as flexible, even fickle, changing from week to week and month to month. I am a skeptic of this notion, and before buying into dramatic changes in the party identification of the voting public, prefer to see the phenomenon confirmed through changes in behavior – i.e., voters changing their party registration.
PERMALINK
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Obama pressures US companies to up hiring
The Hill ^
Obama pressures US companies to up hiring By Jordan Fabian - 05/12/11 09:23 AM ET
President Obama this week pressured U.S. companies to increase hiring, saying that conditions in the economy and job market are improving.
Speaking at a economic town hall event broadcast Thursday by CBS News, Obama countered a Republican claim that uncertain economic conditions are driving high unemployment. When asked about outsourcing, Obama said some jobs are not coming back, but that the private sector needs to start creating new industries that can grow jobs.
"I think a lot of employers are feeling good about the economy," he said. "The issue here is not uncertainty … they need to start placing their bets on America."
Obama is looking build confidence in the jobs market and follow up on a stronger-than-expected April jobs report while addressing an issue that is certain to dominate his reelection landscape in 2012.
April's jobs report showed that businesses added 268,000 jobs in a month, an unexpected boost for a White House that was expecting lower numbers.
But Obama is still showing signs of vulnerability on the economy, the issue the public ranks as the most important. The unemployment rate ticked back up to 9 percent, and polls show that the public does not approve of his handling of the economy, despite giving him a higher job approval rating overall.
Obama explained that layoffs by state and local governments are helping drive the high unemployment rate, underscoring his push for greater private-sector hiring. The president credited his policies for helping to create better hiring conditions, saying that he signed tax cuts for small businesses.
But Republicans have indicated they are ready to stake the 2012 election on the economy, arguing that Obama's policies have done more harm than good.
"If the economy is the issue, which I do believe it will be, there's no chance this president gets reelected," Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said in an interview with The Hill.
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Ha ha ha ha ha ha lllmmmfffaaoooo.
"Barack Quixote"
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we're in a depression. we're stuck in 2-3 quagmire wars. giggity.
obama is pushing amnesty.
and he's at 51% on Gallup today. WTF. Seriously, he could club baby seals on NBC primetime every night for the next 18 months and still own 44% approval.
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we're in a depression. we're stuck in 2-3 quagmire wars. giggity.
obama is pushing amnesty.
and he's at 51% on Gallup today. WTF. Seriously, he could club baby seals on NBC primetime every night for the next 18 months and still own 44% approval.
Again:
95% ers who will vote based solely on racial allegiance
65% of hispanics for the same reason and because many are on welfare and dickface is promising amnesty.
35% of guilt ridden whites
80% of govt workers
95% of gays
100% of the hippies, enviro nazies, drug addicts, dopers, etc.
Its simple math. We are 50% nation now - 50% parasites - 50% producers.
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Its simple math. We are 50% nation now - 50% parasites - 50% producers.
What was the national breakdown 20 years ago?
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What was the national breakdown 20 years ago?
Probably 65 - 35 60 -40.
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Why Obama's Not a Lock
By Joe Klein Thursday, May 12, 2011
The most telling moment in Barack Obama's 60 Minutes interview came when Steve Kroft asked for his reaction after he saw the photo of Osama bin Laden, shot in the head. "It was him," the President said. And that was all he said. Now, this was a classic TV how-did-you-feel question, and Obama had a range of possible options. He could have gone all political, "I thought of the families who had lost loved ones ..." Or graphic, "Well, it was pretty ugly, but ..." Or excited, "Oh. My. God." Or religious, "Thank God." Or triumphal, "My first thought, actually, Steve, was 'Hasta la vista, baby.' " But, of course, this is Barack Obama, more Gregory Peck than John Wayne. And the same taciturn, hyperdisciplined quality that is so frustrating when he seems unable to connect with the economic anguish of the American people came across as just right, perfectly Midwestern — Kansas, not Hawaii, much less Kenya.
A few days earlier, five of the Republican candidates for President gathered in South Carolina for their first official debate. It was a weird show, newsworthy only because Congressman Ron Paul came out in favor of legalizing heroin, cocaine and prostitution. Many of the more serious (Mitt Romney, Mitch Daniels, Newt Gingrich) and less serious (Donald Trump, Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich) Republican candidates weren't there — and so it would be unfair to compare the Republican punytude with the massive presidentiality of Obama during his strongest week. (See pictures from inside Obama's Situation Room.)
Three relevant observations can be made, however. First, Paul's willingness to go off the libertarian deep end, without a blink, says something about the ideological extremism that has overwhelmed the Republicans in recent years. Paul is certainly further out than most, but all sorts of loony notions have become accepted wisdom in the Republican Party — about taxation, about the science of climate change, about the utter perfection of markets. Which leads to the second observation: even the serious Republican candidates aren't very. Romney refuses to take credit for his greatest accomplishment as governor of Massachusetts — a universal health care plan that works. There are grounds to hope that Indiana's Governor Daniels and former Utah governor Jon Huntsman will not make fools of themselves, but it is hard to imagine either of them prospering by challenging the conventional Limbaugh wisdom of the party, and Daniels has already gotten into trouble by proposing that there should be a truce on "social issues" like abortion and homosexuality.
But my third reaction to the Republican debate cuts in the opposite direction. By depriving the Republicans of the birth-certificate and tough-on-terrorism issues in a single week, Obama may ultimately force them to spend most of their time discussing the weakest point of his presidency: the economy. My colleague Mark Halperin has observed that when Trump talks about something other than the President's birth certificate (or himself), he strikes some very resonant chords. He wants to slap tariffs on the Chinese, and he's mad as hell about gasoline prices (and wants to seize the Iraqi oil fields). This is the other side of the President's reserve: he won't demagogue those issues, or even talk about them very much. (See "The Awkward Republican Coalition.")
I came into presidential politics with Jimmy Carter, and I'll never forget his staff's derision of a certain washed-up actor-extremist from California named Ronald Reagan. Similarly, I remember the Democratic Party's despair in 1992, especially after Bill Clinton was linked, lubriciously, to a lounge singer named Gennifer Flowers. Carter had brought Israel and Egypt together. George H.W. Bush had beaten Saddam Hussein and retaken Kuwait; his popularity rating stood at 90%. But both Carter and Bush were beaten by a bum economy.
Obama could lose too, even to someone who seems silly to fusty opinionators like me. He could lose if he keeps playing on the Republican field — deficits — rather than in the arena preferred by most Americans: the sputtering economy. He needs some big, new, easy-to-understand economic initiatives. He could lose if he doesn't remind the public that he cut their taxes, as promised, and their Medicare drug bills. He also has to prove that, despite the bailouts, he's not Wall Street's sucker. (See "Bin Laden is Dead. Now It's Time to Fix the Economy.")
There is a grand history of populist loudmouths like Trump making an early impression in presidential campaigns: Pat Buchanan, Pat Robertson and Howard Dean all had their moments. And so did John McCain, who lost his shot in 2008 when the financial crisis came and he didn't know how to react. Obama was calm under fire then, and ever since. It is why he's likely to be re-elected: we prefer Presidents who are adults over those who are angry. But he is certainly not a lock.
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2070953,00.html?hpt=Sbin
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Many of the more serious (Mitt Romney, Mitch Daniels, Newt Gingrich) and less serious (Donald Trump, Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich)
________________________ __________
Don't these jerkoffs have proof-readers?
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Why Obama's Not a Lock
By Joe Klein Thursday, May 12, 2011
The most telling moment in Barack Obama's 60 Minutes interview came when Steve Kroft asked for his reaction after he saw the photo of Osama bin Laden, shot in the head. "It was him," the President said. And that was all he said. Now, this was a classic TV how-did-you-feel question, and Obama had a range of possible options. He could have gone all political, "I thought of the families who had lost loved ones ..." Or graphic, "Well, it was pretty ugly, but ..." Or excited, "Oh. My. God." Or religious, "Thank God." Or triumphal, "My first thought, actually, Steve, was 'Hasta la vista, baby.' " But, of course, this is Barack Obama, more Gregory Peck than John Wayne. And the same taciturn, hyperdisciplined quality that is so frustrating when he seems unable to connect with the economic anguish of the American people came across as just right, perfectly Midwestern — Kansas, not Hawaii, much less Kenya.
A few days earlier, five of the Republican candidates for President gathered in South Carolina for their first official debate. It was a weird show, newsworthy only because Congressman Ron Paul came out in favor of legalizing heroin, cocaine and prostitution. Many of the more serious (Mitt Romney, Mitch Daniels, Newt Gingrich) and less serious (Donald Trump, Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich) Republican candidates weren't there — and so it would be unfair to compare the Republican punytude with the massive presidentiality of Obama during his strongest week. (See pictures from inside Obama's Situation Room.)
Three relevant observations can be made, however. First, Paul's willingness to go off the libertarian deep end, without a blink, says something about the ideological extremism that has overwhelmed the Republicans in recent years. Paul is certainly further out than most, but all sorts of loony notions have become accepted wisdom in the Republican Party — about taxation, about the science of climate change, about the utter perfection of markets. Which leads to the second observation: even the serious Republican candidates aren't very. Romney refuses to take credit for his greatest accomplishment as governor of Massachusetts — a universal health care plan that works. There are grounds to hope that Indiana's Governor Daniels and former Utah governor Jon Huntsman will not make fools of themselves, but it is hard to imagine either of them prospering by challenging the conventional Limbaugh wisdom of the party, and Daniels has already gotten into trouble by proposing that there should be a truce on "social issues" like abortion and homosexuality.
But my third reaction to the Republican debate cuts in the opposite direction. By depriving the Republicans of the birth-certificate and tough-on-terrorism issues in a single week, Obama may ultimately force them to spend most of their time discussing the weakest point of his presidency: the economy. My colleague Mark Halperin has observed that when Trump talks about something other than the President's birth certificate (or himself), he strikes some very resonant chords. He wants to slap tariffs on the Chinese, and he's mad as hell about gasoline prices (and wants to seize the Iraqi oil fields). This is the other side of the President's reserve: he won't demagogue those issues, or even talk about them very much. (See "The Awkward Republican Coalition.")
I came into presidential politics with Jimmy Carter, and I'll never forget his staff's derision of a certain washed-up actor-extremist from California named Ronald Reagan. Similarly, I remember the Democratic Party's despair in 1992, especially after Bill Clinton was linked, lubriciously, to a lounge singer named Gennifer Flowers. Carter had brought Israel and Egypt together. George H.W. Bush had beaten Saddam Hussein and retaken Kuwait; his popularity rating stood at 90%. But both Carter and Bush were beaten by a bum economy.
Obama could lose too, even to someone who seems silly to fusty opinionators like me. He could lose if he keeps playing on the Republican field — deficits — rather than in the arena preferred by most Americans: the sputtering economy. He needs some big, new, easy-to-understand economic initiatives. He could lose if he doesn't remind the public that he cut their taxes, as promised, and their Medicare drug bills. He also has to prove that, despite the bailouts, he's not Wall Street's sucker. (See "Bin Laden is Dead. Now It's Time to Fix the Economy.")
There is a grand history of populist loudmouths like Trump making an early impression in presidential campaigns: Pat Buchanan, Pat Robertson and Howard Dean all had their moments. And so did John McCain, who lost his shot in 2008 when the financial crisis came and he didn't know how to react. Obama was calm under fire then, and ever since. It is why he's likely to be re-elected: we prefer Presidents who are adults over those who are angry. But he is certainly not a lock.
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2070953,00.html?hpt=Sbin
Romney refusing to take credit for his health care plan? Did Joe Klein see Romney's speech today? He absolutely embraced it. It was a great speech too. He really blows away the myth that voting for Romney makes you a hypocrite if you hate OBamacare.
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Obama off the deep end
By Joe Battenfeld | Wednesday, May 18, 2011 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Columnists
Photo by Christopher Evans
What are you afraid of, Mr. President?
I know it must be tough dragging yourself to these glitzy fund-raisers and mingling with rich people who shower you with money and affection. Who needs an unfriendly reporter shouting an unscripted question at you, or checking to see whether any of the guests are getting government contracts?
We all know Obama has an aversion to tough questions. During the campaign, he would refuse to engage with most local media, and reporters who camped out at the rope line got a stern talking-to from a campaign staffer.
But using the White House press pool to possibly punish or reward media based on what the White House considers “fair” coverage? This is taking the control freak thing to new levels.
I’ve been on many press pools and can’t remember getting denied access because of which media outlet I worked for. Even when the Herald was writing critical articles about former Gov. Michael Dukakis in 1988, his campaign never bumped us off the plane or kept us off the pool based on what we wrote. Same goes for President Clinton. You think Gov. Deval Patrick likes having the Herald and other media follow him around all day? No, but it’s part of his job.
But apparently this White House has a different view. It has a special place for perceived “unfair” media — at least 500 feet away. Even at White House press conferences, the president carefully chooses who gets to answer a question.
And before this Boston trip, there were other examples of questionable use of the pool. One reporter at a fund-raiser headlined by Vice President Joe Biden was held in a utility closet for more than an hour to keep him away from the donors. Even worse, he had to listen to Biden speak.
The truth is, most media dread being in the “pool” at fund-raisers. It’s tedious and exhausting and requires a lot of writing about what appetizers the president served. But the pool is important, because it gives all reporters a close-up view of what the president is doing or saying to guests paying thousands of dollars a plate.
Here’s my suggestion to President Obama: Veer off your scripted schedule and come in to Boston to say hello to ordinary voters. And don’t be afraid to let a Herald reporter tag along. We don’t bite.
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/columnists/view.bg?articleid=1338750
Related Articles:
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White House shuts out Herald scribe
By Hillary Chabot | Wednesday, May 18, 2011 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Local Coverage
Photo by AP (file)
The White House Press Office has refused to give the Boston Herald full access to President Obama’s Boston fund-raiser today, in e-mails objecting to the newspaper’s front page placement of a Mitt Romney op-ed, saying pool reporters are chosen based on whether they cover the news “fairly.”
“I tend to consider the degree to which papers have demonstrated to covering the White House regularly and fairly in determining local pool reporters,” White House spokesman Matt Lehrich wrote in response to a Herald request for full access to the presidential visit.
“My point about the op-ed was not that you ran it but that it was the full front page, which excluded any coverage of the visit of a sitting US President to Boston. I think that raises a fair question about whether the paper is unbiased in its coverage of the President’s visits,” Lehrich wrote.
But Lehrich said the Herald wasn’t purposefully barred from the press pool, saying local pool duty by the Boston Globe was arranged earlier with the White House Correspondents Association. And Lehrich insisted the Herald may yet be allowed into Obama events.
“As we have in the past — including the multiple occasions on which the Herald has supplied local pool reporters — we will continue to consider the Herald for local pool duty for future visits,” Lehrich wrote.
Obama is in town today to raise money for his 2012 re-election campaign. His afternoon speech in the South End’s Cyclorama is open to all media, but only a selected pool can attend other aspects of his fund-raiser. Pool reporters must share all their material with other press. The Herald has been bypassed for pool duty during Obama’s last two visits despite asking the White House to be the local pool reporter.
“Newspapers don’t have to be unbiased to get access. You can’t just let only the newspapers you want in,” said Boston University journalism professor Fred Bayles.
Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom defended Romney’s March 8 opinion piece:
“That op-ed was about jobs, which apparently is a sensitive subject for the thin-skinned people around the president. The White House may be able to manipulate pool coverage, but they can’t manipulate the fact that millions of Americans are out of work because of President Obama’s failure to create jobs and get our economy moving,” Fehrnstrom said in a statement yesterday.
The administration has a history of controversial clashes with the press.
The White House was seen to be at war with Fox News early in the administration, with its communications director calling Fox an “arm” of the Republican Party, while the president avoided Fox interviews until his health reform proposal ran into trouble. Since losing control of Congress, Obama has sat down with conservative Fox commentator Bill O’Reilly.
In April 2010, Bloomberg’s Ed Chen, president of the White House Correspondent’s Association, met with then-Press Secretary Robert Gibbs to hash out complaints about limitations on the press, saying, “In my 10-plus years at the White House, rarely have I sensed such a level of anger ... over White House practices and attitudes toward the press.”
Last month, a San Francisco Chronicle editor reported the White House threatened to bar Hearst reporters from pool duty after a Chronicle reporter shot video of protestors mocking Obama at a fund-raiser.
Glenn Reynolds, a University of Tennessee law professor who has followed White House-press relations at right-leaning Instapundit.com, said a pattern appears to be developing.
“It’s all about control,” Reynolds said. “At some point this will blow back on them. Most presidents behave in a more refined fashion. Experience has shown that acting presidential is good politics and to their advantage.”
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1338789
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Obama trying to censor the media again. Hope and change. ::)
Boston Herald in Tiff With White House Over Months-Old Romney Op-Ed
By Judson Berger
Published May 18, 2011
FoxNews.com
Shown here is an image from the front page of the Boston Herald on March 8. The article was an op-ed from former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
Shown here is an image from the front page of the Boston Herald on March 8. The article was an op-ed from former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
The Boston Herald has accused the White House of denying its reporter full access to President Obama's local fundraiser Wednesday evening, claiming the Obama administration cited concerns about an op-ed the paper ran more than two months ago by Republican Mitt Romney.
Romney, a former Massachusetts governor and possible GOP challenger in the 2012 presidential race, tore into Obama over the economy in his March 8 op-ed, which the Herald played on the front page at the time under the headline, "Why He's Failing."
The White House didn't forget.
According to emails published Wednesday in the Herald, when the newspaper tried to sign up for pool reporter duty ahead of Obama's visit to Boston, a White House spokesman questioned whether the newspaper could cover the president fairly.
"I tend to consider the degree to which papers have demonstrated to covering the White House regularly and fairly in determining local pool reporters," spokesman Matt Lehrich told the Herald in response to its request, according to the newspaper. "My point about the op-ed was not that you ran it but that it was the full front page, which excluded any coverage of the visit of a sitting US President to Boston. I think that raises a fair question about whether the paper is unbiased in its coverage of the President's visits."
However, the White House said Wednesday that the Herald wasn't blocked from being a part of coverage, but had signed up for a travel "pool," which lets one local reporter cover the news for all local media outlets so as to limit the number of people in the room.
"In this particular instance, the Boston Globe had arranged with the White House Correspondents Association, independent of the White House press office, to be part of the traveling press pool. As such, there was no need for an additional local pooler," said White House spokesman Josh Earnest. "As we have in the past -- including the multiple occasions on which the Herald has supplied local pool reporters -- we will continue to consider the Herald for local pool duty for future visits."
A White House aide also noted that while the White House thinks staff at the Boston Herald are routinely unfair to it, the Herald has served as the travel pool for presidential visits in the past, including to Martha's Vineyard.
With the White House offering varying explanations, media analysts said they were unclear exactly why the Herald request was denied but questioned the logic in bringing up the months-old Romney column.
Dan Kennedy, a Northeastern University journalism professor and media critic, noted that the White House has the "right" to pick and choose who goes in the pool, and that the Herald is not entitled to be in the pool every time.
However, Kennedy said the Herald should get its crack at pool coverage occasionally and the White House should not factor in political considerations when making those decisions.
"You would like to think that they're going to do it in an apolitical way, without regard for who they think their friends are and who they think their enemies are," he said. "The thing that the White House did that I thought was the most stupid was to put in writing why they weren't in the pool."
Kennedy also questioned why the Herald chose to run the Romney op-ed on the front page back in March, but noted that Romney has gotten grilled on the Herald's tabloid front plenty of times.
"Everybody gets their turn ... on the front page of the Herald," Kennedy said.
Tim Graham, a media analyst with the conservative Media Research Center, also said that while the White House has the right to decide pool coverage, citing political considerations makes them look "small."
"They're looking to manage the press down to the smallest detail," Graham said. "If you're not willing to suggest that Obama is some combination of Lincoln and JFK, you're not allowed in."
In this case, the Herald was trying to assign one of its reporters to cover parts of Obama's Democratic National Committee fundraiser in Boston Wednesday evening that aren't open to the rest of the media. The Herald claimed it had been "bypassed" for pool duty the last two times Obama visited the area.
In a written statement, Herald Editor Joe Sciacca said: "We will always fight for fair access to presidential visits and other important events and we will not be intimidated by attempts to affect our news decisions."
This isn't the first time the Obama White House has had run-ins with pool reporters. The White House chided The San Francisco Chronicle last month after its reporter videotaped and posted a mini-protest at an Obama fundraiser, apparently in violation of the pool rules.
Another reporter for The Orlando Sentinel was kept in a storage closet during a Florida fundraiser attended by Vice President Biden in March. Biden's office afterward apologized, calling the decision to hold the reporter a "mistake."
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/05/18/boston-herald-tiff-white-house-months-old-romney-op-ed/
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I already posted this in another thread.
Hope & Change bitches.
Why should the BH laud obama for going to boston? He was there to suck campaign cash from pathetic shills forking over 30k a plate to have bad chicken and steak with that communist puke obama.
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Did not see. Which one? I'll merge.
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Did not see. Which one? I'll merge.
i think its in obama re election thread.
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bump for beach
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http://www.necn.com/05/19/11/Host-Obama-raised-22M-at-M...
BROOKLINE, Mass. (AP) — A former advertising executive who hosted a campaign fundraiser attended by President Barack Obama last night says it raised $2.2 million for Obama's re-election campaign and the Democratic Party.
Obama attended at dinner at the Brookline home of philanthropist Jack Connors.
Tickets for the dinner and an earlier fundraiser in Boston ranged from $200 to the legal maximum of $35,800.
Speaking at a reception for about 900 people at the Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts, Obama mentioned Osama bin Laden, saying he will never again threaten the United States.
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Poll: Romney in Dead Heat With Obama
Thursday, 19 May 2011 12:21 PM
By Henry J. Reske and Luis F. Perez
A new poll finds that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is in a dead heat with President Barack Obama in the presidential sweepstakes. The poll is the first national survey on the presidential race since former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and businessman Donald Trump announced they would not seek the GOP nomination.
The poll by Boston’s Suffolk University found Romney in a statistical tie in a head-to-head matchup with President Barack Obama among voters of all parties.
Of those surveyed, 46 percent said they back Obama; 43 percent, Romney. That falls within the polls 3 percent margin of error, meaning Romney’s support could be as high as 46 percent and Obama’s as low as 43 percent.
Romney also leads the GOP pack of presidential contenders by mostly double digits.
“With Huckabee and Trump out of the race, the whole dynamic has changed,” said David Paleologos, director of the Political Research Center at Boston’s Suffolk University. “Romney is the clear front-runner now; that’s a position he’ll have to be prepared to defend over the coming months.”
The results are good news from Romney who received largely negative reviews for his much anticipated defense of the health care plan he proposed in 2006 while governor of Massachusetts.
Romney travelled to the University of Michigan’s Cardiovascular Center last week to discuss the plan, dubbed by detractors as Romneycare, which has been widely cited as the model for Obama’s signature health care law.
Instead of walking away from the plan as many conservatives had hoped, Romney embraced it, explaining it was “right for the people of my state.”
The poll also has more good news for the GOP field. Some 48 percent said it was time to give someone else a chance when asked if Obama deserved to be reelected, while 43 percent said he deserved reelection.
However, it’s too soon to put the champagne on ice. The poll found that 46 percent of likely voters said they expect Barack Obama will be reelected in 2012 while only 37 percent said the GOP would win the White House.
Among likely GOP primary voter, the poll found that Romney garnered 20 percent of support, followed by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, with 12, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich at 9, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, 7 percent, and Rep. Ron Paul, R-Tex., 5 percent.
Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., businessman Herman Cain and Mitch Daniels all garnered 4 percent of the support. That was followed by former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and former Sen. Rick Santorum with 3 percent. Of those surveyed, 20 percent said they were undecided. Three others got less than 1 percent.
It’s unclear how much of the polling was done after Gingrich’s disastrous rollout of his campaign.
Gingrich has spent much of the week apologizing for comments made Sunday on “Meet the Press” where he called House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s plan to overhaul Medicare as “right-wing social engineering.” He now says his words were “inaccurate and unfortunate.”
Nonetheless, he has been hammered by conservatives for the comments, which were closely followed by revelations in Politico that he once owed the Tiffany and Co. jewelry store between a quarter and a half million dollars.
The poll surveyed 1,070 likely voters from May 10 to 17, 2011, using live telephone interviews.
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/barackobama-mittromney-suffolkpoll/2011/05/19/id/396971
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As much as I hate to say this, and it does pain me considering my i still want west, palin, bachmann, cain, et al, Romney will easily and convincingly destroy obama in a general election.
Obama has proven himself no less than a malcontent, an enemy of the state, a terrorist in training, a economic WMD, and a disgusring communist pofs that convinced 95 ers to come outr for him.
time to let the adults take over again.
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President closes day with fundraisers
By: CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/19/president-closes-day-with-fundraisers
Washington (CNN) - For the third time this week President Barack Obama ends his day by raising campaign cash.
After giving a major address on the Middle East earlier Thursday, the president is the main attraction at two evening fundraisers. Obama headlines the Women's Leadership Forum's 17th Annual National Issues Conference at the Grand Hyatt in the nation's capital, and then attends a dinner at a private residence.
A Democratic source with knowledge of the events says approximately 550 people will be at the Women's Leadership Forum, including former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, who is the new Democratic National Committee chair, and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York. The source adds that approximately 50 people will attend the dinner.
The Women's Leadership Forum (WLF) was founded in 1993 and aims to engage female leaders and activists in the Democratic Party.
Tickets for the events range from $250 to the legal maximum limit of $35,800 that an individual can contribute for both the primary and the general election. The money brought in from both fundraisers will go to the Obama Victory Fund, with the proceeds being shared by both the president's re-election campaign and the DNC.
Wednesday night the president was the main attraction at two fundraisers in Boston. Monday night he headlined two fundraisers at hotels just a few blocks from the White House.
The president announced on April 4 that he was setting up his re-election campaign. A week later he personally kicked off his fundraising drive by headlining three events in his hometown of Chicago. He was also the main attraction at fundraisers in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City, and last week, Austin, Texas.
Obama shattered all records by raising nearly $750 million in his bid for the White House in 2008.
Follow Paul Steinhauser on Twitter: @PsteinhauserCNN
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What a disgusting pofs. Set the world ablaze during the day - hawk cash at night.
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Zogby: Jews Will Vote for Obama Despite Israel Stance
Friday, 20 May 2011
By David A. Patten and Ashley Martella
Despite the uproar over President Barack Obama’s support for Palestinian demands that Israel return to its 1967 borders, pollster John Zogby predicts that Obama won’t suffer significant defections from Jewish voters at the polls in 2012.
In an exclusive Newsmax.TV interview, Zogby noted that Democrats traditionally enjoy a 75 percent to 25 percent advantage in the Jewish vote. The lone exception was Ronald Reagan’s re-election bid in 1984.
It will take more than a little friction with the current leadership of Israel to change that dynamic, he says. “Israel is extremely important to American Jews. But so are traditional liberal stances, particularly on social issues."
Pollster John Zogby predicts Jews will vote overwhelmingly for Barack Obama and other Democrats again despite the president's Mideast speech calling for a Palestinian state at pre-1967 borders.
Zogby predicts that the rightward shift of GOP candidates during their primary battles for the nomination will limit their appeal to Jewish Americans in the general election.
“I think [the Israel issue] will be raised by Republican candidates, but I think the lines are drawn fairly well, and I think it’s hard for it to not be a 75 to 25 split for Obama and the Democrats,” he says.
Zogby also predicts that the primary impact of Obama’s Middle East speech will be to generate “a bit more enthusiasm among liberal voters,” especially Muslim-Americans.
Zogby notes that Muslim-American sympathies shifted markedly during the presidency of George W. Bush. They broke 10-to-1 for the Democratic candidate, Sen. John Kerry. The Iraq war and the Patriot Act offended Muslim voters, according to Zogby. An estimated 2-3 million Muslims reside in the United States.
Obama enjoyed a 10-point bounce in popularity after the successful mission against Osama bin Laden, Zogby says.
The latest Zogby poll, however, shows that only 41 percent of voters believe the president deserves to be re-elected, and another 10 percent of voters say they’re not sure.
Those numbers suggest Obama still has plenty of work to do if he hopes to secure his re-election, Zogby says.
“Now what he has to do is sustain that 48 points” of approval, Zogby says. “It’s not safe, but it takes him out of the danger zone.”
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/Zogby-Obama-Jews-vote/2011/05/20/id/397147
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Obama dumped by big Dem donor
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2011/05/obama_dumped_by_big_dem_donor.html
^ | 5-25-11 | Thomas Lifson
Haim Saban, a billionaire Israeli-American donor to the Democrats has announced he won't be donating to President Obama's re-election effort. Michelle Caruso-Cabrera of CNBC reports:
The most prominent Israeli-American business leader in the United States, Haim Saban, says President Obama needs to do more to show his support of Israel in light of the President's comments last week suggesting Israel needs to return to its pre-1967 borders to achieve peace with the Palestinians.
In an exclusive interview with CNBC, Saban, one of the biggest individual supporters to the Democratic Party and chairman of Saban Capital Group, said Obama needs to visit Israel as he has done with other countries in the Middle East.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
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Thursday, May. 26, 2011
Obamaworld 2012
By Michael Scherer
As big as a football field and nearly as empty, Barack Obama's re-election headquarters looks like a start-up gone wrong. Wires sprout like weeds from the carpeting, legions of bookshelves stand empty, and the swing-state maps hastily pinned to the wall are freebies from the AAA auto club down the street. In one room that could fit hundreds of people, just a few dozen sit at long desks. Most don't look old enough to buy a beer.
But if you want to find out why the President has set up shop in a Chicago skyscraper 18 months before Election Day, you need only peek into the office of Jeremy Bird, 32, the campaign's field director, at the far end of the room. He pulls a name from a database on his laptop, picks up his phone and dials in the hope of reminding one more person of the 2008 magic. "I just wanted to call, and first I wanted to thank you," Bird says when a volunteer from Obama's first presidential campaign answers in North Carolina. The computer screen notes that this guy hasn't done much in recent years, so Bird asks for his thoughts about 2012. "You are listed as a superstar 2008 volunteer," Bird continues. "What do we need to do to get you back involved?" (See pictures of an artist's view of the 2008 presidential campaign.)
In Obamaworld parlance, this is a "one-on-one," a cold call that aides hope will form the foundation for next year's re-election effort. This summer, the Obama campaign expects to arrange hundreds of thousands of these individual contacts, over the phone or in person, with just about everyone who gave his or her time back when Obama was an upstart outsider three years ago. To accomplish the massive task, the campaign is launching a replay of a program started in 2008 called Summer Organizers, in which more than 1,500 volunteers have committed to work 20- or 40-hour weeks through the summer. In the first week of June, the Obama campaign and the Democratic National Committee will hold 42 two-day training sessions in 40 states.
The goal is to reactivate old donors, door knockers and phone bankers with individual attention. "It definitely differs from past campaigns, because usually they will just call people and say, Can you come in and do phone calls?" says Bird, who, like other senior staff, has been making calls himself. "We are taking the time now so that these folks know: You are not just a cog in the wheel. You're a volunteer we respect and admire." (See the top 10 Obama backlash moments.)
The campaign's larger strategy is to capitalize on its 2011 head start. Obama is an incumbent with no primary challenger, while Republicans are still fretting about when and whether to get into the race. No one in Chicago expects a cakewalk in 2012, not after two years of political battering. But they also know an opportunity when they see one. "I can't tell you what a gift, if we use it properly, this year is," says David Plouffe, Obama's 2008 campaign manager. "If we don't, shame on us."
A New Political Landscape
From the inside, Obama 2012 looks and feels much as Obama 2008 did, with a familiar cast of characters in similar roles. In fact, all of the people who have been hired so far into the inner circle have been there before. Jim Messina, who served as the '08 campaign's chief of staff before a turn at the White House, is campaign manager. David Axelrod, the message guru, will reprise his role. After fizzled talks about a high-profile job with Facebook, senior White House aide Robert Gibbs is expected back as well. The field leadership, led by Bird and Mitch Stewart, Obama's 2008 Iowa organizer, remains unchanged. At the White House, a coterie of old campaign hands, including Plouffe, Stephanie Cutter and Dan Pfeiffer, keep in close touch with Chicago. President Obama, meanwhile, plays a chairman-of-the-board role, receiving regular progress briefings and speaking intermittently with Messina and Axelrod. (See who's who in Barack Obama's White House.)
But Obama 2012 opens its doors on a landscape that barely resembles that of the good old days. The campaign that made "Change you can believe in" a national slogan must now present a more complicated, and less emotionally stirring, case for continuity. "It was a fundamentally different position as a challenger, though the vision remains fundamentally the same," says Axelrod. "Our mission is to tell that story about where we are going and to make sure people understand that there is a consistent thread here and that they are in the center of all of this." That message, framed as "Winning the future" by the White House, will likely revisit 2008 themes about rebuilding the American Dream and restoring the American economy for the middle class.
Axelrod and company hope to recapture the energy of 2008, when Obama's organizing vision stirred the Democratic base and people who had never cared about politics found themselves inviting strangers into their homes to organize precinct walks. But it will be harder this time. There's no George W. Bush to kick around anymore. The Great Recession drove the unemployment rate above 10%, and the 2009 fight over health care swung the enthusiasm pendulum to the Republicans, making the Tea Party the nation's most talked-about people-powered movement. Many of the folks who turned the 2008 Obama dream into a reality — young voters, minorities and volunteers — haven't been heard from in recent years.
Can Obama Change the Game Again?
Some on the left have argued that the President dropped the ball by failing to keep his network of supporters engaged and by following his transformational campaign with a transactional governing style. "Fighting to make something happen is different than sitting back and trying to mediate something," says Marshall Ganz, a supporter turned critic of Obama, who teaches at Harvard. "People can't organize around that."
That critique gets a rise out of Obama's senior staff. "Those are the types of things that people with lifetime tenure like to say," remarks Axelrod. "What we have tried to do is effect change in the real world, in a difficult environment." Still, Obama's inner circle understands that the grass roots need rejuvenating. "Everything in 2008 was in service of the hand on the door knocker," says Joe Rospars, who will reprise his 2008 role as the campaign's top digital strategist. "That's the one thing that will be exactly the same." (See the 10 elections that changed America.)
Obama's senior staff has hatched a plan to start anew, urging the President's supporters to look beyond the grind of the past two years and toward the simpler choice of the next election. Obama strategists want to force the question early. When the Obama 2012 website went live on April 4, it asked a simple question: "Are you in?" The accompanying YouTube video, which was e-mailed to supporters, focused on field volunteers knocking on doors and working phones, just like in the old days. "You can't be half in," explains one Obama team member.
Playing One on One
To further engage the troops, Obama's aides came up with the one-on-one-conversation strategy, letting disillusioned or just disconnected former volunteers vent concerns and renew old passions. "We have the great luxury of spending a huge amount of time ensuring that we can have a very personal conversation with supporters in a way that alleviates any concern about enthusiasm in the long run," says Gibbs. "It's an extraordinary advantage."
The Chicago plan will play out in places like the Denver suburb of Arvada with volunteers like Suzan Rickert, a recently retired health care worker. For more than 25 years, Rickert, 60, has been active with her local Democratic Party, and she has long been accustomed to caucus meetings with just four or five people in attendance, including her husband and her. But for a fleeting time, she says, something happened when Obama burst onto the scene. "In 2008 we had 80 people," she remembers. "I want them to come back." (See pictures of Obama's 2008 victory celebration in Chicago.)
A few weeks ago, she answered an online appeal for volunteers to donate 40 hours a week all summer working the phones and pavement for the President. She decided to put off her plan of starting a small business, after being assured that she would not be the only person over the age of 25 on the job. Her training has yet to begin, but she has already started meeting with former volunteers, including a gay couple and a pastor, at the local Starbucks or Panera Bread. "Once you get people talking, they go and go," she says. Her sessions tend to last an hour, and the results of the conversation are entered into the Democratic National Committee's VoteBuilder master database.
The new volunteers will be matched up with the existing network of Organizing for America volunteers and staff that the DNC has nurtured for the past three years. "No other President going into a re-election effort has ever had a grass-roots network that we have in these states," says Stewart, 35, now battleground-states director.
The campaign, along with the DNC, has also been testing new strategies and technologies, like iPads that can play videos for voters during neighborhood canvasses or mobile applications for reporting data about voter contacts and responses. For each swing state, number crunchers have developed individually tailored recipes, with mixes of voter registration, base mobilization and persuasion, that will be required to win. And they can mine a Facebook community of nearly 21 million supporters, plus 8 million Twitter followers. "Obviously the technology is different" than it was in 2008, adds Plouffe. "The data is going to be much richer this time." (See "In a Relationship or Just Friends? Facebook Cozies Up to Obama and Congress.")
Of course, a great field organization alone is never enough to win a campaign. Obama will still need to hone a winning message and weather a recalcitrant economy. Axelrod likes to compare the field organization to the field-goal unit on a football team. "You have to get close enough to the goalpost for them to make a difference," he says. But right now, with Republicans many months from having a nominee of their own, organizing is one thing Obama's advisers can control. And if they can control it, they intend to master it. Again.
See TIME's 2008 Person of the Year: Barack Obama.
See scenes from a midterm-elections road trip.
Click to PrintFind this article at:
http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,2074069,00.html
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Obama dumped by big Dem donor
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2011/05/obama_dumped_by_big_dem_donor.html
^ | 5-25-11 | Thomas Lifson
Haim Saban, a billionaire Israeli-American donor to the Democrats has announced he won't be donating to President Obama's re-election effort. Michelle Caruso-Cabrera of CNBC reports:
The most prominent Israeli-American business leader in the United States, Haim Saban, says President Obama needs to do more to show his support of Israel in light of the President's comments last week suggesting Israel needs to return to its pre-1967 borders to achieve peace with the Palestinians.
In an exclusive interview with CNBC, Saban, one of the biggest individual supporters to the Democratic Party and chairman of Saban Capital Group, said Obama needs to visit Israel as he has done with other countries in the Middle East.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
The MSM isn't all over this? Shocking. ::)
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NATIONAL REVIEW ONLINE www.nationalreview.com PRINT
Victor Davis Hanson
May 31, 2011 4:00 A.M.
Reelecting Obama
Memo to GOP: Obama will campaign against Bush (again) and play the race card. Don’t let him get away with it.
We are beginning to see the contours of the upcoming 2012 reelection campaign of Barack Obama. Whether always officially sanctioned or not, Obama’s campaign will focus on three general themes: a) the 2008 meltdown of the economy on Bush’s watch; b) conservative heartlessness in gutting cherished entitlement programs; and c) racial bias behind any criticism of Barack Obama.
By any standard, the economy has remained mostly dismal for well over two years. Deficits, joblessness, fuel prices, average GDP growth, and housing are far worse than the average during the eight years of Bush’s presidency. Unemployment during almost all of President Obama’s tenure has exceeded 9 percent, despite promises that, because of the stimulus, it would not exceed 8 percent. Gas still averages almost $4 a gallon nationwide, amid a landscape of continual administration resistance to new domestic exploration and leasing. Record numbers of Americans now draw food stamps and unemployment insurance; to suggest that these programs are plagued by abuse and fraud, or that, if they are too easily available, they can discourage initiative, is heresy. Some of the largest states — California, Illinois, New York — are nearly fiscally insolvent. We’ve borrowed $5 trillion since 2009 to “stimulate” the economy — and seen little upsurge in economic growth, but a lot of evidence of a raging inflation to come on the heels of soaring gas and food prices.
Massive debt, record new deficits, high rates of joblessness, out-of-control prices for essentials like fuel and food — a combination like that usually dooms a president’s reelection bid. Similarly weak economies in 1980 and 1992 derailed incumbents Jimmy Carter and George H. W. Bush.
However, Team Obama will make the argument that at least there has not been another Wall Street panic as during September 2008 under Bush, with the general uncertainty that followed. “Bush did it” is now too ironic a charge to evoke any more in matters of foreign policy, given that President Obama has now accepted all the Bush anti-terrorism protocols and wars — and gone well beyond them by joining a third conflict in Libya and quintupling the number of Predator-drone targeted assassinations.
But on the economic front, the “inherited mess” will have to do in the attempt to convince us that the present hard times are still George Bush’s while the signs of a weak recovery are all Barack Obama’s. Similarly, Herbert Hoover was still evoked for nearly a half-century any time FDR, Truman, or LBJ hit a rough patch. And if you did not know about the courageous economic decisions Barack Obama has made on our behalf on the domestic front, you will now, after the heroic killing of bin Laden. In the words of Joe Biden, it was “the boldest undertaking any president has undertaken on a single event in modern history” — an “undertaking” “undertaken” greater than the decision to drop the bomb on Hiroshima, to stop North Korea from obliterating the south, to confront the Soviet Union over its missiles in Cuba, to send troops to recover Kuwait, or to conduct the surge in Iraq?
Obama’s landmark decision, in fact, explains why we can now at last appreciate his (or Joe Biden’s) genius and courage in restoring the ruined Bush economy, or so Biden further assures us: “The American people now . . . have a crystal-clear picture of how strong and decisive this president is. And that’s the last piece of the puzzle that had to be put in place for this great man. People are now beginning to take a second look at those incredibly difficult but absolutely necessary decisions the president had to make the day we walked into the West Wing.”
Then there are those cruel congressional opponents who for some reason believe that the $5 trillion in additional borrowing since January 2009 was a bit over the top. Greed, selfishness, and a lack of compassion — not an aging population, vastly expanded benefits, and soaring health-care costs — are responsible for the difficulties facing both Social Security and Medicare. Remedies abound, but none have been adopted by Team Obama. Before 2012 do not expect that the retirement age will be hiked. Benefits will not be trimmed or some entitlements privatized to encourage competition and cost-cutting — despite the real urgency for reform, since we are already running a $1.6 trillion annual budget deficit, and millions of baby-boomers are on the verge of retirement, a generation not known for either its reticence or its willingness to do without.
If reelected, President Obama will probably be forced to do something about entitlements, but that certain something will for now remain unspoken, and he instead will attack any proposals to change Social Security with the same gusto with which he once trashed the Iraq War and Guantanamo. Already, supportive commercials are airing with a Paul Ryan look-alike shoving a grandmother out of her wheelchair over a cliff. Other hit ads portray the elderly with walkers forced to mow lawns to raise money for their benefits. Ads like that will appear soft in comparison to what’s coming in the next 18 months.
Already, almost weekly one columnist or another insists that to criticize Barack Obama is to display racial bias. A reckless Donald Trump going after Obama’s birth certificate is emblematic of endemic racism; in contrast, unhinged nuts who claimed Sarah Palin never delivered her own child are perhaps a bit too zealous in a noble cause. House Assistant Minority Leader James Clyburn (D., S.C.) summarized the racialist strategy best, when he explicitly charged that opposition to Obama’s reelection hinges on racism: “The fact of the matter is, the president’s problems are in large measure because of his skin color.”
Clyburn’s demagoguery is a sort of strategic racial preemption: Prep the campaign in such a way that no one dares to talk of the president’s shortcomings for fear of being called a bigot — just as, in 2008, legitimate questions about the racist Rev. Jeremiah Wright and his intimate connection with Barack Obama were acknowledged to be off limits by a terrified McCain campaign. Yet there is no evidence that mainstream criticism of Barack Obama is racial or has in any way exceeded that shown George W. Bush or Sarah Palin. I will concede widespread racism and irrational hatred against the president when Alfred A. Knopf publishes a sick anti-Obama screed that exceeds Nicholson Baker’s Checkpoint; or when we see something comparable to the deplorable editorial that the Guardian published by Charlie Brooker, which ended with the question, “John Wilkes Booth, Lee Harvey Oswald, John Hinckley Jr. — where are you now that we need you?”; or to Jonathan Chait’s crazy “Mad about You: The Case for Bush Hatred” New Republic article.
In fact, the most racially condescending assessment of the president has come from Cornel West, professor of African-American studies at Princeton, who damned Obama as “a black mascot of Wall Street oligarchs and a black puppet of corporate plutocrats.” West went on more explicitly, couching his criticism of Obama in anti-Semitic, anti-white terms: “I think he does have a predilection much more toward upper-class white brothers and Jewish brothers and a certain distance from free black men who will tell him the truth about himself.”
The president himself — well after the beer summit, Eric Holder’s rants about “cowards” and “my people,” the racist inanities of Van Jones, the “wise Latina,” and all the rest — in ethnically divisive fashion urged Latinos to punish their conservative enemies, and joked that his opponents wanted alligators and moats to stop Mexican nationals from crossing the border.
So will this tripartite strategy work? Only if the president’s opponents allow themselves to be caricatured as greedy Wall Street profiteers who want to punish the elderly and are prejudiced against blacks. And if they can’t answer back defiantly to that nonsense, then they really do deserve to lose.
— NRO contributor Victor Davis Hanson is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, the editor of Makers of Ancient Strategy: From the Persian Wars to the Fall of Rome, and the author of The Father of Us All: War and History, Ancient and Modern.
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Obama/DNC top fund-raisers told to collect $60 million by end of June
By Lynn Sweet on June 1, 2011 2:29 PM | No Comments
WASHINGTON--President Obama's top fund-raisers, meeting in Chicago on Wednesday were asked by Obama campaign manager Jim Messina to raise $60 million for the Obama 2012 re-elect and the Democratic Party by the end of June, I've been told.
The $60 million June 30 second quarter goal--part of a power point presentation to members of the Obama 2012/Democratic National Committee National Finance Committee--is equal to the amount raised during the comparable time by the 2004 Bush/Cheney campaign and the Republican National Committee.
Whatever the comparison, members of the NFC--Obama's major bundlers--people who use their extensive personal networks to convince others to make campaign donations--were huddling at the Hyatt Regency on Wacker Dr. to map strategy to raise what Messina has said was "north of $750 million" for the 2012 re-election campaign.
Obama and First Lady Michelle, I've learned, will hit the fund-raising trail again this month in a quest to raise big money early on for the Obama 2012 re-elect and the DNC.
Mrs. Obama headlines fundraisers in California--Pasadena and the Bay Area on June 13.
Obama has fund-raisers June 13 in Miami; June 20 in Washington aimed at Jewish donors, June 23 in New York City for gay and lesbian contributors and June 30 in Philadelphia.
Besides Messina, others briefing the NFC include Deputy Campaign Manager Julianna Smoot; Rufus Gifford, the Obama 2012 Finance Director and the NFC 2012 chair Matthew Barzun, Obama's former ambassador to Sweden.
In April Messina told me, "We'll raise enough funds to compete and win, and that will take a significant amount given the vast amounts GOP-allied groups are already raising. But this pie in the sky speculation about a billion dollars is baseless."
Mayor Emanuel--who has the golden touch when it comes to fund-raising for himself or others--met with the NFC on Tuesday.
Categories: Fund raising
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Nile Gardiner is a Washington-based foreign affairs analyst and political commentator. He appears frequently on American and British television and radio, including Fox News Channel, CNN, BBC, Sky News, and NPR. Why Barack Obama may be heading for electoral disaster in 2012
By Nile Gardiner World Last updated: June 2nd, 2011
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Grinning on the outside only?
On a recent visit to London I was struck by how much faith many British politicians, journalists and political advisers have in Barack Obama being re-elected in 2012. In the aftermath of the hugely successful Special Forces operation that took out Osama Bin Laden and a modest spike in the polls for the president, the conventional wisdom among political elites in Britain is overwhelmingly that Obama will win another four years in the Oval Office. Add to this a widespread perception of continuing disarray in the Republican race, as well as a State Visit to London that had the chattering classes worshipping at the feet of the US president, and you can easily see why Obama’s prospects look a lot rosier from across the Atlantic.
But back in the United States, the reality looks a lot different. Many political leaders in Britain fail to understand the degree to which the American people are deeply unhappy with their president’s poor handling of the economy. Nor have they grasped the epic scale of the defeat suffered by the president in the November mid-terms, and the emphatic rejection by a clear majority of Americans of the Big Government Obama agenda.
Just seven months ago, the United States was swept by a conservative revolution that fundamentally transformed the political landscape on Capitol Hill, and gravely weakened the ability of the president to pass legislation. This revolution is not in retreat but gaining ground, led by charismatic figures such as Paul Ryan, the Reaganite chairman of the House Budget Committee, entrusted with reining in out of control government spending. And as a Gallup poll showed, America is unquestionably a conservative country ideologically, but one that is ironically led by the most left-wing president in the nation’s history.
Ultimately, the 2012 presidential election will be decided by the state of the economy, and new data released this week makes grim reading for the White House. In fact you cannot watch a US financial news network at the moment, from Bloomberg to CNBC to Fox Business, without a great deal of pessimism about the dire condition of the world’s biggest economy. 66 percent of Americans now worry the federal government will run out of money in the face of towering public debts.
To say this has been an extremely bad week for the Obama administration on the economic front would be a serious understatement. As The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, home prices in the United States have sunk to their lowest levels since 2002, falling 4.2 percent in the first quarter of 2011. At the same time, employment growth is stalling, with only 38,000 Americans added to the workforce in May, the smallest increase since September. This compares with 179,000 jobs added in April. There has also been a steep slowdown in the manufacturing sector, and a downturn in the stock market on the back of weak economic news.
Bill Clinton’s labour secretary Robert Reich summed up the grim mood in a hard-hitting op-ed in The Financial Times, which took aim at both the administration and Congress:
The US economy was supposed to be in bloom by late spring, but it is hardly growing at all. Expectations for second-quarter growth are not much better than the measly 1.8 per cent annualised rate of the first quarter. That is not nearly fast enough to reduce America’s ferociously high level of unemployment… Meanwhile, housing prices continue to fall. They are now 33 per cent below their 2006 peak. That is a bigger drop than recorded in the Great Depression. Homes are the largest single asset of the American middle class, so as housing prices drop many Americans feel poorer. All of this is contributing to a general gloominess. Not surprisingly, consumer confidence is also down.
Unsurprisingly, the polls are again looking problematic for the president. The latest Rasmussen Presidential Tracking Poll shows just 25 percent of Americans strongly approving of Obama’s performance, with 36 percent strongly disapproving, for a Presidential Approval Index rating of minus 11 points. In a projected match up between Obama and a Republican opponent, the president now trails by two points according to Rasmussen – 43 to 45. The RealClear Politics poll of polls shows just over a third of Americans (34.5 percent) agreeing that the country is heading in the right direction, with nearly three fifths (56.8 percent) believing it is heading down the wrong track. That negative figure rises to a staggering 66 percent of likely voters in a new Rasmussen survey, including 41 percent of Democrats.
There is no feel good factor in America at the moment. But there is a great deal of uncertainty, nervousness, even fear over the future of the world’s only superpower. This is hardly a solid foundation for a presidential victory for the incumbent. Even though we don’t know yet who he will be up against, Barack Obama could well go into 2012 as the underdog rather than the favourite he is frequently portrayed as. On balance we’re likely to see a very close race 17 months from now. But there is also the distinct possibility of an electoral rout of the president if the economy goes further south. “Hope and change” might have played well in 2008, but it is a message that will likely ring hollow in November 2012, with an American public that is deeply disillusioned with the direction Obama is taking the country.
Tags: 2012 election, Barack Obama, Gallup Poll, paul ryan, Rasmussen Poll, RealClearPolitics, Robert Reich, Ronald Reagan, US economy
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I agree with the toe sucker.
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Dow, S&P fall for fifth-straight week
By Ken Sweet, contributing writer June 3, 2011: 4:15 PM ET
U.S. stock market
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- U.S. stocks fell sharply on Friday, with the Dow and S&P falling for the fifth-straight week, as investors digested a disappointing May jobs report.
At the preliminary close, the Dow Jones industrial average (INDU) lost 98 points, or 0.8%, to end the week at 12,151. The Dow is on its longest losing streak since July 2004.
The S&P 500 (SPX) lost 13 points, or 1%, to 1,300; and the Nasdaq Composite (COMP) shed 41 points, or 1.5%, to 2,733.
Friday's selling was broad, with 28 out of 30 Dow components ending the session lower. Economy-sensitive companies such as General Electric (GE, Fortune 500), Alcoa (AA, Fortune 500) and DuPont (DD, Fortune 500) were among the biggest drags.
Technology shares were also taking a hit in late-afternoon trading, with Research in Motion (RIMM) leading the declines on the Nasdaq along with by Nvidia (NVDA) and Amazon.com (AMZN, Fortune 500).
Investors also flocked to the safety of U.S. Treasuries, sending the yield on the 10-year note back under 3% for the third day in a row.
"I'm not giving up hope, but clearly the strength of the economic recovery is in question," said Rob Lutts, chief investment officer with Cabot Money Management.
Over the past few months, investors have been faced with increasing signs that the economic recovery is stalling. Stocks had their worst monthly performance in May since August 2010.
The government's May jobs report out on Friday only added to those worries.
http://money.cnn.com/2011/06/03/markets/markets_newyork/index.htm
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Barack Obama Needs More Jobs To Keep His Job
BEN FELLER 06/ 4/11
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama cannot escape one giant vulnerability as he bids to keep his job: Millions of voters still don't have one.
Suddenly, the snapshot of the American economy is depressing again.
Job creation is down. So is consumer confidence. And homes sales, auto sales, construction spending, manufacturing expansion.
The brutal month of May was a reminder of the economy's fragility and the risks for an incumbent president.
Nothing that Obama oversees, not even a success as dramatic as finding and killing Osama bin Laden, will matter as much as his handling of the economy. It is the dominant driver of voter behavior. People hold their president accountable if they can't find work in the richest country in the world.
The weakening recovery is testing the entire foundation of Obama's optimistic economic message, that the nation is getting stronger all the time. As much as the White House says it never dwells on any single jobs report, and Obama never even mentioned the troubling one released Friday, the stakes get higher by the month.
A finally forming field of Republican presidential competitors is maneuvering into the space for the public's attention with this message: Obama has failed.
Election Day 2012 is 17 months away, and Obama's campaign knows incremental job growth won't do. The unemployment rate is 9.1 percent. If it stays anywhere near there, Obama will face re-election with a higher jobless rate than any other post-war president.
In his favor, Obama still has the loudest voice to sell his message that the longer term trends, including job growth every month, are good.
Nearly halfway through a year dominated by foreign events mostly outside his control, he plans to build his next few months around economic events.
So what comes next will be a summer when both sides select the economic facts that best suit their case. It will play against a backdrop of trying to cut a massive deficit while letting the nation borrow more so it doesn't default.
As Obama pushes his economic agenda, his re-election chances bank on more than job growth. They also depend on how well he can remind people that he inherited a recession and that compared with the early days of 2009, the country is in a better place.
"This economy took a big hit," Obama said Friday in Ohio, a pivotal 2012 state. "You know, it's just like if you had a bad illness, if you got hit by a truck, it's going to take a while for you to mend. And that's what's happened to our economy. It's taking a while to mend."
Is progress enough to convince people that he deserves a second term?
If so, he can't afford many setbacks like the new jobs report. Employers in May added just 54,000 jobs, the fewest in eight months. Almost 14 million people are jobless. Analysts suggested the economy could improve this year, but the recovery could be weak for months.
"There are always going to be bumps on the road to recovery," Obama said.
The Republicans hoping to unseat him pounced.
_Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney: "President Obama has failed to pull us out of this economic downturn.
_Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty: "Obama's failure to address the tough challenges" is clear.
_Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich: "The administration's policies are failing."
Obama's political tendency is to take the longer view. An Associated Press-GfK poll less than a month ago, for example, showed rising public optimism about the economy and his stewardship.
The election won't be just a referendum on Obama and the unemployment rate. It also will offer a choice between his economic ideas and his opponent's. Still, just as change worked for him last time, it can be used against him in 2012.
Even 8 percent unemployment, a goal once promoted by the administration, is hard to see now.
Presidents Jimmy Carter, Reagan and George H.W. Bush all faced unemployment rates higher than 7.5 percent in the final months of their re-election campaigns. Reagan won, and an important factor for him was that the jobless rate was declining at the time. Carter and Bush lost.
Obama, for now, has no reason to engage the politicians trying to win his job. He instead presents himself as the workers' champion who risked his own capital and their money in a successful bid to help Chrysler and General Motors survive and return to profitability.
"I'll tell you what. I'm going to keep betting on you," Obama told workers at a Chrysler plant in Toledo, Ohio.
And hope they'll do the same for him.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/04/barack-obama-jobs_n_871375.html
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Carville: 2012 could be ‘very rough’ for Obama, says civil unrest ‘imminently possible’
daily caller ^ | 6/6/11 | jeff poor
Who ever thought the saying, “It’s the economy stupid” from James Carville in 1992 would become a staple in presidential elections 20 years later?
That expression made its way into the campaign in 2008 and according to Carville it could be theme of the 2012 campaign as well as President Barack Obama seeks reelection. In an appearance Monday’s “Imus in the Morning” on the Fox Business Network, the former Clinton adviser said if improvements weren’t made in gains in the unemployment picture based on the May jobs number, it could be a rough road for the president.
“[L]ook, I don’t think anybody — if 54,000 new jobs is the new standard, it’s going to be a very, very rough 2012 for President Obama,” Carville said. “But three-month average was 160,000. If that is the case, then he will do OK. I can’t tell you what will happen. But yes, if this, if this last jobs number is an indication of future job numbers, it’s going to be very, very rough.”
Carville cited a 2009 book by Carmen M. Reinhart and Kenneth Rogoff called “This Time Is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly.” According to the book, the current economic situation, as with similar crises of this magnitude, take time to work themselves out and there’s little Obama may be able to do.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailycaller.com ...
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The MSM isn't all over this? Shocking. ::)
they're too busy covering weinergate. sucks that the repubs are talking about weiners junk too.
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they're too busy covering weinergate. sucks that the repubs are talking about weiners junk too.
Right. That's the only thing the media is talking about. ::)
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Right. That's the only thing the media is talking about. ::)
they're spending an insane amount of time on it.
He is obviously guilty of sending out pics of his junk. yay. I don't see why it deserves coverage at all. Five US service members were killed in Iraq today. 120 cops killed in Syria. Santorum running for president.
The headlines today? Weiner's weiner, and casey anthony trial analysis (on fox right NOW!0
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they're spending an insane amount of time on it.
He is obviously guilty of sending out pics of his junk. yay. I don't see why it deserves coverage at all. Five US service members were killed in Iraq today. 120 cops killed in Syria. Santorum running for president.
The headlines today? Weiner's weiner, and casey anthony trial analysis (on fox right NOW!0
It's a huge story that should be covered.
And you are full of crap on the headlines. Here are the lead stories on Fox and CNN right now:
Fox
Apple's Jobs Takes Stage to Unveil iCloud Music Service
Bahraini Docs on Trial for Saving Protesters' Lives
Search Is On for Missing Indiana College Student
Mars Mystery: Does Image Show Evidence of Life?
CNN
Rick Santorum announces his presidential bid
Apple unveils its iCloud system
FIFA boss vows to restore credibility
Airline profits to plunge
Also, I watched Fox News this morning for about 30 minutes, and most of their coverage was about Casey Anthony.
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It's a huge story that should be covered.
If d-bag weiner is "a huge story" for tweeting pics...
then I guess Vitter wearing a diaper and banging hookers in the butt for years must be MONUMENTAL?
Or, they're both d-bag distraction stories? ding ding!
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If d-bag weiner is "a huge story" for tweeting pics...
then I guess Vitter wearing a diaper and banging hookers in the butt for years must be MONUMENTAL?
Or, they're both d-bag distraction stories? ding ding!
lol. What the heck does Vitter have to do with WeinerGate? lol
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lol. What the heck does Vitter have to do with WeinerGate? lol
it's a sex scandal. they both are.
if a guy sitting at his computer talking to girls is "a huge story", as you phrased it...
Then a guy willing to put on Depends and wear a baby bonnet and have intercourse with women (in person) for money is obviously somehting way bigger than just huge.
monumental, ground-breaking, humongous, perhaps?
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it's a sex scandal. they both are.
if a guy sitting at his computer talking to girls is "a huge story", as you phrased it...
Then a guy willing to put on Depends and wear a baby bonnet and have intercourse with women (in person) for money is obviously somehting way bigger than just huge.
monumental, ground-breaking, humongous, perhaps?
One has zero to do with the other. Unless someone is trying to make a moral equivalency argument to justify one bad act based on another.
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One has zero to do with the other. Unless someone is trying to make a moral equivalency argument to justify one bad act based on another.
oh, theuy're both dirtbags.
but surely sticking your junk into a girl you pay for money is a lot more HUGE STORY than just sending pics via tweet, no?
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oh, theuy're both dirtbags.
but surely sticking your junk into a girl you pay for money is a lot more HUGE STORY than just sending pics via tweet, no?
You are so far gone its not funny 240.
BTW - you never answered the question: when did you decide the liberal agenda is no longer good for the middle class? You obviously did so in 2009, but what changed?
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How fitting for my 50,000th post. How can we possibly deny our glorious leader a second term?
You have over 50,000 posts? Dude, get a life ::)
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Yawn. How original. Attack the messenger instead of the content.
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I believer obama took things too far. As did Bush. As will the next republican president. They have to align with one side, and they always go too far. it's that simple.
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I believer obama took things too far. As did Bush. As will the next republican president. They have to align with one side, and they always go too far. it's that simple.
In what way - you said in 2009 you believed the liberal agenda was needed to save the middle class after 8 years of bush? what else did you expect?
YOU VOTED FOR AND SHILLED FOR THIS! DONT BAIL NOW THAT THE MISERABLE AND HORRIBLE RESULTS I TOLD YOU WOULD COME TO FRUITION ACTUALLY DID.
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Yawn. How original. Attack the messenger instead of the content.
I didn't even read the message...lol.
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YOU VOTED FOR AND SHILLED FOR THIS!
False. I voted barr. I didn't vote obama.
Why spread this lie, homie?
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You said we needed a lib agenda to save the middle class and it was good ------ was elected in feb 2009.
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Goolsbee resigning tonight. Oh boy. Rats fleeing the sinking ship.
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Austan Goolsbee to leave White House (Abandon Ship!)
Politico ^ | 6/6/11 7:26 PM ED | MIKE ALLEN
Posted on June 6, 2011 8:47:12 PM EDT by TSgt
Austan Goolsbee, chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, plans to return to teaching economics at the University of Chicago this fall, the White House announced Monday night.
Goolsbee has been on leave for four years from the university’s Booth School of Business and could have lost his tenured position at Chicago, where he was a professor for 14 years before joining the administration, if he did not return, an official said.
Goolsbee, one of Obama’s longest serving aides, was an economic adviser on the 2004 Senate campaign, and the senior economic adviser on the 2008 presidential campaign.He was appointed to the Council of Economic Advisers when Obama became president, and was made chairman when Christina Romer resigned last September to return to the University of California at Berkeley.
“Since I first ran for the U.S. Senate, Austan has been a close friend and one of my most trusted advisers,” President Barack Obama said in the White House’s announcement. “Over the past several years, he has helped steer our country out of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, and although there is still much work ahead, his insights and counsel have helped lead us toward an economy that is growing and creating millions of jobs. He is one of America’s great economic thinkers.”
Goolsbee’s departure once again puts the president’s economic team in flux. National Economic Council chairman Larry Summers left the administration at the beginning of the year, replaced by Gene Sperling, who served in that job under President Bill Clinton. Jared Bernstein, Vice President Biden’s chief economic adviser, left last month.
Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner is the only senior official remaining from the economic team that inherited a financial crisis and recession when Obama took office.
In the past few months, Goolsbee has been one of the few White House officials who has felt comfortable discussing economic issues on television. Colleagues say he lightens up the West Wing, and he made his mark on social D.C. when he won a “Funniest Celebrity in Washington” contest.
“While I am looking forward to returning home to Chicago, I will always be proud of the years I have spent working for this President,” Goolsbee said. “I believe that his judgment, his courage in confronting the worst economic crisis of our lifetimes, and his commitment to the American people have made a tremendous difference for the nation.”
Bloomberg News first reported that Goolsbee was considering returning to Chicago.
Rats abandoning the ship.
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Bin Laden bounce definitely OVER for Obama as new poll shows he could lose the presidency
The Daily Mail (UK) ^ | June 7th 2011 | Daily Mail Reporter
Posted on June 7, 2011 7:09:14 AM EDT by Scanian
Those who forecast Barack Obama had sealed his second term as president with the killing of Osama Bin Laden look to be wrong.
According to a new poll, the 'Bin laden bounce' has already evaporated
Obama's approval rating surged to 56 per cent in the aftermath of the terrorist's death but now just 47 per cent think he is doing a good job.
But it is domestic policies - notably Obama's handling of the economy - that is driving the frustration of the American public, according to a joint poll conducted by The Washington Post and ABC news.
Fifty-nine per cent, a new high, gave Obama negative marks for his handling of the economy, up from 55 per cent a month earlier.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
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Skip to comments.
Bin Laden bounce definitely OVER for Obama as new poll shows he could lose the presidency
The Daily Mail (UK) ^ | June 7th 2011 | Daily Mail Reporter
Posted on June 7, 2011 7:09:14 AM EDT by Scanian
Those who forecast Barack Obama had sealed his second term as president with the killing of Osama Bin Laden look to be wrong.
According to a new poll, the 'Bin laden bounce' has already evaporated
Obama's approval rating surged to 56 per cent in the aftermath of the terrorist's death but now just 47 per cent think he is doing a good job.
But it is domestic policies - notably Obama's handling of the economy - that is driving the frustration of the American public, according to a joint poll conducted by The Washington Post and ABC news.
Fifty-nine per cent, a new high, gave Obama negative marks for his handling of the economy, up from 55 per cent a month earlier.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Cue the 240 spin. "But he's still over 40%, bro. Even with the economy tanking. I think he's a shoo-in for reelection just like the Dems held onto congress in 2010. Obama can do no wrong. Obama is my everything. Obama is my god."
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Obama loses bin Laden bounce; Romney on the move among GOP contenders
By Dan Balz and Jon Cohen, Tuesday, June 7, 12:05 AM
The public opinion boost President Obama received after the killing of Osama bin Laden has dissipated, and Americans’ disapproval of how he is handling the nation’s economy and the deficit has reached new highs, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.
The survey portrays a broadly pessimistic mood in the country this spring as higher gasoline prices, sliding home values and a disappointing employment picture have raised fresh concerns about the pace of the economic recovery.
By 2 to 1, Americans say the country is pretty seriously on the wrong track, and nine in 10 continue to rate the economy in negative terms. Nearly six in 10 say the economy has not started to recover, regardless of what official statistics may say, and most of those who say it has improved rate the recovery as weak.
New Post-ABC numbers show Obama leading five of six potential Republican presidential rivals tested in the poll. But he is in a dead heat with former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, who formally announced his 2012 candidacy last week, making jobs and the economy the central issues in his campaign.
Among all Americans, Obama and Romney are knotted at 47 percent each, and among registered voters, the former governor is numerically ahead, 49 percent to 46 percent.
Overall, about six in 10 of those surveyed give Obama negative marks on the economy and the deficit. Significantly, nearly half strongly disapprove of his performance in these two crucial areas. Nearly two-thirds of political independents disapprove of the president’s handling of the economy, including — for the first time — a slim majority who do so strongly.
In another indicator of rapidly shifting views on economic issues, 45 percent trust congressional Republicans over the president when it comes to dealing with the economy, an 11-point improvement for the GOP since March. Still, nearly as many, 42 percent, side with Obama on this issue.
The president has sought to point to progress on the economy, particularly in the automobile industry, and to argue that the policies he put in place at the beginning of his term are working. But the combined effects of weak economic indicators and dissatisfaction among the public are adding to the political pressures on the White House as the president’s advisers look toward what could be a difficult 2012 reelection campaign.
Meanwhile, Romney emerges in the new survey as the strongest current or prospective Republican candidate in the 2012 presidential field. Although he is by no means in a secure spot, on virtually every measure, the former governor appears better positioned than any of his rivals.
In contrast, the poll brings more bad news for former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, whose bus tour along the East Coast last week renewed speculation that she might join the race.
Almost two-thirds of all Americans say they “definitely would not” vote for Palin for president. She is predictably unpopular with Democrats and most independents, but the new survey underscores the hurdles she would face if she became a candidate: 42 percent of Republicans say they’ve ruled out supporting her candidacy.
More than six in 10 Americans say they do not consider Palin qualified to serve as president. That is a slightly better rating for the former governor than through most of last year, but is another indication of widespread public doubts about a possible presidential run.
The Post-ABC poll asked Republicans and GOP-leaning independents whom they would vote for if a primary or caucus were held now in their state. Romney topped the list, with 21 percent, followed by Palin at 17 percent. No one else reached double digits, although former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, who has suddenly shown interest in becoming a candidate, is close, at 8 percent. Without Palin in the race, Romney scores 25 percent, with all others in the single digits.
In another measure of the field, Republicans chose Romney as the only one of a dozen possible candidates they would “strongly consider” for the party’s nomination as opposed to stating that they definitely would not vote for him. He and Palin scored equal numbers of respondents who said they would strongly consider supporting them, but Palin has more than double the percentage who have ruled her out.
Other candidates fared poorly on this count, including former House speaker Newt Gingrich (Ga.), whose campaign got off to a rocky start; Rep. Ron Paul (Tex.), a libertarian who has a passionate following but many detractors; and former senator Rick Santorum (Pa.), who announced his candidacy on Monday.
The Massachusetts health-care plan enacted under Romney remains a potentially serious problem in the former governor’s bid. By nearly 2 to 1, Republicans oppose the plan, with strong detractors far outnumbering solid supporters. But there is some potential for him to frame the matter: Almost four in 10 Republicans expressed no opinion about the state’s program.
Overall dissatisfaction with the GOP field remains high, with as many respondents saying they are unhappy with their choices as say they are satisfied. At this time four years ago, nearly seven in 10 Republicans said they were satisfied with their field of candidates.
In head-to-head matchups with Obama, Palin trails by 17 percentage points, the worst of the six possible candidates tested. The president leads Gingrich and former Utah governor Jon Huntsman Jr. by 10 points. He runs 11 points ahead of former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty and 13 points ahead of Rep. Michele Bachmann (Minn.).
Romney owes his relatively good standing against the president to support from independents. He and Obama garner roughly equal percentages from those in their own parties. But independents split for Romney 50 percent to 43 percent.
The president continues to receive positive marks as a strong leader, but the 55 percent rating marks a low point of his presidency. He gets mixed reviews on empathy and on sharing the same values as respondents.
The telephone poll was conducted June 2-5 among a random national sample of 1,002 adults. The results from the full survey have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
Polling manager Peyton M. Craighill and polling analyst Scott Clement contributed to this report.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-loses-bin-laden-bounce-romney-on-the-move-among-gop-contenders/2011/06/06/AGT5wiKH_print.html
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Obama Economy Hits Young People the Hardest [Sledgehammer in a Fist-Fight]
ATR ^ | 2011-06-06 | Nathan Lictman
The days of wearing an Obama t-shirt to a frat party might be over. According to The Atlantic, people age 19-29 are supporting Obama less than they were in 2008. Now only 56-percent of this voter group says they support President Obama, a drop of 10-percent. Informal surveys point the same direction, even more dramatically. The Daily Caller reports that only 27-percent of likely voters ages 18-28 say they are committed to vote for Obama again, down from the 83-percent that say they did vote for him. Why the shift? Obama wants to tax and spend, leaving this young generation to pick up the slack. This is certainly a plausible answer. Let’s take a look at some of the ways in which Obama is hurting these young people.
DEBT: Obama has asked for a clean debt increase, meaning that the U.S. would continue to spend by borrowing the money. He doesn’t want to cut spending and doesn’t even seem willing to compromise. Borrowing these large amounts of money will only place harder and more severe debts on these people under 30. It is them, not the current maturing generation that make up most of the legislature and Obama’s administration, who will foot the bill...
Read more: http://www.atr.org/obama-economy-hits-young-people-hardest-a6214#ixzz1ObZscTct
(Excerpt) Read more at atr.org ...
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Rasmussen: Only 24% Say They Share Obama's Political Views
Rasmussen Reports ^ | June 8, 2011 | Scott Rasmussen
Most voters still believe President Obama is more liberal than they are, while just one-out-of-four say they share the same ideological views as the president.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 54% of Likely U.S. Voters think Obama is more ideologically liberal than they are, while only 13% view him as more conservative. Twenty-four percent (24%) say their political views are about the same as the president's.
Most Mainstream voters (65%) say Obama is more politically liberal than they are, while those in the Political Class tend to view the president's views as more liberal or about the same as theirs.
Fifty-four percent (54%) of voters believe Obama is qualified to be president.
(Excerpt) Read more at rasmussenreports.com ...
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Rasmussen: Only 24% Share Obama's Political Views
Wednesday, 08 Jun 2011
By Henry J. Reske
Just 24 percent of likely voters agree with President Barack Obama’s political views, a number identical to those of House Republicans and Democrats, a new Rasmussen Reports poll shows.
The president’s numbers are the worst since last August.
The telephone poll showed that 54 percent think Obama’s political views are more liberal than theirs, 13 percent more conservative, and 24 percent about the same.
The number of people viewing the president as more liberal has been in the mid-50s since last August, climbing to 61 percent in February.
However, members of Congress fare no better. The Rasmussen poll found that just 24 percent held the same political views of the average Republican and Democrat.
For the first time, the poll found that voters feel the agenda of congressional Republicans is “nearly as extreme as that of Democrats in Congress.”
Obama is viewed as qualified to be president by 54 percent, while GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney is the only Republican to poll as well on that question.
The poll also found that for the second week in a row, a generic GOP candidate edges out Obama 45 to 42 percent in a potential matchup.
The survey of 1,000 likely voters was conducted on June 2-3 by Rasmussen Reports with a sampling margin of plus or minus 3 percent.
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/Obama-Rasmussen-poll-Romney/2011/06/08/id/399293
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GONE!
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Edited on Fri Jun-10-11 10:45 AM
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/20...
The story….
"A new poll from Susquehanna Polling and Research says that 48% of Pennsylvanians disapprove of Obama's performance, while 41% approve."
The good…
Nothing was good from the data! Thankfully the election is still over a year away. Hopefully this is just an outlier. Pennsylvania hasn't voted for a Republican since 1988
The bad….
"Only 43% of registered voters in Pennsylvania say Obama has done well enough to deserve re-election, the poll said; 50% say " it is time to give a new person a chance.""
The interesting…
"The big problem for Obama: defections among Democrats. Voters in Obama's own party rate his performance at 61 percent positive to 30 percent negative compared to March's 69-21 percent ratio."
My take….
Pennsylvania is a must win state for us in 2012. (Despite popular fanfare Ohio and Florida are NOT must win states). A 41% approval rating is on the downside, and this is certainly a state you would like to see him above 50%. The silver lining is that if President is at 41% with only a 61% positive approval rating from the state Democrats, then there is certainly room to sure up the base for 2012.
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http://www.gallup.com/poll/113980/Gallup-Daily-Obama-Job-Approval.aspx
Back down to 45%
FAIL
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GONE!
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Edited on Fri Jun-10-11 10:45 AM
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/20...
The story….
"A new poll from Susquehanna Polling and Research says that 48% of Pennsylvanians disapprove of Obama's performance, while 41% approve."
The good…
Nothing was good from the data! Thankfully the election is still over a year away. Hopefully this is just an outlier. Pennsylvania hasn't voted for a Republican since 1988
The bad….
"Only 43% of registered voters in Pennsylvania say Obama has done well enough to deserve re-election, the poll said; 50% say " it is time to give a new person a chance.""
The interesting…
"The big problem for Obama: defections among Democrats. Voters in Obama's own party rate his performance at 61 percent positive to 30 percent negative compared to March's 69-21 percent ratio."
My take….
Pennsylvania is a must win state for us in 2012. (Despite popular fanfare Ohio and Florida are NOT must win states). A 41% approval rating is on the downside, and this is certainly a state you would like to see him above 50%. The silver lining is that if President is at 41% with only a 61% positive approval rating from the state Democrats, then there is certainly room to sure up the base for 2012.
WOW. The electoral college contintues to look good for the GOP. If Obama loses Pennsylvania he is done.
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Poll: Younger voters dissatisfied with Obama's handling of the economy
The Hill ^ | June 12, 2011 | Cristina Marcos
Posted on June 12, 2011 9:21:16 PM EDT by 2ndDivisionVet
A new poll found that a majority of younger voters disapprove of President Obama's handling of the economy.
The results suggest Republicans have an opportunity to win back some of the younger voters who backed Obama in 2008. Obama vowed on the campaign trail to change Washington, but 69 percent of poll respondents contend that leaders in the nation's capital are failing to serve their generation.
Roughly 23.4 million 18-29 year-olds cast their votes in 2008, marking the highest turnout of young voters in modern presidential history. Young people made up about 18 percent of the electorate in 2008, and Obama won this age bracket by 34 percentage points. The president will be hard-pressed to do that again in 2012.
Forty-four percent of respondents disapprove of the president's handling of youth unemployment while only 31 percent approved, according to the poll conducted by the polling company, inc./womantrend on behalf of Generation Opportunity, a youth mobilization group.
Sixty-one percent of respondents said they would place higher priority on a candidate’s position on issues and record in office, rather than charisma and likability when they cast their vote for president next year.
"With high unemployment and high uncertainty, there's a lot of dissatisfaction among young people," said Paul T. Conway, the president of Generation Opportunity.....
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
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Democrats Face Donor Gripes (Obama, actually)
The Wall Street Journal ^ | Sunday, June 12, 2011 | Carol E. Lee and Jonathan Weisman
Posted on June 12, 2011 10:58:12 PM EDT by kristinn
CHICAGO—The Obama re-election campaign, now picking up the pace of its fund-raising, is responding to complaints from some Democratic donors and fund-raisers that they and their policy interests have been neglected since the president's victory in 2008.
The donors, particularly those who originally were Hillary Clinton supporters, say they haven't felt valued by the Obama White House. Some appear less inclined to "bundle" contributions from friends and colleagues on behalf of the re-election campaign.
The issues are arising as President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and Vice President Joe Biden prepare to head to at least a dozen fund-raisers across the country through June 30, the next deadline for reporting fund-raising totals.
Senior people associated with Mr. Obama's campaign concede there is work to be done.
"I don't think we have been particularly attentive to the so-called care and feeding of donors," said David Axelrod, Mr. Obama's former senior adviser, who is now advising the re-election campaign.
"It wasn't a lack of appreciation for supporters," he said. "I think it was largely a function of the fact that the president and everybody around him was absorbed in dealing with some fairly significant challenges." Still, Mr. Axelrod and Obama re-election officials said the campaign's fund-raising totals would put to rest any doubts about Mr. Obama's donor base.
The overtures to donors have not always gone smoothly.
At a recent gathering of major donors here, former National Economic Council Director Larry Summers, who headlined a breakout session on the economy, got into an exchange with a donor that resulted in the man walking out of the session, according to people at the event.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
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Barack Obama goes in quest of Hispanic votes
Politico.com ^ | 6-12-11 | CARRIE BUDOFF BROWN & GLENN THRUSH
Posted on June 12, 2011 10:33:47 PM EDT by Justaham
President Barack Obama embarks this week on a pilgrimage familiar to generations of New York politicians, making a rare presidential trip to Puerto Rico that accentuates his campaign’s emerging focus on Hispanics as central to his reelection bid.
Obama’s attention to this subset of the country’s burgeoning Latino population is part of a broader strategy to boost historically low Hispanic registration and turnout in at least a half-dozen crucial swing states, including Florida and North Carolina — two states the president will visit Monday before arriving in Puerto Rico on Tuesday.
No president since John F. Kennedy has made an official visit to the island territory. Obama’s trip ends a drought that could win him some goodwill with mainland Puerto Ricans, whose numbers just happen to be expanding in the swing areas of battleground states. Think of the Philadelphia region and the Interstate 4 corridor towns of Orlando and Tampa in Central Florida.
The microtargeting underscores the Obama campaign team’s effort to build some security into the president’s reelection bid at a time when the economy remains wildly unpredictable. In addition to boosting Hispanic turnout in quadrennial battlegrounds such as Pennsylvania and Florida, the campaign wants to expand Obama’s reach into areas with much smaller, yet fast-growing Hispanic populations, like North Carolina and Virginia, both critical components of the president’s 2012 map.
“Hispanics could very well decide this election,” said one Obama adviser involved in his reelection effort.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
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Obama fundraiser underwhelms
By CARRIE BUDOFF BROWN | 06/13/11 8:06 PM Updated: 06/13/11 10:02 PM
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The empty seats at President Obama's fundraiser in Miami, Fl. were hard to miss. AP Photo Close
MIAMI, Fla. -- A low-dollar fundraiser here Monday felt like a throwback to the 2008 campaign.
There was the same old soundtrack – including “City of Blinding Lights” by U2, the president’s 2008 anthem -- the enthusiastic organizers and the abundant appeals for supporters to rally behind President Obama.
The one missing element? Overflowing crowds.
Granted, it was a fundraiser, not a free rally. But the empty seats were hard to miss.
The top level of the 2,200-seat concert hall at the Adrienne Arsht Center for Performing Arts was entirely empty, as were the seats along the side of the second and third levels.
"The expectation was 900," a Democratic official said, and more than 980 tickets were sold.
Tickets for the Gen 44 event started at $44, the official said.
"This is going to be a very tough fight," said Alonzo Mourning, the former Miami Heat player, who spoke ahead of the president. Once Obama took the stage, a protester interrupted him at one point, repeatedly yelling: "Keep your promise, stop AIDS now." But the protester was quickly drowned out by the audience chanting, "Obama, Obama, Obama."
"The reason we’re here today is because our work’s not done," Obama said after hushing the crowd. "Our work is not complete. We're not at the summit. We’re just part way up the mountain. There is more to do."
He didn't directly address the protester's issue.
18 Comments
Fail.
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Obama: If You're Looking For "Partisan Rhetoric, I'm Probably Not Your Guy"
Real Clear Politics ^ | 6/13/2011 | Real Clear Politics
Posted on June 13, 2011 11:23:07 PM EDT by oldernittany
"If you were looking for a bunch of partisan rhetoric, I'm probably not your guy," President Obama said at a fundraiser in Miami.
(Excerpt) Read more at realclearpolitics.com ...
Lmfao!!!!
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Obama: If You're Looking For "Partisan Rhetoric, I'm Probably Not Your Guy"
Real Clear Politics ^ | 6/13/2011 | Real Clear Politics
Posted on June 13, 2011 11:23:07 PM EDT by oldernittany
"If you were looking for a bunch of partisan rhetoric, I'm probably not your guy," President Obama said at a fundraiser in Miami.
(Excerpt) Read more at realclearpolitics.com ...
Lmfao!!!!
::)
“If Latinos sit out the election instead of saying, ‘We’re gonna punish our enemies and we’re gonna reward our friends who stand with us on issues that are important to us,’ if they don’t see that kind of upsurge in voting in this election, then I think it’s gonna be harder and that’s why I think it’s so important that people focus on voting on November 2.”
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Obama preparing voters – 12,000 crack dealers to be released early from jail
Fire Andrea Mitchell Blog ^ | 6/13/11 | staff
Posted on June 14, 2011 12:17:04 AM EDT by Nachum
Obama has to get his “crack” vote ready for 2012. So what a better way then to give at least 12,000 early releases from jail via the “Fair Sentencing Act.” Did you know the Democrat controlled Congress last year passed this bill? I guess everyone was focused on the ObamaCARE bill and the nightmare Frank-N-Dodd bills. The so called “Fair Sentencing Act” is describe by the Washington Post as “narrowing the huge disparity in punishment” given to those convicted of possessing crack cocaine versus those found with the drug in powder form. Wow, I’m sure glad they cleared that up with the bill.
The Wall Street Journal mentions that the Obama regime is pushing to retroactively apply a new law that reduces sentences for crack cocaine convictions. Obviously he need all the voters he can muster next year. I can already see the signs! Crack Dealers for Obama 2012!
Baseheads for Bama!
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that name of your source of the article is awesome!!!!!!!!!
"Fire Andrea Mitchell Blog"
LOL! Sweet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Obama Heckled At Fundraiser In Miami
President Obama is interrupted at a fundraiser in Miami with a man (or group) yelling: "Keep your promise, stop AIDS now!"
The heckler was drowned out by the audience with "Obama! Obama! Obama!"
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/06/13/obama_heckled_at_fundraiser_in_miami.html
Sounds like there were 10 people there.
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How's That Hope and Change Working Out for Obama Supporters?
American Thinker ^ | June 14, 2011 | Chad Stafko
Posted on June 14, 2011 10:05:17 PM EDT by rhema
Barack Obama benefited from strong support among a number of demographic groups during his 2008 presidential campaign. In an economic sense, after two-and-a-half years of his presidency, those same groups which showed him the greatest support have suffered disproportionately more than others in the United States.
It begs the question as to whether these groups will be political lemmings for Obama both in their support of his campaign and when they pull the lever in the 2012 presidential election. If their votes are based upon how their financial lives have changed since Obama took office, then they cannot reelect Obama into the White House. In other words, logic should tell them to vote against Obama next year. Consider these groups.
African-Americans
Barack Obama captured a staggering 96% of the African-American vote in the 2008 election, an increase even above their traditional backing of the Democrats' candidate. In addition, there was a slight uptick in voter turnout for Obama, as blacks had a 2% increase in turnout versus the 2004 presidential election. It is hard to fathom that a presidential candidate could possibly garner greater support from a demographic group than did Obama from African-Americans.
However, that support at the polling place has far from translated into a better way of life for the group as a whole.
When Obama took office in January 2009, the nation's unemployment rate stood at 7.6%. For African-Americans, as a group, the unemployment rate was 12.6%.
Fast forward two-and-a-half years and, according to the latest data released for May 2011, the nation's unemployment rate is 9.1%. The present rate of unemployment rate for blacks is 16.2%. So, while the overall unemployment rate has risen by 1.5% since Obama took office, the rate of unemployment for blacks is 3.6% higher. Seen another way, the gap between the African-American unemployment rate versus that of the entire population has widened from 5.0% when Obama took office to 7.1% as of May 2011. That is a rather huge move in a relatively short period of time.
What we've seen then is that African-Americans have had their economic state of life drop at a far greater rate versus other Americans during Obama's time in the White House, despite their overwhelming support of him in the 2008 elections. The numbers show that President Barack Obama has done nothing for the economic well-being of the African-American demographic group.
For him to capture a similar level of this group's votes in 2012 would be indicative of the group simply ignoring how their financial status has declined disproportionately more than the overall population under Obama's fiscal policies.
College/Young Professionals
This group was another strong supporter of Barack Obama to become President back in 2008. His message of hope and change resonated with the college crowd and among those just starting their careers. In fact, turnout among those 18-24 years of age rose slightly to 49% in the 2008 elections versus 47% in 2004. Exit poll data from 2008 show Obama enjoyed a 66% approval rating for the 18-29 year-old demographic group.
Unfortunately for this group, economic opportunities have become more and more scarce during Obama's presidency. According to a recent report from the Economic Policy Institute, for calendar year 2010, the unemployment rate for workers 16-24 years of age averaged 18.4% verses a rate of 9.6% for the overall population.
The same report states, "...the class of 2011 will likely face the highest unemployment rate for young college graduates since the Great Recession began."
The policies of the very man this demographic group supported has caused many of them to be either underemployed or unemployed, while also now burdened with thousands and thousands of dollars in college loans, in many cases.
Low Income Families
Lower income Americans offered strong support for Barack Obama. More than 70% of voters who earned less than $15,000 per year punched their card for Obama, while those whose earnings were $15,000-$30,000 voted for Obama at a clip better than 60%. Better than 50% of those earning $30,000-$50,000 also supported Obama for the Oval Office.
Yet, these same individuals have found life under Obama to be rather difficult. When Barack Obama assumed the position of President of the United States, the average price of gasoline was $1.81/gallon. Going into the past weekend, the average price nationwide was $3.72/gallon. That's a mere 106% price increase under Obama.
Energy prices, as a proportion of income, naturally impact lower income families more than middle class or upper class families. We've also seen a substantial increase in food prices, including corn and wheat, which again impact the lower income group more than the overall population.
In fact, Federal Reserve Chairman, Ben Bernanke recently indicated that lower income Americans were being hit harder by the economy as he showed that lower income Americans continue to suffer disproportionately higher unemployment than middle and upper class Americans.
Three Groups: African-Americans, College/Young Professionals, and Low Income Families. All have seen disproportionately more economic challenges than the general population during Obama's term in office. If the economy is their top issue, then they cannot support the man who has made their lives worse since he took office.
Fail.
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lol
Obama: Family OK With One-Term Presidency
Wednesday, 15 Jun 2011
By Henry J. Reske
President Barack Obama said his family would be fine if he was a one-term president, a sentiment they no doubt share with an expanding field of GOP presidential hopefuls. Obama, in an interview on NBC’s Today show, also revealed that there are days when he feels the same way.
Obama, one term, interview, family, 2012, AP photo“I’m sure there are days where I say that one term is enough,’’ Obama told host Ann Curry, “What keeps me going is a belief that the work that we started in 2009 is not yet complete.’’
Obama said his family has borne up well under the Washington microscope and added that if First Lady Michelle Obama “didn’t think that what we’re doing is worthwhile in moving the country forward, I think she’d be the first one to say do something else less stressful.”
“Michelle and the kids are wonderful in that if I said, ‘You know what guys, I want to do something different,’ they would be fine,’’ he said. “They’re not invested in daddy being president or my husband being president . . . If family is doing well and Michelle is still putting up with me, then I’ve got enough energy to keep doing the work that I’m doing.’’
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/Obama-oneterm-family-interview/2011/06/15/id/400150
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I'm cool with him having a 3/4 term.
He knows he is done. I'm not even sure he will make it to November 2012 at this pace.
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Blue Smoke and Mirrors. If Economy Remains Bad, Not Even a Good Campaign Will Save Obama in 2102
Weekly Standard ^ | 06/15/2011 | Jay Cost
Posted on June 15, 2011 10:47:16 PM EDT by SeekAndFind
And so the great machinery of the Obama-Biden campaign has slowly begun now to turn. Consider the following:
A. The president is in Puerto Rico on a visit so obviously political that Bloomberg can't keep it out of the lede:
President Barack Obama made the first official presidential stop in Puerto Rico in a half-century today with a message aimed more at an audience on the U.S. mainland.
“When I came here to campaign, I promised that I would return as president of the United States,” Obama said at an airport ceremony in San Juan. “I promised to include Puerto Rico not just on my itinerary, but also in my vision of where our country needs to go. And I am proud to say that we’ve kept that promise, too.”
B. Earlier in the week Obama was in North Carolina, pushing jobs:
President Barack Obama visited the Triangle on Monday with some of the nation's leading corporate executives in tow, pledging to find ways to accelerate job growth in an economy where high unemployment continues to be a drag on the recovery.
The president heard from a high-powered business group that recommended a series of steps designed to create a million more jobs during the next two years - from deregulation, to speeding up tourist visas, to encouraging construction for energy-efficient projects.
C. And the Obama team is already offering up "strategy memos."
Expect to see more of this stuff over the next year. Lots and lots more. And, of course, it will be accompanied by sychophantic media accounts that talk up just how powerful his campaign is, how weak the Republican opposition is, and so on.
Yet I can promise you one thing: none of this is going to make any difference. It is the kind of stuff politicians, campaign professionals, and media types believe are "game changers," but it isn't. To borrow a phrase from the Carter era, we might call it all "blue smoke and mirrors."
It was at about the same point in his administration that Jimmy Carter gave the so-called "malaise speech," which was originally meant to be a game changer for the administration. Carter had invited scores of party leaders up to Camp David to seek their advice on how to rescue his troubled presidency. Inflation had clocked in at 10.3 percent over the previous year. The price of a barrel of oil had increased by about 50 percent. While the unemployment rate was relatively low (under 6 percent), inflation was eating away at real incomes, leaving people extremely pessimistic about the future, and about the president, whose job approval was by that point in the low 30s. Meanwhile, a tax revolt was brewing on Carter's right, and, on his left, Ted Kennedy was sounding more and more like a presidential candidate.
Carter wanted to get back to what had made him such a political success three years earlier--forging a connection with people who had grown tired of party politics. This was one of the major goals of the "malaise" speech, although he never used the word "malaise" in it. Instead, Carter bemoaned, "the growing doubt about the meaning of our own lives and in the loss of a unity of purpose for our Nation." It was classic Carter: part politician, part therapist, part preacher.
Initially, reaction to the speech was very positive. But in the long run, it didn't do a lick of good. Part of the reason why was that Carter followed the speech up by sacking a handful of cabinet secretaries, making him (again) seem erratic and not in control. However, the bigger problem was the state of the union, which no amount of rhetoric could fix. As Jack Germond and Jules Witcover wrote later on:
(Jimmy Carter) and his band of political technicians couldn't alter the record of his performance, so they tried to alter the public perception of where the blame should be placed. "It was," one of the participants in those meetings said later, "all blue smoke and mirrors. What was needed was fundamental change."
This is exactly what Team Obama is offering up right now--blue smoke and mirrors. President Obama lost public confidence in the first two years of his tenure, and Americans responded by filling Congress with dozens of new Republicans, ending the (short) era of liberal governance. Obama does not have the disposition to meet Republicans halfway, and, at any rate, his political advisors seem to have convinced him that demagoguing the GOP is the better approach. So, the president is emphasizing political theater, endeavoring to create the impression that the economy is in better shape than it is (or at least that he is not to blame), that he has a realistic plan to handle the deficit, and that he is in strong shape for reelection.
It will do no good. The president can visit as many green companies as he likes. His team can put out as many strategy videos as it likes. It can organize its ground game in Virginia all day and all night. None of this is going to change the fundamentals of this upcoming election, which are:
1. The economy is substantially weaker for Obama than for other previous presidents who won reelection.
2. The deficit is now substantially higher than before.
3. His major domestic reform--Obamacare--is substantially more unpopular.
4. The American people are substantially more pessimistic.
That's the state of the nation at this point. Nothing the Obama campaign can do at this point will affect any of these fundamentals--the hope is that its efforts will alter the public's perceptions of these fundamentals, but it won't. If we've learned anything in the last 50 years of the modern campaign, it's that the billion dollar efforts of campaign technocrats, who now dominate our politics, cannot convince people that the sun rises in the west.
So, when we peel back the spin, the boasting, and the partisan hyperbole, we get the following: The president is going to need real improvement on at least one of those four items, or he is going to lose next year, and the race will be over before midnight on the East Coast. And there won't be a single thing David Axelrod, Jim Messina, or David Plouffe can do to stop it.
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CNN Poll: Obama Approval Ratings Drop As Fears of Depression Rise
CNN Politics ^ | June 8, 2011
Posted on June 15, 2011 11:42:49 PM EDT by T.L.Sink
President Obama's overall approval rating has dropped below 50 percent as a growing number of Americans worry that the U.S. is likely to slip into another Great Depression within the next 12 months, according to a new CNN national poll.
(Excerpt) Read more at politicalticker.blogs.cn n.com ...
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82 Percent See Obama Policies "Somewhat," "Mainly" or "Solely" Responsible for Economy
Townhall.com ^ | June 17, 2011 | John Ransom
The Wall Street Journal and NBC released a joint poll that shows 54 percent of respondents disapprove of the way President Obama is handling the economy, with 62 percent believing that the country is on the wrong track. 48 percent of respondents believe that Obama’s policies are “somewhat” responsible for the condition of the economy, while 34 percent believe his policies are “mainly or “solely” responsible.
Obama's general approval has slipped under 50 percent again after getting a bounce from the killing of Osama bin Laden by U.S. forces.
The economic news got no better for Obama this week.
Jobless claims came in better than the revised estimates on Thursday, but still show an economy struggling to create jobs.
In addition, the Philly Manufacturing index reported a significant contraction in manufacturing activity.
As our contributor Mike Shedlock reported: “Unfilled orders, delivery times, and inventory are currently in contraction and expected to remain so. The average work week is projected to contract,” adding that he expected hiring and wages to be weak even six months from now.
The BLS reported weekly unemployment claims of 414k versus estimates of 420k.
"Jobless claims declined by 16,000 to 414,000 in the week ended June 11, Labor Department figures showed today in Washington. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg News projected 420,000 filings, according to the median forecast. The number of people on unemployment benefit rolls and those receiving extended payments decreased."
Some of that decrease on continuing unemployment could be due to people running out of unemployment benefits, however. The number of people who have run out of benefits is at about one million with total unemployment at about 14 million. Another 9 million are employed just part-time.
"The economy needs to generate at least 125,000 jobs per month just to keep up with population growth. At least twice that many are needed to bring down the unemployment rate. But economists forecast the nation will add only about 1.9 million jobs this year, according to an Associated Press Economy survey earlier this week. That's only about 150,000 per month and is lower than a previous estimate two months ago," says the AP in the Houston Chronicle.
“Claims for unemployment insurance appear to have stabilized after spiking in late April,” Ryan Sweet, a senior economist at Moody’s Analytics Inc. in West Chester, Pennsylvania, told Bloomberg. “Unfortunately, the level remains elevated, suggesting that neither the labor market nor the economy gathered much momentum in early June.”
Housing starts for May rose to a five month high, but the homebuilders confidence level is the lowest it's been in nine months because of oversupply and a downtick in residential building.
"Economists polled by Reuters had forecast housing starts rising to a 540,000-unit rate. Compared to May last year, residential construction was down 3.4 percent. An oversupply of previously owned houses, especially foreclosed properties which sell well below their value, is dampening new home construction. A survey on Wednesday showed sentiment among home builders at its lowest in nine months in June."
The numbers will likely not have any effect on stopping the downward slide of the equity markets, which seemed determined to re-test March lows.
The markets are attempting to rally this week after six straight weeks of losses.
The markets reflect two main problems with the economy:
1) The credit markets haven't been lending money because of demand factors, not liquidity; because 2) the economy isn't creating jobs.
Until those factors change, expect more stagnation with only spotty job growth.
And more downward revisions in Obama's approval ratings.
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I'm cool with him having a 3/4 term.
Oh geez, not another palin thread...
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Medvedev says wants to see Obama re-elected
Jun 19 05:42 PM US/Eastern
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.183747070ebaeb0aaf1c700ebe1075ce.b21&show_article=1
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Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, pictured on June 18, said on Monday he w...
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Monday he wanted his US counterpart Barack Obama to win re-election next year, fearing that the two men's efforts to improve ties may lose steam under a new administration.
"I can tell you directly -- I would like Barack Obama to be re-elected president of the United States maybe more than someone else," Medvedev said in an interview with the Financial Times whose full transcript was released by the Kremlin early Monday.
"If another person becomes US president then he may have another course," he said.
"We understand that there are representatives of a rather conservative wing there who are trying to achieve their political goals at the expense of inflaming passions in relation to Russia, among other things.
"But what use is criticising them? This is simply a way of achieving political goals."
Since being installed at the Kremlin by his mentor Vladimir Putin, known for his hawkish views, Medvedev has made improving ties with the United States a key plank of his foreign policies.
The "reset" in ties has yielded a key nuclear arms treaty, Russian support of a UN resolution on Libya and Medvedev's decision not to supply S-300 air defense missiles to Iran.
But asked whether he thought the "reset" in relations would last for a long time, Medvedev waxed philosophical. "Nothing lasts too long under the moon."
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NO SHIT! Obama gave way the Farm on START (Ex Clinton CIA Director) and god only knows what further treason and traitorous acts he will commit with a second term.
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Obama no-show miffs Hispanics
By: Julie Mason
June 19, 2011 11:14 PM EDT
http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=AFDF1441-D4B5-4FC8-8501-3FA61E843498
Leaders of a national Hispanic organization are criticizing President Barack Obama for skipping their annual conference for the third consecutive year after he promised as a candidate in 2008 that he would return as president.
Some members of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials also are questioning Obama’s commitment to immigration reform, noting that deportations have increased under his watch — even as the administration intensifies its outreach for Hispanic votes. NALEO, which includes more than 6,000 Latino leaders who represent major blocs of voters in key electoral states, opens its annual conference Thursday in San Antonio.
The rift is noteworthy — and even a little puzzling — because of the administration’s aggressive push for Hispanic support ahead of 2012. Obama’s campaign team is trying to raise historically low rates of Hispanic registration and voter turnout in at least a half-dozen swing states, and one Obama adviser involved in his reelection effort recently told POLITICO, “Hispanics could very well decide this election.”
In recent months, Obama has invited several Latino groups to the White House. He has stressed his support for overhauling immigration policy and for the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, which would extend legal status to some young immigrants who go to college or into the military. He delivered a speech on immigration reform in El Paso, Texas, and last week, he made a quick trip to Puerto Rico.
“It is getting harder and harder for the president to go into a venue where he is confronted by Latinos because he is in a jam,” said Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), one of Obama’s earliest Hispanic supporters and a member of NALEO.
“In front of a group like NALEO, blaming Republicans for their intransigence on immigration reform and not addressing what the president’s own administration is doing to immigrants would not wash,” said Gutierrez, who traveled with Obama to the 2008 NALEO conference. “So it isn’t surprising to me that the president is not showing up.”
Luis Miranda, a White House spokesman, said the administration has shown “unprecedented” work and outreach on issues important to Hispanics.
“The scope of the president’s efforts on behalf of Latinos and all Americans is not defined by his participation at one event, but rather by the work carried out every day to put our economy back on track and spur job creation, improve access to health care, strengthen education and reform our immigration system so that it meets America’s 21st century needs,” Miranda said.
“The president looks forward to continuing to work with Latino elected and appointed officials in the coming weeks and months on these issues as he and his administration have done over the past two years,” Miranda added.
After POLITICO raised questions about Obama’s attendance at NALEO, the White House informed the National Council of La Raza, another Hispanic organization, that Obama would attend its annual conference in July, according to La Raza spokesman Julian Teixeira.
When Obama addressed NALEO in 2008, the group’s executive director, Arturo Vargas, asked whether he would return in 2009, if elected.
Obama replied, “As president, I am looking forward to being back and addressing you.”
Three years later, NALEO is still waiting. Vargas said the invitation for this week’s conference was delivered to the White House a year ago.
“It’s more than a disappointment,” Vargas told POLITICO. “I don’t get it. I don’t think he’s given our membership the attention they deserve.”
Vargas said the White House told him Obama’s schedule is too tight to allow his attendance. The White House pressed NALEO to accept a video address by the president instead, according to the organization. NALEO declined.
“We’ve had numerous folks call and write, asking [that] he honor his commitment,” said NALEO President Sylvia Garcia, a Democrat from Texas. “They said no.”
Garcia and others asked for Attorney General Eric Holder or Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano as potential substitutes for Obama. The administration is sending Interior Secretary Ken Salazar.
Salazar “will discuss the Obama administration’s priorities and the steps the administration has taken and will continue to take on behalf of Latinos and all Americans to put us back on the path to long-term prosperity and growth,” Interior Department spokeswoman Kendra Barkoff said.
She called the conference “a high priority for the White House as well as Secretary Salazar.”
But Juan C. Zapata, a Florida Republican and chairman of the NALEO Educational Fund, the organization’s nonprofit community outreach arm, called Obama “calculating” and “disingenuous.”
“He sent a very clear message to the Hispanic community that, ‘I want your support on the campaign, but I am not willing to do anything to earn it,’” Zapata said.
© 2011 Capitol News Company, LLC
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FAIL
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Rep. Luis Gutierrez: Latinos Shouldn't Vote For Obama In 2012 Without Deportation Relief
First Posted: 06/20/11 03:43 PM ET Updated: 06/20/11 04:50 PM ET
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/20/luis-gutierrez-lays-out-plans-for-deportation-relief_n_880643.html
WASHINGTON -- In a meeting with bloggers last week, longtime immigrant rights advocate Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) said President Barack Obama should not count on Latinos to vote for him in 2012 unless he takes executive action to stop some deportations.
The Obama administration has said repeatedly that it has no options for halting the deportation of either undocumented students or the family members of citizens, even though it has frequently cited its use of discretion in immigration enforcement. Although the government says it prioritizes deportation of undocumented people who are considered threats to society, young men and women who grew up in the United States, as well as the parents and spouses of citizens, are still deported.
In a frank discussion with bloggers at the progressive conference Netroots Nation, Gutierrez said he will encourage Latinos to withhold votes from Obama unless the president uses his discretion.
The main demand is to block deportation of families and young men and women who would benefit from the DREAM Act, a failed bill that would have allowed some undocumented people who entered the U.S. as children to gain legal status and attend college or join the military.
Gutierrez, who carries considerable clout among Latinos, is touring the country under the banner "Change Takes Courage" to rally support for administrative relief from deportations.
He said in order to win support, Obama should create deferred action or parole for DREAM Act-eligible young people, allowing them to live and work in the U.S. until Congress acts on immigration reform. Instead, the administration often carries deportation proceedings to nearly the last minute, then allows an immigrant to stay after public outrage.
"They stop the deportation when you do a little petition. When Change.org does a petition and gets a few hundred signatures, they stop the deportation," Gutierrez said. "Don't tell me you ain't got the power."
Senate Democrats, including Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), called in April for Obama to stop deporting DREAM Act students.
Gutierrez is also pushing for the president to create a new definition of "extreme hardship," a classification for men and women applying for legal status for their family members.
Separating families should be considered "extreme hardship," he said.
Gutierrez acknowledged that exercising executive power ran the risk of a legislative backlash from Republicans, but said that should not be an excuse.
"Anything that you put in to safeguard people, then they're going to take it away from you -- then why did we put you there?" he said.
Gutierrez said the first sign of Obama's triangulation strategies on immigration came in 2007, when the then-senator voted for a border fence between the U.S. and Mexico.
Latino leaders in Illinois were furious, and Gutierrez said Obama called him for an explanation.
"I should have known something then," he said. "He didn't get it, but he said to me, 'I've got to show the Republicans that I'm someone that they can work with.' It's still the same person."
The problem, Gutierrez said, is that Obama continues to court Latino votes despite failing to follow through with immigration reform, which polls consistently list as among the top five issues for Latino voters.
Obama recently spoke about immigration in El Paso, Texas, and Puerto Rico, but has said repeatedly he cannot act administratively to end deportations.
Gutierrez said he thinks Latinos should vote for Obama in 2012 -- but only if the president first takes actions to relieve deportation threats for families of citizens and would-be DREAM Act beneficiaries. He said Latino voters should put their votes in a metaphorical lock box and only let them out if and when Obama makes progress on immigration reform.
Gutierrez said Latinos are unlikely to vote for the Republican Party, which has decried what it considers "amnesty" for illegal immigrants, or for alternatives such as the Tequila Party organized to rally Hispanic voters.
"It's not about voting for the Tequila Party and it's not about voting for Republicans," he said. "I don't see Latinos doing that. What I see them doing is staying home."
A boycott by Latino voters could hurt Obama in the end, he acknowledged, but he said the issue is too important to ignore.
"It's always the same conversation: If we do too much it will hurt Obama?" he said. "Civil rights and human rights movements cannot be so closely aligned with parties because they're going to eventually have contradictions. I think of Rosa Parks and I think of her getting on that bus and saying, 'Will this upset the Speaker?' ... They didn't think about what was going to happen to a particular party. They moved."
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Ha ha ha ha - the cartoonish left is in its all its glory lately. The gays, the radical hispanic groups,the enviro freaks, etc.
FAIL
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MoveOn.org upset with Obama, launches campaign to drive liberal agenda on its own
Yahoo ^
MoveOn.org upset with Obama, launches campaign to drive liberal agenda on its own Matthew Boyle - The Daily Caller 41 mins ago
Left-wing MoveOn.org isn’t happy with President Barack Obama. In a fundraising e-mail sent to supporters on Monday, the group hinted that Obama has abandoned it in political fights in Washington and across the country.
“It’s pretty clear by now that we can’t wait for Barack Obama, or the Democrats, to save us,” MoveOn.org said in the e-mail to supporters. “But the one thing that might turn things around is an honest-to-God mass movement—something on the scale of the civil rights movement or the antiwar movement—built around a vision of an economy that works for all of us, not just the top 2%.” (Florida Tea Party groups says liberal MoveOn group also responsible for hefty bill)
The group is trying, apparently, to raise $1 million “for one of the biggest things” it says that it has ever done: “joining with dozens of other progressive organizations to lift up a new, grassroots movement to rescue the economy and bring the American Dream within reach for all Americans.”
The MoveOn.org campaign is based on the idea that Republican and conservative policies are causing “pain,” and will include a nationwide door-to-door tour in July. The liberal group says it will use “culture, art, direct action and mutual aid” to achieve “change” from the local to the federal level.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
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MoveOn.org upset with Obama, launches campaign to drive liberal agenda on its own
Yahoo ^
MoveOn.org upset with Obama, launches campaign to drive liberal agenda on its own Matthew Boyle - The Daily Caller 41 mins ago
Left-wing MoveOn.org isn’t happy with President Barack Obama. In a fundraising e-mail sent to supporters on Monday, the group hinted that Obama has abandoned it in political fights in Washington and across the country.
“It’s pretty clear by now that we can’t wait for Barack Obama, or the Democrats, to save us,” MoveOn.org said in the e-mail to supporters. “But the one thing that might turn things around is an honest-to-God mass movement—something on the scale of the civil rights movement or the antiwar movement—built around a vision of an economy that works for all of us, not just the top 2%.” (Florida Tea Party groups says liberal MoveOn group also responsible for hefty bill)
The group is trying, apparently, to raise $1 million “for one of the biggest things” it says that it has ever done: “joining with dozens of other progressive organizations to lift up a new, grassroots movement to rescue the economy and bring the American Dream within reach for all Americans.”
The MoveOn.org campaign is based on the idea that Republican and conservative policies are causing “pain,” and will include a nationwide door-to-door tour in July. The liberal group says it will use “culture, art, direct action and mutual aid” to achieve “change” from the local to the federal level.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Ding and Ding...he is Bush part 2
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Ding and Ding...he is Bush part 2
You almost have to wonder what the hell happened in those meetings with Bush in the transition period. Seems like they dragged Obama into the basement and showed him some secret or some shit and made him swear secrecy under the penalty of death so long as he go along with a NWO agenda.
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Poll: 3 in 10 sure they'll vote Obama (Americans rejecting Obama's Socialist Agenda)
Politico ^ | 6/22/2011 | By JENNIFER EPSTEIN
Americans are growing increasingly more frustrated with President Barack Obama’s handling of the economy and only 3 in 10 say they are certain they will vote to re-elect him in 2012, a new poll finds.
Just 23 percent of those surveyed for a Bloomberg News poll released Wednesday say they are hopeful about the economy because they see signs of improvement, while 25 percent say they are fearful things are getting worse and 51 percent are cautious because nothing seems to be happening.
Those signs of economic pessimism aren’t helping Obama’s reelection bid.
Sixty-one percent of Americans say they believe the president will have had a chance to make the economy “substantially better” by the end of 2012, while 37 percent say he won’t have. Forty-four percent of Americans say they are worse off than they were when Obama took office, while 34 percent say they are better off and 21 percent say they are doing about the same.
While 30 percent of Americans say they will vote for Obama, 36 percent say they definitely won’t vote for him. Among likely independent voters surveyed, just 23 percent say they are certain they will vote for Obama while 36 percent say they are sure they will seek out another candidate.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
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Barack Obama declares support for gay rights but not marriage (the rookie Hussein gets heckled)
Telegraph ^ | 6/24/11
Barack Obama declares support for gay rights but not marriage
Barack Obama has touted his efforts to advance gay rights and promised further progress, but stopped short of declaring his support for legalising same-sex marriage.
7:00AM BST 24 Jun 2011
The US president received an enthusiastic reception from gay supporters at a New York fundraiser, but a few dozen gay rights protesters outside the hotel and a handful of hecklers inside the ballroom where he spoke served as reminders of frustration that he has not done more for their cause.
"I believe that gay couples deserve the same legal rights as any other couple in this country," Mr Obama said to loud applause from a crowd of about 600 at the "Gala with the Gay Community" event.
**SNIP**
Several people briefly heckled the president's speech, screaming, "Say yes to marriage!" when he described his initiatives on gay rights.
About 30 gay rights protesters gathered outside the hotel, chanting, "Obama, Obama, let mama marry mama."
Louis Flores, 38, said he was "angry and disappointed" that Mr Obama had not done more on gay marriage. "We should all be holding the president to his campaign promise."
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
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President Obama and the re-election panic of 2012
Cedar Rapids Gazette ^ | June 23 2011 | Bob Haus
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When you step back and look at the news over the past several weeks, you’d have to come to the conclusion that President Barack Obama is in pretty serious electoral trouble. He and his Administration know it, right down to his last czar.
- The American economy is anemic at best. We are a full year past our “Summer of Recovery” that President Obama promised. He’s admitted that “shovel ready projects” were harder to find than he anticipated, and in fact they really never existed anyway.
- The President has embroiled us in yet another foreign conflict, Libya, which has all the outward signs of serious mission creep and a clear lack of focus. He’s even overruled his White House legal advisors on Congress’ role in the “conflict”, and is attempting to push the War Powers Act further than President Lyndon Johnson did during Vietnam. He’s starting to make President Richard Nixon look relatively isolationist.
- The much vaunted Wall Street reforms haven’t reformed anything, except pushing crushing new regulations and government mandated fees on America’s small financial institutions…the very institutions that should be infusing capital into America’s small businesses.
- The days of massive federal stimulus spending are gone, and the states are now left to clean up the mess from the Administration’s binge.
Electoral speed bumps and sinkholes await him in virtually every important state in the country. Ruy Teixeira wrote yesterday about President Obama’s very real problem with the white working class:
There will be a lot of white working class voters showing up at the polls next November, and the degree to which they support (or abandon) President Obama could very well make or break his reelection.
In 2008, during his otherwise-solid election victory, Obama lost the white working class vote by 18 points. In 2010, however, things got much worse: Congressional Democrats’ experienced a catastrophic 30 point deficit among the same group. While the first number is a figure Obama could live with repeating, the second could very well prove fatal.
With 14.9 million Americans out of work, this potential electoral fatality becomes very real. The picture is even worse for the President when you consider the “real unemployment rate,” the number of unemployed and underemployed who want full time work, stands at 18.6% of the American workforce.
By a ten point margin, Americans think they are worse off now than when President Obama was elected. Two-thirds of the American public thinks the country is headed in the wrong direction.
The Obama Panic has kicked into high gear. The President has announced that he’s pulling the “surge” troops out of Afghanistan, accelerating the withdrawal of our troops. He’s also planning to release 30 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve…which will fuel the United States for less than two days. And these actions were taken over the objection of his military advisors, and despite the fact that the price of gasoline has dropped for over 20 consecutive days.
The President is flummoxed. More “beer summits” and golf outings are unlikely to stop this slide. Nothing in his career has seemingly prepared him for the Presidency.
Americans are quickly making up their minds on the President, if they haven’t already done so. Soaring oratory and lofty catchphrases don’t matter much when you don’t have a job.
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What Obama donors ate last night
Politico ^ | 6/23/11 | Caitlin McDevitt
________________________ ________________________
What did Obama supporters get for $35,800-a-plate at Thursday night’s DNC fundraising dinner at Manhattan’s swanky Daniel restaurant?
The menu included Maine lobster salad with roasted beets, a duo of Black Angus beef, braised short ribs with spinach and roasted tenderloin with stuffed potato and hen of the woods.The wines poured: a 2009 Sandhi Santa Barbara Chardonnay ($28 per bottle according to the winery’s website) and a 2008 Copain Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Tous Ensembles (also under $30 per bottle according to pricing online.)For dessert, guests were treated to
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
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Obama is for the regular working guy? ::) ::)
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There should be a Democratic primary also.
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Is that all the information that you guys can come up with?
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Obama is going to lose in 2012 like dukakakis did.
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What Obama donors ate last night
Politico ^ | 6/23/11 | Caitlin McDevitt
________________________ ________________________
What did Obama supporters get for $35,800-a-plate at Thursday night’s DNC fundraising dinner at Manhattan’s swanky Daniel restaurant?
The menu included Maine lobster salad with roasted beets, a duo of Black Angus beef, braised short ribs with spinach and roasted tenderloin with stuffed potato and hen of the woods.The wines poured: a 2009 Sandhi Santa Barbara Chardonnay ($28 per bottle according to the winery’s website) and a 2008 Copain Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Tous Ensembles (also under $30 per bottle according to pricing online.)For dessert, guests were treated to
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
________________________ ______________________
Obama is for the regular working guy? ::) ::)
I've been to the Republican Fundraisers and they serve just about the same food. If you're paying 38,000 a plate then they are not going to be serving tacos and kool-aid
BTW, I wasn't a guest. I just did security....good tips. ;D
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Vince - you think if you said you were a major supporter of obamas and drove 50 people to the polls yet didn't have the cash to attend and only had 100 dollars they would let you in?
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Vince - you think if you said you were a major supporter of obamas and drove 50 people to the polls yet didn't have the cash to attend and only had 100 dollars they would let you in?
There's no doubt that all of these $38,000 fundraiser dinners that both the Democrats and Republicans are for the benefit of lobbyists and special interest groups to advance their agendas. That's just the way politics work. A large donation carries influence on laws that are being past.
The key to fundraising is to have a method for everyone. Rich people eat fancy dinners at ballrooms, middle class citizens gets an outdoor barbecue and maybe a handshake, and poor folks get to watch TV and hear them debate.
See how it works. The wealthy run the country, the middle fights for the scraps, and the poor just hopes and prays for better.
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WASH POST: WHITE HOUSE CHEF FOR SALE; OBAMA COURTS BIG DONORS
http://www.drudgereport.com ^
Posted on June 28, 2011 3:54:17 PM EDT by kcvl
President Obama and top White House aides are waging a behind-the-scenes push to win over skeptical big-dollar donors — whose early money is needed to help fund a dramatic summertime expansion of his battleground-state machinery.
officials are working to broaden Obama’s network of “bundlers,” the well-connected rainmakers tasked with soliciting big checks from wealthy donors, while seeking to preserve the aura of a grass-roots movement by luring back the kind of small Internet donations that helped shatter fundraising records four years ago.
Obama and his aides are leveraging every asset available to a sitting president — from access to top West Wing officials to a possible food tasting with the White House chef.
Much of the fundraising in recent weeks has occurred at targeted events designed to appeal to specific groups, many of which have expressed frustration with administration policies, including Jews, gays and business leaders. Obama has attended 28 fundraisers from coast to coast — a pace that could continue, or even accelerate, over the next several months.
The West Wing charm offensive shows how Obama’s White House, which has eschewed Clinton-style traditions of feeding donor egos with Lincoln bedroom overnights and frequent phone calls from the president, is adjusting itself for a campaign that needs to overcome low approval ratings and a sour economy.
“They were more skewed toward their base,” said Steven Green, a former Samsonite chief executive and donor to Bill and Hillary Clinton’s campaigns who hosted an Obama fundraiser in Miami this month. “Now they realize that there is this large group of donors out there, and for better or for worse, they need to cater to them. To be frank, I think it’s somewhat new to them, and they’re not quite sure how to address that donor base. [The donors] are pretty high-maintenance.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/obama-pushing-behind-scenes-to-win-over-big-dollar-donors/2011/06/24/AGO5NGoH_print.html
(Excerpt) Read more at drudgereport.com ...
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Obama Films Campaign Ad In White House, Possibly Violating FEC Laws?
realclearpolitics.com ^ | June 27, 2011
Posted on June 27, 2011 9:58:50 PM EDT by Free ThinkerNY
Obama 2012 campaign: President Obama himself makes an unexpected announcement about the upcoming "Dinner with Barack" contest.
To participate in the contest you need to donate at least $5 to the campaign and your name will be raffled off to enjoy a dinner with the President, airfare and accommodations included. In a new web video, Obama announced Vice President Joe Biden will also be attending the dinner.
There is one problem, however.
This campaign ad was most likely recorded in the White House, which may have violated FEC campaign finance laws.
(Excerpt) Read more at realclearpolitics.com ...
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Obama Campaign Signals Fundraising Fail
by KEITH KOFFLER on JUNE 29, 2011, 12:54 PM
The Obama campaign appears to be signaling that its fundraising totals for the second quarter of the year – the first since President Obama announced for reelection – will not be as robust as the campaign would like.
In an email to campaign supporters today, President Obama unmistakably sought to downplay money.
We’re closing the books on the first fundraising quarter of the 2012 race at midnight tomorrow.
A lot of folks will be interpreting our numbers as a measure of this campaign’s support.
They’re not wrong, but they are wrong about why.
We measure our success not in dollars but in people — in the number of everyday Americans who’ve chosen to give whatever they can afford because they know we’ve got more work to do.*
Campaign officials revealed during the last week that they have set a target of raising $60 million for the quarter from at least 450,000 donors.
But even $60 million would not seem to be a very ambitious goal for Obama. He raised the same amount during the second quarter of 2007, just after he announced his 2008 campaign.
The campaign is hoping to raise up to $1 billion total for the 2012 election.
The email reiterates a call for donors to give at least $5 in order to be automatically entered into a raffle for dinner with Obama and Vice President Biden.
* Bolding is mine, not the campaign’s.
Related Posts:
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Jewish Dems losing faith in Obama
By: Ben Smith
June 29, 2011 04:32 AM EDT
David Ainsman really began to get worried about President Barack Obama’s standing with his fellow Jewish Democrats when a recent dinner with his wife and two other couples — all Obama voters in 2008 — nearly turned into a screaming match.
Ainsman, a prominent Democratic lawyer and Pittsburgh Jewish community leader, was trying to explain that Obama had just been offering Israel a bit of “tough love” in his May 19 speech on the Arab Spring. His friends disagreed — to say the least.
One said he had the sense that Obama “took the opportunity to throw Israel under the bus.” Another, who swore he wasn’t getting his information from the mutually despised Fox News, admitted he’d lost faith in the president.
If several dozen interviews with POLITICO are any indication, a similar conversation is taking place in Jewish communities across the country. Obama’s speech last month seems to have crystallized the doubts many pro-Israel Democrats had about Obama in 2008 in a way that could, on the margins, cost the president votes and money in 2012 and will not be easy to repair. (See also: President Obama's Middle East speech: Details complicate 'simple' message)
“It’s less something specific than that these incidents keep on coming,” said Ainsman.
The immediate controversy sparked by the speech was Obama’s statement that Israel should embrace the country’s 1967 borders, with “land swaps,” as a basis for peace talks. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seized on the first half of that phrase and the threat of a return to what Israelis sometimes refer to as “Auschwitz borders.” (Related: Obama defends border policy)
Obama’s Jewish allies stressed the second half: that land swaps would — as American negotiators have long contemplated — give Israel security in its narrow middle, and the deal would give the country international legitimacy and normalcy.
But the noisy fray after the speech mirrored any number of smaller controversies. Politically hawkish Jews and groups such as the Republican Jewish Coalition and the Emergency Committee for Israel pounded Obama in news releases. White House surrogates and staffers defended him, as did the plentiful American Jews who have long wanted the White House to lean harder on Israel’s conservative government.
Based on the conversations with POLITICO, it’s hard to resist the conclusion that some kind of tipping point has been reached.
Most of those interviewed were center-left American Jews and Obama supporters — and many of them Democratic donors. On some core issues involving Israel, they’re well to the left of Netanyahu and many Americans: They refer to the “West Bank,” not to “Judea and Samaria,” fervently supported the Oslo peace process and Israel’s unilateral withdrawal from Gaza and believe in the urgency of creating a Palestinian state. (Arena: Are Jewish voters still pro-Obama?)
But they are also fearful for Israel at a moment of turmoil in a hostile region when the moderate Palestinian Authority is joining forces with the militantly anti-Israel Hamas.
“It’s a hot time, because Israel is isolated in the world and, in particular, with the Obama administration putting pressure on Israel,” said Rabbi Neil Cooper, leader of Temple Beth Hillel-Beth El in Philadelphia’s Main Line suburbs, who recently lectured his large, politically connected congregation on avoiding turning Israel into a partisan issue.
Some of these traditional Democrats now say, to their own astonishment, that they’ll consider voting for a Republican in 2012. And many of those who continue to support Obama said they find themselves constantly on the defensive in conversations with friends.
“I’m hearing a tremendous amount of skittishness from pro-Israel voters who voted for Obama and now are questioning whether they did the right thing or not,” said Betsy Sheerr, the former head of an abortion-rights-supporting, pro-Israel PAC in Philadelphia, who said she continues to support Obama, with only mild reservations. “I’m hearing a lot of ‘Oh, if we’d only elected Hillary instead.’”
Even Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who spoke to POLITICO to combat the story line of Jewish defections, said she’d detected a level of anxiety in a recent visit to a senior center in her South Florida district.
“They wanted some clarity on the president’s view,” she said. “I answered their questions and restored some confidence that maybe was a little shaky, [rebutted] misinformation and the inaccurate reporting about what was said.”
Wasserman Schultz and other top Democrats say the storm will pass. (Related: Debbie Wasserman Schultz: Jewish voters will stick with Obama)
They point out to anyone who will listen that beyond the difficult personal relationship of Obama and Netanyahu, beyond a tense, stalled peace process, there’s a litany of good news for supporters of Israel: Military cooperation is at an all-time high; Obama has supplied Israel with a key missile defense system; the U.S. boycotted an anti-racism conference seen as anti-Israel; and America is set to spend valuable international political capital beating back a Palestinian independence declaration at the United Nations in September.
The qualms that many Jewish Democrats express about Obama date back to his emergence onto the national scene in 2007. Though he had warm relations with Chicago’s Jewish community, he had also been friends with leading Palestinian activists, unusual in the Democratic establishment. And though he seemed to be trying to take a conventionally pro-Israel stand, he was a novice at the complicated politics of the America-Israel relationship, and his sheer inexperience showed at times.
At the 2007 AIPAC Policy Conference, Obama professed his love for Israel but then seemed, - to some who were there for his informal talk - to betray a kind of naivete about the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians: “The biggest enemy” he said, using the same rhetoric he applied to American politics, was “not just terrorists, it’s not just Hezbollah, it’s not just Hamas — it’s also cynicism.”
At the next year’s AIPAC conference, he again botched the conflict’s code, committing himself to an “undivided Jerusalem” and then walking it back the next day.
Those doubts and gaffes lingered, even for many of the majority who supported him.
“There’s an inclination in the community to not trust this president’s gut feel on Israel and every time he sets out on a path that’s troubling you do get this ‘ouch’ reaction from the Jewish Community because they’re distrustful of him,” said the president of a major national Jewish organization, who declined to be quoted by name to avoid endangering his ties to the White House.
Many of Obama’s supporters, then and now, said they were unworried about the political allegiance of Jewish voters. Every four years, they say, Republicans claim to be making inroads with American Jews, and every four years, voters and donors go overwhelmingly for the Democrats, voting on a range of issues that include, but aren’t limited to Israel.
But while that pattern has held, Obama certainly didn’t take anything for granted. His 2008 campaign dealt with misgivings with a quiet, intense, and effective round of communal outreach.
“When Obama was running, there was a lot of concern among the guys in my group at shul, who are all late-30s to mid-40s, who I hang out with and daven with and go to dinner with, about Obama,” recalled Scott Matasar, a Cleveland lawyer who’s active in Jewish organizations.
Matasar remembers his friends’ worries over whether Obama was “going to be OK for Israel.” But then Obama met with the community’s leaders during a swing through Cleveland in the primary, and the rabbi at the denominationally conservative synagogue Matasar attends — “a real ardent Zionist and Israel defender” — came back to synagogue convinced.
“That put a lot of my concerns to rest for my friends who are very much Israel hawks but who, like me, aren’t one-issue voters.”
Now Matasar says he’s appalled by Obama’s “rookie mistakes and bumbling” and the reported marginalization of a veteran peace negotiator, Dennis Ross, in favor of aides who back a tougher line on Netanyahu. He’s the most pro-Obama member of his social circle but is finding the president harder to defend.
“He’d been very ham-handed in the way he presented [the 1967 border announcement] and the way he sprung this on Netanyahu,” Matasar said.
A Philadelphia Democrat and pro-Israel activist, Joe Wolfson, recalled a similar progression.
“What got me past Obama in the recent election was Dennis Ross — I heard him speak in Philadelphia and I had many of my concerns allayed,” Wolfson said. “Now, I think I’m like many pro-Israel Democrats now who are looking to see whether we can vote Republican.”
That, perhaps, is the crux of the political question: The pro-Israel Jewish voters and activists who spoke to POLITICO are largely die-hard Democrats, few of whom have ever cast a vote for a Republican to be president. Does the new wave of Jewish angst matter?
One place it might is fundraising. Many of the Clinton-era Democratic mega-donors who make Israel their key issue, the most prominent of whom is the Los Angeles Israeli-American billionaire Haim Saban, never really warmed to Obama, though Saban says he will vote for the Democrat and write him a check if asked.
A top-dollar Washington fundraiser aimed at Jewish donors in Miami last week raised more than $1 million from 80 people, and while one prominent Jewish activist said the DNC had to scramble to fill seats, seven-figure fundraisers are hard to sneer at.
Even people writing five-figure checks to Obama, though, appeared in need of a bit of bucking up.
“We were very reassured,” Randi Levine, who attended the event with her husband, Jeffrey, a New York real estate developer, told POLITICO.
Philadelphia Jewish Democrats are among the hosts of another top-dollar event June 30. David Cohen, a Comcast executive and former top aide to former Gov. Ed Rendell, said questions about Obama’s position on Israel have been a regular, if not dominant, feature of his attempts to recruit donors.
“I takes me about five minutes of talking through the president’s position and the president’s speech, and the uniform reaction has been, ‘I guess you’re right, that’s not how I saw it covered,’” he said.
Others involved in the Philadelphia event, however, said they think Jewish doubts are taking a fundraising toll.
“We’re going to raise a ton of money, but I don’t know if we’re going to hit our goals,” said Daniel Berger, a lawyer who is firmly in the “peace camp” and said he blamed the controversy on Netanyahu’s intransigence.
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Obama Jabs Republicans and Raises Cash in City of Brotherly Love
June 30, 2011 7:13 PM
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ABC News' Jon Garcia and Devin Dwyer report:
PHILADEPHIA - President Obama served up some political red meat to campaign contributors in Philly tonight, bashing his Republican challengers while picking up more than a million dollars for his campaign and the Democratic party.
“This campaign is at its early stages, I’ve got a day job, I’ve got other things to do,” Obama told about 800 supporters at a downtown hotel ballroom. “But while I’m working there will be candidates parading around the country. And they’re gonna do what they do which is they’re gonna attack here in Philadelphia, they’re gonna attack. They won’t have a plan but they’re going to attack.”
But the American people, Obama insisted, didn’t want to hear the back-and-forth of politics “as we’ve come to know it.”
“They are less interested in hearing us exchange insults about the past, they want us to exchange ideas about the future,” he said. “That’s the contest I’m looking forward to because I know that’s the contest that America needs and, by the way, that’s the contest that we will win.”
“I know there’s some of you who are frustrated because we haven’t gotten everything done that we said we were gonna do in two and a half years,” Obama explained.
“There are times when I feel frustrated but we knew this wasn’t going to be easy. … There will be times where we will stumble just like we stumbled sometimes during the first campaign,” he said.
“It’s only been two and a half years. I got five and a half years more to go,” he said to wild applause.
His speech was punctuated twice by hecklers, including some AIDS activists who have now made it a practice to interrupt Obama’s campaign events. Both times the hecklers were shouted down by Obama supporters.
Obama was also to address a smaller crowd at a bigger-dollar fundraiser at the home of David Cohen, a vice president at Comcast Corp., in the Mt. Airy neighborhood of Philadelphia.
The fundraisers, no. 34 and 35 for Obama this year, come as part of an 11th hour push for donations before the close of the first major financial reporting period of the 2012 cycle.
The campaign had set a goal of $60 million by June 30. It's required to formally report its total by July 15 with the Federal Election Commission.
A ticker on the campaign's website showed more than 489,000 individual contributors to the campaign so far - well ahead of 180,000 contributors at this point in 2007. During the same quarter in 2007, Obama raised $33.1 million.
Pennsylvanians have a history of opening their wallets for Obama. During the 2008 campaign, he raised $11.4 million in Quaker State, including $8.5 million in the Philadelphia metro area, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
What a farce. Disgusting.
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Obama Jabs Republicans and Raises Cash in City of Brotherly Love
June 30, 2011 7:13 PM
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ABC News' Jon Garcia and Devin Dwyer report:
PHILADEPHIA - President Obama served up some political red meat to campaign contributors in Philly tonight, bashing his Republican challengers while picking up more than a million dollars for his campaign and the Democratic party.
“This campaign is at its early stages, I’ve got a day job, I’ve got other things to do,” Obama told about 800 supporters at a downtown hotel ballroom. “But while I’m working there will be candidates parading around the country. And they’re gonna do what they do which is they’re gonna attack here in Philadelphia, they’re gonna attack. They won’t have a plan but they’re going to attack.”
But the American people, Obama insisted, didn’t want to hear the back-and-forth of politics “as we’ve come to know it.”
“They are less interested in hearing us exchange insults about the past, they want us to exchange ideas about the future,” he said. “That’s the contest I’m looking forward to because I know that’s the contest that America needs and, by the way, that’s the contest that we will win.”
“I know there’s some of you who are frustrated because we haven’t gotten everything done that we said we were gonna do in two and a half years,” Obama explained.
“There are times when I feel frustrated but we knew this wasn’t going to be easy. … There will be times where we will stumble just like we stumbled sometimes during the first campaign,” he said.
“It’s only been two and a half years. I got five and a half years more to go,” he said to wild applause.
His speech was punctuated twice by hecklers, including some AIDS activists who have now made it a practice to interrupt Obama’s campaign events. Both times the hecklers were shouted down by Obama supporters.
Obama was also to address a smaller crowd at a bigger-dollar fundraiser at the home of David Cohen, a vice president at Comcast Corp., in the Mt. Airy neighborhood of Philadelphia.
The fundraisers, no. 34 and 35 for Obama this year, come as part of an 11th hour push for donations before the close of the first major financial reporting period of the 2012 cycle.
The campaign had set a goal of $60 million by June 30. It's required to formally report its total by July 15 with the Federal Election Commission.
A ticker on the campaign's website showed more than 489,000 individual contributors to the campaign so far - well ahead of 180,000 contributors at this point in 2007. During the same quarter in 2007, Obama raised $33.1 million.
Pennsylvanians have a history of opening their wallets for Obama. During the 2008 campaign, he raised $11.4 million in Quaker State, including $8.5 million in the Philadelphia metro area, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
What a farce. Disgusting.
Obama could physically beat you. I mean, with his hands. Just kick your ass, kid.
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I hav zero doubt I could take him in a physical confrontation.
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..Obama campaign rollout hasn’t all gone as planned
Political Reporter
By Rachel Rose Hartman | The Ticket – Thu, Jun 30, 2011
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/obama-campaign-rollout-hasn-t-gone-planned-153618053.html;_ylt=AuAekXxKvvmiCxY1uZejlyKyFz4D;_ylu=X3oDMTM5YjdtNTBqBHBrZwM1MjQzY2YzYy1lOWM5LTM2NTctYmZlYy0zNjc4NTkxNGMzOTMEcG9zAzUEc2VjA01lZGlhVG9wU3RvcnkEdmVyA2FmMzM4MjgwLWE
Obama at a DNC fundraiser in May (Charles Dharapak/AP)
It's been a little less than three months since President Obama announced his 2012 re-election campaign. While that carefully choreographed rollout was hardly a surprise, the Obama campaign team has run into some early unexpected bumps in run-up to 2012.
Just this week, the Obama camp was forced to defend using the White House as a backdrop for a re-election campaign commercial after some questioned whether the White House was improperly blurring the lines between the presidency and the campaign. (The Obama camp, for the record, cited past precedent and said there was nothing improper about the White House imagery in the spot.)
Below we review this and other recent presidential campaign blips:
• Filming at the White House: National Review Online's Jim Geharty on Monday questioned the apparent politicization of the White House after a newly released campaign commercial used it as a backdrop to promote a raffle for dinner with Obama. Other news outlets questioned the legality of the filming and whether it violated campaign finance laws. But the White House quickly stepped in to defend the location choice, telling Real Clear Politics the following: "The raffle isn't the type of fundraising that would be off-limits under the law, there was no direct appeal for donations, the video was shot in the residence portion of the White House, and his predecessors have acted similarly."
You can watch the video in question below:
• Report: concern over small donors: The Obama campaign has decided to strongly target wealthy donors under the expectation that the grassroots small donors who boosted him to a win in 2008 may not step up this cycle, the Los Angeles Times reported this week. Both major parties in this cycle are pushing hard to reel in big-ticket donors in the wake of the 2010 Supreme Court Citizens United ruling, which legalized some political groups to raise unlimited anonymous funds. The new Obama program, called "Presidential Partners," asks supporters to donate $75,800 to the Obama Victory Fund (a joint project with the Democratic National Committee). Donors in this elite class would be maxing out on their allowable contributions to political parties for the 2012 cycle, meaning they can't donate to congressional party committees. The Obama campaign followed up with the Times to dispute the newspaper's findings saying the president's upcoming finance report will show that the number of small donors has dramatically increased compared to this time in 2008.
• Memo revealed granting appearance of donor access: The Obama campaign instructed the White House to give a top donor the appearance of access to the administration, the Huffington Post reported earlier this month. A private memo indicated that the donor, Full Sail University CEO Ed Haddock, was to be made to feel as if he had a direct "in" with the administration. "Ed needs and wants an ongoing point of contact inside the White House to periodically give input," the memo reportedly stated. The memo raised questions about the Hatch Act, which technically prohibits federal employees from engaging in partisan political activities. "It is an inappropriate memo," Fred Wertheimer, Founder and president of the group Democracy 21 told the Huffington Post. "And as we head into the campaign season and the political money raising season the Obama campaign should be extra careful about creating the potential impression that access is being provided for campaign contributions and fund raising."
• Economic woes drag down poll numbers: When the president announced the killing of Osama bin Laden, the development was widely hailed as not only an international victory but a major coup for Obama's 2012 election campaign. But any bin Laden-related polling bounce for Obama quickly faded as unemployment and economic woes continued to grip the American public. A poll released this month showed Obama tied with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney due to voter anxiety about the economy. This week, Obama is busy trying to broker an 11th-hour deal with Congress to raise the national debt ceiling.
UPDATE 3:20pmEST: Story updated to include the Los Angeles Times' follow-up story in which the Obama campaign claimed smaller donors are on the rise compared to figures for this time period in 2008.
Other popular Yahoo! News stories:
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I hav zero doubt I could take him in a physical confrontation.
What is your credentials?
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What is your credentials?
Black Belt Oyama Karate (3 years)
A year of BJJ
2nd Degree in current art been training for 5 years.
Good natural lift numbers.
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Campaigner-in-Chief Scolds Congress for Work Ethic
By Chris Stirewalt
Published June 30, 2011
| FoxNews.com
“They're in one week, they're out one week. And then they're saying, ‘Obama has got to step in. You need to be here.’ I’ve been here. I’ve been doing Afghanistan and bin Laden and the Greek crisis. You stay here. Let’s get it done.”
-- A visibly indignant President Obama talking to reporters about claims that he has shown insufficient leadership on his request to increase the federal government’s $14.3 trillion debt limit.
President Obama told reporters that he found it “amusing” when people say he needs to show more leadership on the fiscal impasse in Washington, but there was little mirth evident in the president on Wednesday.
Obama swiped and swatted at Republicans for intransigence, reprising his previous attack lines on fiscal confrontations, suggesting that Democrats were ready to make sacrifices but Republicans were radical and self-seeking. The president suggested that Republicans were just expressing opposition to tax increases to fire up their political base and get on “cable news.”
That stuff is pretty much expected in Obama’s Washington. The president often calls into question the motives of everyone but himself. Republicans, he claims, are fixated on 2012 while he is intent on governing.
Those Obamaian flourishes get bipartisan eye rolls inside the Beltway because they are so patently political themselves. Everybody in Washington is always thinking about the next election, especially the campaigner in chief.
The president is attending two fundraisers in Philadelphia tonight – the 36th and 37th fundraising events of his presidency. His wife, meanwhile, is hitting a trio of fundraising events while on an official trip to visit the families of Vermont National Guard members.
By comparison, President George W. Bush had held fewer than a half-dozen such events at this point in his first term.
As the president tries to amass another record-breaking campaign war chest, he has been pushing the envelope not just of the time he’s spending hustling cash but the lengths he’s gone to in order to do so.
Obama has come under criticism for using the White House to record a campaign video for a fundraising raffle for donors to win dinner with him and Vice President Biden. Fundraisers have also offered food tastings with the White House chef and access to other trappings of executive power as ways to lure big-dollar donors.
The Clinton scandals of selling access to the people’s house to high-dollar donors had previously squelched that kind of mercantilism, but the huge financial goals set by Team Obama are driving the administration into some riskier behavior.
Newly released White House visitors’ logs show a second Democratic National Committee event was held in the White House this year – even before the now controversial executive briefing given to Wall Street donors in March.
The Obama campaign has been trying to downplay fundraising expectations for the second quarter of the year, which ends today. Anything short of $60 million in combined fundraising for Obama’s campaign and the DNC would be a disappointment given the unprecedented lengths to which Obama has gone to raise money.
But, again, this is not a new thing. Obama has mostly been in campaign mode since taking office but frequently accuses his opponents of being politically motivated instead of being imbued with the national interest. As the election draws nearer, this line will grow increasingly strained, but it is old hat.
The new wrinkle on Wednesday was that Obama expanded the argument to actual hours on the job. He accused Congress of being neglectful of their work by taking vacations while he was busy dealing with killing Usama bin Laden and helping avoid the looming insolvency of the euro.
That was weird.
Obama played golf twice last weekend, is getting ready for a long summer vacation and has been on an increasingly active tour of 2012 swing states to give remarks about green energy, auto bailouts and stimulus spending. These are all normal things for presidents to do, but strange that Obama would cast himself as overworked and Congress as a bunch of goldbrickers.
Aside from sounding whiny, it also lays the president open to criticism for every golf outing, fundraiser, swing-state visit, family getaway and the like that he engages in. He played into the hands of his critics by framing the argument on their grounds.
It will be easy enough for Senators (except for the politically vulnerable ones who are missing out on parades and fundraisers) to stick around next week and wait for word of a deal. It will be hard for Obama to defend his schedule having now held it up as a metric by which one’s national service can be measured.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/06/30/campaigner-in-chief-scolds-congress-for-work-ethic/#ixzz1QsyV42aL
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What a farce and a fraud.
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Posted at 10:05 PM ET, 06/30/2011
Obama raises more than $1.2 million in Philadelphia
By Perry Bacon Jr. and Cecilia Kang
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/44/post/obama-raises-more-than-1-million-in-philadelphia/2011/06/30/AGbI5nsH_blog.html
PHILADELPHIA — President Obama raised more than $1.2 million at two campaign fundraisers here Thursday night, the last events of his money-raising blitz in this early stage of the 2012 campaign.
Campaign officials said about 800 people, each giving at least $100, attended the first event, at a Hyatt hotel. Later in the evening, Comcast’s executive vice president, David L. Cohen, hosted about 120 people in his home for a dinner, each of the attendees giving at least $10,000 for Obama’s reelection campaign.
Among the attendees were Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter (D). Dinner was arranged by restaurateur Stephen Starr, whose popular eateries include Morimoto and Buddakan.
Cohen, a longtime Democratic operative, has successfully sheparded the regulatory review of Comcast’s merger with NBC Universal earlier this year.
He is not the only high-tech or telecom executive to show early support for Obama’s reelection bid. In San Francisco last spring, Salesforce.com CEO Marc Benioff hosted a fundraiser for the president in his home, and Google executive Marissa Mayer has hosted a reported $30,000-a-head Democratic fundraiser featuring Obama last October.
The money raised in Obama’s Philadelphia events will count toward the president’s total for the second quarter of 2011, the first three months of fundraising for his reelection campaign. His aides have said they are looking to raise more than $60 million during this period, which could be more than the entire Republican field combined.
In his remarks, Obama stuck largely to his usual campaign speeches, making little reference to the battle in Washington over raising the debt ceiling and reducing the long-term federal budget deficit.
“I’m prepared to bring our deficit down by trillions of dollars. That’s with a ‘t’ – trillions,” he said at the Hyatt. “But I will not reduce our deficit by sacrificing our kids’ education. I’m not going to reduce our deficit by eliminating medical research being done by our scientists. I won’t sacrifice rebuilding our roads and our bridges and our railways and our airports. I want Philadelphia to have the best, not the worst.”
________________________ ________________________ ____
Now we know why Halperin was fired. Disgusting.
FUCK YOU EVERY OBAMA VOTER AND SUPPORTER ON THIS BOARD.
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Black Belt Oyama Karate (3 years)
A year of BJJ
2nd Degree in current art been training for 5 years.
Good natural lift numbers.
Obama: Secret Service, Seal Team 6...hell the entire military
Advantage: Obama ;D
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Obama's Goose is Simmering
Nolan Chart ^ | May 27, 2011 | EJ Moosa
Posted on July 1, 2011 6:48:08 PM EDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Over the next year you are going to hear a lot of rhetoric about Obama and how no one can beat him. About how weak the Republican field of candidates are, and how they are too weak to make a difference. Obama has likely already lost in 2012. He just doesn't know it yet, and those around him are unwilling to tell him.
I am going to go out on a limb (although it is a rather large solid limb from where I am sitting), and tell you that you have little to worry about(unless John McCain gets back in and wins the nomination). What's in the pot is Obama's Presidential goose.
Here's the rationale:
The economic outlook is weakening. It is weakening rather quickly. This weakening is going to show it's ugly head in the Summer and Fall of 2012. Corporate profit growth, what I believe is the key to employment growth is weakening rather rapidly. When year over year growth rates fall below 6%, private sector employment shrinks. Corporate profits today are only slightly higher than in the third quarter of 2006. With six million fewer private sector employees working today to get to the same level of profits, there is no hope to return those jobs under the current US economic structure. The rate of profit growth needed to return all those folks to work is simply not going to happen.
First quarter corporate profits were released this week. Year over year corporate profit growth slipped from 29.16% at the end of 2010 to 21.47% at the end of first quarter 2011. At this rate, we are six months from signalling a contraction in total private sector employment four quarters down the road. The growth rate was 35.37% at the end of the third quarter of 2010. This was profit growth compared to very weak quarters from the previous years. So the easy comparisons are way over.
There is nothing on the American economic horizon that would allow us to speculate that corporate profits are poised to rebound their growth over the next six months. Companies like Lowe's and Cisco and others are already drastically lowering their outlook for the rest of 2011.
Government debt, more regulations for business, Obama's administration stepping in and stopping the free movement of corporations from one state to another to improve profitability, higher fuel costs, higher food costs, and other items are just some of the reasons I feel that fewer dollars will be flowing to the bottom line, not more.
So this is what is going to turn the heat up on Obama's goose cooking as we speak. Over the next 12 months, we will hear relentlessly about the Obama recovery. We will hear about the jobs growth we have had and the Obama administration will, of course, dismiss any ideas that it is weakening. They will say it is not where they would like it, but it is headed in the right direction. They are very wrong. By surrounding himself with people that haven't a clue on what drives the private sector economy, there is no sense of cause and effect in the White House. So there are no efforts to address the problems we face in the economy. At least not real solutions that affect the real causes.
There is nothing that this administration can do in the short term to turn this around, even if they were to understand and grasp these concepts. It takes at least a year for the changes made to start to be felt within the economy. But when you have a political party such as the democrats that attacks the very item that drives job growth, and I am talking about profits, you know they do not understand. You cannot attack profits and promote job growth at the same time. At least not in the private sector.
I predict that just at the final stages of the Presidential Election cycle kick off, the often touted Obama Recovery will gasp it's last breath. The most important thing is that Obama will own this outright. The days of blaming Bush will be over. Obama may try, but we will have become immune to it's effects. He will have taken too much credit to be successful a second time at the Blame Bush game.
The Obama administration will not be able to offer any steps, plans or promises to improve the situation. If his opponents are smart, they will use snippets of his own speeches against him. The American people, once again facing higher unemployment, will have had enough. Hope for Change will not be enough.
A word or two on the Republican candidates: Those that are dropping out of the race before it has even started likely do not understand the dynamics of profits, employment growth and the economic cycle any better than Obama. So it is good they are going. If they did understand, they would realize that the last person standing in the Republican Party will be odds on favorite by September 2012.
We are simply not going to support a sitting President in office as unemployment rises. The Obama recovery was not strong enough to erase the memories of the last downturn. For most of us, these memories are painful and fresh.
While some will be shocked at the outcome for a President that was so loved by mainstream media, you will have known that Presidential goose has been cooking for months. They will blame racism, hate, greed, and anything else than can throw.
But you and I will know better.
I think he's gone.
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New Obama ad:
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Obama: Secret Service, Seal Team 6...hell the entire military
Advantage: Obama ;D
HAHAHAHAH!!! Funny!
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HAHAHAHAH!!! Funny!
Yeah, obama hiding behind skirts, what else is new?
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Top Obama adviser says unemployment won't be key in 2012
The Hill ^
Posted on July 8, 2011 12:05:54 AM EDT by Sub-Driver
Top Obama adviser says unemployment won't be key in 2012 By Ian Swanson - 07/07/11 08:25 PM ET
President Obama’s senior political adviser David Plouffe said Wednesday that people won’t vote in 2012 based on the unemployment rate.
Plouffe should probably hope that’s the case, since dismal job figures aren’t expected to get any better for Obama and the economy on Friday.
Most economists expect a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to show that the nation added about 100,000 jobs in June. That’s not enough to keep up with population growth, let alone lower the unemployment rate or make a dent in the 9 million jobs lost during the so called Great Recession.
It’s looking more and more like Obama will have to do something no president has done since Franklin Roosevelt: Win reelection with unemployment around 8 percent.
Ronald Reagan, another president Obama is sometimes compared with, was reelected in 1984 when unemployment was 7.2 percent. Obama isn’t likely to see a number that low.
Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moody’s Analytics, predicts the nation will have added 110,000 jobs in total in June, with 125,000 added in the private sector. Hiring by the public sector will continue to fall.
The economy would have to add 350,000 jobs every month between now and December 2014 to get back to the pre-recession low of 5 percent unemployment, last seen in December 2007, according to the Economic Policy Institute (EPI).
Reagan saw that kind of growth after the recession of the early 1980s, and it helped him win reelection by a comfortable 18 points. He also faced Walter Mondale, a weak opponent, from the opposing party — a bit of history Obama hopes to repeat in 2012.
The economy hasn’t seen such high-octane growth since August 1993 to February 1995, when it last averaged 350,000 jobs created per month. Even during the tech boom in the latter half of the 1990s, the economy didn’t average that many jobs, according to Heidi Shierholz, an economist with EPI.
The Obama campaign’s hope is that voters will feel the economy is improving in the fall of 2012, just as they did when Roosevelt and Reagan were reelected.
That seemed to be at the root of Plouffe’s remarks on Wednesday, as quoted by Bloomberg.
“The average American does not view the economy through the prism of GDP or unemployment rates or even monthly jobs numbers,” Plouffe said, according to Bloomberg. “People won’t vote based on the unemployment rate, they’re going to vote based on: ‘How do I feel about my own situation? Do I believe the president makes decisions based on me and my family?’ ”
The remarks will likely irritate Democrats who think Obama and his political team have taken their eye off jobs.
There’s some reason to think Obama could get a boost from the economy in the second half of the year, particularly given signs that the White House and congressional Republicans are moving closer to a deal that would lift the nation’s debt ceiling and cut trillions from annual deficits.
There’s no doubt such a deal would boost confidence in the economy and the political system. It could also boost hiring.
Layoffs have basically stopped since the recession, said Shierholz, but employers aren’t hiring even though corporations are expected to announce huge profits for the first half of the year.
“We are still treading water at the bottom of a deep hole,” said Shierholz.
The only real improvement in the labor market since the recession ended is with workers who have decided to sit out the slow economy and not look for a new job. That’s helped keep the unemployment rate low, Shierholz said.
Zandi argues the economy was sidetracked for the first half of the year by a number of shocks that he hopes are temporary.
They include the devastating tsunami in Japan that wreaked havoc on manufacturers around the world; turmoil in the Middle East; the ongoing conflict in Libya that sent crude oil prices to summer highs in the spring; and the debt talks, which Zandi said appear to have led the Treasury to slow outlays to avoid breaching the debt ceiling.
“The ill effects of these shocks are or will soon fade and even add to growth during the second half of the year,” Zandi said in an email. He expects payroll employment gains to be back near 200,000 by the end of the year.
If Zandi’s right and those gains continue through 2012, Plouffe might be proven right, too, as voters could be pleased with their position.
But there isn’t a lot of room for Obama to maneuver when it comes to the unemployment rate.
FAIL
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What the hell? Even if it gets to 200000 that is not good enough. We have to have many many months of 300000 or more jobs to make a dent in the unemployment rate.
Can we please stop the Reagan comparisons? Theyre starting to become laughable at this point. At this comparable point in Reagan's first term, the economy had been booming for 6 straight months. We havent seen anything like that this year.
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What the hell? Even if it gets to 200000 that is not good enough. We have to have many many months of 300000 or more jobs to make a dent in the unemployment rate.
Can we please stop the Reagan comparisons? Theyre starting to become laughable at this point. At this comparable point in Reagan's first term, the economy had been booming for 6 straight months. We havent seen anything like that this year.
Having just read the Reagan diaries edited by d Brinkley, I can safely say obama is not fit to shine regean shows.
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Having just read the Reagan diaries edited by d Brinkley, I can safely say obama is not fit to shine regean shows.
I would'nt say that they are/were both in the pocket of Wall Street so...
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New Obama ad:
That's actually a pretty good ad. Funny too... ;D
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Awesome :D
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Ninety Percent of Obama Travel at Least Partly Politics
by Keith Koffler on July 8, 2011, 10:15 am
http://www.whitehousedossier.com/2011/07/08/percent-obama-travel-partly-politics
Nearly 90 percent of President Obama’s domestic travel in the first six months of this year has been either partially or entirely political, and almost all the costs are borne by taxpayers, according to a White House Dossier Analysis.
Since returning from vacation in Hawaii Jan. 4, Obama has embarked on 25 domestic trips involving use of Air Force One. Of the total, 22 have involved either a fundraiser, travel to a presidential battleground state, or both.
Only three times has the president traveled for purely non-political purposes: a trip to visit flooding victims in Tennessee; a visit to New York City to meet with 9/11 families and lay a wreath; and a trip to Albany, New York to speak about the economy.
Obama in the briefing room yesterday.
Photo by Keith Koffler
Obama has traveled to 2012 campaign battleground states 16 times, hitting key states like Indiana, Iowa, North Carolina, Michgan and Wisconsin and landing multiple times in Florida, Pennsylvania and Ohio, electoral vote-rich states he needs to win.
Of the 11 excursions Obama has made that included a fundraiser, nine have also featured an “official” event, which helps the Obama campaign stick more of the bill to taxpayers. While it is impossible to prove that the official events were solely created to defray campaign travel costs, it is widely assumed that this White House and those that preceded it map official travel at least in part to mitigate the cost of jetting around the country to raise money and campaign.
The most egregious of these kinds of voyages appears to have occurred on April 27, when Obama and the first lady jetted to Chicago to tape the Oprah Winfrey show, and then the president flew on to New York for fundraisers. Mrs. Obama flew directly back to Washington, creating an expense for taxpayers instead of for Mrs. Winfrey, who presumably could have flown to the White House to tape the interview.
Six of Obama’s trips included both a fundraiser and a stop in a political battleground state.
These practices are not unique to Obama. George W. Bush also scheduled heavy travel for political purposes at taxpayer expense in the first half of 2003, as he prepared to run for reelection.
But Bush traveled a handful of times less frequently than Obama and only held four fundraisers outside Washington. He also made more purely non-political journeys than Obama, including trips to then-relatively safe GOP states like Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia and flight to Illinois, a state he could not have hoped to win.
________________________ ________
One and done for this commie traitor.
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Obama at 47% approval in gallup today.
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Obama at 47% approval in gallup today.
By people in CA, NY, IL, blacks, gays, jews, guilt ridden white morons, govt workers, etc.
He is done. if the economy is like this in 2012- your marxist commie messiah and hero is going to get ousted like carter.
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By people in CA, NY, IL, blacks, gays, jews, guilt ridden white morons, govt workers, etc.
He is done. if the economy is like this in 2012- your marxist commie messiah and hero is going to get ousted like carter.
47% of americans support him. I think the 'he is done' party might be a little rpemature.
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47% of americans support him. I think the 'he is done' party might be a little rpemature.
Yeah - because guilt ridden white dopes and lef wing freaks like yourself keep buying into the MSNBC crappola 24/7.
you were the same guy who had no clue how bad the commies would get beat in 2010. Same will be true in 2012.
Grow up kneepadder.
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U.S. Jobless Numbers Dragging Obama Down in Florida
Romney beats president in hypothetical match-up as independents swing toward GOP
By: Kenric Ward | Posted: July 12, 2011 3:55 AM
________________________ ________________________ ________________________ ___
A slipping economy has Floridians moving away from President Barack Obama and warming up to Republican Mitt Romney, a Sunshine State News Poll shows.
The survey of 1,000 likely voters shows that 54 percent disapprove of the job Obama is doing while just 38 percent approve. That result tracks with Florida voters' sour view of the economy, with 56 percent saying it has worsened in the past year.
"Clearly, the bleak economic landscape is not good news for Obama. This is quite sobering when you consider that the recession technically ended in summer of 2009, which really shows that people don’t believe we are out of the woods by any stretch," said Jim Lee, president of Harrisburg, Pa.-based Voter Survey Service, which conducted the poll for Sunshine State News.
Today's numbers may be even worse for Obama, considering that the July 5-7 survey concluded a day before the latest jobless figures were released last Friday. The national unemployment rate rose again to 9.2 percent as the economy added just 18,000 jobs in June.
"Obama’s negative job approval shows there is a major opening for the GOP to win the state in 2012, particularly when you consider that Obama only won by a close 51-48 margin last time," Lee said. "No president since FDR has won re-election when the unemployment rate on Election Day topped 7.2 percent."
Economists calculate that the economy would have to add a whopping 250,000 jobs every month for the next year to drive the unemployment rate below 7.5 percent.
Lee said the numbers are working in Romney's favor.
"Romney is clearly running as the 'most qualified' candidate to get the economy back on track, while candidates like Michele Bachmann and others are talking more about issues that play to the tea party base -- spending, deficits, not raising the debt limit, etc.
"Romney wins Republicans 74-14, while Democrats are voting for Obama 71-20, but independents are still up for grabs, with Romney leading 42-38," Lee reported.
Touting his private-sector experience, Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, hammered Obama on Sunday, saying:
"In February of 2009 -- 29 months ago -- President Obama signed into law his $787 billion stimulus bill that would, the administration predicted, bring unemployment under 8 percent. Unemployment was at 8.2 percent the month the stimulus bill passed. The next month, it rose to 8.6 percent, and it has not been below 8.8 percent since. It has risen for three straight months, hitting 9.2 percent in June."
Attempting to inoculate Obama from further bad news, the president's senior political adviser, David Plouffe, told Bloomberg News last week:
“The average American does not view the economy through the prism of GDP or unemployment rates or even monthly jobs numbers. People won’t vote based on the unemployment rate, they’re going to vote based on: ‘How do I feel about my own situation? Do I believe the president makes decisions based on me and my family?’”
That line of logic -- which tweaks the Clintonian adage, "It's the economy, stupid" -- is dismissed by Lee.
Lee likens the approaching 2012 campaign to what happened in the summer of 2008. That year, Republican nominee John McCain's polling numbers collapsed under the weight of financial turmoil and a stock market crash.
"The current numbers have erased any bounce Obama got from killing Osama," Lee said.
Obama’s nationwide job approval is 47 percent, but he continues to underperform in key battleground states like Pennsylvania (41 percent in a VSS poll taken in June), Florida, North Carolina, Ohio and others.
In Florida, the president's ratings were best among respondents who believe the economy has improved (54-42 approval). But that small cohort amounted to barely 13 percent of the persons polled.
Obama topped Romney in only one of five geographic regions of the Sunshine State: heavily Democratic Southeast Florida (57-33). Romney held double-digit advantages in the Panhandle, Southwest and Central Florida, and a single-point edge in the Tampa Bay region.
"Next year’s election will be much closer for Obama, even if he manages to squeak it out," Lee predicted.
Nationally speaking, political consultant Stuart Rothenberg says poll numbers that favor Obama are based on reflexive partisan positions that do not reflect reality.
"Independents are a key swing constituency and Obama's strong showing among swing voters was one of the most important reasons why he did so well overall and in key states such as Ohio and Florida [in 2008]," Rothenberg wrote recently.
But he pointed to a Pew Research Center poll last month that showed the president's disapproval rating among independents rising to 51 percent (identical to the Florida number).
Significantly, Rothenberg noted, "Only 37 percent of Democrats said the economy is poor, while 52 percent of Republicans picked that description and 50 percent of independents called it poor.
"What's the deal? Are Democrats, who are often associated with more downscale voters, doing better in the current economy than Republicans and independents? That's unlikely.
"The more logical answer is that Democrats chose to say things aren't as bad as others see them because they wanted to be supportive of the president and understood that saying current economic conditions are 'poor' would be an indictment of Obama's leadership.
"Sometimes, our partisanship colors how we view reality, rather than our view of reality coloring our partisanship. That's an important thing to remember as we look at survey data," Rothenberg concluded.
Methodology: This statewide poll was conducted July 5-7 with 1,000 registered likely voters for Sunshine State News. Only voters with prior vote history in general elections 2006 and/or 2008 were contacted. Interviews are randomly selected and conducted from a statewide voter file using our IVR (or automated) polling software which uses a pre-recorded voice to ask the questions, with respondents then instructed to score their answers by using their telephone key pads. Interviews are closely monitored to ensure a representative sample of Florida's electorate is achieved based on geography, party affiliation, gender, age and other demographics; results are sometimes statistically weighted. The margin of error for a sample size of 1,000 interviews is +/-3.10 percent at the 95 percent confidence level, but higher for subgroups of respondents.
See full poll results and cross tabs in the attachment below.
On Wednesday: Sunshine State News Poll looks at voters’ job approval of Gov. Rick Scott.
http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/story/us-jobless-numbers-dragging-barack-obama-down-florida
______________________
Poor 240.
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Election 2012: Generic Presidential Ballot (Rasmussen)
Rasmussen Reports ^ | Tuesday, July 12, 2011 | n/a
Generic Republican Candidate 48%, Obama 43%
A generic Republican candidate earns the highest level of support yet against President Obama in a hypothetical 2012 election matchup.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. Voters finds that the generic Republican picks 48% of the vote, while the president gets 43% support. Three percent (3%) favor some other candidate, and seven percent (7%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Last week, the incumbent and the generic Republcian candidate were tied, each earning 44% support. The GOP candidate has now outpolled the president in seven-of-10 surveys conducted weekly since early May. Prior to this survey, the Republican has earned 43% to 46% of the vote, while support for the president has ranged from 42% to 45%. Rasmussen Reports will provide new data on this generic matchup each week until the field of prospective Republican nominees narrows to a few serious contenders.
(Excerpt) Read more at rasmussenreports.com ...
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Election 2012: Generic Presidential Ballot (Rasmussen)
Rasmussen Reports ^ | Tuesday, July 12, 2011 | n/a
Generic Republican Candidate 48%, Obama 43%
A generic Republican candidate earns the highest level of support yet against President Obama in a hypothetical 2012 election matchup.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. Voters finds that the generic Republican picks 48% of the vote, while the president gets 43% support. Three percent (3%) favor some other candidate, and seven percent (7%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Last week, the incumbent and the generic Republcian candidate were tied, each earning 44% support. The GOP candidate has now outpolled the president in seven-of-10 surveys conducted weekly since early May. Prior to this survey, the Republican has earned 43% to 46% of the vote, while support for the president has ranged from 42% to 45%. Rasmussen Reports will provide new data on this generic matchup each week until the field of prospective Republican nominees narrows to a few serious contenders.
(Excerpt) Read more at rasmussenreports.com ...
Since you hate America, I don't think you should be allowed to watch the All Star Game tonight.
Just my two cents.
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I will be doing the following:
Squats
Deads
Militaries
Upright rows
Shrugs
followed by
30 - 45 minutes to 1 hour of swimming in pool alternating between side stroke, freestyle, and kicking.
No time for tv.
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Free Republic
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Obama Team Moves Fund-Raiser After Globe Inquiry (Obama campaign in bed with Big Pharma)
The Boston Globe ^ | Thursday, July 14, 2011 | Glen Johnson
Posted on July 14, 2011 9:48:21 PM EDT by kristinn
President Obama’s campaign committee is moving a fund-raiser featuring Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel from the Pfizer world headquarters to another location in New York City after The Boston Globe inquired about the propriety of a major pharmaceutical company hosting an event that could benefit the administration regulating it.
“This is a general fund-raising event for the campaign that has nothing to do with a specific company and the attendees will not be from any one company or sector,” Obama spokesman Ben LaBolt said this afternoon in a statement.
A Pfizer spokesman did not address the change in locale but defended the company’s initial decision to host the fund-raiser.
“Pfizer is proud to participate in the political process and encourages its colleagues to do so as well,” said the spokesman, Raul Damas. “All activities are undertaken in strict compliance with campaign finance law.”
SNIP
Emanuel, who formerly served as White House chief of staff, is slated to attend a series of fund-raising events for Obama next Thursday in New York. In one of them, he will serve as keynote speaker for the launch of a “Tri-State Speaker Series” aimed at raising money in the cash-rich region of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
Attendees are being asked to donate $1,000 for lunch with Emanuel or $5,000 to attend each of what will be monthly events during the next year, according to an invitation obtained by the Globe.
SNIP
In September 2009, Pfizer pleaded guilty to the illegal marketing of four of its drugs in which became the largest case of health care fraud in US history. It also received the largest criminal penalty - $1.2 billion - ever levied.
The settlement was the fourth by the company with the US Department of Justice during the prior decade.
(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...
TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; Click to Add Topic
KEYWORDS: obama; obamavictoryfund; pfizer; rahmemanuel; Click to Add Keyword
Party of the working guy. Lmfao!!!!!!!!
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wOW - LOOK WHERE ALL OF OBAMAS' MONEY COMING FROM -
NY & CA
http://www.barackobama.com/pages/volunteer-fundraisers-Q2
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My biggest Obama-bot friend sent out a mass fundraising e-mail for Obama. There are a lot of people still drinking the Kool-Aid. :-\
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Tell him the obama depression has left you short of funds and only left w pocket change.
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Tell him the obama depression has left you short of funds and only left w pocket change.
It's a she. And I've chosen not to bring up Obama's name, because I don't want to lose her friendship. :)
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Does she work for the govt.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/17/us/politics/17donate.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all
Party of the working man. Whatever.
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Does she work for the govt.
Nope. She's the executive director of a nonprofit corp.
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244 mega-fund-raisers rake in the money for Obama
Chicago Sun Times ^ | 7/17/11 | Lynn Sweet
Posted on July 17, 2011 9:29:36 PM EDT by Nachum
WASHINGTON — The Obama re-election team released the names of more than 244 mega-fund-raisers Friday — including 31 who raised at least $500,000 to bankroll the Obama 2012 campaign and the Democratic National Committee.
The fund-raisers are known in the political business as “bundlers,” people who use their extensive networks to raise money on behalf of a candidate. The Obama for America campaign calls their bundlers “volunteer fund-raisers.”
The Obama team disclosed the 244 bundlers (in a few cases couples or business partners were counted as one bundling unit) who collected at least $50,000. No one from the Chicago area — or Illinois for that matter — hit the elite ranks of bundlers who raised at least $500,000.
The list contained the names of 21 Obama bundlers from the Chicago area, many who were bundlers for 2008:
(Excerpt) Read more at suntimes.com ...
TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; Click to Add Topic
KEYWORDS: 2012fundraisers; bho2012; dncrico; fundingtheleft; fundraisers; kingofthedeficit; megafundraisers; money; notaxes4dnc; rake; rico; Click to Add Keyword
Long time reader, never donated? Click here to git 'er done!!
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Tax everybody... except my friends
1 posted on July 17, 2011 9:29:42 PM EDT by Nachum
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To: Nachum
Raising millions to get the “big money” out of politics.
Now pay your taxes - the government is broke. :)
2 posted on July 17, 2011 9:34:40 PM EDT by Tzimisce (Never forget that the American Revolution began when the British tried to disarm the colonists.)
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To: Nachum
Just raking in (taking back) the stimulus money given to the unions.
The slush stimulus con job in action.
The mother’s milk of democrat politicians.
This is exactly why public union collective bargaining is no different than dealing with the devil and has to come to an end.
3 posted on July 17, 2011 9:36:03 PM EDT by A'elian' nation (Political correctness does not legislate tolerance; it only organizes hatred. Jacques Barzun)
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To: Nachum
Commies certainly have big bucks.
4 posted on July 17, 2011 9:36:45 PM EDT by presently no screen name
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To: Nachum
† $50,000 to $100,000: ComEd’s Frank Clark; in dustrialist James Crown; Newsweb’s Fred Eychaner; Molly and William Mahoney; Steve Cohen; lawyer Judd Miner; lawyer David Solow, and Tabula Tua’s Grace Tsao-Wu.
† $100,000 to $200,000: Real estate executive Bob Satawake and James “Wally Brewster; Mesirow’s Les Coney; Goldman Sachs’ Vicki Heyman; Transunion’s Penny Pritzker, who was Obama’s 2008 national fi nance chair; Cubs executive Laura Ricketts, and Catbird’s Tamar guy and Andy Schapiro.
† $200,000 to $500,000: Walton St. Capital’s Neil Bluhm; Ariel’s John Rogers and Mellody Hobson, and Grosvenor Capital’s Michael Sacks.
Obama has rewarded his best fund-raisers from his 2008 campaign, from handing out ambassadorships —
According to the Center for Public Integrity, one-third of the Obama 2008 campaign’s 556 bundlers were appointed by Obama to jobs or advisory posts. Of the mega fund-raisers — those raising more than $500,000 in 2008, fully 80 percent landed “key administration” posts — many on advisory panels. According to CPI, 24 bundlers are serving as ambassadors.
5 posted on July 17, 2011 9:38:14 PM EDT by kcvl
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To: Nachum
in a few cases couples or business partners were counted as one bundling unit
A few? So I guess the rest were the FILTHY RICH that the 0media keep hidden and DON'T pay higher taxes because they're 0bama's donors?
6 posted on July 17, 2011 9:42:31 PM EDT by TribalPrincess2U (I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.. VOTE out the RATS!)
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To: Nachum
are they sure it wasn’t 666 fund raisers?
7 posted on July 17, 2011 9:57:35 PM EDT by TexasFreeper2009 (Obama = Epic Fail)
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To: TexasFreeper2009
Party of the RICH?
8 posted on July 17, 2011 10:00:27 PM EDT by scooby321
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To: Nachum
This is bullcrap,these traitors are trying to buy the office for that African, Sedition supporting Commie..
9 posted on July 17, 2011 10:12:48 PM EDT by Cheetahcat ( November 4 2008 ,A date that will live in Infamy.)
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To: Cheetahcat
The list is dominated by Jews.
10 posted on July 17, 2011 10:21:01 PM EDT by balls (0 lies like a Muslim (Google "taqiyya"))
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To: kcvl
Laundered money from George Soros and foreign governments.
11 posted on July 17, 2011 10:28:11 PM EDT by DarthVader (That which supports Barack Hussein Obama must be sterilized and there are NO exceptions!)
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To: Nachum
Bundling or not, all the names and amounts contributed must still be revealed to insure none went over the limit
0bama did this last round by having thousands Of unnamed donators under $500. Of course, $10 million would have been donated in a series of ‘minor’ donations from anonymous sources
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Nearly half of Obama’s $86M traceable to bundlers
Washington Times ^ | 7/17/11 | Luke Rosiak
The campaign fundraising efforts of President Obama raised $86 million in the past three months from 500,000 people — but at least $35 million of it can be traced to just 244 well-connected supporters who collected contributions from wealthy friends. Just 634 donations from people giving $30,000 or more to the Obama Victory Fund comprise $23 million, while the 1,335 donations the fund received from those giving $250 add up to about $336,000, a Washington Times analysis shows. The campaign has branded itself as a new type of political operation and touted its reliance on a grassroots network
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
________________________ ________________________ _
Disgusting
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Source: Detroit Free Press
Romney holds onto edge over Obama in Michigan election, poll shows
1:02 PM, Jul. 18, 2011
BY TODD SPANGLER
DETROIT FREE PRESS WASHINGTON STAFF
WASHINGTON -- Republican Mitt Romney continues to hold a small lead over President Barack Obama in a head-to-head matchup in Michigan, the latest EPIC-MRA Michigan poll showed Monday.
But support for Romney, a former Massachusetts governor whose father George was a three-term governor in Michigan, softened since the last poll in February, the new poll indicated.
The poll showed 46% of likely voters either supporting or leaning toward supporting Romney, compared to 41% supporting or leaning toward supporting Obama, with 12% undecided. Romney is considered to be the presumptive frontrunner among the large field of Republicans running for the nomination to face the Democrat, Obama, next year.
Romney’s overall edge over Obama in Michigan changed little from the 46%-41% margin he held in Lansing-based EPIC-MRA’s poll done five months ago. But Obama held a 39%-34% among voters who voiced clear support for one or the other. In February, both men were at 38% in terms of clear support.
Read more: http://www.freep.com/article/20110718/NEWS15/110718052/... |topnews|text|FRONTPAGE
________________________ ________________________ _______
Wow!!!!
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Civitas Poll: In Potential Matchup, Texas Gov. Rick Perry Ahead of Obama
Civitas Institute ^ | 7-18-2011 | Press Release
Civitas Poll: In Potential Matchup, Texas Gov. Rick Perry Ahead of Obama
Press Release-July 18, 2011
Raleigh, N.C. – Texas Republican Gov. Rick Perry leads Barack Obama 45 percent to 42 percent among North Carolina voters in a potential presidential matchup, according to a new poll released by the Civitas Institute.
Forty-five percent of voters said they are leaning towards or would vote for Gov. Rick Perry if the election for President of the United States was being held today and the candidates were Perry, the Republican, and Barack Obama, the Democrat. Forty-two percent said they are leaning towards or would vote for Obama, and 9 percent said they are undecided.
“For the President to be trailing an unannounced candidate in a state he barely won in 2012 has to be concerning for the Obama team,” said Civitas Institute President Francis De Luca. “If Obama is hoping to catch lightning again and win North Carolina, he is going to have to hope for a weaker opponent than Gov. Perry or a big bounce from having the Democratic National Convention here next year.”
Republican (81 percent Perry – 8 percent Obama) and Democratic voter (17 percent Perry – 69 percent Obama) support falls along party lines between the potential candidates. Unaffiliated voters, the fastest growing voter segment in the state, would choose Perry over Obama by a 53 percent to 32 percent margin...
(Full results and crosstabs available at link)
(Excerpt) Read more at nccivitas.org ...
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Perry is ahead because he's unknown. Just like "unnamed repub" is going to be ahead.
Just like "unnamed repub" was leading harry reid, 75 to 25%.
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Perry is ahead because he's unknown. Just like "unnamed repub" is going to be ahead.
Just like "unnamed repub" was leading harry reid, 75 to 25%.
Kinda like Obama in 2008?
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Perry is ahead because he's unknown. Just like "unnamed repub" is going to be ahead.
Just like "unnamed repub" was leading harry reid, 75 to 25%.
When Obama loses in a landslide - you should I have a blankie on my shoulder for you?
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I dunno... I talked to a buddy of mine yesterday and he voted for McCain and said with the current Republican prospects, he will most likely vote for Obama.
I admit that the field of Republicans is sketchy at best... I find it extremely odd.
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I dunno... I talked to a buddy of mine yesterday and he voted for McCain and said with the current Republican prospects, he will most likely vote for Obama.
I admit that the field of Republicans is sketchy at best... I find it extremely odd.
Where do you live?
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I dunno... I talked to a buddy of mine yesterday and he voted for McCain and said with the current Republican prospects, he will most likely vote for Obama.
I admit that the field of Republicans is sketchy at best... I find it extremely odd.
That is probably one of the dumbest things I have heard in a long time.
Seriously. you live in Cali right?
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Kinda like Obama in 2008?
kinda like sharron angle in 2010.
she inherited a position polling 75 to 25 over reid....
and through her own ignorant ass statements and extremism and unwillingness to answer Qs, she ended up losing to a d-bag like reid.
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kinda like sharron angle in 2010.
she inherited a position polling 75 to 25 over reid....
and through her own ignorant ass statements and extremism and unwillingness to answer Qs, she ended up losing to a d-bag like reid.
Really they media had nothing to do with it did they? If the media would have ignored and covered up all that she would have won most likely. Strange how that works
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Funny too - Reid has not passed a budge a in two years, and is now scaring seniors on SS. yeah, great move by the idiots voting for this this disgusting jerk.
They are getting exactly what they deserve w reid.
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That is probably one of the dumbest things I have heard in a long time.
Seriously. you live in Cali right?
Virginia dude... This is a Virginia friend.
I live in California and Virginia...
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Virginia dude... This is a Virginia friend.
I live in California and Virginia...
Here is my formulation:
Obama second term: 100% guaranty of the following: 2 more kagans on the SC, 4 more years of economic insanity, debt, inflation, chaos, WTF policies, wars, regulatory insanity, businesses refusing to hire, etc etc. That is 100% guaranty based on obama's current term.
Bachmann, Paul, Romney, homeless bum, looter dude, whino, drug addict, thief, madoff, etc: 50% of being a fuck up or great.
Case closed.
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Here is my formulation:
Obama second term: 100% guaranty of the following: 2 more kagans on the SC, 4 more years of economic insanity, debt, inflation, chaos, WTF policies, wars, regulatory insanity, businesses refusing to hire, etc etc. That is 100% guaranty based on obama's current term.
Bachmann, Paul, Romney, homeless bum, looter dude, whino, drug addict, thief, madoff, etc: 50% of being a fuck up or great.
Case closed.
I thought the same thing with McCain and GWBs 2nd term...
I went 1 and 1.
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I dunno... I talked to a buddy of mine yesterday and he voted for McCain and said with the current Republican prospects, he will most likely vote for Obama.
I admit that the field of Republicans is sketchy at best... I find it extremely odd.
That's fucking insane. The Republican nominee will be far better than McCain.
And dont give me this fucking shit about the Republican field being bad. They are fucking awesome except for Ron Paul. I admit that the leading conservative - Michelle Bachman- isnt the most impressive, but I would vote for her in a heartbeat over Obama. Everyone else in the field is vastly qualified for the presidency, more qualified than Obama AND McCain.
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That's fucking insane. The Republican nominee will be far better than McCain.
And dont give me this fucking shit about the Republican field being bad. They are fucking awesome except for Ron Paul. I admit that the leading conservative - Michelle Bachman- isnt the most impressive, but I would vote for her in a heartbeat over Obama. Everyone else in the field is vastly qualified for the presidency, more qualified than Obama AND McCain.
That's funny, because I think Ron Paul is the possibly the best... Funny how different people think.
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Election 2012: Generic Presidential Ballot -- Generic Republican Candidate 47%, Obama 41%
Rasmussen ^
President Obama now earns his lowest level of support yet against a generic Republican candidate in a hypothetical 2012 election matchup.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that a generic Republican earns support from 47% of Likely Voters, while the president picks up 41% of the vote.
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BUT TRUE ADONIS TOLD ME HE IS POPULAR IN NC?
_____________________
Raleigh, N.C. – Since May, President Barack Obama has experienced a 14 point shift to the negative in his job approval rating among North Carolina voters, according to a new poll released by the Civitas Institute. The poll also revealed that voters continue to hold an unfavorable opinion of Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue.
Forty-four percent of voters polled said they approve of the job that Barack Obama is doing as President of the United States. Fifty-two percent said they disapprove and four percent said they are undecided or do not know. This is a 14 point swing since a May 2011 Civitas poll when Obama’s job approval rating stood at 51 percent approve – 45 percent disapprove.
Analyzing party registration, Democratic voters overall approve of Obama’s performance (72 percent approve – 25 percent disapprove). In contrast, Republicans largely disapprove of his performance by an 87 percent to 11 percent margin along with 60 percent of unaffiliated voters.
“This is the largest swing we have seen in the president’s job approval and could be another sign that Obama’s support in North Carolina is waning,” said Civitas Institute President Francis De Luca.
Voter opinion of Gov. Bev Perdue remains unfavorable as 44 percent said they hold a favorable opinion of her while 47 percent said their opinion is unfavorable. Six percent of voters said they have heard of her but have no opinion, and three percent said they have never heard of Perdue. Democratic voters (63 percent) continue to view Perdue favorably, while Republican (72 percent) and unaffiliated voters (51 percent) do not.
“Whether it is job approval or favorability ratings, Governor Perdue does not appear to have the support of a majority of North Carolina voters,” added De Luca.
The Civitas Poll is the only regular live-caller poll of critical issues facing North Carolina. For more information on Civitas polling see http://www.nccivitas.org/category/poll/.
Full Text of Question:
“Do you approve or disapprove of the job that Barack Obama is doing as President of the United States?”
Total Approve – 44%
Total Disapprove – 52%
Strongly Approve – 25%
Somewhat Approve – 19%
Somewhat Disapprove – 13%
Strongly Disapprove – 39%
Undecided/Don’t Know – 4%
“Now I am going to read you a list of people active in politics. After I read each name, please tell me if you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of that person. If you have never heard of that person, just tell me and we’ll go onto the next one: Bev Perdue.”
Total Favorable – 44%
Total Unfavorable – 47%
Very Favorable – 13%
Somewhat Favorable – 31%
Somewhat Unfavorable – 19%
Very Unfavorable – 28%
Heard of/No Opinion – 6%
Never Heard Of – 3%
Click here for full results and crosstabs.
This poll of 600 registered general election voters in North Carolina was conducted July 12-13, 2011 by National Research, Inc. of Holmdel, NJ. All respondents were part of a fully representative sample of registered voters in North Carolina. For purposes of this study, voters interviewed had to have voted in at least one of the past three general elections (2006, 2008, 2010) or be newly registered to vote since November 2, 2010.
The confidence interval associated with a sample of this size is such that: 95 percent of the time, results from 600 interviews (registered voters) will be within +-4% of the “True Values.” True Values refer to the results obtained if it were possible to interview every person in North Carolina who had voted in at least one of the past three general elections or is newly registered since November 2, 2010.
###
http://www.nccivitas.org/2011/civitas-poll-obama-sees-14-point-drop-in-job-approval-rating
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Obama 41%, Ron Paul 37%
July 22, 2011 Email to a Friend ShareThis.AdvertisementC ongressman Ron Paul may be a long shot to win the Republican presidential nomination, but he runs competitively with President Obama right now.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters shows Paul picking up 37% of the vote, while the president earns 41%. The Texas congressman joins Mitt Romney, Michelle Bachmann, and Rick Perry as candidates within hailing distance of the president at this time.
Rudy Giuliani is another potential candidate who is considered a long shot for the nomination but is competitive with the president. The former mayor of New York City trails Obama by five, 44% to 39%.
But the real story in the numbers is that the president continues to earn between 41% and 49% of the vote no matter which Republican is mentioned as a potential opponent. This suggests that the race remains a referendum on the incumbent more than anything else.
Obama posts a 12-point lead over former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, 44% to 32%.
Two Republicans can’t even get to 30% against the president. Businessman Herman Cain and former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, who served as Obama's ambassador to China, each earn 28% support. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, considered unlikely to run by most observers, trail the president by seven and nine points respectively. Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum trails by 14.
Obama
42%
Romney
43%
July 14-15, 2011
Obama
44%
Christie
37%
July 5, 2011
Obama
44%
Perry
39%
July 6-7, 2011
Obama
46%
Bachmann
39%
July 8-9, 2011
Obama
48%
Gingrich
30%
June 24-25, 2011
Obama
41%
Paul
37%
June 26-27, 2011
Obama
44%
Pawlenty
32%
June 28-29, 2011
Obama
49%
Cain
28%
June 30-July 1, 2011
Obama
44%
Huntsman
28%
July 2, 2011
Obama
45%
Santorum
31%
July 10-11, 2011
Obama
44%
Guliani
39%
July 12-13, 2011
Obama
47%
Palin
38%
July 16-17, 2011
In reviewing the data, please note that Romney benefits from being perceived as the frontrunner. In 2004, the last time an incumbent president stood for reelection, Vermont Governor Howard Dean was the early Democratic frontrunner, and he polled best against George W. Bush. Massachusetts Senator John Kerry was always a few points behind. However, once Kerry became the frontrunner in early 2008, his numbers became as good as Dean’s.
Polls conducted a year-and-a-half before an election provide a snapshot of where things are today but give little indication of what the mood might be on Election Day. If the economy substantially improves before November 2012, the president will be heavily favored to win reelection. If the opposite happens and the country endures a double-dip recession, just about any Republican challenger would be favored. If the economy stays as it is today, the race could be very competitive.
A good measure of the president’s reelection prospects is his Job Approval rating among likely voters. His final vote total is likely to be very close to his final Job Approval figures.
Romney leads the polls for the GOP nomination among Republican primary voters. However, it is far too early for the polls to give a sense of who is likely to emerge as the Republican nominee. In 2008, John McCain never took the lead in a national primary poll until December 31, 2007.
A full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.
Please sign up for the Rasmussen Reports daily e-mail update (it’s free) or follow us on Twitter or Facebook. Let us keep you up to date with the latest public opinion news.
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Rasmussen Reports is an electronic media company specializing in the collection, publication and distribution of public opinion polling information. We poll on a variety of topics in the fields of politics, business and lifestyle, updating our site’s content on a news cycle throughout the day, everyday.
Rasmussen Reports Platinum Members get an all-access pass to polling news, analysis and insight not available to the general public.
Scott Rasmussen, president of Rasmussen Reports, has been an independent pollster for more than a decade. To learn more about our methodology, click here.
Seven national surveys of 1,000 Likely Voters each were conducted June24-July 17, 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error for each survey is +/- 3% with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
TOP STORIES
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A sneak peak at the Obama campaign posters for 2012
(http://thepeoplescube.com/images/Obama_The_Same_Change_Dont.png)
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Really they media had nothing to do with it did they? If the media would have ignored and covered up all that she would have won most likely. Strange how that works
the media? LOL! She admitted she only went on fox news because she made a lot of donations when she did it. she said a lot of bonehead shit.
why is it that the media only 'picks on' the people who say really stupid shit over and over?
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the media? LOL! She admitted she only went on fox news because she made a lot of donations when she did it. she said a lot of bonehead shit.
why is it that the media only 'picks on' the people who say really stupid shit over and over?
Yeah OK, the media did no cover up for all the stupid fucking shit Obama said did they? Obama is the king of saying stupid shit over and over, but I guess thats OK he's only the POTUS. I used to think you were just fucking with 333 now i'm starting to think you really have bought into the whole messiah image.
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Yeah OK, the media did no cover up for all the stupid fucking shit Obama said did they? Obama is the king of saying stupid shit over and over, but I guess thats OK he's only the POTUS. I used to think you were just fucking with 333 now i'm starting to think you really have bought into the whole messiah image.
LOL! "The media" is nothing more than a bunch of businesses that cater to the desires of their viewers.
face it, younger viewers buy more of the products advertised.
younger viewers are more liberal.
more 'news' shows, or infotainment channels, cater to younger liberals.
this isn't rocket science, it's economics 101. People who are 80 and wear Depends don't spend as much money at the grocery store as 32 year old liberal moms. FACT.
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LOL! "The media" is nothing more than a bunch of businesses that cater to the desires of their viewers.
face it, younger viewers buy more of the products advertised.
younger viewers are more liberal.
more 'news' shows, or infotainment channels, cater to younger liberals.
this isn't rocket science, it's economics 101. People who are 80 and wear Depends don't spend as much money at the grocery store as 32 year old liberal moms. FACT.
That is probably true... Damn you businesses.
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That is probably true... Damn you businesses.
people like to romanticize the media as some witty photog uncovering 'the truth' and sending corrupt bad guys to jail.
The reality is that they're just TV outlets like the cooking channel and print outlets like Penthouse. They give the events of the day to their subscribers in a style that attracts them.
The fact of the matter is that they are multi-billion dollar BUSINESSES. They exist to sell advertising. And make money.
Getbiggers get so mad that 'the media' is biased. No, they just put a slant on the days' events that keep the spending viewer watching longer.
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LOL! "The media" is nothing more than a bunch of businesses that cater to the desires of their viewers.
face it, younger viewers buy more of the products advertised.
younger viewers are more liberal.
more 'news' shows, or infotainment channels, cater to younger liberals.
this isn't rocket science, it's economics 101. People who are 80 and wear Depends don't spend as much money at the grocery store as 32 year old liberal moms. FACT.
Did you learn this in the same MBA program that didn't bother teaching you about diversifying portfolios?
"Buy high, sell low" - MBA motto from French Fry U.
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LOL! "The media" is nothing more than a bunch of businesses that cater to the desires of their viewers.
face it, younger viewers buy more of the products advertised.
younger viewers are more liberal.
more 'news' shows, or infotainment channels, cater to younger liberals.
this isn't rocket science, it's economics 101. People who are 80 and wear Depends don't spend as much money at the grocery store as 32 year old liberal moms. FACT.
So you aren't going to address the fact the media covered for Obama? Instead try another end around to derail the actual topic? Nice try spinmeister, but I'm not buying.
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Sanders: Would be 'good' for Obama to face primary challenge
By Michael O'Brien - 07/25/11 08:56 AM ET
________________________ _______
One of the Senate's liberal stalwarts suggested over the weekend that President Obama could benefit from a primary challenger over the next year.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.), an Independent who caucuses with Democrats, said it would be a "good idea" for Obama to face a primary challenger, if for nothing else than as a counterweight to Republican voices in the presidential debate.
"My suggestion is, I think one of the reasons the president has been able to move so far to the right is that there is no primary opposition to him, and I think it would do this country a good deal of service if people started thinking about candidates out there to begin contrasting what is a progressive agenda as opposed to what Obama is doing," Sanders told talk show host Thom Hartmann over the weekend. "I think it would be a good idea if President Obama faced some primary opposition."
Liberals like Sanders have been critical of Obama for engaging with Republicans in negotiations over how much to cut spending, in connection with an agreement to raise the nation's debt ceiling. Sanders in particular has been a vocal opponent of any plans to transform entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare.
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•First Lady says 'no' to post-White House political career
Sanders made no indication that he would be the one to wage a challenge to the president; he faces his own reelection battle in Vermont in 2012.
It's not clear whether anyone else in the Democratic Party would have the stomach for taking on an incumbent president, one who faces a tough enough reelection without having to divert resources toward fending off a challenge from his left. Former Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) had been a subject of speculation, but his spokesmen have said he supports Obama's reelection.
www.thehill.com
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President Obama’s job approval rating in the latest national polls has been in the danger zone, ranging from 42 percent (Gallup) to 47 percent (ABC News/Washington Post), with every survey showing him with higher unfavorables than favorables. Needless to say, it’s not a good place for a president to be, especially since his numbers have worsened over the past two months.
The race for president isn’t a national contest. It’s a state-by-state battle to cobble an electoral vote majority. So while the national polls are useful in gauging the president’s popularity, the more instructive numbers are those from the battlegrounds.
Those polls are even more ominous for the president: In every reputable battleground state poll conducted over the past month, Obama’s support is weak. In most of them, he trails Republican front-runner Mitt Romney. For all the talk of a closely fought 2012 election, if Obama can’t turn around his fortunes in states such as Michigan and New Hampshire, next year’s presidential election could end up being a GOP landslide.
Take Ohio, a perennial battleground in which Obama has campaigned more than in any other state (outside of the D.C. metropolitan region). Fifty percent of Ohio voters now disapprove of his job performance, compared with 46 percent who approve, according to a Quinnipiac poll conducted from July 12-18.
Among Buckeye State independents, only 40 percent believe that Obama should be reelected, and 42 percent approve of his job performance. Against Romney, Obama leads 45 percent to 41 percent—well below the 50 percent comfort zone for an incumbent.
The news gets worse from there. In Michigan, a reliably Democratic state that Obama carried with 57 percent of the vote, an EPIC-MRA poll conducted July 9-11 finds him trailing Romney, 46 percent to 42 percent. Only 39 percent of respondents grade his job performance as “excellent” or good,” with 60 percent saying it is “fair” or “poor.” The state has an unemployment rate well above the national average, and the president’s approval has suffered as a result.
In Iowa, where Republican presidential contenders are getting in their early licks against the president, his approval has taken a hit. In a Mason-Dixon poll conducted for a liberal-leaning group, Romney held a lead of 42 percent to 39 percent over the president, with 19 percent undecided. Even hyper-conservative Rep. Michele Bachmann ran competitively against Obama in the Hawkeye State, trailing 47 percent to 42 percent.
The July Granite State Poll pegs the president’s approval at 46 percent among New Hampshire voters, with 49 percent disapproving. A separate robo-poll conducted this month by Democratic-aligned Public Policy Polling shows him trailing Romney in the state, 46 percent to 44 percent.
Polls are just a snapshot, and these illustrate that the sour economy has been taking its toll on the president’s popularity. There’s plenty of time left before November 2012, but the fundamentals—projections of long-term slow economic growth, a White House struggling to tailor a message on job creation, and an energized Republican base—don’t bode well. The president’s best hope is for a deeply polarizing Republican nominee, such as Bachmann, to emerge.
Obama’s performance so far on the debt-ceiling debate hasn’t improved his standing, either. Pundits may have graded the president a winner in the battle, but it wasn’t long ago that the White House was demanding a clean debt-ceiling increase from congressional Republicans. Now, it appears that whatever deal ends up being struck will be much closer to the GOP’s terms, with the president looking less consequential in the whole process.
Obama let his frustration show at last Friday’s press conference, looking helpless while talking down the prospects of economic growth without a long-term deal. He may end up being forced to either accept a debt-ceiling package crafted by House Republicans or threaten a veto that could send markets reeling. And somehow, he manages to become more popular after all is said and done?
At this point, even a last-minute agreement that runs until after the presidential election benefits no one politically. It only underscores how broken Washington is, and that’s not good news for any incumbent, including the president.
For some time, the conventional wisdom has been that 2012 will be a close presidential contest, with a best-case scenario for Republicans of winning the race with a map similar to George W. Bush’s 2004 victory over Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.
But if the president can’t turn things around, that logic could prove badly outdated. If Obama is struggling in the Democratic-friendly confines of Michigan and Pennsylvania (as recent polls have indicated), it’s hard to see him over-performing again in more-traditional battlegrounds such as Colorado, Nevada, and Virginia.
Unless the environment changes significantly, all the money in the president’s reelection coffers won’t be able to expand the map; it can only defend territory that’s being lost. And just as House Democrats played defense to protect the growing number of vulnerable members in last year’s midterms, Obama is looking like he’ll be scrambling to hold onto a lot of the states that he thought would be part of an emerging Democratic majority.
http://nationaljournal.com/columns/against-the-grain/obama-s-battleground-state-blues-20110726?print=true
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Morning Jay: The Fundamentals Do Not Currently Favor Obama's Reelection
Jay Cost
July 27, 2011 6:00 AM
The next presidential election is about fifteen months away. And even though the outcome is highly uncertain, we nevertheless can get an early read on the “fundamentals”--and these do not look good for President Obama.
First, a little historical background. From 1936 until about 1984, Democratic partisans vastly outnumbered Republicans in the broader electorate. This meant that GOP nominees not only had to win their base, they also had to do extremely well among independents and carry a good number of Democrats. However, with the success of the Reagan administration, the percentage of Democrats in the electorate began to decline. Today, it is only marginally higher (if at all) than GOP voters.
Thus, both parties have roughly the same two goals in a presidential election: turn out as many partisans as possible and win the independent vote.
This gives us two good metrics to begin looking at Obama’s prospects. Let’s start with the independent vote.
The Gallup poll offers a weekly breakdown of self-identified independents in the adult population. This is a good metric to determine how the president is doing with this critical bloc:
As you can see, the results are not good for the president. He fell below 50 percent with independents in the summer of 2009, and since the winter of 2010, he has struggled to stay above 45 percent.
It is worth pointing out that, in the last forty years, no president has ever been elected in a predominantly two-way race with less than 48 percent of the independent vote. (That was George W. Bush in 2004.)
What about Obama’s partisan base? The spin leading up to and after the 2008 election was that the president was transforming the electorate by converting new voters, independents, and “sensible” Republicans into Democrats. How has that turned out?
Let’s again look to the Gallup poll, which tracks the partisan identification of American adults. Below is a historical trend-line of the proportion of the adult population who identify as Democrats and Republicans.
The data point in each graph is the closest poll taken to Election Day. As you can see, in 2010 the percentage of adults calling themselves Democrats was at its lowest point in fifty years.
We can take all of the data we have reviewed so far and merge it into a very rough estimate of the president’s electoral standing. Over the last decade, Democrats have won about 90.5 percent of the Democratic vote and 7 percent of the Republican vote. Let’s assume that Obama wins the same amount. Let’s also assume that he wins a share of the independent vote equal to his approval in the Gallup poll.
That leaves one variable to account for: the percentage of Republicans, Democrats, and independents in the electorate. Let’s use three models. First, a “Very Democratic Electorate,” where partisan identification breaks down similar to 2008 (39 percent Democratic, 29 percent independent, and 32 percent GOP). Next, a “Slightly Democratic Electorate,” where partisan identification breaks down similar to 2006 and 2000 (38.5 percent Democratic, 26 percent independent, and 35.5 percent GOP). Finally, an “Even Electorate,” where partisan identification breaks down similar to 2004 and 2010 (36 percent Democratic, 28 percent independent, and 36 percent GOP).
Using these three models, we can estimate Obama’s reelection support based on changes in the Gallup poll among independents.
As you can see, under anything less than a very Democratic electorate, Obama’s support among independents has been too soft to secure reelection for nearly two years. As for the more optimistic scenario for the president, even here the race has essentially been a toss-up for the last year or so. And, without a noticeable change in the trends on partisan identification, it is hard to envision such a pro-Democratic electorate emerging next year.
Finally, what about the campaign? Could Obama be expected to regain his edge when he takes his positions to the voters? It is possible, of course, yet winning the campaign argument seems easier said than done for the president at this point.
Obama’s job approval at the moment is relatively weak – as of this writing, the RealClearPolitics average has it at 45.4 percent. What should worry the Obama team more is how much worse the president’s support is when it comes to particular issues, especially those that are of top concern to voters.
Consider the AP-GfK poll, taken last month. It showed his overall job approval rating at 52-47. However, on the issues that respondents listed as “extremely” or “very important,” it tended to be much worse.
How well can the president fare in a campaign that is dominated by issues on which he is extremely unpopular?
At this point, Obama is a prisoner to events. He needs a substantial, noticeable improvement in the economy, specifically as independent voters experience it, to have a decent shot at reelection. And beyond that, his health care bill remains extremely unpopular, and the deficit is bound to remain an issue next year. So, he has a lot of fundamental challenges. Assuming that his macro-position does not improve (and the Republicans nominate a reasonably acceptable candidate), the data at this point indicate that he would have a very difficult time winning reelection next year.
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Harris Interactive: President Obama Would Lose if Mitt Romney or Rudy Giuliani Was the Nominee
Harris Interactive ^ | 07/27/2011
NEW YORK , N.Y. - July 26, 2011 - By this time next summer the Republican candidate who will challenge President Obama will be known but at this point the list of candidates and potential candidates for the nomination is still far from finalized. With the "will-he-or-she-run-questions" still being asked and answered, some of the names with the highest familiarity among the general public are still not even declared candidates.
Obviously because of her run for Vice President with John McCain, almost nine in ten Americans (86%) are familiar with Sarah Palin and 75% of U.S. adults are familiar with Rudy Giuliani, both of whom are still undeclared, but possible candidates for the nomination. Majorities of Americans are familiar with declared candidates Newt Gingrich (72%), Mitt Romney (67%), and Ron Paul (52%) while half are familiar with Michele Bachmann (50%). All other potential candidates are at 30% or under in terms of familiarity.
These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 2,183 adults surveyed online between July 11 and 18, 2011 by Harris Interactive.
Even among Republicans, many declared candidates do not have majorities familiar with them. Tim Pawlenty (33%), Rick Santorum (31%), Herman Cain (29%), and Jon Huntsman (15%) all have one-third of Republicans or less familiar with them.
With this in mind, it's not surprising then that among Republicans over one-quarter (28%) say they are not at all sure who they would vote for if they were voting in the Republican primary. Rudy Giuliani (14%) and Mitt Romney (14%) rise to the top among Republicans followed by Sarah Palin (12%). All the other candidates presented are under 10% including Rick Perry (8%), Michele Bachmann (6%), and Ron Paul (5%). Among Independents there is a three way tie for "first place" between Rudy Giuliani (10%), Mitt Romney (10%) and Ron Paul (10%). But over two in five Independents (42%) say they are not at all sure who they would vote for in the Republican primary election.
Against President Obama
Looking ahead to November, it seems there are three possible candidates who could give President Obama a difficult time. President Obama would lose his re-election if Rudy Giuliani (53% to 47%) or Mitt Romney (51% to 49%) was the Republican nominee. Each candidate would receive 50% of the vote if the President was running against Ron Paul. Right now, President Obama would win re-election against the 10 other candidates presented.
So What?
Right now the Republican party needs to figure out who they are and begin the process of coalescing around one candidate. In the study of politics, there is always a debate regarding electability and this election may show that clearly. Should Republicans nominate a candidate who stands for certain values or policies important to a sub-section of the party, even though that candidate may not be electable in the general election? This is a question the Republican party needs to answer if they want to win next November.
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding; NA indicates it was not asked in that poll.
Methodology
This Harris Poll was conducted online within the United States between July 11 to 18, 2011 among 2,183 adults (aged 18 and over). Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.
All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments. Therefore, Harris Interactive avoids the words "margin of error" as they are misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100% response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls come close to this ideal.
Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris Interactive surveys. The data have been weighted to reflect the composition of the adult population. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to participate in the Harris Interactive panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.
These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
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Obama Loses Ground in 2012 Reelection Bid
In GOP, Romney Leads, Attentive Like Perry, Bachmann Most Visible
Overview
http://people-press.org/2011/07/28/obama-loses-ground-in-2012-reelection-bid
The sizeable lead Barack Obama held over a generic Republican opponent in polls conducted earlier this year has vanished as his support among independent voters has fallen off. Currently, 41% of registered voters say they would like to see Barack Obama reelected, while 40% say they would prefer to see a Republican candidate win in 2012. In May, Obama held an 11-point lead.
This shift is driven by a steep drop-off in support for Obama among independents. The latest national survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, conducted July 20-24 among 1,501 adults and 1,205 registered voters finds that just 31% of independent voters want to see Obama reelected, down from 42% in May and 40% in March. Where Obama held a slim 7-point edge among independent registered voters two months ago, a generic Republican holds an 8-point edge today.
This is consistent with a drop in Obama’s approval among all independents. Currently, a majority (54%) disapprove of Obama’s performance for the first time in his presidency. His approval among independents has slipped to 36% from 42% last month and 49% in late May. (See “Public Wants a Debt Ceiling Compromise, Expects a Deal Before Deadline.”)
Meanwhile, there is no greater clarity to the GOP nomination race. Only about a quarter of voters (24%) have given a lot of thought to their 2012 options. That rises to just 30% among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents. Overall, Romney continues to hold a significant lead among Republican voters: 21% say they would like to see him win the nomination. Rick Perry gets the support of 12%; 11% back Sarah Palin, 11% Michele Bachmann, 9% Ron Paul and 8% Herman Cain. No other candidate receives more than 3% of the support of Republican-oriented voters. Perry and Palin have not yet said whether they will run.
The race for the support of Tea Party backers is even more up-for-grabs, with five candidates (Romney, Perry, Bachman, Palin and Cain) all garnering the support of between 12% and 16%.
Perry Fares Well Among Most Attentive
While Texas governor Rick Perry is a relatively new name in discussions of the GOP race, he is drawing strong interest from highly attentive Republicans. Among Republican and Republican-leaning registered voters who say they have given a lot of thought to the candidates, 22% support Perry, 15% Romney, 13% Bachmann and 12% Cain.
And Perry’s lead is substantial among highly attentive Tea Party supporters. Perry has the backing of 29% of Republicans and Republican-leaners who agree with the Tea Party. That is nearly double the backing for the next closest candidate, Herman Cain (16%). The overall frontrunner, Mitt Romney, receives the backing of 11% of highly engaged Tea Party voters.
Tea Party Intensity Continues
Early signs suggest that Tea Party supporters remain the most engaged and committed segment of the Republican base. Republicans and Republican-leaning independent voters who agree with the Tea Party are more than twice as likely as other Republicans to have given a lot of thought to the 2012 election (44% vs. 18%). They also are much more likely to say they are very closely following campaign news (36% vs. 16%), and significantly more committed to voting in their state’s Republican primary or caucus next year (83% vs. 69%).
Some of these differences can be explained by the demographic profile of Tea Party Republicans. In particular, Republicans and Republican-leaning independents who agree with the Tea Party movement are significantly older and more highly educated than those who do not (See table). But even when these demographic characteristics are taken into account, agreement with the Tea Party is strongly linked with campaign interest and commitment to voting.
Yet it is important to note that even among those who say they are very likely to vote in the 2012 primaries, only about half of Republican and Republican-leaning voters say they agree with the Tea Party movement. The other half either disagrees or has no opinion either way.
Bachmann the Most Visible Candidate
While not a clear frontrunner, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann is currently the most visible candidate in the GOP field. When asked what possible candidate they’ve heard the most about in the news recently, almost a quarter of Americans (23%) offer Bachmann’s name.
But candidate visibility has fluctuated widely over the past few months. In mid-June, Americans said they were hearing the most about former Romney (27%). Now, Romney rates second, with 13% saying they have heard the most about him recently. Just two months ago, Donald Trump and Newt Gingrich were the most visible candidates in the field.
Rick Perry has the support of many highly-engaged Republican voters, but his public visibility remains limited. Just 3% of Americans – and the same percentage of Republicans and Republican leaners – say he is the potential candidate they have been hearing the most about. Similarly, fewer than 1% cite Herman Cain as the candidate they have been hearing the most about recently.
Has Press Coverage Been Fair?
While Bachmann has been in the news a great deal recently, there is no impression that news coverage of the Minnesota representative has been too tough. Nearly four-in-ten (37%) say recent press coverage of Bachmann has been fair, 16% say it has been too tough and 16% say it has been too easy. Roughly three-in-ten Republicans and Republican leaners (29%) say the press has been too tough on Bachmann, but about as many (34%) say it has been fair.
A larger plurality sees coverage of Mitt Romney as fair (45%). Just 9% say recent coverage has been too tough, while 16% say it has been too easy. Republicans express similar views: 48% of Republicans and Republican leaners say coverage of Romney has been fair, with about as many saying the press has been too easy on him (17%) as too tough (13%).
The public is more deeply divided in views of how the press covers Sarah Palin. Currently, only 32% say press coverage has been fair, but there is no consensus on what the bias is: 30% say it has been too tough and 22% say it has been too easy. As has been the case all the way back to the 2008 election, perceptions of how the press treats Palin are deeply polarized along partisan lines. Roughly half (52%) of Republicans and Republican leaners say news organizations are too tough on Palin, compared with just 15% of Democrats and Democratic leaners. Democrats are about three times as likely as Republicans (35% vs. 10%) to say the press is too easy on her.
Obama’s Obstacles, Advantages
Obama’s reelection support is well behind the 10-point lead George W. Bush held over a generic Democratic candidate at a comparable point in 2003. Bush enjoyed a substantially stronger approval rating in July 2003 (58% vs. 44% currently for Obama), yet his support was also slipping. By October of that year, a Pew Research Center survey found him running even against a generic Democratic candidate (42% to 42%), as Obama is today.
Bill Clinton was also running about even against a generic Republican candidate in the summer of 1995, though Pew Research Center polling in that year included the option of preferring an independent candidate. That was the choice of 23% of voters at that time. Obama’s overall approval rating, at 44%, is comparable to Clinton’s in the summer of 1995.
In late 1991 George H. W. Bush also ran even against a generic Democratic candidate, despite a fairly solid 55% approval rating at the time. With economic conditions in the nation quickly souring, his standing quickly fell. By February of 1992, as the Democratic primaries that would ultimately select Bill Clinton were underway, Bush trailed a generic Democratic candidate by 10 points.
But by most measures Barack Obama faces a more somber public mood and a more troubled economy than did any of these previous presidents. With just 8% saying the national economy is in excellent or good shape and only 38% rating their personal finances positively, economic assessments are as negative as they were for George H. W. Bush as he entered his reelection campaign. However, the current unemployment rate is much higher, and overall satisfaction with the state of the nation much lower, than was the case in late 1991.
One factor still working in Obama’s favor is a slightly wider advantage in party identification. Where registered voters were essentially divided between Republican and Democratic affiliations in 1991, 1995 and 2003, Democrats hold a six-point edge in party identification today, and a slightly slimmer four-point edge when the partisan leaning of independents is taken into account. Still, this lead is far slimmer than in 2008 when Obama won the presidency. At the end of George W. Bush’s presidency, Democrats held a substantial 12-point advantage in leaned party identification, which is down to just four-points today. (See “GOP Makes Big Gains among White Voters” for more on long term trends in party affiliation.)
Appendix
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Obama @ Fundraiser: "We're Not Even Halfway There Yet" - "Change" Doesn't Mean Change Tomorrow ...
RealClearPolitics ^ | August 3, 2011 | RealClearPolitics
Posted on August 3, 2011 9:36:25 PM EDT by i88schwartz
"It's been a long, tough journey. But we have made some incredible strides together. Yes, we have. But the thing that we all ought to remember is that as much as good as we have done, precisely because the challenges were so daunting, precisely because we we were inheriting so many challenges, that we're not even halfway there yet. When I said 'change we can believe in' I didn't say 'change we could believe in tomorrow.' Not change we can believe in next week. We knew this was going to take time because we've got this big, messy, tough democracy," President Obama said at a campaign fundraiser in Chicago on Wednesday night.
(Excerpt) Read more at realclearpolitics.com ...
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Obama Adviser Admits: 'The Numbers Add Up to Defeat'
The politics of the debt fight were a drag for President Barack Obama, yanking his popularity to new lows. Here’s an even bigger drag: Obama emerges from the months-long fracas weaker – and facing much deeper and more durable political obstacles – than his own advisers ever imagined.
The consensus has been that for all his problems, Obama is so skilled a politician – and the eventual GOP nominee so flawed or hapless — that he’d likely be re-elected.
Don’t buy into it.
This breezy certitude fails to reckon with how weak his fundamentals are a year out from the general election. Gallup pegs his approval rating at a discouraging 42 percent, with his standing among independents falling nine points in four weeks.
His economic stats are even worse. The nation has 2.5 million fewer jobs today than the day Obama took office, a fact you’re sure to hear the Republicans repeat. Consumer confidence is scraping levels not seen since March 2009.
...Obama advisers acknowledge the challenges posed by the economy, but argue that voters will like his rescue of the auto industry, signing of Wall Street reform, championing of new restrictions on credit-card issuers, repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” investments in clean energy and victory on insurance protection for people with preexisting conditions.
“We’re spending the year building infrastructure in the states to ensure that we can compete on the widest playing field possible in 2012,” said Ben LaBolt, press secretary for Obama’s reelection campaign. “We are evaluating potential pickup opportunities [like Arizona and Georgia], and believe there are many paths to victory.”
Privately, however, Obama’s team is concerned about the factors beyond its control, talking of an imminent need to retool their economic message and strategy heading into 2012. Absent the president’s ability to defy political gravity, one Obama adviser conceded, “The numbers add up to defeat.”
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/60640.html#ixzz1U4hIF8Qu
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Debt Deal Bounce for Obama? Not in Florida (Obama's nearly done and he knows it)
abc ^ | 8/4/2011 | Jake Trapper
Resolution of the debt ceiling crisis has not boosted President Obama’s approval rating or re-election support in the key 2012 battleground of Florida, a new Quinnipiac University poll has found.
Obama received a 44 percent job approval rating among registered Florida voters polled after the deal was announced, representing no change from just days before or a turnaround from a two-month slide in the Sunshine State.
A May survey by Quinnipiac found 51 percent approval of Obama overall in Florida, including 47 percent approval among independent voters. Today, just 33 percent of Florida independents approve of the way Obama has handled his job. The poll has a margin of error of 3.8 percentage points.
Growing numbers of Florida voters also say Obama does not deserve re-election. Before the debt deal, support for a second Obama term was split evenly. After the deal, by a 50-42 margin Floridians say Obama should not continue in the job.
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.abcnews.com ...
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Liberal Pollster's Devastating Memo to Obama: Join the Tea Party
by Wynton C. Hall
08/04/2011
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=45290
If President Obama needed any more indication of how much his public support has eroded, he need look no further than a recent memorandum of sorts published in the New York Times by former President Bill Clinton’s pollster, Stanley Greenberg. Listen to Greenberg, whose progressive polling firm partners with Clinton strategist James Carville, advise Obama and Democrats on what his latest round of polls and focus groups reveal are their only hope to survive politically, given the current reality:
•“Voters in the developed world are turning away from Democrats, Socialists, liberals and progressives.”
•“Voters feel ever more estranged from government—and they associate Democrats with government.”
•“If they are to win trust, and votes, Democrats must show they are as determined as the Tea Party movement to change the rules of the game."
•“This distrust of government and politicians is unfolding as a full-blown crisis of legitimacy [and] sidelines Democrats and liberalism."
•Greenberg says that his public opinion research now reveals that voters believe, “Government rushes to help the irresponsible and does little for the responsible."
•To win, Democrats must “advocate policies that would control the borders and address problems of undocumented workers,” and voters want to “see strong enforcement at the border and in the workplace, and the expulsion of troublesome undocumented immigrants."
•“Finally, progressives have to be serious about reducing the country’s long-term deficits” because “the deficit matters to people and has real meaning and consequences.”
To recap, after analyzing his reams of public opinion research, President Clinton’s pollster just advised the most progressive President in American history to mimic the Tea Party’s resolve, stop government from rewarding the irresponsible over the responsible, crack down on illegal immigration and get tough on border enforcement, stop illegal immigrants from being hired over legal citizens, and deport violent or law-breaking illegal immigrants, and to top it all off, Obama and the Democrats should stop the government’s profligate spending spree and bring down deficits.
Crickets chirping.
In sum, to have any shot of surviving the political onslaught of the rage roiling in the land, the leftist pollster, writing in the New York Times, has just pleaded with Obama to morph himself into a Tea Party conservative.
Whatever one thinks of Greenberg’s progressive political views, he is a seasoned and accomplished pollster who, along with James Carville, Dick Morris, Paul Begala, George Stephanopoulos and others, successfully navigated Bill Clinton to two presidential victories. Put simply, Greenberg knows of which he speaks. And what his soundings reveal spells potential disaster for Democrats heading into the next election cycle.
Why? Because the more Obama and Democrats attempt to tack back to the political center, the deeper the erosion will be among their progressive base. Indeed, already, Obama has seen sizable losses in support among his liberal base, and there are already signs that Obama’s backers may be experiencing “donor fatigue.”
Recall again that Bill Clinton’s reelection was made possible when Dick Morris urged him to sign the Republican’s welfare reform bill so that he could “end welfare as we know it,” as Clinton famously put it.
It’s hard to imagine Obama willfully undergoing a similar course correction and advocating and passing the kinds of center-right policy proposals Greenberg’s polls and focus groups demonstrate the voting public demands. Indeed, given the disenchantment among his progressive base, along with the economic free fall black Americans are presently suffering as the nation witnesses the disappearance of the black middle class, every inch that Obama’s campaign dares to move to the center will further infuriate and alienate the dwindling vestiges of support he presently enjoys among his progressive base.
Much can and will change between now and November 2012. However, when a successful Democratic strategist all but urges the most far Left president in American history to don a three-cornered hat and join the Tea Party policy parade of fiscal discipline and border enforcement, you know there’s serious trouble in progressive paradise.
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Yikes! Look who just endorsed Obama for 4 more years
WorldNetDaily ^ | August 03, 2011 | Aaron Klein
It may be early in the campaign season, but the Communist Party USA already has seen fit to endorse Barack Obama for the 2012 election.
While noting he is disappointed with "some aspects" of the Obama administration's domestic and foreign policy, Sam Webb, chairman of the Communist Party USA, threw his support behind Obama's re-election bid.
In an article last week at People's Weekly World, the official newspaper of the Communist Party USA, Webb discussed the need for a third party consisting of the so-called working class and labor as well as "racially and nationally oppressed people, women, youth, immigrants, seniors, gay and straight."
Read more: Yikes! Look who just endorsed Obama for 4 more years http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=329449#ixzz1U690m683
(Excerpt) Read more at wnd.com ...
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Fla. says n'O' way to Bam 2 Poll's big swing against prez
NY Post ^ | Aug. 5, 2011 | GEOFF EARLE
Posted on August 5, 2011 11:53:09 AM EDT by COUNTrecount
WASHINGTON -- President Obama got a rude awakening on his birthday from the swing state of Florida, where a new poll showed that half of voters don't think he should be re-elected.
By a 50-42 percent margin, voters in the Sunshine State who were questioned after the debt deal was announced don't believe Obama should get a second term, according to the Quinnipiac University poll released yesterday.
In an even bigger jolt on his 50th birthday, the poll of 743 registered voters found Obama in a 44-44 tie with the leading Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney.
Before the debt deal was announced, Obama led Romney 46-41 in the same poll.
In May, the president's prospects in Florida were even better, with a 51 percent approval rating, compared with 43 percent who disapproved of the job he's doing.
And it gets worse among voters in Obama's new age group, those 50 and older, a key voting bloc in Florida.
Among older voters, only 35 percent approved of the job Obama is doing and 60 percent disapproved.
"If his numbers are like this a year from now, he's got a big problem," said Peter Brown, who conducted the poll.
Brown pointed out that Obama's numbers in Florida have gone south in the last two months.
"The debt-ceiling deal is not making any difference in that decline and any bounce he got from the bin Laden operation is long since gone," said Brown.
"The president's drop-off is huge among independent voters who now disapprove almost 2-1."
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
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You've almost got me convinced.
If you could just post twenty thousand more articles................ ....
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2012 Election Polling Data: Obama Above 50% in Just 11 States
Life News ^ | August 8, 2011 | Steven Ertelt
With the U.S. economy in dire straits, the re-election and approval data for pro-abortion President Barack Obama doesn’t look good — as new Gallup information shows the president under 50 percent in all but 11 states.
According to six months of Gallup polling, Obama eclipses the 50 percent mark in just 11 states and the District of Columbia. Added together, the states and the nation’s capital district would net Obama just 173 of the 270 electoral college votes he would need to win re-election to another four-year term.
The data Gallup released today is a state-by-state look at more than 90,000 interviews dating back to January of this year and, given the current poor state of the economy and the fact that poling data from Gallup recently showed him at his lowest levels historically, the analysis is likely worse than Gallup indicates when it includes older numbers. In January, Gallup rated Obama at a 49-45 percent approval rating and that has dropped to 42-50 percent today.
The 11 states that favor Obama include the New England and Northeast states (other than New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island), Illinois, Minnesota and California.
“Obama’s support is greatest in the East, with 8 of his 10 highest approval ratings occurring in states located in the Northeast or Mid-Atlantic region of the country. The 2 non-Eastern states ranking among the 10 highest are Obama’s home states of Hawaii and Illinois,” Gallup noted. “States giving Obama his lowest approval ratings are more varied regionally, with several in the West but also including Southern and Midwestern states.”
“As President Obama prepares for his re-election bid next year, his approval ratings nationally and at the state level bear watching. Typically, presidents with approval ratings above 50% get re-elected, though George W. Bush won re-election in 2004 with a 48% approval rating at the time of the election,” Gallup noted. “Thus, a key for Obama is to try to push his national approval rating back above the 50% mark before November 2012, and to have it at or above that level in as many states as possible, given that the presidential election will be determined by the winner of the greater number of state electoral votes.”
Including the historic data, Obama has a 50%+ mark is just 16 states and D.C., netting only 215 of the 270 electoral votes needed for election. To win re-election, he would need to capture Iowa, Pennsylvania, Florida and Georgia, states where he enjoys a 47-49 percent approval rating.
The picture is likely more bleak for Obama as Gallup only measured adults, rather than registered or likely voters. Doing so, which gives a more accurate picture of the election landscape, would provide a more favorable picture for Republicans and a bleaker one for the abortion advocate.
Obama hit a 50 percent disapproval level in Gallup’s survey just once — in August 2010 — and his approval rating has never dropped to 40 percent before.
The Gallup survey follows a late July poll of 1,500 registered voters by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press that finds support for Obama among independents has fallen from 42 percent in May to 31 percent while his disapproval with them has shot up to 54 percent.
“The sizeable lead Barack Obama held over a generic Republican opponent in polls conducted earlier this year has vanished,” Pew said. “Currently, 41% of registered voters say they would like to see Obama reelected, while 40% say they would prefer to see a Republican candidate win in 2012. In May, Obama held an 11-point lead.”
The Pew survey finds while the 11 point lead over a generic Republican, which Obama had in May after the death of Osama bin Laden, Republicans are still not focused on his replacement as just 24 percent have given much thought to their 2012 options. Overall in the GOP race, Mitt Romney continues to hold a significant lead among Republican voters with 21%, followed by Rick Perry at 12%, Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann at 11%, Ron Paul at 9% and Herman Cain at 8%.
Still, the survey finds just 31% of independent voters want to see Obama reelected, down from 42% in May and 40% in March. Where Obama held a slim 7-point edge among independent registered voters two months ago, a generic Republican holds an 8-point edge today. This is consistent with a drop in Obama’s approval among all independents. Currently, a majority (54%) disapprove of Obama’s performance for the first time in his presidency. His approval among independents has slipped to 36% from 42% last month and 49% in late May.
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With the economy in it's current state, even I have to admit, it's going to be hard for him to get re-elected.
If you keep Bachmann and Palin off the ticket, I'd say he just loses.
If you go Ron Paul, I say he gets demolished.
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I bet you went nuts without spewing your hate for so long.
Were you doing posting drills on other websites just to keep your touch?
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Lmao.
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Source: AP News
WASHINGTON (AP) -- More than a dozen trade unions plan to sit out the 2012 Democratic convention because of their anger over the site of the meeting in a right-to-work state and their frustration over Democrats' struggles to create jobs.
If unions don't participate, it would deprive the party of millions of dollars that would have been spent on sky boxes and other sponsorships that usually help underwrite the convention. The move could pose a larger problem for President Barack Obama next year if an increasingly dispirited base of labor activists becomes so discouraged that it doesn't get the rank-and-file to the polls in its usual strong numbers.
The unions - all part of the AFL-CIO's building and construction trades unit - told party officials this week they are gravely disappointed that labor was not consulted before Democrats settled on Charlotte, N.C., where there are no unionized hotels.
"We find it troubling that the party so closely associated with basic human rights would choose a state with the lowest unionization rate in the country due to regressive policies aimed at diluting the power of workers," Mark Ayers, president of the building trades unit, wrote in a letter to Democratic Chairman Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
snip
Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_DEMOCRATIC_CO...
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Its coming!
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Obama below 40 on gallup!
Wait till voters see him partying in cape cod.
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12 unions tell Dems they'll boycott convention in N. Carolina
Charlotte Observer ^ | Aug. 13, 2011 | Tim Funk and Kirsten Valle Pittman
________________________ ____________________
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Casting North Carolina as an anti-union bastion with "regressive policies aimed at diluting the power of workers," more than a dozen trade unions affiliated with the national AFL-CIO have told the Democratic National Committee that they will sit out the 2012 convention in Charlotte, N.C.
Coming on the heels of some liberals' complaints that President Barack Obama is giving in to Republicans, the unions' decision is another sign that key Democratic allies are unhappy with Obama and other party leaders as they gear up for a difficult election season.
It's also a signal that anything relating to Charlotte — from its besieged hometown bank to its lack of unionized hotels — will face scrutiny as the city eases into the national spotlight.
Labor unions have long played an integral role in Democratic conventions. And some big ones, including the National Education Association and the Service Employees International Union, still plan to be active participants when the Democrats come to Charlotte in 2012.
Local and state labor leaders also are still on board. The N.C. AFL-CIO helped lobby for Charlotte to be the convention site. On Friday, a leader of the Raleigh-based labor group called the national unions' decision understandable, but "shortsighted."
"I think the only way we're going to change things here is if people understand the struggles here. I'm encouraged that the Democratic Party wants to make investments here in the state," said MaryBe McMillian, secretary-treasurer of the N.C. AFL-CIO. "This convention is going to bring much-needed work for union members and thousands of unemployed North Carolinians." With new Democratic convention rules barring donations from corporations, federal lobbyists and PACs — including those affiliated with labor unions — the Charlotte gathering already was forecast to be less reliant than past conventions on big financial support from organized labor.
Still, the decision by the national unions — representing 2.5 million workers in the building and construction trades — reflects disappointment from labor activists who Democrats count on to get union members to the polls.
"There is broad frustration with the party and all elected officials, broad frustration with the lack of a union agenda," Michael Monroe, chief of staff of the AFL-CIO's building trades division, told The Associated Press. "People are looking for outlets to express that frustration." The decision by the building trades came after a vote by leaders of the unit's 13 affiliate unions, including the Laborers, Painters and Electrical Workers.
In a letter this week to Democratic Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the unions bemoaned the persistently high unemployment rate nationwide and the choice of Charlotte at a time when union members "face assault after assault" in Washington and in some state capitals.
"We find it troubling that the party so closely associated with basic human rights would choose a state with the lowest unionization rate in the country," Mark Ayers, president of the building trades unit, wrote Wasserman, who is also a congresswoman from Florida.
Those busy planning the Charlotte convention appeared unfazed — at least publicly — by the unions' action.
"We were proud to have the support of local labor leaders when we chose Charlotte to host the 2012 Democratic National Convention, including the N.C. AFL-CIO," Democratic National Convention Committee CEO Steve Kerrigan said in a statement. "The DNCC will continue to work closely with local and national labor leaders as we prepare for the convention next September." That reaction was echoed by former Mecklenburg County Commissioner Dan Murrey, who now heads Charlotte's host committee.
"We've been having frequent discussions with the local labor unions and the state representatives," he said. "They've been very helpful in the planning process and ... on getting the word out to people." Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx, who led Charlotte's campaign to get the convention, had no comment, deferring to party officials, said a spokesman.
There was also no comment from Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers, who is leading the local fundraising campaign for the convention. "His work in this effort continues," said spokesman Tom Williams. "Any actual status on numbers will be via the election (fundraising) reports." Despite the strong language in the unions' letter, at least one of the 13 says it is still considering whether to go.
"The Teamsters Union has not gone through our own internal decision process about the Democratic National Convention," said spokeswoman Leigh Strope.
Monroe of the AFL-CIO said the decision doesn't preclude individual members of the unions from running as delegates, and some of the unions apparently are still considering how to proceed.
But the angst could spread. The International Association of Machinists, which is not part of the building trades, said it also has decided to skip the convention after participating for decades.
"This is the union that came up with the idea for Labor Day and this convention starts on Labor Day in a right-to-work state," said IAM spokesman Rick Sloan. "We see that as an affront to working men and women across this country." Monroe said the unions are being careful not to use the term "boycott" because they don't want to damage Obama's re-election prospects. He said money is also a major factor, when unions are spending millions trying to beat back efforts by Republican lawmakers to diminish union rights in Wisconsin, Ohio and other states.
"It would be disappointing to our members to see us doing business as usual, diverting resources that we know are scarce when we should be laser-like focused on getting elected officials focused on the jobs agenda," Monroe said.
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka warned earlier this year that unions would focus more of their energy and money shoring up local affiliates and less on boosting a single political party.
The choice of North Carolina earlier this year provoked immediate outrage among labor leaders, who said it was another indication that Democrats take union support for granted. But Democrats defended the decision, saying it's part of the party's push to win crucial swing states in the South, including a state that Obama carried in 2008.
Organized labor and Democrats had a similar squabble over the choice of Denver for the 2008 convention, where the gathering was held at the non-union Pepsi Center and the city had few unionized hotels. At one point, Teamsters President James Hoffa threatened to "blow up" the convention with picketing and protests if union issues were not worked out.
But the two sides ultimately struck a deal to staff the Pepsi Center with union employees.
________________________ ________________________ __
1968 all over again.
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Interesting article someone shared with me. http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/obama-s-path-to-reelection-narrows-20110810
Among other things, it shows a state-by-state breakdown of Obama's decline in popularity. He has dropped from 71.5 percent to 56.2 percent in Hawaii.
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he is collapsing in NY as well.
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Posted on August 19, 2011
Dem Rep: Obama Will Have "Very Tough Time" Winning Re-Election
Video | News | Weather | SportsThu Aug 18 18:13:00 PDT 2011
DeFazio says Obama lacks will to fight, may lose Oregon
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/08/19/dem_rep_obama_doesnt_seem_to_have_an_ounce_of_fight_in_him.html
The Southern Oregon Democrat accused the President of lacking the will to fight for repealing the Bush tax cuts, and for caving in to Republicans on the ’fake crisis’ debt ceiling deal. view full article
Rep. Pete DeFazio (D-Ore.) slams president Obama in an interview with KGW in Portland.
From the KGW report:
Asked whether he thought the President had a shot at re-election, Defazio was skeptical.
“At this point it pretty much depends on how far out there the Republican nominee is. You know with a respectable--someone who is a little bit toward the middle of the road--Republican nominee, he’s going to have a very tough time getting re-elected,” said DeFazio.
He’s also not convinced the President will do well in Oregon.
“I believe Oregon is very much in play. I mean we are one of the harder hit states in the union, particularly my part of the state. I've just done six town hall meetings, have seven to go but people are shaking their heads and saying 'I don't know if I’d vote for him again.'” Defazio said.
Asked if he was surprised, the congressman shrugged.
“Not at all," DeFazio said. "One guy asked me, 'Give me 25 words what he's about and what he’s done for me.' I’m like, 'It could have been worse.'”
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Why Bam’s doomed
By JOHN PODHORETZ
Last Updated: 2:54 AM, August 19, 2011
Unless something extraordinarily dramatic comes along to change the course of the US economy and the sentiments of the American people in the next six months, Barack Obama is finished.
That conclusion is inescapable from the history of US presidential politics since 1945.
Obama is now below 40 percent in job approval in the Gallup poll. Yes, as the political scientist Larry Sabato points out, almost every president since FDR has fallen to that level. But of those seven presidents, five (Harry Truman, Lyndon Johnson, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush) went on either to lose the next election or to not run again.
The Truman story is complex: He was at 35 percent in 1946 yet won in ’48 -- but he fell back into the 30s in 1951 and opted against running for a second full term.
The exceptions are Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. But the essentials of those wins should terrify Obama’s supporters.
Reagan hit 35 percent in 1983. By year’s end, though, the economy had lifted out of a dreadful recession to growth at an annual rate of 4.5 percent. In ’84, it grew at a sizzling 7.2 percent. The unemployment rate fell from 10.2 percent in 1983 to 7.2 percent on Election Day 1984 -- and Reagan won 49 states.
Clinton hit 39 percent in September 1994, and was slammed with a GOP triumph in the midterm elections two months later. But by the end of ’94, the economy had grown 4.1 percent. Growth dropped to 2.5 percent in ’95, but bounced back to a healthy 3.7 percent in ’96. Plus, unemployment on Clinton’s watch fell from 7.5 percent in 1992 to 5.4 percent in ’96.
So how do things look for Obama? Bad -- in every particular.
Growth in the first quarter of 2011 was a shocking 0.4 percent. Second quarter: 1.3 percent. Forecasters are dropping their estimates of growth for the year to 2 percent -- and that seems extraordinarily optimistic.
Joachim Fels, of Morgan Stanley, said Wednesday that America was “dangerously close” to a recession, around the same time that the president was telling CBS’ Anthony Mason, “I don’t think we’re in danger of another recession.”
Oh? Yesterday’s horrible report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia indicates that manufacturing in our region “contracted sharply in August.” As The Wall Street Journal’s Kathleen Madigan reported, “Its factory-sector index . . . fell to -30.7 this month from 3.2 in July.” That index “has never been this low without the economy being in recession.”
The consequences of a double-dip recession are nightmarish for the nation and fatal to Obama’s hopes. Aside from everything else, unemployment would certainly rise from its current 9.1 percent just as the election year starts.
As we’ve seen over the last few years, even if the economy comes back, there’s no reason to believe the jobs picture will improve much. So Obama will be seeking re-election with the jobless rate far worse than the one he inherited -- and worse than it was in the previous year.
He’ll argue that he inherited a crisis. Fine, most voters won’t blame him for the fact that the unemployment rate rose to 10 percent after the 2008 meltdown. But if it returns to that level after dropping to 8.9 percent, he’ll have no convincing defense.
To sum up: History says that five of seven presidents whose poll numbers hit the 30s either lost or dropped out. The two who won were able to run on economic numbers that left the public optimistic about the future.
Not now. Gallup says just 11 percent of Americans are satisfied with the country’s economic condition. And they hold Obama responsible: Just 26 percent approve of the job he’s doing on the economy.
And just 23 percent of independents approve. But Obama needs a majority of independent voters to prevail next November; it’s extraordinarily difficult to see how he gets them.
The president is giving a speech after his vacation that will lay out a dramatic jobs and deficit-reduction plan. That’s nice.
But given the ineffectuality of his efforts thus far, his supporters shouldn’t hold out too much hope that he’s going to change the course of the world’s largest economy, which is heading toward the shoals again -- and is far likelier than not to run Obama aground for good.
jpodhoretz@gmail.com
Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/why_bam_doomed_9F00LyaGY07dRoSiuxPRzI#ixzz1VW2LORgE
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Dismal poll numbers for Obama in PA
www.realclearpolitics.co m
Economy drags down approval numbers in Pennsylvania, a state the president would likely need to win a second term.
12:09 p.m. EDT, August 19, 2011
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama, who political experts say will need a win in Pennsylvania to retain the White House, dipped to 35 percent approval among the state's registered voters, according to a Muhlenberg College poll released Friday.
The results come on the heels of a bad week in polls for Obama that showed him first dropping to 39 percent nationwide in Gallup's daily tracking poll. Then another set of Gallup results Thursday showed only 26 percent of Americans approve of how Obama is handling the economy.
These numbers are a huge blow to Obama who won the state handily in 2008, and a significant drop in just a few weeks from when Quinnipiac University polled Pennsylvania voters and found the president with 43 percent job approval.
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In the Muhlenberg surveys alone, Obama has dropped more than 10 percentage points in less than six months. In March, he held steady with 48 percent. In April 2009, a few months after he started and just after the stimulus bill was passed, Obama was at 61 percent approval in the state.
With unemployment hovering at 9 percent, Pennsylvanians seem pessimistic about the economy. Asked if Obama's policies have helped or hurt the economy, just 23 percent said helped, 41 percent said hurt and 32 percent said his policies haven't made a difference.
If there is any silver lining in the poll for Obama, it's that 31 percent of Pennsylvanians say their vote in November 2012 will depend on who the Republican candidate is. And Obama still slightly edges out an anonymous GOP contender 36 percent to 31 percent.
The poll of 380 registered statewide voters was conducted Aug. 11 through Thursday and has a 5.5 percent margin of error.
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http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2011-08-18-obama-fundraising-outpaces-predecessors_n.htm
At least he is good at one thing.
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Bump for 240
Why Bam’s doomed
By JOHN PODHORETZ
Last Updated: 2:54 AM, August 19, 2011
Unless something extraordinarily dramatic comes along to change the course of the US economy and the sentiments of the American people in the next six months, Barack Obama is finished.
That conclusion is inescapable from the history of US presidential politics since 1945.
Obama is now below 40 percent in job approval in the Gallup poll. Yes, as the political scientist Larry Sabato points out, almost every president since FDR has fallen to that level. But of those seven presidents, five (Harry Truman, Lyndon Johnson, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush) went on either to lose the next election or to not run again.
The Truman story is complex: He was at 35 percent in 1946 yet won in ’48 -- but he fell back into the 30s in 1951 and opted against running for a second full term.
The exceptions are Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. But the essentials of those wins should terrify Obama’s supporters.
Reagan hit 35 percent in 1983. By year’s end, though, the economy had lifted out of a dreadful recession to growth at an annual rate of 4.5 percent. In ’84, it grew at a sizzling 7.2 percent. The unemployment rate fell from 10.2 percent in 1983 to 7.2 percent on Election Day 1984 -- and Reagan won 49 states.
Clinton hit 39 percent in September 1994, and was slammed with a GOP triumph in the midterm elections two months later. But by the end of ’94, the economy had grown 4.1 percent. Growth dropped to 2.5 percent in ’95, but bounced back to a healthy 3.7 percent in ’96. Plus, unemployment on Clinton’s watch fell from 7.5 percent in 1992 to 5.4 percent in ’96.
So how do things look for Obama? Bad -- in every particular.
Growth in the first quarter of 2011 was a shocking 0.4 percent. Second quarter: 1.3 percent. Forecasters are dropping their estimates of growth for the year to 2 percent -- and that seems extraordinarily optimistic.
Joachim Fels, of Morgan Stanley, said Wednesday that America was “dangerously close” to a recession, around the same time that the president was telling CBS’ Anthony Mason, “I don’t think we’re in danger of another recession.”
Oh? Yesterday’s horrible report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia indicates that manufacturing in our region “contracted sharply in August.” As The Wall Street Journal’s Kathleen Madigan reported, “Its factory-sector index . . . fell to -30.7 this month from 3.2 in July.” That index “has never been this low without the economy being in recession.”
The consequences of a double-dip recession are nightmarish for the nation and fatal to Obama’s hopes. Aside from everything else, unemployment would certainly rise from its current 9.1 percent just as the election year starts.
As we’ve seen over the last few years, even if the economy comes back, there’s no reason to believe the jobs picture will improve much. So Obama will be seeking re-election with the jobless rate far worse than the one he inherited -- and worse than it was in the previous year.
He’ll argue that he inherited a crisis. Fine, most voters won’t blame him for the fact that the unemployment rate rose to 10 percent after the 2008 meltdown. But if it returns to that level after dropping to 8.9 percent, he’ll have no convincing defense.
To sum up: History says that five of seven presidents whose poll numbers hit the 30s either lost or dropped out. The two who won were able to run on economic numbers that left the public optimistic about the future.
Not now. Gallup says just 11 percent of Americans are satisfied with the country’s economic condition. And they hold Obama responsible: Just 26 percent approve of the job he’s doing on the economy.
And just 23 percent of independents approve. But Obama needs a majority of independent voters to prevail next November; it’s extraordinarily difficult to see how he gets them.
The president is giving a speech after his vacation that will lay out a dramatic jobs and deficit-reduction plan. That’s nice.
But given the ineffectuality of his efforts thus far, his supporters shouldn’t hold out too much hope that he’s going to change the course of the world’s largest economy, which is heading toward the shoals again -- and is far likelier than not to run Obama aground for good.
jpodhoretz@gmail.com
Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/why_bam_doomed_9F00LyaGY07dRoSiuxPRzI#ixzz1VW2LORgE
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Magellan Poll: Obama in trouble but no Republicans lighting up Florida
2012 election, Polls — posted by scottpowers on August, 23 2011 4:44 PM
A newly-released public opinion survey from Magellan Data & Mapping Strategies finds that Florida voters are unhappy with Barack Obama and do not think he should be re-elected.
All three leading Republicans — Mitt Romney, Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann — also got low marks, but all three would beat him head-to-head right now, according to the poll. Magellan did not ask voters about other GOP presidential candidates such as Orlando-based Jon Huntsman.
The poll, of 723 likely 2012 general election voters in Florida, fielded August 16th, 17th and 18th, was performed by Magellan Data & Mapping Strategies, a Louisville, Colo.,-based research firm that usually gets hired to do polling by Republican candidates and committees.
Magellan’s survey also finds low opinion of U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Florida. While the poll did not ask voters specifically about any of the Republicans wishing to face Nelson – Adam Hasner, George LeMieux, Mike McCalister, Craig Miller or Marielena Stuart – voters said they’d likely vote GOP in the 2012 general election.
Magellan reported the poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 percent. The results were weighted based upon past Florida voter turnout demographics.
“Barack Obama and his team have a lot of work to do with Florida voters to hold on to the state’s 29 electoral votes in 2012,” Magellan stated in a press release.
The survey found 40 percent of voters had a favorable opinion of Obama and 55 percent had an unfavorable opinion. What’s more, 37 percent said they believed Obama should be re-elected, while 57 percent said he shouldn’t be.
Romney’s favorable-unfavorable numbers were 38 and 40; Bachmann’s 33 and 43; and Perry’s 33 and 30.
Despite the luke-warm feeling for the Republicans, the surveyed voters said matchups would have Romney beating Obama 49-39, Bachmann winning 43-42 and Perry 46-39.
The poll had “Republican Candidate” beating Nelson 43-38.
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_politics/2011/08/magellan-poll-obama-in-trouble-but-no-republicans-alighting-florida.html
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Magellan Poll: Obama in trouble but no Republicans lighting up Florida
2012 election, Polls — posted by scottpowers on August, 23 2011 4:44 PM
A newly-released public opinion survey from Magellan Data & Mapping Strategies finds that Florida voters are unhappy with Barack Obama and do not think he should be re-elected.
All three leading Republicans — Mitt Romney, Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann — also got low marks, but all three would beat him head-to-head right now, according to the poll. Magellan did not ask voters about other GOP presidential candidates such as Orlando-based Jon Huntsman.
The poll, of 723 likely 2012 general election voters in Florida, fielded August 16th, 17th and 18th, was performed by Magellan Data & Mapping Strategies, a Louisville, Colo.,-based research firm that usually gets hired to do polling by Republican candidates and committees.
Magellan’s survey also finds low opinion of U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Florida. While the poll did not ask voters specifically about any of the Republicans wishing to face Nelson – Adam Hasner, George LeMieux, Mike McCalister, Craig Miller or Marielena Stuart – voters said they’d likely vote GOP in the 2012 general election.
Magellan reported the poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 percent. The results were weighted based upon past Florida voter turnout demographics.
“Barack Obama and his team have a lot of work to do with Florida voters to hold on to the state’s 29 electoral votes in 2012,” Magellan stated in a press release.
The survey found 40 percent of voters had a favorable opinion of Obama and 55 percent had an unfavorable opinion. What’s more, 37 percent said they believed Obama should be re-elected, while 57 percent said he shouldn’t be.
Romney’s favorable-unfavorable numbers were 38 and 40; Bachmann’s 33 and 43; and Perry’s 33 and 30.
Despite the luke-warm feeling for the Republicans, the surveyed voters said matchups would have Romney beating Obama 49-39, Bachmann winning 43-42 and Perry 46-39.
The poll had “Republican Candidate” beating Nelson 43-38.
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_politics/2011/08/magellan-poll-obama-in-trouble-but-no-republicans-alighting-florida.html
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Published: Thursday, August 25, 2011, 6:00 AM
Updated: Thursday, August 25, 2011, 8:06 AM
TRENTON — Nearly half of New Jerseyans polled by Rutgers-Eagleton Institute don't think President Obama deserves to be re-elected to a second term.
According to a poll released today, only 43 percent of those polled think Obama deserves another term while 47 percent don't think he deserves to be re-elected in 2012, an increase from 39 percent when asked the same question by Rutgers in February.
“The continuing economic climate, coupled with voter frustration at Washington, has created feelings of discontent that are clearly hurting the president’s chances for re-election,” said David Redlawsk, director of the Rutgers-Eagleton Poll and political science professor. “The dramatic decline in support for Obama comes mostly from independents. Even so, it doesn’t seem Republicans are particularly happy with their options.”
snip
"It seems possible this is a direct repudiation of his approach to the debt crisis and the economy," Redlawsk said. "Most independents want at least some tax increases on the rich to help fix the deficit, and many may feel Obama has failed to follow through on his own demands for increased revenues. Given more independents were against rather than for the debt ceiling agreement, this seems one likely reason for Obama’s decline in New Jersey.”
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AFL-CIO president slams Obama for weak, ‘little nibbly’ labor policies
The Daily Caller ^ | 8/25/11 | Neil Munro
The AFL-CIO is distancing itself from the Democratic Party, redirecting its funds to build its own permanent political organization, and pressuring President Barack Obama to embrace a big-spending program for job creation, Richard Trumka, the union’s president, said today.
The storied labor federation’s level of support for Obama in 2012 will be decided early next year, and will partly depend on whether Obama abandons his current strategy of promoting “little nibbly things,” such as a patent-update law, Trumka told a press breakfast hosted by the Christian Science Monitor. “That’s not going to get the job done,” he said. “Everybody knows that.”
(Excerpt) Read more at dailycaller.com ...
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I guess they are taking cues from the Tea Party
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Schoen: If Election Held Today, Obama Would Lose
Friday, 26 Aug 2011
Political analyst and Democratic pollster Doug Schoen tells Newsmax that President Barack Obama is in “deep trouble,” and if the election were held today he “would be a one-term president.”
But Schoen also says it is too early to anoint current Republican front-runner Rick Perry as the GOP nominee for 2012 because “anything can happen in this election.”
Schoen is co-author, along with pollster Scott Rasmussen, of the book “Mad As Hell: How the Tea Party Movement Is Fundamentally Remaking Our Two-Party System.”
Three polls over a recent 8-day period have shown Texas Gov. Perry enjoying a significant lead over former front-runner Mitt Romney, with two of the polls putting Perry ahead by double digits.
In an exclusive interview with Newsmax.TV, Schoen was asked what he thinks of the poll results considering that Perry has been formally in the race for only about two weeks.
“I think it shows how dissatisfied the Republican electorate is with the other seven or eight candidates, and how they’re looking for a fresh face to take on President Obama,” he says.
Questions have been raised about Perry’s ability to garner support among moderate Republicans. Schoen comments: “In the primaries he doesn’t really need moderate Republicans because the bulk of the voters are conservative, but in the general election he’ll certainly have to broaden his appeal.”
One recent poll pitting Obama against Perry shows the two in a dead heat. Schoen agrees that Perry is a “formidable” candidate, but cautions: “I think this poll reflects more the weakness of Obama than the strength of Governor Perry. It remains to be seen if Perry develops the kind of broad-based appeal he’ll need to win the presidency.
“Right now it looks like a Perry-Obama race, but a few months ago it looked like Donald Trump was the front–runner, then Mitt Romney, then Michele Bachmann, so anything can happen in this election.”
Schoen was asked, given Perry’s strong showing so far, if it is too early to say Obama is in trouble.
“I think Barack Obama is in deep trouble,” Schoen declares.
“At this point he is being hurt and hurt seriously by the weak economy. He’s going to have a jobs speech in September. He’s going to talk about revitalizing the economy. It’s anyone’s guess if that will make an impact. But as we sit here today, bottom line, I think you’d have to say the economy is a dramatic drag on his presidency.
“I think he would be a one-term president if the election were held today.”
Angry that Democrats are ignoring union issues, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka has announced that the nation's largest labor federation is cutting its ties with the Democratic Party and President Barack Obama heading into 2012, and instead it will set up a super PAC to pick and support its own candidates.
Asked if this is a huge blow to Obama, Schoen responds: “Absolutely. Obama needs to get labor back and I think he’ll be courting them furiously in the weeks and months to come.”
As to what lies ahead for the crowded Republican field, Schoen tells Newsmax: “I think the field is weak. If they have a contentious primary, which looks increasingly likely, it could paint the Republicans as an even more divided and arguably extreme party than they’ve been seen as already.
“President Obama is weak, and I think what he is counting on is that Republicans will be weaker and less well regarded than he is.
Schoen opines that Sarah Palin won’t enter the presidential race, and says Michele Bachmann is “fading.” He adds: “Perry has hurt her badly and she will be out of the race if she doesn’t win Iowa.”
Schoen co-authored an op-ed piece in Thursday’s Wall Street Journal predicting that a third-party candidate will enter the race. Asked if such a candidate can win the general election, Schoen says: “Yes, I think a third party can conceivably win.”
http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/schoen-obama-election-perry/2011/08/26/id/408793
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Again - Obama spent the first 1 1/2 and on health care. he owns this.
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Back down o 38 on Gallup today. 56 disapproval.
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Return to the Article
August 28, 2011
Battlegrounds of Resentment
By Salena Zito
STAUNTON, Va. – Whether it is called General Lee Highway, as in Virginia, or Molly Pitcher Highway, as in Pennsylvania, the lives and economic strain along U.S. Route 11 tell of a country’s disappointment with Washington – specifically, with President Obama.
The north–south highway, created in 1926, extends more than 1,600 miles from New York to Louisiana. It is one of those blue lines you find on a gas-station road atlas, obscured by the bold red lines of the dominant interstates.
Woodrow Wilson’s home is along this road in Virginia, James Buchanan’s in Pennsylvania.
In between those presidential homes is a very critical battleground in next year’s election, along with a whole lot of resentment that began building early in 2009.
“I used to be a Democrat,” said a quiet older gentleman who declined to give his name, sitting with his wife outside Wilson’s home. “I come from a long line of Democrats. I have to say I couldn’t be more disappointed in this president’s job so far.”
Not so long ago, populist-Democrat rhetoric was popular here and farther up the road, in West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania.
Americans along such roads all across the country are struggling economically. They are consumed with uncertainty. And they have tuned-out the president.
Obama had a rocky start with American voters outside major cities almost immediately, according to Chris Kelley, a political science professor at Miami University of Ohio.
“Think back again to 2009 – where did he begin to get in trouble?” Kelley asks. “By engaging in hyper-government activism to reform health care, save the environment, make government transparent, while rarely to never talking about jobs.”
This led many to view him as out-of-touch, disconnected, aloof.
Now, Democrats’ strongholds in states such as Pennsylvania and Virginia are quietly walking away from him.
Out here, the sting of dissatisfaction pulls people away from Obama. Yet it doesn’t exactly pull them to the far right; many have settled comfortably at center-right.
Washington’s blame-rhetoric could push Middle America further right, however.
Late last week, the president hit a new low in Gallup’s tracking poll, with 38 percent approval. He blamed “certain” members of Congress for that slide in popularity.
“I have to say, I am tired of the constant blame on everyone but himself,” said John Dattilio, strolling here on a summer evening with his wife and children as they balanced melting ice cream cones.
Obama took to pointing fingers when his poll numbers started to slip last fall.
So far, he has blamed the stagnant economy on ATMs, ditches, Slurpees, corporate-jet owners, the Tea Party, Republicans, Japan’s earthquake, the Arab Spring, the Arab Summer, George Bush, and “fat-cat” Wall Street something-or-others. The kitchen sink may be next.
His numbers are tumbling in the critical battleground states of Pennsylvania, Virginia, Florida, North Carolina and New Hampshire – states he must win in 2012.
RealClearPolitics crunched the numbers based on the electoral-college vote: Total from states giving Obama 51 percent or higher approval, 166; from states at 49 percent or lower, 320.
A presidential candidate needs 270 electoral votes to win.
Here is what White House strategists don't get: As Americans struggle with uncertainty, they believe Obama is not providing real solutions – and they also believe he is part of the partisan bickering, or is using his “bully pulpit” to instigate it.
Here is what strategists on both sides don't get about the 2012 election: It is not the same as the 2010 midterms.
That previous cycle was a collective outcry to lessen the power of one party and to halt the president’s policies. The next cycle is personal; it is about your home, your pocketbook, your family, and ensuring your future is less uncertain.
When an earthquake hit the Eastern Seaboard last week, presidential spokesman Josh Earnest said of Obama, who was golfing at the time: “(He) didn't feel the earthquake today.”
Sort of a telling metaphor for this presidency.
One reason why the president vacations on tony Martha’s Vineyard, which only the upper class can afford, and not in back-roads America, is that up there you can maintain the everything’s-alright bubble and the crowds adore you.
Out on U.S. Route 11, not so much.
Salena Zito is a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review editorial page columnist. E-mail her at szito@tribweb.com
Page Printed from: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2011/08/28/battlegrounds_of_resentment_111117-full.html at August 28, 2011 - 01:46:53 PM PDT
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One in four Democrats wants to dump Obama
by Byron York Chief Political Correspondent
Follow on Twitter:@byronyork
http://campaign2012.washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/one-four-democrats-wants-dump-obama
A new poll by CNN and ORC International finds that 27 percent of Democrats would like to see their party nominate a candidate other than Barack Obama for president in 2012.
In response to the question, "Do you think the Democratic party should renominate Barack Obama as the party's candidate for president in 2012, or do you think the Democratic party should nominate a different candidate for president in 2012?" -- 72 percent said they wanted to see Obama renominated. But 27 percent, slightly more than one in every four, said they wanted to see Democrats nominate a different candidate. One percent had no opinion.
The poll was taken August 24-25. In a survey taken in early August, 28 percent of Democrats said they wanted a different candidate. Polls taken in July and before showed Obama in a stronger position, with no more than 22 percent saying they preferred a different candidate. The current poll is based on interviews with 463 Democrats and has a margin of error of 4.5 percent.
The new poll is another indication of Democratic unhappiness with the president, but it does not mean Obama will face a challenge in his party's primaries. Despite the complaints of a few liberals like Sen. Bernard Sanders, the odds of a Democrat opposing the president appear to be something less than zero. But the new poll is still a matter of concern to Democrats, because it is yet another indication that there is significant disillusionment with the president within his own party. Whether those disaffected Democrats will come around to supporting Obama next year is an open question -- and perhaps the most worrying of the president's re-election bid.
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Poll: Obama loses ground with white voters, women, liberals
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By MAGGIE HABERMAN | 8/27/11 6:02 PM EDT Updated: 8/29/11 8:20 AM EDT
The AP has moved some cross-tabs on President Obama from its latest poll, and they signal some low points with his 2008 coalition as the GOP moves closer to picking a general election candidate.
He's lost ground according to the AP-GfK data, with white voters, women, liberals and younger voters, in surveys taken just after the debt-ceiling debate.
Continue Reading
The key figures are:
* Just 36 percent of white voters approve of the job he's doing, while 59 percent say he should lose in November 2012. That's down from 56 percent after his first three months in office, ,and he is upside-down with this group in every region except the Northeast.
* Three in ten white independents say he should get a second term, and 41 percent of them say he "understands the problems of people like them."
* Liberals who say Obama is "very well" described as a "strong leader" went from 53 percent to 29 percent.
* Women, who had fueled a gender gap for the president with 68 percent approving of his performance after his first three months in office, are also moving away from him. Now, 50 percent of women say he should be re-elected, and less than half of all women approve of how he's doing in office.
The numbers will obviously shift as a general election begins, and younger voters and liberals are especially likely to move back toward him. But the former two are, depending on the GOP nominee, a bit of a tougher push.
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Obama Weekly Average Approval Holds at Term-Low 40%
Gallup ^ | August 30, 2011 | Lydia Saad
Posted on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 8:18:59 AM by markomalley
PRINCETON, NJ -- President Barack Obama's job approval rating averaged 40% last week, tying his record-low 40% ratings for the two prior weeks that started on Aug. 8.
The Aug. 22-28 weekly average of Gallup Daily tracking includes Obama's worst three-day average approval rating thus far in his presidency: 38% approval and 55% disapproval from Aug. 25-27. Gallup suspended Daily tracking on Aug. 28 because of the hurricane conditions affecting much of the East Coast.
Obama continues to receive broad support from blacks (83%); however, this is the third consecutive week he has earned less than majority support from Hispanics, and the current 44% -- also registered the prior week -- is his lowest from this group. Whites' 32% average approval rating in each of the past two weeks is also a record low.
Majority Approval Isolated to Blacks, Democrats, Liberals
The last time Obama's average weekly job approval rating registered at least 50% among all Americans was May 30-June 5, 2011.
(Excerpt) Read more at gallup.com ...
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Black leaders turn up heat on Obama
By: Glenn Thrush and Joseph Williams
August 30, 2011 04:35 AM EDT
If there’s anything close to a political certainty in 2012, it’s that Barack Obama will get more than 90 percent of the African-American vote.
But that doesn’t mean every black Obama supporter will vote for him happily — nor does it guarantee that turnout will approach the stratospheric levels of 2008, even though Obama needs a huge showing from his base to offset the expected loss of swing voters in states like North Carolina, Virginia and Pennsylvania.
With that in mind, prominent black leaders — fearing Obama is not only taking them for granted but avoiding them in public — have turned up the heat on the nation’s first African-American president, transforming all-in-the-family concerns into open criticism of the president at a time when they had hoped the completion of a monument to Martin Luther King Jr. near the National Mall would bring a moment of unity.
The leaders are tired, they say, of Obama dog-whistling his support for a broad black agenda rather than explicitly embracing the kind of war on racism, poverty and economic segregation embodied by King.
“You can spend a lot of time trying to win over white independents, but if you don’t pay attention to your base, African-Americans, if you have not locked up your base yet, you’ve got a serious problem,” said CNN contributor Roland Martin.
“African-Americans will vote for him again, 88, 92, 95 percent. The question is what’s the turnout? I’ll vote for you. But will I bring ten other people along, like I did in 2008? That’s the danger here for him. He doesn’t have the historical factor to lean on as much in 2012 as he did in 2008. … And the first step is that he has to be willing to speak to this audience, black people.”
In a striking turnabout for a president who has rewritten American racial history, Obama finds himself the target of criticism from the black cultural and political elite that has, for the most part, been leery of airing its disappointment.
The president is reportedly angry that African-American leaders aren’t crediting him for his hard-bought achievements that will especially help communities of color, including health care reform, aid to cities, student aid and protecting Medicaid.
“The whole thing is bull——. … We have met with [black leaders] more than any other group, and we are increasing our outreach,” said a person close to Obama.
But Rep. Laura Richardson (D-Calif.), who represents several predominantly black Los Angeles-area neighborhoods, brings up an issue that African-American leaders repeatedly raise when talking about Obama: They say he’s worried about being too closely identified with the community that gave him inspiration and bedrock support.
“I understand that you’ve got to be president for all people, but this administration has gone just too far; they really don’t even say ‘African-American’ or talk about [our] specific issues,” Richardson told POLITICO.
“The president is smart enough to know he’s the first African-American, and I think he’s concerned — I would say afraid — that people are going to think he’s favoring African-Americans.”
Obama had been scheduled to speak at the dedication of the King memorial last Sunday — the 48th anniversary of King’s “I Have a Dream” oration — in what was likely to be his most explicit civil-rights speech in months. With the ceremony postponed because of Hurricane Irene, Obama embarked Monday on a mini-media offensive aimed at his core supporters, taping an appearance on a black radio station in Chicago that he frequented as a young Illinois state senator. He also called in to syndicated host Tom Joyner, who has defended the president from criticism leveled by other black media personalities, including Tavis Smiley.
When Joyner asked him about the King memorial, Obama immediately shifted the conversation to King’s crusade for economic equality, something of a departure from his recent focus on budget-cutting and deficit reduction.
“I think it’s always important to remember that when Dr. King gave the ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, that was a march for jobs and justice, not just justice,” Obama told Joyner.
“And in the last part of his life, when he went down to Memphis, that was all about sanitation workers saying, ‘I am a man,’ and looking for economic justice and dealing with poverty. And so it’s not enough for us to just remember the sanitized versions of what Dr. King stood for; he made a real call for us to dig deep and be thinking about our fellow citizens and people around the world who are in desperate need and figuring out how we can help them.”
But in a series of town halls it held this month, the Congressional Black Caucus seemed to directly challenge Obama’s willingness to “dig deep” by more fully embracing a job-creation agenda.
On Aug. 16, as Obama discussed rural jobs before a nearly all-white audience in Peosta, Iowa, caucus members raised some pointed questions about where a president, who began political life as a Chicago community organizer, was spending his time.
“Our people are hurting,” said Rep. Maxine Waters, (D-Calif.), a former CBC chairwoman who hasn’t been shy about calling out Obama. “Unemployment is unconscionable,” she added. “We don’t know what the strategy is. We don’t know why this trip that he is on in the United States now, that he’s not in any black communities.”
A few days later, a riled-up Waters was even more direct, daring a top Obama aide to use the word “black” at an event in Miami. (The staffer did.)
“We want him to know that from this day forward … we’ve had it,” Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) said of Obama at the same event. “We want him to come out on our side and advocate, not to watch and wait.”
Richardson wants to see Obama do a black, urban bus tour: “There are three congressional seats in L.A., and I don’t think he’s visited any of them as president, not Watts, not Compton, not Long Beach, not Carson.”
Some of this criticism reflects long-standing grievances between Obama and the black establishment, and none of his critics are considering backing anybody else in 2012.
Smiley, the radio host who toured the country this summer to publicize a near-16 percent national black unemployment rate, has made no secret he’s less than thrilled Obama has refused to sit down for more interviews. Both Waters and Richardson initially backed Hillary Clinton in the 2008 Democratic primary. Conyers is such a consistent Obama critic, the president reportedly asked him to stop “demeaning” him in 2009.
Some Obama defenders say that what they regard as his reluctance to tout his work on behalf of blacks reflects an essential, if unfortunate, reality of America’s not-so-very post-racial politics.
“If the president were to start speaking directly to African-Americans about what he’s doing for them, what he has done for them as the first African-American president, that during a general election campaign … could have very adverse [effects],” Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed told MSNBC on Monday.
“I believe that black people understand that. I think they understand it well. … And I’d also like to talk to my friends in my own community who are raising these issues to make the point that if you weaken President Obama in the black community, you seriously hamper his chances of being reelected. A small depression among the African-American electorate could be devastating to this president. And I’d also like folks on the other side of the conversation to tell me who the alternative is that’s going to do such a better job for black people. Will it be Michele Bachmann? I mean, will it be Mitt Romney? Rick Perry?”
Harvard Law School professor Randall Kennedy, who studies race and politics, thinks Obama’s black support “has frayed a little bit around the edges, but I think only a little bit” and said Obama’s tricky racial balancing act saddles him with “burdens that other politicians don’t bear.”
Obama’s staff, including campaign manager Jim Messina and White House senior adviser David Plouffe, have privately predicted black turnout in 2012 will be comparable, or in some places even exceed, the rates in 2008.
But they are also clearly concerned about drift. Hoping to head off the dispute before it becomes a larger 2012 headache, Obama and his team are ramping up outreach efforts. On Monday, Democratic National Committee Executive Director Patrick Gaspard and Obama 2012 official Michael Blake convened a meeting and conference that included Roland Martin, veteran operative Donna Brazile, BET’s Debra Lee, National Urban League President Marc Morial and Ben Jealous of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
And the president will address the mid-September Congressional Black Caucus Foundation conference, a person familiar with the situation told POLITICO.
Andra Gillespie, an Emory University political scientist, said Obama simply isn’t paying enough attention to his African-American base — and that dog whistles beat total silence.
“In the last couple of months, I haven’t heard those dog whistles, but you certainly heard them in 2008,” she said. “You heard that he was signaling to African-Americans.”
Earl Ofari Hutchinson, a black political analyst, author and radio host, said that Obama needs to “reassert what King represented on civil rights but also on jobs and poverty.”
“There is a deep sense of frustration in the community, discontent on the part of some and an increasing sense of betrayal,” Hutchinson said. “But Obama also was the victim of overinflated expectations, and even though it’s not politically correct to say this, there was a perception that a black president has a special duty to do more for African-Americans.”
Still, even though African-American voters are increasingly displeased with Obama’s handling of the economy, they are sensitive to the possibility of aiding his Republican opponents.
“If I am out there calling the president names, I may win applause, but I am not going to win any bills that help people,” said the Rev. Al Sharpton, an Obama supporter. “We are raising a monument to King, we ought to be instructive on how Dr. King was in how we deal with President Obama.”
But Sharpton said Obama might be doing better if he was less willing to show Republicans the other cheek.
“I am a Christian preacher, and he is more forgiving than I am,” Sharpton added, laughing.
© 2011 POLITICO LLC
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lmfao!
what idiots.
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2012 is President Obama's to lose
It may not matter who wins the Republican primaries: with the economy in the can, Any Other Candidate may beat Obama
Paul Harris guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 30 August 2011 21.54 BST Article history
Barack Obama's approval rating is bumping along in the low 40s – an ill-omen going towards the 2012 election year. Photograph: Carolyn Kaster/AP
For Democrats, the Republican field for 2012 looks like the gift that keeps on giving.
The candidates drawing the most attention – like Rick Perry, Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul – are seen as far too extreme to stand a chance in a national presidential election. Meanwhile, the often assumed frontrunner, Mitt Romney, is a charisma-free zone who failed to win his party's nomination in 2008 and does not seem to have improved much. Scattered around these flawed leaders are strange fringe candidates – like Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich and Herman Cain – and Sarah Palin, the Alaska governor turned reality TV star, who is more celebrity than politician. The one GOP name with a compelling personal history and potential for a broad constituency of support – Jon Huntsman – has fizzled into virtual obscurity.
How can anyone from this Republican slate win? It is a reassuring thought for liberals. It is also a potentially catastrophic and complacent one. For Republicans do not have to win the 2012 contest in order to capture the White House. They just have to watch Obama lose it.
If you stop looking at perceived Republican weaknesses and, instead, look at Obama's problems, then the picture for 2012 looks a good deal less rosy. And in America's virtual two-party system, there is only one winner when Democrats lose: Republicans.
Democrat problems are serious. First, there is the issue of disillusionment among Obama's base. While liberal activists – where disappointment and anger with Obama is acute – are far from representative of Middle American voters, they do provide the key organisation for "get out the vote" action on election day. No one thinks that effort will be anywhere near as large or enthusiastic as it was in 2008. Indeed, some labour unions already plan to boycott the Democratic national convention in North Carolina.
Second, there are the polls. At a time when Obama should be lording it over any of this GOP field, simply on the basis of incumbency and name recognition, he is far from dominant. Perry – whom liberals deride as an unelectable "George W Bush on steroids" – was beating Obama in the key state of Florida in one recent survey. So was Romney.
Other polls in other states have Obama ahead, but what is striking about them as how Obama's number often lurks in the 40s, which is hardly a ringing endorsement. Even Ron Paul – whom the Republican establishment itself derides – was within two points of Obama in one recent national Gallup poll and within a single percentage point in a Rasmussen study. These numbers do not show Republican strength. But they do reveal Democrat weakness – and that should be given equal weight in a two-horse race.
Then just look at Gallup's tracking of Obama's job approval ratings. Over the summer, a grim gap has emerged with now some 55% of Americans disapproving of Obama's performance compared to an anaemic 38% who approve. This is undoubtedly linked to fears over a double-dip recession and the terrible persistence of cripplingly high levels of joblessness in the economy.
Economic conditions are often the key deciding factor in elections. By that metric, Obama's prospects look grim and could get a lot grimmer.
All of this could lead to someone as seemingly unlikely as Rick Perry becoming the 45th president of the United States and the most powerful person on earth. Seemingly "no hope" candidates have certainly won before due to their opponent's poor performance. Just think of Bill Clinton. The obscure Arkansas governor, hampered by a sex scandal, emerged from a pygmy field of Democrats in 1992 to take on George HW Bush, the incumbent victor of the Gulf war. But Bush ran a dreadful campaign, got hit by an economic downturn and then sideswiped by Ross Perot. Clinton won with just 43% of the vote.
Or look at 2000. It pitted the experienced Vice President Al Gore against the folksy cowboy candidate of George W Bush. Bush did not run a great campaign. But Gore ran a terrible one, failing even to win his home state of Tennessee. What should have been a romp for Gore, narrowed down to Florida, and eventually, Bush won via a court decision. You can argue about that event until blue in the face, but what is inarguable is that Gore should never have let Bush get close.
So, Democrats surveying the GOP's current "carnival of crazy" – where Perry questions evolution and Bachmann sees Hurricane Irene as a sign from God on government spending – should not feel victory is assured. The GOP does not have to wrest the White House away from Obama; he might just give it away.
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Quinnipiac: Obama Matchups With Romney, Perry In A Dead Heat
Talking Points Memo ^ | |August 31, 2011 | Kyle Leighton
A new national poll from Quinnipiac University shows that national races on both the presidential level and for Congress are in a dead heat as Washington prepares to return to work in September. Tex. Gov. Rick Perry now leads the GOP field in his quest for the presidential nomination, the first choice of 26 percent of Republican voters, followed by former frontrunner former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney at 20 percent, in what is now the fifth national poll Perry has taken the lead.
The poll also shows that President Obama, whose approval rating has been weakened by a slow economy and general disdain for Washington, is running very closely with both Perry and Romney. Obama leads Perry with 45 percent to the Texas governor's 42, and ties Romney at 45 percent. Both matchups are within the poll's margin of error and therefore a statistical dead heat.
(Excerpt) Read more at tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo. com ...
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Gallup: Obama’s Approval Hits All-Time Low of 41 Percent Among Women
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
By Terence P. Jeffrey
President Barack Obama poses for a photo with summer school kids, Monday, Aug. 15, 2011, in Chatfield, Minn. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
(CNSNews.com) - Barack Obama defeated Sen. John McCain 56 percent to 43 percent among female voters in the 2008 presidential election, according to the network exit poll, and Obama’s job performance as president won the support of 70 percent of women early in his tenure.
But Gallup polling last week showed that only 41 percent of women now say they approve of the way Obama is handling his job as president. That is an all-time low--down from the previous low of 43 percent, which is what Obama’s approval had been among women in each of the previous three weeks.
Obama’s approval has dropped 11 points among women over the past three months. In the last week of May, according to the Gallup poll, the president’s approval among females was at 52 percent.
Obama’s approval among women peaked at 70 percent in the week of Jan. 26-Feb. 1, 2009, his first full week in office.
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Dem: Obama wouldn't win Virginia today
By: CNN's Dan Merica
Washington (CNN) – Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) said if the 2012 presidential election was held today, President Barack Obama wouldn't win Virginia, a state he carried in 2008.
Speaking on local Washington radio station WTOP Friday, Connolly said, "In my opinion, no, today he would not win the state."
But, with more than a year before Election Day, Connolly said Obama still has time to regain the momentum he had in the last election.
"The growing diversity, especially in Northern Virginia, has changed the polity of Virginia permanently," said Connolly on The Politics Program With Mark Plotkin. "There is no question in my mind that President Obama can make a comeback and win Virginia."
Prior to Obama winning Virginia in 2008, the state had not voted for a presidential Democrat since former president Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. The last time Virginia voted for a Democratic president two elections in a row was in 1944 and 1948.
Connolly said that former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney would have the best chance of beating Obama in 2012 but that all White House hopefuls, including Obama, come with imperfections.
"I think that all of the Republican candidates, as does President Obama, have serious baggage," said Connolly.
Obama will visit Richmond, Va. on Sept. 9, the day after unveiling his jobs plan to a joint session on Congress.
– CNN's Peter Hamby contributed to this report.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/03/dem-obama-wouldnt-win-virginia-today/#more-173608
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Not to mention pa, nc, oh, fl, etc.
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Quinnipiac: Obama Matchups With Romney, Perry In A Dead Heat
Talking Points Memo ^ | |August 31, 2011 | Kyle Leighton
Very concerning for republicans here... Americans already know ALL the obama negatives. He's been thru 2 tough campaigns (hilary and mccain). He's been vetted down to the birth certificate. he's proven he can kick ass at war at least as good as Bush.
Repubs are at their highest point - Perry is an unknown, and the minute he tries to sell abstinence/anti-choice or his corruption comes to light, he will drop. And Mitt? he ain't exactly good with people - he'll have another "who let the dogs out" moment, and yikes...
point is, we already have seen Obama's worse - and he's still tied with mitt and perry's best.
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You are really nuts. Seriously - are you being paid to write this crap? Carter was ahead of reagan till the end too and look how that turned out.
Remember douchebag - you and all the other obama tampons had not a clue how bad the midterms would be for boy wonder.
Same will be true next year when this little experiment electing the unqualified person we can find for office and see how it turns out is over.
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Same will be true next year when this little experiment electing the unqualified person we can find for office and see how it turns out is over.
You were highly confident obamacare would fail.
Would you say you are MORE or LESS confident Obama will lose in 2012?
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If election was today he would get landslided like mondale.
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If election was today he would get landslided like mondale.
yes. a 'tied' poll is great evidence of that!
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Just enjoy the final year of this aa mistake. Ill rub it in too 10x when this dirtbag is sent packing and you tampons are in a puddle of tears.
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Just enjoy the final year of this aa mistake. Ill rub it in too 10x when this dirtbag is sent packing and you tampons are in a puddle of tears.
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240, are you saying that Obama will win?
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240 wants obama to win, he is not kiiding anyone any more now than he did in O8 when he claims he voted for bob bar despite the fact that he never made so much three threads promoting bob barr and has spent 2007 to the present doing everything possible to support obama.
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Obama hits all-time lows, according to NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll
msnbc ^ | 9/6/2011 | Mark Murray
Posted on September 6, 2011 6:46:45 AM EDT by tobyhill
When Barack Obama unveils his jobs and economic plan to a joint session of Congress on Thursday, he'll do so at the lowest point of his presidency, according to a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.
After the bruising debt-ceiling fight — as well as Standard & Poor's subsequent downgrade of the nation's credit rating — Obama's job approval rating has sunk to a low of 44 percent, a 3-point drop since July. His handling of the economy stands at a low of 37 percent. And only 19 percent believe the country is headed in the right direction, the lowest mark for this president.
Perhaps most ominously for Obama, a majority of poll takers — 54 percent — think he's facing a longer-term setback from which he's unlikely to recover. Back in January, just 39 percent agreed with that assessment.
Indeed, that 54 percent is virtually identical to George W. Bush's score on the same question in the Nov. 2005 NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, which was released just months after Bush's widely criticized handling of Hurricane Katrina.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
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President Obama’s ‘are you better off’ problem
Washington Post ^ | September 5, 2011 | Chris Cillizza and Aaron Blake
Posted on September 6, 2011 7:03:29 AM EDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Every re-election race — from city council to president — ultimately comes down to a simple question: Are you better off than you were (fill-in-the-blank) years ago?
To win, the incumbent has to convince a majority of voters that the answer to that question is “yes” (or that it will be “yes” in the not-too-distant future).
...according to new polling conducted by the Washington Post/ABC News, nearly nine in 10 adults say they are either “about the same”(50 percent) or worse off (35 percent) financially than they were four years ago. Just 15 percent describe themselves as “better off”.
And that is a major problem for President Obama heading into his re-election race next fall.
The president has argued — and will continue to make the case — that he inherited an economy on the verge of collapse and took a number of actions to simply keep the country’s finances afloat.
Obama has acknowledged that the economic doldrums have lasted longer than anyone expected while also trying to convince the public that better times lie ahead. He’ll try to make that case again Thursday night when he delivers what his administration is billing as a major jobs speech to a joint session of Congress.
....poll suggests that Obama has his work cut out for him. Among electorally critical independents, more than one in three (36 percent) said they were in worse financial shape than four years ago — double the percentage who said they felt that they were in better shape.
...among his base of self-identified Democrats,...“are you better off” numbers are far from encouraging for Obama; 17 percent said they were better off than four years ago while 18 percent said they were worse off and 65 percent said they were roughly in the same place financially....
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
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President Obama’s ‘are you better off’ problem
Washington Post ^ | September 5, 2011 | Chris Cillizza and Aaron Blake
Posted on September 6, 2011 7:03:29 AM EDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Every re-election race — from city council to president — ultimately comes down to a simple question: Are you better off than you were (fill-in-the-blank) years ago?
To win, the incumbent has to convince a majority of voters that the answer to that question is “yes” (or that it will be “yes” in the not-too-distant future).
...according to new polling conducted by the Washington Post/ABC News, nearly nine in 10 adults say they are either “about the same”(50 percent) or worse off (35 percent) financially than they were four years ago. Just 15 percent describe themselves as “better off”.
And that is a major problem for President Obama heading into his re-election race next fall.
The president has argued — and will continue to make the case — that he inherited an economy on the verge of collapse and took a number of actions to simply keep the country’s finances afloat.
Obama has acknowledged that the economic doldrums have lasted longer than anyone expected while also trying to convince the public that better times lie ahead. He’ll try to make that case again Thursday night when he delivers what his administration is billing as a major jobs speech to a joint session of Congress.
....poll suggests that Obama has his work cut out for him. Among electorally critical independents, more than one in three (36 percent) said they were in worse financial shape than four years ago — double the percentage who said they felt that they were in better shape.
...among his base of self-identified Democrats,...“are you better off” numbers are far from encouraging for Obama; 17 percent said they were better off than four years ago while 18 percent said they were worse off and 65 percent said they were roughly in the same place financially....
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
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President Obama’s ‘are you better off’ problem
Washington Post ^ | September 5, 2011 | Chris Cillizza and Aaron Blake
Posted on September 6, 2011 7:03:29 AM EDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Every re-election race — from city council to president — ultimately comes down to a simple question: Are you better off than you were (fill-in-the-blank) years ago?
To win, the incumbent has to convince a majority of voters that the answer to that question is “yes” (or that it will be “yes” in the not-too-distant future).
...according to new polling conducted by the Washington Post/ABC News, nearly nine in 10 adults say they are either “about the same”(50 percent) or worse off (35 percent) financially than they were four years ago. Just 15 percent describe themselves as “better off”.
And that is a major problem for President Obama heading into his re-election race next fall.
The president has argued — and will continue to make the case — that he inherited an economy on the verge of collapse and took a number of actions to simply keep the country’s finances afloat.
Obama has acknowledged that the economic doldrums have lasted longer than anyone expected while also trying to convince the public that better times lie ahead. He’ll try to make that case again Thursday night when he delivers what his administration is billing as a major jobs speech to a joint session of Congress.
....poll suggests that Obama has his work cut out for him. Among electorally critical independents, more than one in three (36 percent) said they were in worse financial shape than four years ago — double the percentage who said they felt that they were in better shape.
...among his base of self-identified Democrats,...“are you better off” numbers are far from encouraging for Obama; 17 percent said they were better off than four years ago while 18 percent said they were worse off and 65 percent said they were roughly in the same place financially....
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Sorry man, ever since that photoshop with Michelle dancing I have been addicted to he dancing skills!
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Battleground Poll: Obama approval rating down amid deep economic fears
Politico ^ | 9/6/11 | Carrie Brown
Capturing a rapid erosion of confidence through the summer months, the poll found 72 percent of voters believe the country is either strongly or somewhat headed in the wrong direction, a jump of 12 percentage points since May. Only 20 percent of voters say the country is going in the right direction, a 12-point drop in the same period.
--snip--
Mirroring other national polls, Texas Gov. Rick Perry moved to the front of the Republican class, emerging as the first choice for 36 percent of voters only three weeks into his campaign.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney came in second with 17 percent, followed by Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) at 10 percent, Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) at 10 percent, former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) at 5 percent and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich at 5 percent. Businessman Herman Cain and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman took 4 percent and 1 percent, respectively.
As former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin nears a decision on a presidential primary bid, she will need to confront sky-high negative ratings: 61 percent of voters hold either a somewhat or strongly unfavorable view of her. Not even House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), a perennial lightning rod, drew a number that high, at 52 percent.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
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Gallup: Obama Had Worst Month Ever in August
Wednesday, September 07, 2011
By Terence P. Jeffrey
http://cnsnews.com/news/article/obama-had-worst-month-ever-august-gallup
President Barack Obama (AP Photo).
(CNSNews.com) - Over the course of August, Gallup asked 15,343 American adults whether they approved of the way Barack Obama was handling his job as president. The final result, the polling company reported today, was that only 41 percent said they approved, giving Obama the lowest monthly approval rating of his presidency.
That is down 25 points from the 66 percent monthly approval Obama won in January 2009, the month he was inaugurated.
Obama also hit his lowest monthly approval among Hispanics during August, and tied his lowest monthly approval among blacks.
During the month, Gallup interviewed 1,183 Hispanics and 48 percent of them said they approved of the job Obama was doing as president. Gallup also interviewed 1,137 blacks during August and 84 percent said they approved of the job Obama was doing.
During August, Gallup asked also 12,254 white Americans whether they approved of the way Obama was handling his job as president and 33 percent said they did—an all-time low for Obama’s approval among this group.
Obama’s overall monthly approval of 41 percent for Auugst was down three point from his monthly approval of 44 percent for July.
In June 2009, during his first year in office, Obama had 95 percent approval among blacks, 78 percent approval among Hispanics, and 53 percent approval among whites. Since then, his monthly approval has dropped 11 points among blacks, 30 points among Hispanics, and 20 points among whites.
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September 7, 2011
Obama Approval Sinks to New Lows Among Whites, Hispanics
Blacks' support remains high, but at 84% ties record for monthly low
by Lydia Saad
PRINCETON, NJ -- President Barack Obama earned the lowest monthly job approval rating of his presidency to date in August, with 41% of U.S. adults approving of his overall job performance, down from 44% in July. He also received term-low monthly job approval ratings from both Hispanics (48%) and whites (33%) and tied his lowest rating from blacks (84%).
The latest results are based on Gallup Daily tracking throughout August and include telephone interviews with more than 12,000 whites, 1,100 blacks, and nearly 1,200 Hispanics.
Whites' approval of Obama has trended downward thus far in 2011 after showing little change in 2010. Whites' largest drop in support for the president within a calendar year -- 17 percentage points -- came in 2009, declining from 58% in February, the first full month of Obama's presidency, to 41% by December.
Blacks have remained solidly approving of Obama throughout his presidency; however, 2011 is the first year this group's monthly job approval has routinely registered below 90%, indicating a decline in blacks' support, albeit a fairly minor one.
The president's current standing with Hispanics reflects a rather steep decline since January, when 60% approved of him. This follows Hispanics' less-pronounced drops in their support in each of the first two years of his presidency. As a result, the gap between blacks and whites in Obama's job approval has been widening while the gap between Hispanics' and whites' approval has been narrowing.
Although Hispanics' monthly approval of Obama dipped below 50% for the first time in August, more still approve than disapprove (48% vs. 37%) of his job performance. A relatively high 15% -- typical for Hispanics -- has no opinion.
Hispanics' Approval of Obama Now Close to National Average
The gradual shift in Hispanics' job approval of Obama toward whites' level of job approval is also seen in the accompanying graph showing the differences between Obama's job approval rating, nationally, and his ratings from each racial group, on a monthly basis since February 2009.
While blacks and Hispanics both expressed significantly higher-than-average approval for Obama throughout 2009 and most of 2010, Hispanics' approval has been moving progressively closer to the national average and is now only single digits above it. Whites' approval has consistently remained about eight points below the national average. As a result, blacks have become an extreme outlier -- the only major racial group showing well-above-average approval.
Bottom Line
Despite launching his presidency with a large majority of Hispanics approving of his job performance, along with most blacks, Obama has seen significant erosion in Hispanics' support. As a result, while Hispanics' approval of Obama was at one time 20 points higher than the national average, at this time it is just 7 points higher. Two significant slips in Hispanics' approval of Obama were seen in 2010, perhaps linked with the president hedging on campaign promises to make immigration reform a priority. However, that decline has continued into 2011 as the nation's focus has turned more to the economy and federal budget problems.
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Rasmussen: Obama Now Underdog for Re-election
Thursday, 08 Sep 2011
By Jim Meyers and Kathleen Walter
Independent pollster and political analyst Scott Rasmussen tells Newsmax that Wednesday night’s GOP debate was “rockier” than expected for leading candidate Rick Perry, and says his stance on the Social Security issue could be the “chink in the armor” of his campaign.
But Rasmussen asserts that the Texas governor now has all the “excitement and charisma” in the Republican race and could prove difficult to beat, while leading challenger Mitt Romney is an “awkward position.”
And Rasmussen believes that President Obama would be the underdog in a head-to-head race against any of the leading GOP candidates.
Rasmussen is founder and president of Rasmussen Reports and co-founder of the sports network ESPN. He has been an independent public opinion pollster for over a decade, and most major news organizations cite his reports.
He is also the co-author of “Mad As Hell: How the Tea Party Movement Is Fundamentally Remaking Our Two-Party System.”
In an exclusive interview with Newsmax.TV, Rasmussen gives his assessment of Perry’s performance in the debate.
“It was a little rockier than he might have liked. Overall, Rick Perry came in with very high expectations because he’s the front-runner, and as he said at one point during the debate he felt like a piñata because everyone was gunning for him. But he did fairly well overall.”
But when asked whether Perry is the only viable candidate now, Rasmussen responds: “No. Rick Perry is in the very beginning of the effort to determine if he is even the front-runner.
“We polled in Iowa a week ago and found that only one in four Iowa caucus voters have made up their mind and are certain about who they are going to vote for. This is a very fluid field.
“There are four debates coming up in the next several weeks, and if Rick Perry does well in those four debates he may emerge as the front-runner. And if he does that he will be very difficult to beat.
“On the other hand, it’s quite possible we’ll see the race tighten a bit.”
During the debate, Perry stuck by his earlier statement that Social Security is a “Ponzi scheme,” and Romney said it’s wrong to call Social Security a failure.
Rasmussen observes: “That whole discussion showed a little bit how out of touch almost all the candidates are with the voters on the issue of Social Security.
“We polled a year ago and found that just 27 percent think that Social Security is a Ponzi scheme, 36 percent said it is not, and a 37 percent said they didn’t know.
“What Americans do know is there are concerns about Social Security, concerns about its financing. But most see it as a program that has reduced poverty among the elderly, and they want to see something that will replace it that can provide that same kind of assurance.
“Rick Perry is going to have to find a way to turn the anger he feels about the system into a positive solution. The other candidates are going to have to do the same. Right now it is a potential chink in the armor of Rick Perry.”
Asked whether Romney might count on the votes of moderates to overtake Perry, Rasmussen tells Newsmax: “Mitt Romney is in an awkward position right now. He’s generally well-liked. People have respect for his private sector experience. But Republican voters aren’t sold on him as the nominee. Rick Perry is the new kid in town. He’s got all the excitement and all the charisma.
“Mitt Romney’s best path to the nomination is to wait a little bit and see if Rick Perry falters. If he does, Romney is there to pick up the pieces. If he doesn’t, Romney is going to have to get even more aggressive, and it won’t be the votes of the moderates that put Romney over the top. The Republican Party is dominated by conservatives and a large share of conservatives don’t even consider themselves Republicans.
“Republicans are going to have to reach out to those other conservatives if they want to win the White House.”
An NBC News poll found that 50 percent of respondents believe Ron Paul won the debate, with Romney a distant second at 17 percent. But Rasmussen doesn’t believe Paul is the sleeper in the campaign.
“Ron Paul draws a tremendously passionate base of support,” he says. “But among Republicans only 43 percent have a favorable opinion, 45 percent have an unfavorable opinion.
“The thing about Ron Paul that people ignore and tend to forget is that his appeal is not just to the right wing that wants to cut back on all kinds of spending, but also to the anti-war left.
“It’s going to be very difficult for Ron Paul to translate that into the Republican nomination.”
Rep. Michele Bachmann was not a major factor during much of the debate “but had a stronger finish,” according to Rasmussen. “If Rick Perry maintains his lead, it’s going to be hard for her to gain traction. If the race tightens, she will have a better opportunity to present her views.”
Other debate participants Jon Huntsman, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, and Rick Santorum remain “relevant in terms of influencing the discussion, perhaps, but it’s very difficult to see any credible path for them to the nomination,” Rasmussen says.
With President Obama set to deliver a major speech on the economy and jobs Thursday night, Rasmussen notes: “Right now people are feeling that their own personal finances are in worse shape than they were the day President Obama took office. That’s a problem.
“And on the jobs front, 24 percent of workers say their firms are still laying people off. If those realities don’t turn around, a speech won’t make any difference.”
As to who would win a race between Obama and Perry right now, Rasmussen discloses: “Our latest polling shows Perry 44 percent, Obama 41 percent.”
He adds: “All polling that we have with President Obama against any of the Republican candidates shows the president getting anywhere from 39 to 46 percent of the vote. Those numbers are not good for the president.
“You have to say, against any Republican today or against any of the leading Republicans today, the president would be an underdog for re-election — but nowhere near the automatic defeat that some Republicans are expecting.”
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/perry-rasmussen-debate-socialsecurity/2011/09/08/id/410247
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Ras was the closest in 2008.
be worried 240 and the libs, be very worried.
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Facebook Executive Charging $35,800 To Eat Dinner With Obama…
Weazel Zippers ^ | September 13, 2011
(NBC Bay Area) — The Obamas seems to be making a habit of visiting the Bay Area.
First Lady Michelle Obama visited earlier in the summer to raise money for her husband’s re-election campaign and the Democratic party.
Now her husband is set to do the same thing.
President Barack Obama will visit the monetary heart of Silicon Valley in two weeks for two private receptions at the homes of wealthy supporters.
Mr. Obama will be the guest of honor at a reception at a private peninsula home on Sunday afternoon Sept. 25 followed by evening dinner in Atherton.
The location of the early reception is the Woodside home Symantec CEO John Thompson and his wife Sandi. The entrance price at the Thompson’s is $2,500 without a picture or $7,500 with a photo of yourself and the president.
The evening meal will be far more costly. A dinner date with Mr. Obama will cost a cool $35,800. Anyone willing to spend the money to eat with the president is welcome to come.
The hosts are Facebook’s COO Sheryl Sandberg and her husband David Goldberg. Sandberg is getting used to having famous faces knock on her front door. She had Oprah Winfrey over for dinner just last week after the former talk show host held a townhall for her Facebook fans.
(Excerpt) Read more at weaselzippers.us ...
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Source: CNN
Washington (CNN) -- President Barack Obama's disapproval rating has reached a new high of 55% while the number of Americans who think he is a strong leader has dropped to a new low, 48%, according to a CNN/ORC poll released Tuesday.
And a familiar pattern in public opinion on Obama again asserts itself: Americans don't like his track record on major issues while they continue to like him personally. Nearly eight in 10 respondents say Obama is likeable; large majorities believe he is compassionate, hard-working, and has a vision for the country's future. Three-quarters think he fights for his beliefs.
But only 39% approve of how he is handling unemployment, and just 36% approve of the way he is handling the economy, not surprising when more than eight in 10 think the economy is in poor shape.
Opinion on Obama's economic track record is mixed, however. While fewer than one in 10 (9%) think his policies have made the economy better, about four in 10 (39%) credit them with preventing the economy from being even worse than it is today. On the other side, 37% say Obama has made economic conditions worse. Fifteen percent think his policies have had no effect.
Read more: rss/cnn_topstories+" target="_blank">http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/09/13/cnn.poll.obama/i... (RSS Top+Stories)&utm_content=Google+Reader
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Why Obama Is Losing the Jewish Vote
Wall Street Journal ^ | 9-14-11 | Dan Senor
He doesn't have a 'messaging' problem. He has a record of bad policies and anti-Israel rhetoric.
###
*snip*
This is a preview of what President Obama might face in his re-election campaign with a demographic group that voted overwhelmingly for him in 2008. And it could affect the electoral map, given the battleground states—such as Florida and Pennsylvania—with significant Jewish populations.
In another ominous barometer for the Obama campaign, its Jewish fund-raising has deeply eroded: One poll by McLaughlin & Associates found that of Jewish donors who donated to Mr. Obama in 2008, only 64% have already donated or plan to donate to his re-election campaign.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
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Bloomberg poll puts Obama re-elect number at 29%
hot air ^ | hot air
Maybe America is becoming “a very difficult district” for Democrats, especially Barack Obama. Bloomberg’s new poll puts his job approval rating at a mundane 45/49, although Blomberg reports that it’s the lowest approval level he has had in the series. But a peek inside the actual numbers shows a startling data point that should have the Obama 2012 team keeping their resumés updated.
snip.....
But those numbers are just the appetizers. Bloomberg asks respondents whether they will definitely vote for Obama in 2012, and only 29% of them say yes. Another 21% say they will consider a different candidate, while 43% say they will definitely not vote for Obama. Among Democrats, only 67% don’t want a primary challenge in 2012 against the sitting President, while 30% “would like another candidate to try” for the nomination. Bear in mind that the poll sample comprises a D/R/I split of 39/31/27, which means that Obama is losing more than a quarter of his own voters, assuming all 29% are Democrats.
(Excerpt) Read more at hotair.com ...
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Obama Sends Out Creepy Email: "Sometime Soon, Can We Meet For Dinner?"
Business Insider ^ | SEPTEMBER 14, 2011 | Zeke Miller
President Barack Obama's reelection campaign just sent out this creepy email, with the subject line "Sometime soon, can we meet for dinner," asking supporters to donate to his campaign for a chance to have dinner with Obama.
"Maybe I'll get to thank you in person," it says.
Obama's team has run a similar fundraising gimmick before — and the email says he plans on continuing it throughout the campaign.
We just hope future emails aren't so unsettling.
Here's the email:
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
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..Poll: Obama disapproval soars to 54 percent in Va
By BOB LEWIS - AP Political Writer | AP – 2 hrs
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — President Barack Obama's disapproval rating has soared to 54 percent in Virginia, a battleground state the Democrat took from the Republicans to win the White House in 2008 and will likely need to carry next year to win re-election, a new poll released Thursday shows.
The Quinnipiac University Poll, based on telephone interviews with 1,368 registered voters from Sept. 7-12, found that only 40 percent approved of the president's performance, down from 48 percent in the same survey in June. Six percent were undecided. The survey's margin of sampling error was plus or minus 2.7 percentage points.
The results mirror other polls that show a continuing slide in the president's popularity in a slow, troubled economy.
In the Virginia survey, a majority — 51 percent — said they did not think Obama deserves to be re-elected, compared to 41 percent who would re-elect him. Eight percent didn't know or wouldn't say.
Most troubling for Obama is his poor performance among independents, many of whom supported him three years ago. Sixty-three percent of unaligned voters disapproved of the way Obama is handling his duties while only 29 percent approved.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry shot to the front of a 10-candidate Republican field among respondents who identified themselves as Republicans or Republican-leaning voters. Twenty-nine percent listed Perry as their top choice, and 19 percent said former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was their favorite. No other candidate was in double digits.
When the Republicans were asked if their primary came down to a choice between Perry and Romney, 43 percent chose Perry and 36 percent chose Romney.
In hypothetical matchups against Obama put before all of those surveyed, Perry and Romney were in statistical dead heats with the president. In a pairing against Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachman, Obama was favored 48 percent to 37 percent. Against Sarah Palin, who has not declared her candidacy, 50 percent chose Obama to 35 percent for the former Alaska governor and John McCain's 2008 vice presidential running mate.
The poll is released as candidates already begin targeting Virginia voters. Obama kicked off his nationwide tour aimed at pressuring Congress to adopt his jobs bill in Richmond on Friday. Perry delivered speeches Wednesday at a convocation at Liberty University in Lynchburg and a sold-out GOP fundraiser in Richmond.
..
________________________ ________________________ __________
All this moron does is campaign 24/7 and he wonders why he is going to get trounced next year?
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..Poll: Obama disapproval soars to 54 percent in Va
By BOB LEWIS - AP Political Writer | AP – 2 hrs
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — President Barack Obama's disapproval rating has soared to 54 percent in Virginia, a battleground state the Democrat took from the Republicans to win the White House in 2008 and will likely need to carry next year to win re-election, a new poll released Thursday shows.
The Quinnipiac University Poll, based on telephone interviews with 1,368 registered voters from Sept. 7-12, found that only 40 percent approved of the president's performance, down from 48 percent in the same survey in June. Six percent were undecided. The survey's margin of sampling error was plus or minus 2.7 percentage points.
The results mirror other polls that show a continuing slide in the president's popularity in a slow, troubled economy.
In the Virginia survey, a majority — 51 percent — said they did not think Obama deserves to be re-elected, compared to 41 percent who would re-elect him. Eight percent didn't know or wouldn't say.
Most troubling for Obama is his poor performance among independents, many of whom supported him three years ago. Sixty-three percent of unaligned voters disapproved of the way Obama is handling his duties while only 29 percent approved.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry shot to the front of a 10-candidate Republican field among respondents who identified themselves as Republicans or Republican-leaning voters. Twenty-nine percent listed Perry as their top choice, and 19 percent said former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was their favorite. No other candidate was in double digits.
When the Republicans were asked if their primary came down to a choice between Perry and Romney, 43 percent chose Perry and 36 percent chose Romney.
In hypothetical matchups against Obama put before all of those surveyed, Perry and Romney were in statistical dead heats with the president. In a pairing against Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachman, Obama was favored 48 percent to 37 percent. Against Sarah Palin, who has not declared her candidacy, 50 percent chose Obama to 35 percent for the former Alaska governor and John McCain's 2008 vice presidential running mate.
The poll is released as candidates already begin targeting Virginia voters. Obama kicked off his nationwide tour aimed at pressuring Congress to adopt his jobs bill in Richmond on Friday. Perry delivered speeches Wednesday at a convocation at Liberty University in Lynchburg and a sold-out GOP fundraiser in Richmond.
..
________________________ ________________________ __________
All this moron does is campaign 24/7 and he wonders why he is going to get trounced next year?
He might lose, but he will not get "trounced" as you put it... The front runners in the GOP are both in dead heats with Obama, the front runner 6 months ago (Bachmann) would lose and Palin would lose (Also proving that she hurt McCain's campaign, not helped it)
But he might definitely lose.
I wonder how Paul would face against Obama... I'd bet with independents he would be huge.
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Turner's win over Weprin shows Obama's toxic effect on national stage
NY Daily News ^ | September 14th 2011 | Andrea Tantaros
Posted on September 15, 2011 11:21:15 PM EDT by neverdem
The Big Apple just dealt President Obama a big problem.
In a crushing blow to the White House and the Democratic Party, the seat once held by notorious sexter Anthony Weiner switched hands yesterday, with a longshot Republican now heading to the House of Representatives.
By linking the economic ennui of New York's ninth district (which spans parts of Brooklyn and Queens) to the President, and by making the administration's Middle East policy (specifically, the treatment of Israel) a hallmark of his campaign, former TV executive Bob Turner defeated state Assemblyman David Weprin by a stunning margin of 54% to 46% (with 84% of districts reporting as of late last night). Even 11th hour visits to the district to rally support by Democratic darlings Bill Clinton and Gov. Cuomo couldn't save the hapless Weprin.
But it's more than New York Democrats who are saying oy vey. The surprising loss of the Weiner seat is an indication of what's to come on the national stage, and why it's looking more likely that Republicans will retain control of the House, with the possibility of the Senate switching back to GOP hands also within reach (Republicans need to win a net of four seats in the Senate to gain a majority).
Despite big celebrations after the passage of Obamacare, the stimulus and financial reform legislation, Obama has given his party little to campaign on with his largely unpopular record, specifically when it comes to jobs. Republicans will spend millions of dollars linking their opponents to Obama and his record, and Democrats who run for office in 2012 will have no choice but to run away from the toxic President, even in what they may once have considered safely Democratic districts. They will exhaust their coffers either painting themselves as "independent" or ignoring Obama's agenda altogether, with incumbents doing everything they can to highlight key differences between their record and Obama's.
Having to spend so much money on defense will spread Democratic funds dangerously thin. In New York's ninth, national Democrats spent more than a half a million defending the Weiner seat, which they never suspected was vulnerable. Getting Democrats to blow critical campaign cash to protect even deeply blue districts is a Republican strategist's dream because it hinders their ability to be competitive elsewhere.
Think about it: If Obama is radioactive in New York City, imagine how his abysmal economic record will play in swing states like Missouri, Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania, where he is already suffering.
A new poll by the Third Way, a middle-of-the-road political group, shows Obama losing ground in 12 states crucial to his reelection hopes, reports USA Today, noting that "About 59% of 'switchers,' voters who backed Obama in 2008 but voted for a Republican in the midterm elections, say the President's party is more liberal than they are and that their political views align more closely with Republicans. Among the 400 switchers polled, 16% said they would vote for Obama again; 25% said they would back the Republican nominee and 59% were categorized as 'persuadable switchers.'"
And the Empire State upset wasn't the only trouncing the White House will have to grapple with. The news of the Turner win came as Republicans beat the Democrats in another special House election on Tuesday: In Nevada, Republican Mark Amodei triumphed over Democrat Kate Marshall, 58% to 36% (with 96% of votes counted).
Though the Nevada win wasn't exactly a surprise, it still points to the fact that Democrats won't have the luxury of putting Republican seats in play in 2012 with the Obama economy dangling from their necks and dragging down their efforts.
Lessons from last night's drubbing are sending shockwaves from Brooklyn to the Beltway. The message is clear. No seat is safe - especially not the one in the White House.
andrea@andreatantaros.com
Andrea Tantaros, whose column appears on Thursdays on NYDailyNews.com and often in the print edition of the newspaper, is a political commentator and co-host of The Five on The Fox News Channel. She previously served as a senior adviser on a number of political campaigns and as communications director for former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld and Rep. Thomas Reynolds (R-N.Y.) and on Capitol Hill as press secretary for Republican leadership. Tantaros lives in New York City.
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mm2k,
if i had to bet right now, I'd have to bet obama will squeak out a win. I haven't seen a strong GOP candidate that will energize both sides of the party and grab swing voters.
And let's face it - obamacare, two wars tied, great depression II, general impotence, 9.1 UE rate, and a shitload of other problems, and obama is STILL hovering around or right above 40%. ANd he's essentially tied with perfect candidates who aren't known yet - and they always drop as their positions become known and alienate voters or they jsut plain gaffe up.
MY POINT - there isn't much more that can happen to hurt obama in the next year. UE is bad. wars are bad. Obamacare sucks. And look where he is - 40%.
Bush was at 28% approval and still would have done better against obama than Mccain did. Obama is polling 12 points higher right now.
SO yes - it's not an endorsement of obama, in case any morons can't see that (not referring ot you mm2k) -
It's a stone cold analysis of how bad he's doing and comparatievly how well he's polling.
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Obama: Election Odds Better in 2012 Than 2008
ABC News ^
Posted on September 16, 2011 5:42:07 AM EDT by Sub-Driver
Obama: Election Odds Better in 2012 Than 2008
At a campaign fundraiser Thursday night in Washington, D.C. on President Obama said he believes his chances of being reelected in 2012 are “much higher” than they were in 2008.
“Over the last couple of months there have been Democrats who voiced concerns and nervousness about, well, in this kind of economy, isn’t this just — aren’t these just huge headwinds in terms of your reelection?” Obama said.
“And I just have to remind people that, here’s one thing I know for certain: the odds of me being reelected are much higher than the odds of me being elected in the first place.”
Obama made the remarks before a gathering of 50 donors to his reelection campaign and the Democratic National Committee who each paid $35,800 to attend.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; Click to Add Topic
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Carville doubles down: Obama ‘not going to win re-election on the course he’s on right now’
Yahoo ^
Carville doubles down: Obama ‘not going to win re-election on the course he’s on right now’ Jeff Poor - The Daily Caller 46 mins ago
On Thursday, former political adviser and current CNN contributor James Carville dropped a bomb on the Obama administration, saying it was time for panic and that, on his current trajectory, President Barack Obama would not be re-elected.
Later that evening on CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360,” Carville appeared from Starkville, Miss. and warned Obama again, alluding to the two special election losses — one in New York City and the other Nevada — as signs that the president is in trouble.
“I think that…Â these two elections… do mean something,” Carville said. “And even in Nevada: That was a seat I think we lost probably by about 8,000 votes in the presidential race and we lost about 22,000. It’s not going in the right direction. I think the president needs to show the country that he is unsatisfied with the pace of this recovery and the way that you do that is you make changes.”
Carville likened his case for changes to former President Bill Clinton’s reorganization following the 1994 Republican wave that led to its control of Congress.
(Excerpt) Read more at old.news.yahoo.com ...
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Obama: My odds are better in 2012 than in 2008
CBS News ^ | September 16, 2011 | Stephanie Condon
As the economy continues to sputter, some are questioning President Obama's re-election chances. But the president on Thursday insisted, "The odds of me being re-elected are much higher than the odds of me being elected in the first place."
The president acknowledged his supporters' concerns at a high-ticket Democratic fundraiser Thursday night, hosted by Elizabeth Frawley Bagley, the former U.S. Ambassador to Portugal.
"But we remain very confident about our ability to win a contest of ideas in 2012 -- as long as we can get the message out," Mr. Obama said.
The president said voters in 2012 will understand that the current economic climate stems in large part from long-term problems, like the structural deficit and shortcomings in education and energy policy.
"I think, an innate sense among the American people that things aren't fair, that the deck is stacked against them," he said, "that no matter how hard they work, their costs keep on going up, their hours are longer, they're struggling to make their mortgage, and somehow nobody's paying attention."
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
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Obama’s a flop in states he flipped in 2008
Washinton Times ^ | 09/15/11 | Dave Boyer
Dismal new poll numbers for President Obama in Virginia and North Carolina underscore a growing danger to his 2012 re-election hopes — his job-approval ratings have dropped below 50 percent in all of the key states that he “flipped” from the Republicans in 2008. Mr. Obama was able to win three years ago mainly because he captured nine states that had gone for Republican George W. Bush in 2004: Florida, Ohio, North Carolina, Virginia, Indiana, Colorado, Iowa, New Mexico and Nevada. Combined, those states will account for 112 electoral votes in 2012.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
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As the economy continues to sputter, some are questioning President Obama's re-election chances. But the president on Thursday insisted, "The odds of me being re-elected are much higher than the odds of me being elected in the first place."
He must be on crack.
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He must be on crack.
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Disappointed Hollywood Giving Obama Cold Shoulder (et tu Entertainment Industry?)
Hollywood Reporter ^ | 09/16/2011
As the 2012 election fund-raising cycle heats up, the onetime darling is finding far less enthusiasm from the showbiz donors who tell THR what went wrong. At this point in the previous presidential election cycle, Barack Obama was a Hollywood heartthrob. The entertainment industry's ardent Democratic activists couldn't dig deep enough into their wallets to finance his ambitious run for the Oval Office.
The industry remains with the president, but the disenchantment is increasingly palpable, and even devoted Democrats are approaching his re-election campaign with all the enthusiasm of a studio contractually obligated to finance a dubious sequel.
Obama certainly is raising major money in Hollywood -- $2.53 million during the first six months of 2011, with two more events scheduled for Sept. 26. As Andy Spahn, one of Obama's chief showbiz fund-raisers, points out, "We've sold out every event." Doing so, however, has required deft organization and more than a little arm-twisting. Another Obama fund-raiser described the process as "tough, tough, tough." Four years ago, candidate Obama's mere presence guaranteed a turn-away crowd.
But that was before Obama took office and started to compromise on issues important to industry activists.
Sure, such reliable Hollywood Democrats as George Clooney, Tom Hanks, Will Ferrell, Steven Spielberg and Peter Chernin each have donated $35,800, the maximum allowable by law, to the Obama Victory Fund
But others have yet to loosen their purse strings, and many believe the industry has turned on Obama.
Producer Lawrence Bender -- one of Obama's earliest Hollywood supporters --admits that "there are a lot of people who are disappointed. His ratings are down. He's having a really hard time right now." Bender says he's particularly disappointed by the president's recent delay of new clean air regulations. "Obviously, that's a huge letdown," he says, "but overall, I'm still going to support him."
Norman Lear, liberal Hollywood's reigning eminence grise, says he still backs Obama but will not give money to his campaign. "I want Obama to get re-elected and I will help him," he tells The Hollywood Reporter, "but I will do it the way I like to do it and not the D.C. way."
Lear says he plans to invest the money in one of his own political groups, like the People for the American Way, instead of writing a check to Obama's re-election committee. "I don't mean this to sound arrogant," says Lear, who gave $33,100 to Obama in 2008. "I just think I can do a better job of getting the message out.
Since Bill Clinton's first run for the White House, Hollywood has become one of the Democrats' most important sources of campaign financing. In 2008, the industry contributed nearly $40 million to Democratic candidates. At this point in that race four years ago, industry activists were splitting their donations among five candidates, but the lion's share went to Obama and Hillary Clinton. (Each had collected about $1.8 million from entertainment donors during the first six months of 2007.)
In September 2007, the hottest ticket in town was Oprah Winfrey's garden party for Obama that raised $3 million. When the talk show maven opened her palatial Montecito estate for an Obama fund-raiser featuring entertainment by Stevie Wonder, all of Hollywood seemed delighted to make the 90-minute trek from Los Angeles.
This time around, the incumbent's handlers are relying on a series of carefully staged events with ticket prices scaled to make sure they sell out. The first Obama event on Sept. 26, at the House of Blues on Sunset, has ticket prices starting at $250; at the second, at Olive & Fig on Melrose Place, heavy hitters will have to pony up $35,800 to attend.
Spahn and other firm Obama loyalists also are relying on a couple of other facts when gauging how deep a pocket the president ultimately may find in Hollywood. If there's anything high-level Hollywood understands, it's leverage, and for big givers unhappy with the president, this is the period of maximum leverage. If Obama feels he needs them, he may yet listen -- at least a little. Many of those signing up for the current round of fund-raisers are doing so in the hopes of expressing their disappointment directly to the president.
"It's like he's morphed into another person," says one veteran entertainment executive, a passionate Democrat, who asked not to be identified because the person is thinking of sitting out this election. "He's not the idealistic guy we thought he would be. Everyone I talk to is disappointed."
Disenchanted Hollywood's list of the president's shortcomings seems to grow monthly: Environmentalism, gay rights, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and Obama's handling of the unemployment crisis are a few of the persistent gripes. It might be a town filled with Bentleys and designer handbags, but high-level Hollywood is populated with self-made successes, and their sense of identification with the working and middle classes remains a powerful force when it comes to politics.
"He favors Wall Street instead of the everyman," says the veteran entertainment executive. "All he's doing is taking our money, and he's not doing anything we want him to do."
That sense of disappointment at being ignored goes to the heart of Hollywood's connection with Democratic officeholders. The Westside often is referred to by political pundits as the Dems' ATM, but the relationship is more like the one you'd have with a rich, affectionate but cranky Beverly Hills uncle. In the pinch, you know he's always going to be there for you and write the check -- but, before he does, you're going to have to sit and listen to his advice.
Some of the discontent may have been inevitable. Publicist and longtime Democratic activist Howard Bragman puts it this way: "Things are different this time around. Four years ago, it was a revolution. This time, it's an evolution. The sequel is never as exciting as the original."
But even the most disenchanted of the Hollywood Democrats could be pushed into Obama's fund-raising effort by the Republican nominee. "The more we see the Michele Bachmanns and the Rick Perrys, the more frightened we are," Bragman says.
When asked why he hasn't deserted Obama altogether, Lear says: "The Republicans running for president are a bunch of clowns. We may be disappointed in a lot of things that are going on in the Obama administration, but whatever we say about him, he's not a clown.
As the disenchanted executive who's sitting things out so far puts it, if Obama "is suddenly in a competitive race with Bachmann or Perry, I'll max out so fast it will make your head spin."
WHERE OBAMA HAS FAILED HOLLYWOOD: Four issues that have sapped his support among showbiz Democrats
1. The Environment: Hollywood is far greener than it is blue. Obama's recent decisions to allow more Arctic drilling and to put off more stringent clean air regulations were just the latest in a series of pro-development, pro-business moves. "Like so many others, I'm beginning to wonder just where the man stands," Robert Redford wrote in an August web post.
2. Unemployment: His Sept. 8 address to Congress notwithstanding, liberal Hollywood feels the president has been inexplicably slow to address persistent unemployment. The industry is instinctually Keynesian; it believes in stimulation.
3. Gay Rights: Hollywood's gay and lesbian activists still believe that Obama and his administration were slow to support abolition of the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. Many also feel that he's been evasive on the question of marriage equality, an issue the industry generally regards as the next great civil rights struggle.
4. Peace: Skepticism about American intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan runs deep in Hollywood, where there's a general sentiment that Obama has been far too slow to bring American troops home from the battlefields
OBAMA'S TOP HOLLYWOOD FUNDRAISERS: Financial "bundlers" pledge to raise money nationwide on behalf of Obama's re-election committee. Of the 244 registered bundlers, nine are Hollywood figures.
•Jeffrey Katzenberg, DreamWorks Ani.: $500,000
•David Cohen, Comcast: $500,000
•Andy Spahn, DreamWorks: $500,000
•Ken Soloman, Tennis Channel: $200,000
•Clarence Avant, Interior Music: $100,000
•Ari Emanuel, WME: $50,000
•Jamie and Michael Lynton, Sony Pictures: $100,000
•Kelly Meyer, activist and wife of Universal's Ron Meyer: $50,000
•Colleen Bell,$50,000
Source: Opensecrets.org
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Poll: Obama's Favorability Rating Upside-Down for First Time
national journal ^ | national journal
Posted on September 16, 2011 7:43:40 PM EDT by sunmars
For the first time, more Americans have an unfavorable opinion of President Obama than have a favorable opinion of him, according to a new CBS News/New York Times poll released late Friday, an indication that dissatisfaction with the president's job performance and the direction of the country is dragging down how Americans view Obama personally.
Just 39 percent of Americans have a favorable opinion of Obama, while 42 percent view him unfavorably. In January of this year, 40 percent had a favorable image of Obama, and 34 percent had an unfavorable opinion. In January 2009, as he was inaugurated, 60 percent of Americans had a favorable opinion of him.
While the president's approval rating -- which is down to 43 percent in the new poll, an all-time low -- is an important indicator of his re-election standing, the high regard Americans felt for Obama personally was a sign that Americans hadn't yet given up on his presidency.
In the new CBS News/New York Times poll, Obama is being crushed by negative data points:
-- 72 percent of Americans believe the nation is on the wrong track, a new high for the Obama presidency.
-- 49 percent of Democrats now say that Obama's job performance has been worse than they expected.
-- 47 percent of Americans are either "not very confident" or "not at all confident" that Obama's jobs legislation "will create jobs and improve the economy."
-- Obama's favorable/unfavorable rating among independents: 31 percent/41 percent.
(Excerpt) Read more at hotlineoncall.nationaljo urnal.com ...
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Obama Campaign Selling Dog Leashes That Say 'Barack's Best Friend'
Fox Nation ^ | 17 Sep 2011
Posted on September 18, 2011 8:34:52 PM EDT by mandaladon
That's right people, for the small price of only fifteen dollars you can now purchase a dog leash that says, "2012 Barack's Best Friend."
Not a dog person? Not to worry. The Obama 2012 campaign is also selling cat collars that say, "Cats for Obama."
Get them now why you still can.
Read more: http://store.barackobama.com/obama-leash.html#ixzz1YLzxDSI1
(Excerpt) Read more at nation.foxnews.com ...
WTF? is this what we have become?
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http://www.businessinsider.com/got-71000-to-spare-you-can-have-dinner-with-obama-in-new-york-tonight-2011-9
Got $72,000 To Spare? You And Your Partner Can Have Dinner With Obama In New York Tonight
Grace Wyler | Sep. 19, 2011, 2:09 PM
Never one to miss a fundraising opportunity, President Barack Obama will headline two fundraisers while he is in Manhattan for the U.N. General Assembly this week.
The Obama for America campaign confirms that Obama will attend a $71,600-per-couple “small dinner” tonight at the Park Avenue home of prominent Democratic bundlers Jane Hartley and Ralph Schlosstein. Individuals can attend for the paltry sum of $35,800 — the maximum a person can donate to the campaign and the DNC.
For those looking for something more glamorous (and cheaper), Obama and the First Lady are set to host a gala event, complete with a performance by Alicia Keys, Tuesday night at Gotham Hall. Seats are $2,500-a-head ($5,000 for premium seating), and $15,000 for dinner and photos.
The host committee for tonight’s dinner is a rather unremarkable list of longtime Democratic fundraisers from Wall Street. Hartley is the CEO of the Observatory Group, an economic and political advisory firm; Schlosstein, her husband, was a cofounder and president of BlackRock, and is now CEO of the boutique investment bank Evercore. Evercore was an advisor on the GM bailout deal.
Here’s who else is hosting tonight:
Roger Altman: A co-founder of Evercore, Altman was Deputy Treasury Secretary under Bill Clinton until he resigned amid a record-keeping scandal. He was an economic advisor to John Kerry and Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaigns.
Andi & Tom Bernstein: The Bernsteins are notable because Tom Bernstein was a major supporter of George W. Bush. The Bernsteins supported Obama after the primaries in 2008, as members of the Obama Jewish Leadership Council of Metro New York. It’s interesting that they are sticking with him this year. Tom Bernstein is president and co-founder of Chelsea Piers.
Michael Kempner: A public relations and lobbying executive based in New Jersey, Kempner is a longtime staple of the national Democratic Party fundraising network in the New York metro area.
Charles Myers: A senior managing director with Evercore Partners and a high-level political bundler. Obama has been courting Myers heavily this summer, and the fact that he is hosting tonight indicates his efforts have been successful.
Pilar Crespi & Stephen Robert: Robert, a former Oppenheimer CEO, and his wife Crespi, are major donors, as well as big names in the New York philanthropy scene.
Michelle Obama will put her star power to work as well, with a ladies luncheon put on by the Women for Obama finance committee. Co-hosted by DNC Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the event will feature some of the biggest names in women’s rights, including feminist author Gloria Steinem, Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards, Emily’s List President Stephanie Schirock, and leading pro-choice activist Nancy Keenan.
(snip)
shared sacrifice.
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http://www.businessinsider.com/got-71000-to-spare-you-can-have-dinner-with-obama-in-new-york-tonight-2011-9
Got $72,000 To Spare? You And Your Partner Can Have Dinner With Obama In New York Tonight
Grace Wyler | Sep. 19, 2011, 2:09 PM
Never one to miss a fundraising opportunity, President Barack Obama will headline two fundraisers while he is in Manhattan for the U.N. General Assembly this week.
The Obama for America campaign confirms that Obama will attend a $71,600-per-couple “small dinner” tonight at the Park Avenue home of prominent Democratic bundlers Jane Hartley and Ralph Schlosstein. Individuals can attend for the paltry sum of $35,800 — the maximum a person can donate to the campaign and the DNC.
For those looking for something more glamorous (and cheaper), Obama and the First Lady are set to host a gala event, complete with a performance by Alicia Keys, Tuesday night at Gotham Hall. Seats are $2,500-a-head ($5,000 for premium seating), and $15,000 for dinner and photos.
The host committee for tonight’s dinner is a rather unremarkable list of longtime Democratic fundraisers from Wall Street. Hartley is the CEO of the Observatory Group, an economic and political advisory firm; Schlosstein, her husband, was a cofounder and president of BlackRock, and is now CEO of the boutique investment bank Evercore. Evercore was an advisor on the GM bailout deal.
Here’s who else is hosting tonight:
Roger Altman: A co-founder of Evercore, Altman was Deputy Treasury Secretary under Bill Clinton until he resigned amid a record-keeping scandal. He was an economic advisor to John Kerry and Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaigns.
Andi & Tom Bernstein: The Bernsteins are notable because Tom Bernstein was a major supporter of George W. Bush. The Bernsteins supported Obama after the primaries in 2008, as members of the Obama Jewish Leadership Council of Metro New York. It’s interesting that they are sticking with him this year. Tom Bernstein is president and co-founder of Chelsea Piers.
Michael Kempner: A public relations and lobbying executive based in New Jersey, Kempner is a longtime staple of the national Democratic Party fundraising network in the New York metro area.
Charles Myers: A senior managing director with Evercore Partners and a high-level political bundler. Obama has been courting Myers heavily this summer, and the fact that he is hosting tonight indicates his efforts have been successful.
Pilar Crespi & Stephen Robert: Robert, a former Oppenheimer CEO, and his wife Crespi, are major donors, as well as big names in the New York philanthropy scene.
Michelle Obama will put her star power to work as well, with a ladies luncheon put on by the Women for Obama finance committee. Co-hosted by DNC Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the event will feature some of the biggest names in women’s rights, including feminist author Gloria Steinem, Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards, Emily’s List President Stephanie Schirock, and leading pro-choice activist Nancy Keenan.
(snip)
shared sacrifice.
Do you think that Palin has a crush on Obama since she has a fetish for black guys?
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McClatchy Poll: Majority Believe Obama Will Lose in 2012
Wednesday, 21 Sep 2011
By Jim Meyers
A majority of voters now believe that President Barack Obama will lose next year’s election to any Republican, and most potential GOP challengers — including unannounced candidate Sarah Palin — are gaining on him, a new poll reveals.
The McClatchy-Marist survey of more than 1,000 adults found that 52 percent of voters think Obama will lose in 2012 — no matter who the GOP candidate is — while 38 percent believe he won’t lose. Even among Democrats, 31 percent believe Obama will be defeated.
Nearly half of voters polled, 49 percent, said they definitely plan to vote against Obama, including 53 percent of independents, while 36 percent of respondents overall said they do not definitely plan to vote against the president, according to the poll results reported by The Miami Herald.
After trailing Obama by more than 20 percentage points all year, Palin is behind the president by just 5 points, 49 percent to 44 percent, in the new poll.
http://www.newsmax.com/TheWire/McClatchy-poll-Obama-loses/2011/09/21/id/411780
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McClatchy Poll: Majority Believe Obama Will Lose in 2012
Wednesday, 21 Sep 2011
By Jim Meyers
A majority of voters now believe that President Barack Obama will lose next year’s election to any Republican, and most potential GOP challengers — including unannounced candidate Sarah Palin — are gaining on him, a new poll reveals.
The McClatchy-Marist survey of more than 1,000 adults found that 52 percent of voters think Obama will lose in 2012 — no matter who the GOP candidate is — while 38 percent believe he won’t lose. Even among Democrats, 31 percent believe Obama will be defeated.
Nearly half of voters polled, 49 percent, said they definitely plan to vote against Obama, including 53 percent of independents, while 36 percent of respondents overall said they do not definitely plan to vote against the president, according to the poll results reported by The Miami Herald.
After trailing Obama by more than 20 percentage points all year, Palin is behind the president by just 5 points, 49 percent to 44 percent, in the new poll.
http://www.newsmax.com/TheWire/McClatchy-poll-Obama-loses/2011/09/21/id/411780
180 says those polls don't mean shit, unless of course they show President Downgrade winning.
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Poll: Obama slips with black voters
politico.com ^ | September 22, 2011 | TIM MAK
Posted on Thursday, September 22, 2011 7:07:26 AM by Berlin_Freeper
African Americans appear to be cooling their support for President Obama, with “strongly favorable” views of the president dropping dramatically from 83 percent five months ago to 58 percent today, a new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows.
The drop in support among black voters mirrors the declining support for Obama among all groups.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
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Gallup: More Voters Considering Romney Than Obama, Perry
Gallup ^ | 09/22/2011
More registered voters say they would definitely vote for Mitt Romney or might consider doing so (62%) than say the same about his two main rivals in the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama (54%) and Republican Rick Perry (53%).
Though Romney currently receives the highest level of consideration among voters, more say they would "definitely vote for" Obama (33%) than say this about either Romney (21%) or Perry (20%). That may reflect the virtual certainty that Obama will be the Democratic candidate for president, while Republicans' loyalties are divided between their two leading contenders.
That dynamic is apparent in the higher percentage of Democratic registered voters who say they definitely would vote for Obama (70%) than of Republican registered voters who would definitely vote for either of the main Republican contenders (41% for Perry and 44% for Romney). Once the Republican nominee is decided, the percentage of Republicans who say they would definitely vote for that candidate should increase significantly.
Romney's advantage in broader voter consideration over Perry and Obama results partly from his greater appeal to independent voters -- 70% say they would definitely vote for him or consider doing so, compared with 60% for Perry and 45% for Obama. Romney also receives greater consideration from Republican and Democratic voters than does Perry, and matches the 90% party loyalty Obama gets from his party's supporters.
(Excerpt) Read more at gallup.com ...
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Voters in battleground districts even more hostile to Dems than in 2010
Hotair ^ | 09/23/2011 | Ed Morrissey
Posted on September 23, 2011 5:11:27 PM EDT by SeekAndFind
After the midterm elections, Democrats argued that the Tea Party-inspired turnout was a fluke, and that grassroots voters would start turning on Republicans as soon as they had a share in responsibility for governance. According to the latest Democracy Corps survey of battleground Congressional districts, neither are true, at least not yet. Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg surveyed voters in 60 Republican-held purple districts and found that voters are even more sour on Democrats than in 2010:
One of the Democratic party’s leading pollsters released a survey of 60 Republican-held battleground districts today painting an ominous picture for Congressional Democrats in 2012. The poll shows Democratic House candidates faring worse than they did in the 2010 midterms, being dragged down by an unpopular president who would lose to both Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Mitt Romney. …
Instead of an overall anti-incumbent sentiment impacting members of both parties, voters are taking more of their anger out on Democrats. When voters were asked whether they’re supporting the Republican incumbent or a Democratic candidate, 50 percent preferred the Republican and just 41 percent backed the Democrat.
Voters in these districts said they were more supportive of Republicans than they were during the 2010 midterms, when 48 percent said they backed the Republican candidate and 42 percent said they backed the Democrat. (Republicans won 55 percent of the overall vote in these 60 battleground districts, while Democrats took 43 percent.) In 2010, Republicans netted 63 House seats – their best showing since 1948.
That’s not to say that Republicans don’t have anything to worry about:
Negative personal feelings about the incumbent members have jumped 10 points since March; disapproval of how he or she is handling the job has jumped 7 points.
The percent saying they “can’t re-elect” is up 4 points to 49 percent – compared to just 40 percent who say they “will re-elect because the incumbent is doing a good job and addressing issues important to voters.” This is substantially worse than the position of Democratic incumbents two years ago.
Among independents, disapproval of incumbent Republican House members jumped 12 points, and a large majority of independents (54 to 37 percent) say they “can’t vote to re-elect” the incumbent.
However, the incumbent Republicans average 50% support for re-election, an achievement gained mainly through consolidation of Republican voters, Greenberg notes. That’s a level where incumbents generally win re-election.
With Democratic support falling from last year, it’s hard to argue that Republicans are in much danger of losing these swing districts as a whole, which would mean that 2010 was more of a realigning election than a fluke. And this result shows that 2012 could be an even stronger realignment. Greenberg only polled in districts already held by Republicans, a not-unfair paradigm in that Democrats obviously want to target these in 2012 as the easiest to potentially win back. However, as Greenberg discovers, Democrats in general and especially Barack Obama continue to lose ground in these districts:
Republicans have lost ground, too, but not as much as Democrats. The party as a whole has lost 5 points rather than 9, and Republicans in Congress only 4 points to the -11 for their counterparts. Voter assessment for Barack Obama in these districts has shifted from a 48/47 in March to 41/55 this month, a fall of 15 points in the gap. Among independents in these districts, it’s not quite as bad, but only because Obama’s approval in these districts was atrocious anyway. Obama went from a 39/54 in March to a 35/59, a 9-point change in the gap, with 48% now strongly disapproving of his performance.
Greenberg says that enthusiasm for Republicans has dropped, but that’s going to change in 2012 regardless of what happens in Congress because of one overriding fact: Obama will be on the top of the ticket. That will bring more Republicans and angry independents to the polls in these districts, and they will vote for Republican incumbents. Demoralized Democrats may still trek to the polls to salvage down-ticket races, but it’s not likely to be enough. A President at 41/55 and 35/59 among independents is an albatross for the rest of his party’s candidates on any ticket, especially in battleground districts.
Perhaps Greenberg should start looking at Democratic-held districts instead of those held by Republicans. If NY-09 is an example, we may need to redefine “battleground” districts, and the result will likely not be pretty for Democrats.
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Obama Approval Rating: Likability Factor Keeping President Afloat
Posted: 9/24/11
By KRISTEN WYATT, ASSOCIATED PRESS
(AP) DENVER -- People like Christine Alonzo are keeping President Barack Obama afloat and giving his political team hope that he can win re-election despite high unemployment and sour attitudes about his policies and the country's future.
Alonzo volunteered for Obama during the 2008 campaign. A few months after Obama's victory, she lost her job. She's still looking for work. Instead of blaming Obama for the economic crisis, she's volunteering full time to help him capture a second term.
"It's tough out there," Alonzo says. But, the 43-year-old adds, "I don't think our president's had enough time to get us back to where we need to be." She still likes him even though she's not hot about the state of the country. "He's got the intelligence, the drive, to get this country back on track."
This is a factor any Republican challenger must consider: Public opinion polls routinely show that Americans like the president personally even though they don't agree with his policies, even if hurt by them.
People who have lost their jobs or homes during Obama's presidency nonetheless say they want him to succeed and, what's more, they're working to help re-elect him because of the affinity they feel for him.
"A lot has not been accomplished, we know that," said Kathleen McKevitt of Jerome, Idaho, who lost her job just before Obama took office and has struggled to find full-time work. "That doesn't mean we don't like Obama."
It's a bright spot in an otherwise dreary political environment for the incumbent.
There are fears the country may fall back into a recession. The unemployment rate is stuck at a stubbornly high 9.1 percent. Foreclosures are rampant. The effect on Obama's job-performance rating: They've fallen to the mid-40s, a low point.
Democrats acknowledge it could be even worse if not for the high marks Obama gets for who he is compared with the low marks for what he does.
"There are a lot of people out there who like the president, who think he is a good, decent person who is trying hard. They may have issues about the economy. They may have issues about the direction of the country. But there are a lot of voters out there who are giving him the benefit of the doubt," said Mo Elleithee, a Democratic strategist in Washington. "Heading into the election year being well-liked puts him in a good position as he begins to make the contrast with the other side."
A recent Associated Press-GfK poll showed that nearly 8 in 10 people considered Obama a likable person, and slightly more than half said he understands the problems of ordinary people. Even among those who said the United States is headed in the wrong direction, 43 percent had a favorable opinion of the president, 10 points higher than his job approval rating among that group.
Obama's advisers point to his favorability ratings as an asset when the eventual GOP nominee tries to make the case for change in the White House in 2012.
"They're going to tell you that everyone's left the president, no one likes Obama anymore. They are so totally wrong," Obama's national field director, Jeremy Bird, told volunteers in Denver recently. "Yes, people are frustrated with the economy, with jobs. But when they look at the president, the president's character ... they're all in support,"
To be sure, there are plenty of people who are sitting out the campaign this time.
Liberal activists have complained about Obama's handling of issues such as taxes and the government's borrowing limit. They've criticized the president for not being more aggressive with Republicans in Congress. Many said they will focus their energies on state and local races next year.
Some supporters recently gathered to be trained by Bird as Obama volunteers in Denver, where Obama accepted the Democratic nomination in 2008 at Mile High Stadium.
Campaign staffers reminded them of the affinity they felt for Obama, showing a video of his rousing address to the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston. That's where the future president outlined his compelling life story and said his rise would be possible only in America.
The pitch got a nod from 60-year-old volunteer Betsy Daniel of Denver.
"When the debt ceiling debate was going on, it was tough sledding," Daniel said. "But we feel like we're working for a better America, so we keep going. Sure, there isn't the same enthusiasm. But I have every reason to believe we're laying the groundwork for it."
For the president, that groundwork includes a Western visit to keep his fans engaged.
Obama, who was scheduled to leave Washington on Sunday, planned to raise money in Seattle and the San Francisco area before a town hall-style event Monday at the Computer History Museum near the headquarters of social networking site LinkedIn in Mountain View, Calif.
Additional fundraisers are set for San Diego and Los Angeles before the trip ends with a speech in Denver on Tuesday where he intends to promote his jobs plan.
Denver-based political strategist Jill Hanauer said the president has two objectives: convince supporters on the left that he's serious about pushing tax increases for the rich to pay for his $447 billion jobs plan, while sending signals to independent voters that they should trust him to keep trying to turn around the economy.
"If voters feel he's authentically trying to make things better, that works for him," said Hanauer, founder of Project New West, a consulting firm with liberal clients. "Some folks can maybe be disappointed in him, but he's a likable person."
That's what helps keep McKevitt coming back to him no matter how frustrating the search for full-time work is. She's moving to Carson City, Nev., this month to volunteer full time for him.
"You look at the president, and you see a family man facing a great, great hardship on all fronts. People understand that," said McKevitt. She lost her editing job at a weekly newspaper that folded shortly before Obama was elected and she recently won a campaign essay contest to have lunch with the president. "People like how reasonable he is, and people feel that. He's a soul kind of guy, with depth."
Heather Barr of Phoenix, a 41-year-old real estate agent in Arizona, didn't volunteer for Obama in 2008.
But seeing the housing collapse up close compelled her to get involved this time. She lost her home a month ago and is living in an apartment. She doesn't blame Obama but rather is giving him the benefit of the doubt.
Said Barr: "I know things aren't great. People are concerned, obviously. But what I hear is, people want to give the president more time. This economic trouble that we're in didn't happen overnight."
For Deborah Holland of Albuquerque, N.M., a personal feeling of connection to the president overrides thoughts about Obama's performance and the economy, even with the stress of a precarious job situation. The 50-year-old cobbles together work as a caterer, cake decorator and office manager, even though she has a law degree.
"When we first got to know him in 2008, it was evident he came from humble beginnings," Holland said. "And I think a lot of us can relate to that. We feel comfortable with that."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/24/obama-approval-rating-likability_n_979076.html
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Obama Heads West to Raise Money, Energize Liberals (SEVEN fundraisers in TWO days)
AP via The Chicago Sun-Times ^ | Sunday, September 25, 2011 | Erica Werner
Posted on Sunday, September 25, 2011 11:46:32 AM by kristinn
President Barack Obama is trying out his newly combative message on the liberal West Coast, aiming to re-energize faithful Democratic voters who have grown increasingly disenchanted with him.
The trip, which begins Sunday and includes fundraisers from Seattle to Hollywood and San Diego, comes as Obama has shifted from seeking compromise with Republicans on Capitol Hill to calling out House Speaker John Boehner and others by name. The president has criticized them as obstructionists and demanded their help in passing his $447 billion jobs bill.
SNIP
Obama and the Republican presidential candidates are working overtime to raise campaign cash ahead of an important Sept. 30 reporting deadline that will give a snapshot of their financial strength. Obama’s West Coast visit was heavy on fundraisers: two each in Seattle and the San Francisco area Sunday, followed by one in San Diego on Monday and two in Los Angeles.
The expected haul: $4 million or more.
He scheduled a town hall-style event Monday in the Silicon Valley hosted by social networking company LinkedIn. The trip ends Tuesday with a speech to supporters in Denver, where he accepted the Democratic nomination three years ago.
SNIP
(Excerpt) Read more at suntimes.com ...
MAYBE THIS DIRTBAG SHOULD USE THE MONEY TO REPAY THE TAXPAYER FOR THE SOLYNDRA LOAN HE FRAUDENTLY SCREWED US OUT OF?
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Lady Gaga shows at Obama fundraiser
Associated Press ^ | Sept. 25, 2011
Posted on September 25, 2011 11:41:03 PM EDT by Free ThinkerNY
ATHERTON, Calif. (AP) -- Pop singer Lady Gaga was among the guests at a Silicon Valley fundraiser for President Barack Obama.
The intimate gathering was held under a tent in the yard of Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg on Sunday night.
(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...
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Obama Focuses on Success During West Coast Swing [Obama Says He Got 80% of His Agenda]
FoxNews ^ | September 25, 2011 | Ed Henry
Posted on September 25, 2011 11:21:27 PM EDT by Steelfish
Obama Focuses on Success During West Coast Swing
Ed Henry Published September 25, 2011
SAN JOSE, Calif. – As he kicked off a three-day swing through the West aimed in part at firing up his liberal base and raking in millions of dollars for his 2012 re-election campaign, President Obama claimed his first term has been a success even as he urged supporters for the second straight day to "shake off" their frustrations in order to help give him a second term in office.
"I need you guys to shake off any doldrums," Obama said Sunday at the second of two fundraisers in Seattle before jetting here to San Jose for two more fundraisers. "I need you to decide right here and right now, talk to your friends and neighbors and co-workers and tell them, ‘You know what? We're not finished yet.'"
Obama struck a similar tone in rallying liberal supporters on Saturday night in Washington, DC, when he spoke at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Annual Phoenix Awards dinner before heading out West on Sunday. "I expect all of you to march with me and press on," Obama said to applause. "Take off your bedroom slippers, put on your marching shoes. Shake it off. Stop complaining, stop grumbling, stop crying. We are going to press on." In Seattle on Sunday, Obama was just as aggressive in asserting his first term has been successful as he claimed that he has accomplished the vast majority of what he wanted to get done.
"We’re just starting off here, we’ve got 14 months," Obama said about his first term in office, urging supporters to help spread the message that it’s not a failure he’s only gotten 80 percent of what he wants done so far.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Lmfao. What a joke.
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O-bummer! MTV tunes out prez campaign
NY Post ^ | September 27, 2011 | CLAIRE ATKINSON
President Obama’s re-election campaign wants to connect with young Americans and reached out recently to MTV for help -- but the cable network turned them down, sources tell The Post.
The president’s Get Out the Vote campaign, run by Buffy Wicks, concerned the high unemployment rate of the so-called millennial generation would turn them off to their candidate, asked the network of “Jersey Shore” about helping to supply them with ideas on how to deal with their, er, situation...
The re-election effort wants to reconnect with youth, which were among its most fervent supporters in 2008.
“The youth initiative is having trouble with big donors and youth votes,” said a person familiar with the discussions. “They asked, ‘Can you tell us how we should be talking to them?’ ” one source noted.
Viacom’s unit took a few weeks before getting back to the campaign to decline its invitation, saying that it doesn’t do political work...
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
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Obama Fundraising Suffers Huge Drop-off
White House Dossier ^ | September 27, 2011 | Keith Koffler
President Obama will raise substantially less in the second quarter of his campaign than the first, according to the New York Times.
The paper writes that Obama campaign manager Jim Messina has told Democratic officials that the president will raise about $55 million in the quarter that ends Sept. 30, about $30 million less than he raised the first quarter of his campaign – which was the second quarter of the year, ending June 30.
The news was – gosh who would have expected – buried within the Times story.
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Obama grapples with memories of 2008 hope, change
Associated Press ^ | 9/27/11 | ERICA WERNER
Posted on September 27, 2011 8:46:31 PM EDT by mdittmar
DENVER (AP) — Remember when Barack Obama first ran for president and people were really into him?
Obama remembers it, too, but not the same way some of his supporters do.
Bidding for re-election in tough economic times, Obama says there is some "revisionist history" going on about how great that first race was.
His strategy is to bring disillusioned supporters back into the fold by addressing their feelings of discouragement head-on and reminding them they signed up for something tough to begin with — even if now they just remember the "hope" and "change" posters.
And he's telling them bluntly they will have to be even more determined and find different sources of inspiration this time around since he is not the fresh face.
"I'm grayer, I'm all dinged up," Obama told a Hollywood fundraiser crowd Monday night. "And those old posters everybody has got in their closet, they're all dog-eared and faded. And so the energy of 2008 is going to have to be generated in a different way."
(Excerpt) Read more at google.com ...
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Liberal Newsweek Editor Admits: Obama 'Wasn't Ready' to Be President
NewsBusters ^ | 27 Sep 2011 | Scott Whitlock
Posted on September 27, 2011 7:28:18 PM EDT by mandaladon
During an appearance on Morning Joe, Tuesday, Newsweek editor Tina Brown made an off-hand remark about Barack Obama, conceding that the politician "wasn't ready" to be President. Brown has previously attacked Rush Limbaugh and other conservatives for daring to oppose the Obama
While discussing whether New Jersey Governor Chris Christie will change his mind and run for President, the former New Yorker editor blurted, "Actually, I just hope he doesn't, because in the end, you know, his tremendous misgivings, maybe he is right. I mean, We had this with Obama. He wasn't ready, it turns out, really."
(Excerpt) Read more at newsbusters.org ...
TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Extended News; Front Page News; Politics/Elections; Click to Add Topic
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Obama will lose, and it won't be close
Washington Times ^ | 8/16/2011 | Rich Stowell
SALT LAKE CITY, August 16, 2011—Many on the Left claim to think that President Obama will be handily re-elected. Commentators who are reliable cheerleaders for Democrats, such as Lawrence O’Donnell and Peter Beinart, have publicly declared their faith in the president’s re-election prospects.
Hillary Clinton said a few months ago that she was “confident” of Obama’s re-election, while Nancy Pelosi guaranteed it.
Most Democrats, however, merely fall back on the standard prognostication that Obama will eke out a close election, like a coach telling his team that things aren’t that bad during halftime of a game in which they find themselves behind … big.
Obama will lose re-election, and it won’t be close.
First, look at the electoral map, which settled in favor of the president, 365 – 173 in 2008, an impressive win indeed.
But the map is different now. Obama will not win any state that John McCain won; it’s just not that kind of environment. Those states gained six votes in census-year reapportionment.
Then there are almost certain losses for the president—states (and their votes) he won last time that will not swing for a liberal democrat who now has a record to defend: Iowa (6), Ohio (18), Indiana (11), Virginia (13), North Carolina (15), Nevada (6), New Mexico (5), and Florida (29). Those states have 103 electoral votes between them.
Then there are the battlegrounds of Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and Colorado.
Depending on the nominee and his or her running mate, you can throw in Massachusetts and New Jersey. Obama will win most of these states, but could lose one or two of them.
Change is coming. You can believe it.
(Excerpt) Read more at communities.washingtonti mes.com ...
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President Obama won't win reelection, says poll
Christian Science Monitor ^ | 10/4/2011 | Liz Marlantes
Posted on October 4, 2011 10:49:54 PM EDT by Signalman
According to a new ABC News/Washington Post poll, just 37 percent of Americans believe President Obama will win reelection; 55 percent believe he will lose to the Republican nominee.
This is not great news for the president, not necessarily because Americans are psychic, but because expectations often shape reality.
In particular, a widespread belief that Obama will lose could widen the already problematic “enthusiasm gap“ for the president.
It’s a tricky balance for the White House. Many of the president’s natural supporters are not feeling especially fired up this time around - particularly compared to the white-hot intensity seen among Republicans. The Obama campaign clearly believes they must do something to energize their base and create a sense of urgency.
To that end, they have been sounding the alarm that this will be a hard-fought election. Last week, top strategist David Axelrod said the election would be a “titanic struggle.” Today, in an interview with ABC News, Obama himself actually agreed that the odds were against him and called himself the “underdog.”
(Excerpt) Read more at csmonitor.com ...
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New Poll Has The Worst News Yet For Obama
Zeke Miller | Oct. 6, 2011, 7:10 AM | 2,750 | 22
Obama Taps Hillary Clinton's Popularity To Help Push Jobs AgendaBofA's Moynihan Refuses To Hit Obama For Criticizing Checking Fee, Says Europe Contagion 'Is Real'It's Official: Americans Believe We're In A Recession
President Barack Obama's disapproval rating hit an all-time high of 55 percent in a new poll from Quinnipiac University, and in the most troubling poll news for Obama to date, independent voters disapprove of Obama's job performance by a 56-38 margin.
Approval of Obama's handling of the economy — certain to be the most significant issue in the coming election — hit another record low at 32 percent, with 64 percent disapproving.
Additionally, an overwhelming majority of Americans believe the country is in a recession, with little confidence the economy will recover anytime soon.
A full 43 percent of Americans trust congressional Republicans on the economy, compared to 41 percent for Obama. The results are a statistical tie — the first time Obama has not led on the issue ever. This is particularly telling given that just 23 percent of Americans approve of congressional Republicans' job performance.
If Obama were to be reelected, just 29 percent of Americans say the economy will get better, compared to 36 percent saying it will get worse and 31 saying it will stay the same.
The only good news for Obama is that 51 percent of Americans still blame President George W. Bush for the state of the economy – and percentage in steady decline going into the election year.
Image: Quinnipiac Poll
Image: Quinnipiac Poll
Image: Quinnipiac Poll
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Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/new-poll-has-the-worst-news-yet-for-obama-2011-10#ixzz1a0cO1D2J
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240 is still on the Kenya Express for sure.
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Oct 06, 2011
Poll: Voters fear worse economy with Obama
By David Jackson, USA TODAY Updated 5m ago
President ObamaCAPTIONBy Pablo Martinez Monsivais, APPresident Obama not only has a political problem with the economy, but with voters' confidence in his ability to handle it.
By a margin of 44%-11%, voters say the economy is getting worse, not better, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll -- and only 29% say the economy will get better if Obama is re-elected.
The Quinnipiac poll also says that voters believe Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney would do a better job on the economy than Obama, by a margin of 49%-39%; Rick Perry gets the nod over Obama by a margin of 45%-42%.
Overall, voters disapprove of the job President Obama is doing, by a margin of 55%-41%.
"The trend isn't good for President Barack Obama," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "His disapproval has gone up 9% since the summer, from 46% in July to 52% in September to 55% today."
Some good news for Obama in the Quinnipiac poll: More voters continue to blame predecessor George W. Bush for the state of the bad economy, by a margin of 51%-32%.
"The political challenge for the president will be whether he can make voters believe his eventual GOP opponent is a carbon copy of the former president," Brown said. "The fact that voters are unsure whether the economy will improve if he is re-elected is not a good sign for Obama."
Brown also said: "The president is stuck at a politically unhealthy level for someone who wants to be re-elected. His standing with the American people is obviously closely related to their views of the economy."
More from the poll:
The president's job approval among Democrats, 77%-18%, is lower than his disapproval among Republicans, 91%-7%. Independent voters disapprove 56%-38%.
Men disapprove 60%-36% and women disapprove 51%-46%. Black voters approve 81%-15%, but disapproval is 62%-34% among white voters and 50%-45% among Hispanic voters.
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Election 2012: Generic Republican 47%, Obama 41%
in Politics
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Tuesday, October 04, 2011
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2012/election_2012_presidential_election/generic_presidential_ballot/election_2012_generic_presidential_ballot
A generic Republican now holds a six-point advantage over President Obama in a hypothetical 2012 match-up for the week ending Sunday, October 2.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. Voters finds the generic Republican earning 47% support, while the president picks up 41% of the vote. Four percent (4%) prefer some other candidate, and eight percent (8%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Last week, the generic Republican and the president were essentially tied. Since weekly tracking began in early May, the Republican has earned 43% to 49% support, while the president has picked up 40% to 45% of the vote.
Rasmussen Reports will provide new data on this generic matchup each week until the field of prospective Republican nominees narrows to a few serious contenders.
President Obama leads most of the current GOP hopefuls aside from New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who is not running, and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, who he’s essentially tied with. For a complete listing of all the most current matchups, click here.
Rasmussen Reports has launched a new subscription service providing have access to more than 20 exclusive stories each week. It’s just $3.95 a month or $34.95 a year. Check it out with a three-day free trial subscription.
(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.
The survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted September 26-October 2, 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
So far this year, the president’s overall job approval, measured in the Rasmussen Reports Daily Presidential Tracking Poll, has ranged from a low of 42% to a high of 51%. If the election were held today, a president’s approval rating is a good indicator of how much support he would receive. Any incumbent earning under 50% of the vote is considered politically vulnerable.
The generic GOP candidate leads among male voters by 13 points and runs even with the president among female voters.
Voters under 30 continue to favor Obama, while their elders like the Republican better.
Voters not affiliated with either major political party prefer the Republican candidate by a 45% to 34% margin.
Most Tea Party members (89%) support the generic Republican. Among non-members, Obama leads 52% to 35%.
Two-out-of-three (66%) in the Political Class opt for Obama, while 55% of Mainstream voters support the generic Republican.
In the latest Generic Congressional Ballot, Republicans have jumped back to a six-point lead over Democrats. This is the widest gap between the two parties in a month of weekly tracking.
As of now, the 2012 Republican Presidential Primary race is all about Perry and Romney, with no other candidate reaching double-digit support. Among GOP voters in New Hampshire, Romney is the clear favorite over Perry, 39% to 18%.
The number of Republicans and Democrats in the country is just about even. In fact, the gap between the parties is the smallest it has ever been in nearly nine years of monthly tracking.
A full demographic breakdown and historical trends are available to Platinum Members only.
Please sign up for the Rasmussen Reports daily e-mail update (it’s free) or follow us on Twitter or Facebook . Let us keep you up to date with the latest public opinion news.
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Gallup Daily: Obama Job Approval (TANKING!! 38Aprove-53DIS Aprove)
gallup ^ | 10/07/2011 | gallup
Gallup tracks daily the percentage of Americans who approve or disapprove of the job Barack Obama is doing as president. Results are based on telephone interviews with approximately 1,500 national adults; Margin of error is ±3 percentage points.
(Excerpt) Read more at gallup.com ...
http://www.gallup.com/poll/113980/Gallup-Daily-Obama-Job-Approval.aspx
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38% - WOW! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
ONE AND DONE!
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i dont get this. there is NO bigger goal in politics than to be POTUS. All the ppl that achieved gov status - NO WAY they don't want to be president.
Obama is doing so bad, and will 100% lose, according to the Christian Science Monitor, which I can only assume to ba a non-partisan polling group.
So why won't Jeb, palin, christie and others run? Why only the 1/2 price, Tier 2 candidates?
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51% Don't Want Second Term For President Obama
By ED CARSON, INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY
Posted 08:05 AM ET
A majority of Americans now oppose giving President Obama a second term, reflecting the country's continued weak economic performance, according to the latest IBD/TIPP survey released Monday.
By 51%-41%, respondents in October picked "someone new deserves a chance" over Obama "deserves to be re-elected." Among independents, it was 54%-36%. Back in September, the readings were 50%-44% and 53%-38%, respectively.
Americans are frustrated over the continued sluggish economy, says Raghavan Mayur, president of TechnoMetrica Market Intelligence, which conducted the poll. As Vice President Joe Biden recently admitted, after nearly three years in power, the Obama administration owns the economy.
The U.S. added 103,000 jobs last month, the Labor Department reported Friday. That was far better than expected, but not enough to keep pace with population growth. Excluding the impact of a short-lived Verizon (VZ) strike, the U.S. added just 58,000 jobs.
Half of Americans give Obama poor or unacceptable marks in creating jobs and economic growth vs. 24% who say he's doing well.
Among independents, it's 51%-18%. 33% of swing voters give him an "F" vs. just 2% who give an "A".
That underscores Obama's intensity problem. In addition to his deteriorating support among independents, just 77% of Democrats say Obama deserves re-election while 88% of Republicans say he doesn't.
The Occupy Wall Street movement, while directed at fat cat bankers, also reflects broad dissatisfaction among Obama's political base.
The economic outlook doesn't look any better for Obama. Private and government forecasters expect the jobless rate — 9.1% in September — to stay above 8% or even 9% through 2012. Back in 2009, Obama predicted the unemployment rate would be down to 6.5% by now.
Still, while Obama may be losing by double digits to "somebody else" ultimately he will face off against a real rival. The GOP nomination race is fluid, with Mitt Romney, Rick Perry and Herman Cain the current top contenders.
If the election is a referendum on Obama and the economy, he faces an uphill fight. So he will try to convince voters that his eventual opponent is unacceptable.
The IBD/TIPP Presidential Leadership Index fell 0.2 point in October to 46.3. That's the eighth straight month below the neutral 50 level, signaling disapproval. Obama hit a personal low of 45.1 in August, near the peak of the debt ceiling standoff.
The IBD/TIPP poll of 909 adults was conducted from Oct. 1-5, with an error of +/- 3.3 percentage points
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http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/inside-politics/2011/oct/17/obama-suffers-enthusiasm-deficit
:o
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Obama's approval slips in key state of New Hampshire
political tracker ^ | 10/17/2011 | Kevin Liptak
Posted on October 17, 2011 11:16:53 PM EDT by Signalman
(CNN) -– President Barack Obama’s approval rating has slipped to a new low in a key battleground state, according to a new survey.
The October poll, from the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, shows Obama’s approval rating among New Hampshire adults slipping to 41%, a drop from 46% in July and a new low in the Granite State.
Programming note: GOP presidential candidates next face off at 8 p.m. ET Tuesday, October 18, in the CNN Western Republican Presidential Debate in Las Vegas, Nevada. Submit your questions for the debate here.
In February 2009, Obama’s approval rating was the highest in New Hampshire, at 66%. It has since steadily declined.
Obama’s approval numbers in New Hampshire are lower than they are nationally. In a CNN/ORC International Poll released Thursday, 46% of American adults said they approve of how Obama is handling his presidency.
(Excerpt) Read more at politicalticker.blogs.cn n.com ...
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Looking Toward 2012, Obama Finds North Carolina Less Receptive
NY Times ^ | 10/17/11 | MARK LANDLER
Looking Toward 2012, Obama Finds North Carolina Less Receptive
By MARK LANDLER
Published: October 17, 2011
BOONE, N.C. — Loading up on Halloween candy at a store in this friendly college town on Monday, President Obama could probably imagine winning North Carolina in 2012, as he did in 2008, when he became the first Democrat since Jimmy Carter to do so.
But hours earlier and a hundred miles away, Mr. Obama got a less warm and fuzzy reception from a lunch crowd at Countryside Barbeque in Marion. Only a few diners rose to shake his hand, while others were vocal in their complaints.
**SNIP**
“If they vote against taking steps that we know will put Americans back to work right now,” Mr. Obama said, “then they’re not going to have to answer to me, they’re going to have to answer to you.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
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Obama: Country Facing Economic, Political Crisis "This election won't be as sexy as the first one"
AP ^ | Monday, October 25, 2011 | Jim Kuhnhenn
Posted on October 24, 2011 10:45:29 PM EDT by kristinn
Testing a re-election theme, President Barack Obama is telling donors during a fundraising rich tour of three western states that the country is suffering from an economic crisis and from a political crisis. "People are crying out for action," he says.
Pointing to elements of his $447 billion jobs plan rejected by Republican lawmakers, Obama said they would likely linger as campaign issues in 2012.
"This is the fight that we're going to have right now, and I suspect this is the fight that we're going to have to have over the next year," Obama told about 240 donors at a fundraising event Monday at the Bellagio hotel and casino in Las Vegas. "The Republicans in Congress and the Republican candidates for president have made their agenda very clear."
In Los Angeles on Monday evening, Obama mingled with Hollywood's royalty. At an intimate dinner with top donors in the Hancock Park home of producer James Lassiter, Obama chatted with movie star Will Smith and former Los Angeles Lakers standout Earvin "Magic" Johnson.
"Sometimes I think people forget how much has gotten done," Obama said, and he urged his supporters to rally once again, at the same time joking, as he often does, that he is older and grayer now. "This election won't be as sexy as the first one."
The Las Vegas fundraiser attracted about 240 people who paid from $1,000 to $35,800 toward Obama's re-election campaign and to the Democratic National Committee. The bigger donors met the president personally.
The dinner at the Lassiter home was cozier, with fewer than 40 donors who paid $35,800 each. Among the sponsors were Troy Carter, the manager of Grammy award winner Lady Gaga.
(Excerpt) Read more at google.com ...
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Obama mingles with the stars as he raises cash
Associated Press ^ | Oct. 24, 2011 | JIM KUHNHENN
Posted on October 24, 2011 11:23:55 PM EDT by Free ThinkerNY
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Actor Will Smith and basketball standout Earvin "Magic" Johnson for dinner and Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas for post-meal mingling. President Barack Obama waded into the domain of the stars Monday as he hit the California fundraising circuit in one of his busiest donor outreach trips of the season.
Smith, in an elegant three-piece suit, and Johnson, the standout former point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers, were guests at the home of producer James Lassiter and his wife, Mai. About 40 contributors, including actress Hillary Duff, contributed $35,800 each for a cozy dinner and a chance to chat with the president. Obama, eager to reinvigorate his supporters, ticked off his administration's accomplishments.
(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...
Millionaires and Billionaires.
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Obama tells Hollywood 2012 campaign won’t be as ‘sexy’ as last time
The Hill ^
Posted on 10/25/2011 6:05:17 AM PDT by Sub-Driver
Obama tells Hollywood 2012 campaign won’t be as ‘sexy’ as last time By Justin Sink - 10/25/11 07:36 AM ET
President Obama acknowledged that his re-election effort "will not be as sexy as the first one" at a star-studded fundraiser Monday night in Hollywood.
"This election will not be as sexy as the first one," Obama said. "Back then, I was -- it was still fresh and new, and I didn’t have any gray hair, and everybody loved the “Hope” posters and all that. But this time it’s -- we’ve got to grind it out a little bit."
Actor Will Smith and basketball star Magic Johnson were among those in attendance at the $35,800 per head dinner.
In his remarks, Obama said that he had accomplished "about 60 percent" of what he hoped to as president, and cited his healthcare reform law and the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" among his achievements.
"I carry around a little checklist, and I think we’ve gotten about 60 percent of it done so far," Obama said. "And that’s not bad for three years, because I need another five."
The president joked that his recently announced plan to allow homeowners to refinance mortgages would free up money so they could go watch Smith's movies at Johnson's chain of movie theaters.
"Today, I announced helping homeowners refinance their homes, because a lot of them are underwater now and so they’re having trouble refinancing," Obama said. "But that could free up billions of dollars for American consumers who can then shop and go to Will’s movies and spend money at whatever business Magic has and could help grow the economy overall."
Obama also criticized Republican leaders in the Senate for preventing votes on his jobs package.
"We have not gotten a single Republican vote out of this current Senate," Obama said. "And it’s primarily because they don’t think that, politically, it’s advantageous to do so. And I think that’s a mistake, and so we’re putting pressure on them."
Later Monday evening, Obama spoke at a $5,000-per-head event at the home of actors Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas. Actress Eva Longoria and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa were also in attendance.
The stops were part of a set of six fundraisers over three Western states that Democrats are estimating could bring in more than $4 million for the Obama re-election campaign. On Tuesday, the president will head to San Francisco for an event with musician Jack Johnson, and then head to Denver for two events at the Pepsi Center, site of the 2008 Democratic Convention.
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He's gonna have $600 or $700 million to spend on this campaign.
"$35,800 per head dinner"
In 94% of races, the candidate with more money wins.
Romney better get moving.
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Obama: If We Lose in 2012, Government Will Tell People ‘You’re on Your Own’
ABC News ^ | Oct. 25, 2011
Posted on October 25, 2011 11:08:17 PM EDT by Free ThinkerNY
At a million-dollar San Francisco fundraiser today, President Obama warned his recession-battered supporters that if he loses the 2012 election it could herald a new, painful era of self-reliance in America.
“The one thing that we absolutely know for sure is that if we don’t work even harder than we did in 2008, then we’re going to have a government that tells the American people, ‘you are on your own,’” Obama told a crowd of 200 donors over lunch at the W Hotel.
“If you get sick, you’re on your own. If you can’t afford college, you’re on your own. If you don’t like that some corporation is polluting your air or the air that your child breathes, then you’re on your own,” he said. “That’s not the America I believe in. It’s not the America you believe in.”
Obama and Democrats have been emphasizing what they see as the costly consequences of the Republicans’ agenda in an effort to stir up support, in part by touching on emotional nerves.
Last week, Obama supporters pounced on comments by Republican presidential frontrunner Mitt Romney that the solution to the nation’s housing crisis is “don’t try and stop the foreclosure process. Let it run its course and hit the bottom.”
Today, Obama cast Republicans’ hands-off approach as harmful to middle class families, who he says deserve government help.
“I reject an argument that says we’ve got to roll back protections that ban hidden fees by credit card companies, or rules that keep our kids from being exposed to mercury, or laws that prevent the health insurance industry from exploiting people who are sick,” Obama said. “And I reject the idea that somehow if we strip away collective bargaining rights, that we’ll be somehow better off.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
LMFAO!!!
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Stick a fork in Obama — he’s done
The Hill ^ | 10/25/11 | David Hill
Posted on October 25, 2011 11:06:15 PM EDT by freespirited
On life support. Dead man walking. Down for the count. He’s toast. Stick a fork in him; he’s done. Pick your own metaphorical cliché as long as it acknowledges that this president is a goner. If you need proof, consider Gallup’s recent assessment of the president’s job-approval numbers: “Only one elected president since Dwight D. Eisenhower, Jimmy Carter, had a lower 11th-quarter average than Obama.” And we all know what happened to Mr. Peanut. Gallup brings the president’s lousy numbers to the bottom line by showing that Obama is losing to a generic Republican in its surveys, as well as in a head-to-head with the leading Republican, Mitt Romney.
The killer data point, in my view, is that the decline in Obama’s job approval has been so systematic and lockstep, declining in Gallup’s surveys by an average of about 3 points per quarter, never increasing outside the margin of error from one quarter to the next and staying below 50 percent since his fourth quarter in office. This means that most Americans have lingered over his failures for seven or more quarters, deepening and reinforcing their malaise about the man. Once you get into a groove like that, it’s hard to get out.
Facing such odds, what do the Obama strategists recommend? First, they have to get their candidate’s partisan base back. Right now, using Gallup’s numbers, 9 percent of registered Democrats defect to a generic Republican and 13 percent of Democrats vote for Mitt Romney. There is simply no way to formulate a minimum winning coalition scenario for Obama if more than 5 percent of Democrats defect. So they decided to play peacenik and Santa Claus all at once, bringing the troops home from Iraq for Christmas. Normally I would say this is well-played, but when Christmas comes, the media will dutifully interview troops in Afghanistan and elsewhere, reminding everyone that the Iraq withdrawal was mostly a symbolic cover-up of the fact that war continues. And when terrorists blow up one of the few Christian churches still operating in Iraq on Christmas Eve, the potential Democrat defectors will realize that this president needs to go. Playing the peace card also blocks Obama from using a national-security ruse, or even benefiting from one, if a major foreign or terrorist threat develops.
Of course, the main hindrance to Obama’s reelection is the sorry state of the economy. I suspect the Obama strategy team checks with the Conference Board, the University of Michigan and Gallup hourly to see if their consumer confidence indicators show any signs of life. Nothing’s happening lately on that front, however. The fact is that the president’s men and women can’t move this rock. It reminds me of an election year when the Bush administration and Republican prospects were struggling under the weight of high energy prices. I recall wondering, “Why can’t they fix this?” Of course, macroeconomic conditions are nowadays often beyond even the White House’s control. But, like Cubs fans believing a World Series is possible next year, the Obama campaign planners maintain belief that recovery is within their grasp.
Once it’s clear that there is no reason to vote for Obama, his handlers will refocus on reasons to vote against the Republican. This is where the problems they face are myriad. When a candidate with high negatives starts attacking one with low negatives, the result is usually a boomerang. Romney’s name ID is so high, and his unfavorable impressions so low, that I just don’t see how this will work for the Obama attack dogs.
Obama himself might call them off, choosing instead to preserve whatever remnant of a legacy survives. If we see conciliation rather than fight, we’ll know he’s quit. It might not be much longer now.
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David Hill is a pollster who has worked for Republican candidates and causes since 1984.
Bingo! No reasonto vote for MaoBama.
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Insight: Jobless voters could desert Obama at election
Reuters ^ | October 25, 2011 | Andy Sullivan
Posted on October 25, 2011 11:15:45 PM EDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Las Vegas-The slot machines jangle away with the promise of sudden riches, but many visitors to a job fair at a second-tier casino here are hoping merely for a minimum-wage job to snap their losing streak.
The grim economy hasn't been the only disappointment of the past several years for those hoping to find work with the limousine companies, insurance agencies and home healthcare providers that have set up shop at this career fair.
Ask Kimberly Howard who she voted for in 2008, and she glances sideways before confiding what appears to be a shameful secret. "Obama," she mutters.
It's not a choice she plans to repeat next year. She thinks perhaps Republicans will do a better job of fixing the economy. "I hope so. I'm praying so," she says quietly.
In order for President Barack Obama to win reelection next year, he will have to convince voters like Howard to give him another chance, particularly in battleground states with high unemployment like Nevada, which the president visited on Monday.
The unemployed, long an afterthought in political campaigns, could emerge as a surprise swing constituency next year. For decades, conventional wisdom was that the unemployed did not vote as much as those with jobs....
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
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Ask Kimberly Howard who she voted for in 2008, and she glances sideways before confiding what appears to be a shameful secret. "Obama," she mutters.
It's not a choice she plans to repeat next year. She thinks perhaps Republicans will do a better job of fixing the economy. "I hope so. I'm praying so," she says quietly.
I give her a lot of credit for not doubling down and making a different choice.
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Michael Blake, Star Organizer, Joins Obama's 'Operation Vote' To Rally Black and Minority Support
Volunteer receptionist Hattie Hester answers a phone call during a tour of U.S. President Barack Obama's reelection headquarters May 12, 2010, in Chicago, Ill.
First Posted: 11/2/11 11:27 AM ET Updated: 11/2/11 11:51 AM ET
CHICAGO -- When Michael Blake became an organizer with then-Senator Barack Obama's 2008 presidential election campaign, he was just 25 and was already a leader of the candidate's ground team in Iowa. The campaign had spent an unprecedented amount of time and money trying to clinch Iowa, and Blake was charged with corralling new Obama voters.
Blake and a staff of about 25 people reached out to specialized groups, including veterans, blacks and Latinos. Those who worked with him during the rest of the campaign -- in Iowa, South Carolina, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Michigan -- said that Blake was emblematic of the campaign's youth and vigor, and an article in Time said that Blake "may have more to do with Barack Obama's chances of becoming President than anyone besides the candidate himself."
A graduate of Northwestern University who in 2006 joined the inaugural class of the senator's "Yes We Can" political mentoring program for young people of color, Blake parlayed his role in the campaign to a job as the White House's point man for African-American outreach.
Today, with Obama's reelection dependent on black and Hispanic turnout in states that the president won narrowly in 2008, Blake is back with the Obama campaign again. He's tasked with shoring up support among minority constituent groups through an election program called Operation Vote.
The initiative, which emphasizes voter engagement and outreach and is being run from Obama for America campaign headquarters here, has been described as a "campaign within a campaign;" it's an effort that Obama's campaign team hopes will energize African Americans, Hispanics, Jews and LGBT voters.
RECONNECTING WITH THE BASE
Blake's shift from the White House to Chicago comes at a time when discontent and disappointment among some African-American voters has become pronounced. Despite such hurdles, Obama's position within the African-American community remains strong, with most black voters remaining passionate about and devoted to the first American president of color, according to polls and political analysts.
A survey done by the New York Times and CBS News in September showed that less than 10 percent of those surveyed said that Obama had failed to meet their expectations as president. And the most recent Gallup Poll showed the president's job approval rating among blacks was nearly 85 percent.
"I think some people are turning on him," said Andrea Thomas, 58, a secretary in New York City, of the president. "But I support the president because he stepped into this mess, he didn't create it. Things were monumentally bad going in. It's not like he started with a clean slate."
Thomas and a number of other black voters interviewed in New York City on a recent afternoon said their support for Obama has grown stronger, not weaker, over the course of his presidency. They said the repeated attacks by Republicans and other critics have been unfair. And that the president has had to deal with racists, an economy that was slipping even before he was elected, two wars and obstructionist Republicans who want him to fail. And according to a recent Pew Research Center survey, Obama is leading potential Republican opponent Mitt Romney 95 percent to 3 percent among black voters.
"I voted for him, but really, I didn't have any faith in him from the beginning," said Danny Fuller, 57, who works for a non-profit in New York City that feeds and clothes the homeless. "But I'm going to vote for him again. I think he's the only one we have a shot with. Given enough time, if they pull together, they can work things out. The Republicans want to keep things bad, though. They want it messed up so they can say he failed."
While there seems to be little reason to believe African Americans are abandoning the president en masse, the administration plans to use Operation Vote as a platform to reclaim the narrative of Obama's presidency and reintroduce it to the black community.
Through Operation Vote, the campaign has already begun to grow its staff in swing states like North Carolina, Florida and Virginia, all of which have large black populations. (In 2008 Obama won North Carolina by fewer than 14,000 votes.)
Even so, many critics in the African-American community say the president hasn't done enough to address the dire economic fortunes of blacks, who suffer from double-digit unemployment rates and staggering losses of wealth. Critics on the left have also grown impatient with what they see as the president's ceding too much ground to Republicans who have vowed to undermine his administration and any liberal agenda.
STATING THE CASE
While Democratic officials and strategists acknowledge that the White House has done a poor job of promoting and articulating what they describe as a host of substantive achievements for African Americans, they scoff at the notion that the president might lose his black base or that the administration hasn't made strides in easing the burdens of the country's most vulnerable.
They discount the ballyhoo of black critics like Princeton professor and activist Cornel West, media personality Tavis Smiley and Rep. Maxine Waters, all of whom have criticized the president for what they have called his inattention to the black unemployment crisis. In some cases it appears that black voters have now put the heat on Congressional Black Caucus members, who they see as having kicked the president when he was down.
"If the question becomes, 'What have [we] done?' we can talk that for days," says Blake. "No one can say that we haven't done things for the African-American community that haven't had substantive impact."
Blake points to increases in funding to historically black colleges and universities. He also said that the $3.6 billion that has gone to about 1,100 black businesses through the Minority Business Development Agency -- along with mortgage forbearance programs and the passage of the president's health care bill -- would all disproportionately benefit minorities and the poor.
Any shortcomings of the administration, stymied as it is by a bad economy and hostile opposition from Republicans and the Tea Party die-hards, have not been in crafting policy, say Obama loyalists, but in crafting effective messages.
"The problem from the administration's standpoint is that they have struggled for a long time to get a message out that communicated how important jobs and the economy were for this president," says Jamal Simmons, a Democratic strategist and political commentator.
Simmons notes that the president's stimulus bill helped keep state and local governments from laying off workers (21 percent of working blacks are employed by state and local governments). He also points out that billions of federal dollars have gone to Race To The Top, a program that aided public schools in some of the poorest communities in the country. Yet, Simmons says, the administration "simply didn't have a message."
"Did he hang a black policy sign around that agenda? No, but if you take a look at what he was doing, a lot of African Americans have benefited," Simmons said. Simmons speculated that, had the president promoted the benefits of his policy more vocally to blacks, critics would likely have tried to spin his advocacy for African-American issues to make a bigger political issue out of it. "In guarding against that, have they sometimes been too cautious? Yes, but some caution is certainly advisable," Simmons said.
While Democratic insiders close to the administration agree that the administration has stumbled in its messaging efforts, Blake said it's not form a lack of effort.
"Now we're explaining the benefits of [the policies] and explaining why we have more to do," he said.
The president himself admitted that his administration had become so focused on governing and trying to fix all that was going wrong on various fronts that it had missed opportunities to tell the American people what in their estimation had gone right.
"I think that, over the course of two years, we were so busy and so focused on getting a bunch of stuff done that we stopped paying attention to the fact that leadership isn't just legislation. That it's a matter of persuading people, and giving them confidence and bringing them together, and setting a tone," President Obama told Steve Kroft on "60 Minutes" in an interview shortly after the mid-term election in 2010. "Making an argument that people can understand," Obama continued, "I think that we haven't always been successful at that. And I take personal responsibility for that. And it's something that I've got to examine carefully ... as I go forward."
Democratic operatives say few people fully understood why they had a few extra dollars in their paychecks after the president's stimulus bill or tax cut extensions. Nor were they fully cognizant about a health care policy overhaul that would allow grown children to stay on their parents insurance longer than in the past.
Mark C. Alexander served as the policy director for Obama's 2008 presidential campaign. He says the narrative of what the president has been able to get done in a "toxic" and "dysfunctional" political environment will be a hard sell.
"Part of that narrative is that the opposition has made it their priority to make sure he is not reelected," Alexander says. "To me, that's a big problem for the president, because if the opposition's goal was to make sure there was no health care bill, that's a fight we can fight."
Alexander said the environment in Washington has become "caustic" and has given cover to "a lot of the people that are motivated by race."
"When someone comes out to fight because they are racist," he said, "that's a harder fight."
Cornel Belcher, a Democratic pollster, said the hue and cry from black Democrats such as Rep. Maxine Waters, who criticized the president for not being active enough in mending black unemployment, was not indicative of the entire black electorate. Instead, he says, it's simply emblematic of rhetoric deployed by politicians standing up for their constituents.
"Are there frustrations and disappointments in general? Absolutely," Belcher says. "But what group of Americans are not frustrated right now?"
Belcher pointed out that 11 percent of the electorate in 2008 was comprised of new voters, many of them black or Hispanic, and those first-time voters might be feeling a bit jaded about the process now because of the overwhelming excitement they felt for Obama at the beginning of his term and his promise of change, and the let down of what some see as business as usual in Washington.
"They are Obama voters, not Democratic voters," Belcher said.
Blake said Operation Vote will give the campaign an opportunity to meet many of those voters where they are, to strengthen coalitions and tell voters why Obama should be reelected.
He said he has been spending time with state campaign staffs to think of outreach and engagement in new ways, beyond the obvious forums, such as the black church, the barbershops and beauty salons. Part of the approach is tailoring specific messages and leveraging resources specific to various communities, he said, and figuring out how folks on the ground are living day to day and finding ways to speak to their needs.
He said the difficulty in showing people how the president's policy has benefited them amounts to simplifying the descriptions of very complicated policies.
'MAKE IT PERSONAL'
On a recent afternoon, Blake walked through Obama campaign headquarters. The place was teeming with campaign workers, many from the state campaign operations in town for an all-staff meeting. The scene resembled the aftermath of a color war at summer sleep-away camp, as dozens of 20- and 30-somethings scrambled about, chatting on their phones or to each other or poring over computer screens.
Blake, tall and slender, at once brooding but easy going, settled into a desk in the corner, an island amid the controlled chaos of the place. He has come a long way, and not a step in his journey is taken for granted.
He was born with a heart murmur and to a mother who doctor's said was too sick to give birth. He has been in four car accidents, including one that nearly sent him off the edge of a cliff. Years ago a neighbor was shot and killed just doors from his family's apartment in the Bronx. He watched the getaway car tear down the street and prayed nobody saw him peering through the window -- the Bronx can be a dangerous place for witnesses.
"There's no real reason other than the Lord's favor that I'm still here," Blake said, between bites of a chicken sandwich and a flurry of activity on his Blackberry. "My family has seen a lot," he said. His mom was once homeless in Jamaica. His father worked for 29 years cleaning emergency rooms. His oldest brother is in the Army, but he has two brothers who have been locked up.
Blake said the seeds of his social engagement and activism were sown in him early. His parents named him Michael Alexander, after Michael Manley, perhaps the most famous Jamaican prime minister, and Alexander Bustamante, a popular Jamaican labor leader.
At 13 he became a lay speaker in his United Methodist Church. By 14 he said he was elected youth president of the church. Later in his teens, Blake joined the Northwest Bronx Community Clergy Coalition to advocate for a local armory building to be turned into a neighborhood school. The protests and political maneuvering by the coalition and the give-and-take with the city motivated him further, he said.
He paused for a long moment, gazing down into his Blackberry.
"It's like, all of these different things, I was realizing more and more that politics and policy is a way to make things move," he said.
In college Blake tried his hand at running for elected office in an unsuccessful bid for student body president. The loss taught him a lot about politics and some very important lessons.
"It's not just about if you have the right policies, but you have to work your relationships, too," he says. "I vowed that day that I would never allow myself to lose something because of relationships."
Operation Vote, he said, will be no different. It's about going to communities and meeting people face to face, talking with people where they live and eat, where many of them are struggling or overcoming, and talking with them about how the president has done all that he can for them, and that without their vote, the job will be incomplete.
"It goes to a more direct way of telling the story," he said. "When I talk about health care, I don't make it in some grandiose sense. I was born with a heart murmur; my mother's a cancer survivor," Blake said. "I think it's important to make it personal ... People need to understand how it impacts them directly."
He continued, "The main thing now is to be flexible and be understanding of your communities and provide a program that will fit. The fundamental goal is we have a story to tell and we need to keep telling it."
What a divisive sham and scam obama is. F U C K Y O U whoever still supports this maoist marxist mugabe moron.
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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/01/obama-taps-campaign-star-_n_1070717.html
Obama = Sham Wow Potus
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http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/11/02/chris_matthews_nobody_speaks_out_in_defense_of_obama_these_days.html
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http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/11/02/chris_matthews_nobody_speaks_out_in_defense_of_obama_these_days.html
You gotta be kidding me. The media "speaks out" for Obama by protecting his incompetent butt. And what is there to defend? ::)
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Obama fails all viability tests
The Hill ^ | 11/01/11 | Dr. David Hill
Last week’s column asserting that the president is unelectable has triggered strong responses. Democrats, in particular, seem to think my judgment is premature. It strikes them as ridiculous that anyone could make such a “bold prediction” so far in advance of the 2012 election. Hey, that’s what we do, as seasoned political professionals, as pollsters. But I must stress that I am not so much making a personal prediction as drawing an informed conclusion based on all the numbers available. I do this in each election cycle for other candidates, and it’s time to make the call on President Obama.
Whenever I have an incumbent client running for reelection, I insist on a viability study about a year out from the election — so, in the case of the presidential race, right about now. Anything that I do for my own, I should do for the opposition. So here goes. First, I look at the polling results from traditional “deserves reelection” questions, the gold standard of viability testing. The most recent nationwide public poll I could find was one conducted by Quinnipiac University early last month. It showed 42 percent saying the president deserves reelection while 54 percent say he doesn’t. While this reelect number by itself is not necessarily a doomsday figure, it’s the 54 percent on the con side that’s a killer. Most often, there is a large undecided percentage, but here it’s only 4 points. Voters have closed their minds — and the book on this president. It ensures that when Obama faces a Republican nominee, the undecided voters in early polling will eventually vote against an undeserved reelection.
The second numbers I peruse are perceptions of accomplishments. Eventually, Republicans will ask voters, “What has Barack Obama really accomplished?” and he must answer. A Washington Post/ABC News poll conducted in his first year found that only 14 percent of all voters felt he had accomplished “a great deal ” during his initial nine months in office, his “salad days.” I cannot find evidence that the same question has been asked lately, but is there any chance that the result would be much different? In its Moving America Forward manifesto, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee says Obama, with help from congressional Democrats, has five accomplishments: created private sector jobs, reduced debt, kept taxes low, passed a healthcare plan and reformed Wall Street. That’s the group’s best list. Do you think most Americans believe Obama has accomplished those things? Aside from passing a healthcare plan, he has done almost none of that, in the public’s mind. According to the latest AP polling, conducted in mid-October, the president’s average approval rating across those five areas is 42 percent. Obama brings no record of genuine accomplishment to his bid for reelection.
The third set of determinative data for an incumbent is perception of the direction of the nation or state. Everyone knows this is the biggest problem for Obama. The latest CBS/New York Times poll has the “right direction” at 21 percent. It hasn’t been above 30 percent since the early summer. Incumbents simply don’t get reelected when three-fourths of the electorate see things “seriously off” on the “wrong track.” Even if Obama’s approval ratings or likability were better, he could not overcome the negative sentiment that demands a change in direction. Americans are going to demand and get change next November.
So Obama fails on all counts. The numbers say that voters don’t think he deserves reelection, he has no meaningful accomplishments, and the nation is headed off in the wrong direction under his watch. He is simply not viable by any measure. That’s an empirically informed, hard-nosed judgment. This isn’t a movie or fantasy tale where a miracle occurs at the last moment to save the day. If Democrat campaign professionals don’t start acknowledging the same, and intervening, they risk Obama bringing down their entire ticket.
David Hill is a pollster that has worked for Republican candidates and causes since 1984.
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You gotta be kidding me. The media "speaks out" for Obama by protecting his incompetent butt. And what is there to defend? ::)
FOX and drudge are part of "THe Media".... and they sure don't protect him.
"A lot of" the media protects obama = correct.
"The Media" protects obama = incorrect.
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CNN Poll: Obama ranks low among recent incumbents
Posted by
CNN Political Unit
Washington (CNN) - President Barack Obama's overall approval rating remains in the mid-40s, where it has been since July, and he continues to receive much higher marks for foreign policy than for domestic issues, according to a new national survey out one year before he is up for re-election.
A CNN/ORC International Poll released Tuesday indicates that 52% of all Americans approve of how the president is handling the situation in Iraq, an indication that Americans tend to favor Obama's decision to withdraw all U.S. troops from that country by year's end. Forty-eight percent of those questioned approve of how he is handling the war in Afghanistan. By contrast, only 35% have a positive view of his economic track record, and just 38% approve of how he is handling health care policy.
Full results (pdf)
It all adds up to an overall 46% approval rating for the president, with 52% saying they disapprove of how Obama is handling his job in the White House.
"That's par for the course for Obama, whose overall approval rating has been hovering in the mid 40s in every CNN poll conducted since June," CNN Polling Director Keating Holland said.
In comparison to recent incumbents running for re-election, Obama's 46% approval ranks above only Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford - who both lost their re-election bids - in November of the year before an election. Most incumbents who were re-elected had an approval rating above 50% a year before the election. But George W. Bush, at 50%, and Richard Nixon, at 49%, also won re-election, and Bush's father George H.W. Bush had a 56% approval rating yet lost to Bill Clinton the following year.
"Translation: while the approval rating is an important indicator of a president's strength, it is not a foolproof predictor of election results," Holland said.
See how Obama's number stack up.
The poll indicates that the standard partisan divide over the president remains, with three-quarters of Democrats giving Obama a thumbs up but only 15% of Republicans approving of the job he's doing in office. By a 54%-42% margin, independent voters disapprove of how the president's handling his duties.
Women are divided on how Obama's performing, but men disapprove by a 55%-43% margin. White Americans give Obama a thumbs down by a 61%-36% margin, with non-white Americans give the president a thumbs up by a more than 2-1 margin.
The CNN poll was conducted by ORC International from November 11-13, with 1,036 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points.
– CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser contributed to this
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Democratic Pollsters: Obama Should Abandon Run for Second Term
nationaljournal.com ^ | Nov. 20, 2011 | Michael Catalini
Posted on November 20, 2011 8:48:41 PM EST by Free ThinkerNY
President Obama should abandon his run for a second term and turn over the reins of the Democratic Party to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, two one-time Democratic pollsters wrote in Monday's Wall Street Journal, which appeared online Sunday.
Patrick H. Caddell and Douglas E. Schoen argued that just as Harry Truman and Lyndon Johnson decided not to pursue additional runs though they could have, Obama should do the same.
“He should abandon his candidacy for re-election in favor of a clear alternative, one capable not only of saving the Democratic Party, but more important, of governing effectively and in a way that preserves the most important of the president's accomplishments. He should step aside for the one candidate who would become, by acclamation, the nominee of the Democratic Party: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton,”Caddell and Schoen wrote.
Caddell, who worked as a pollster for President Jimmy Carter, and Schoen, who was a pollster for President Bill Clinton, argue that Obama will inevitably have to run a negative campaign in order to win reelection, the negative consequences of which will make it difficult for him to govern effectively.
(Excerpt) Read more at nationaljournal.com ...
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Shock poll: 48% of white blue-collar Dems oppose renominating Obama
Hot Air ^ | November 23, 2011 | Howard Portnoy
Posted on November 23, 2011 8:42:31 PM EST by 2ndDivisionVet
The majority of Americans will sit down together tomorrow to celebrate the holiday of Thanksgiving, though for many there is little to be thankful about. Unemployment remains stuck above 9%, 14 million Americans are still out of work, the nation’s debt is at a record $15 trillion, and the government is so dysfunctional that Congress can’t seem to agree on the time of day.
While President Obama is not exclusively to blame for the God-awful “mess” the country finds itself in, a CNN/ORC International Poll released Wednesday demonstrates that one demographic—white blue-collar Democrats—has so soured on his presidency that nearly half would prefer their party nominate a different candidate to run in 2012.
The poll also shows that Obama’s approval rating has plummeted from 76% shortly after his election in 2008 to 44% now, while his disapproval—23% then, 54% now—has taken the opposite turn.
Finally, the survey shows that a combined 53% of respondents oppose Obama’s health care law, while 38% favor the law. What is striking about this statistic is a secondary split among those who oppose it. Thirty-seven percent claim the law is too liberal, while 14% say it is not liberal enough. The clear suggestion is that the president, who has straddled the fence on many issues, has alienated voters from the other end of the ideological spectrum while simultaneously failing to win over those at his own end.
Wow!!!
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Shock poll: 48% of white blue-collar Dems oppose renominating Obama
Hot Air ^ | November 23, 2011 | Howard Portnoy
The majority of Americans will sit down together tomorrow to celebrate the holiday of Thanksgiving, though for many there is little to be thankful about. Unemployment remains stuck above 9%, 14 million Americans are still out of work, the nation’s debt is at a record $15 trillion, and the government is so dysfunctional that Congress can’t seem to agree on the time of day.
While President Obama is not exclusively to blame for the God-awful “mess” the country finds itself in, a CNN/ORC International Poll released Wednesday demonstrates that one demographic—white blue-collar Democrats—has so soured on his presidency that nearly half would prefer their party nominate a different candidate to run in 2012.
The poll also shows that Obama’s approval rating has plummeted from 76% shortly after his election in 2008 to 44% now, while his disapproval—23% then, 54% now—has taken the opposite turn.
Finally, the survey shows that a combined 53% of respondents oppose Obama’s health care law, while 38% favor the law. What is striking about this statistic is a secondary split among those who oppose it. Thirty-seven percent claim the law is too liberal, while 14% say it is not liberal enough. The clear suggestion is that the president, who has straddled the fence on many issues, has alienated voters from the other end of the ideological spectrum while simultaneously failing to win over those at his own end.
No wonder Obama is out there stirring the pot.
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President Obama Gets Low Marks From Homeowners, Gun Owners ( -33!)
Rasmussen Reports ^ | Nov. 25, 2011 | Rasmussen Reports
Posted on Saturday, November 26, 2011 12:32:07 PM by LRVision
Among households where someone owns a gun, just 17% Strongly Approve of the way President Obama is performing his job. Fifty percent (50%) Strongly Disapprove for a Presidential Approval Index rating of -33.
The president does much better in households without a gun owner. In those homes, 26% Strongly Approve and 30% Strongly Disapprove for a Presidential Approval Index rating of -4.
(Excerpt) Read more at rasmussenreports.com ...
I wonder if F&F has anything to do with that.
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I don't think Biden will help him much.
Biden Poised to Play Key Campaign Role in Battleground States
Published November 26, 2011
FoxNews.com
Vice President Biden could take on a critical role in the 2012 campaign, stumping in battleground states where President Obama has fallen out of favor among core constituencies.
Democrats reportedly are working on a plan to send Biden out to the three major political battlegrounds of Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida.
Those states are key to any presidential victory, and states Obama won in the 2008 election. But recent polling from those states shows the president just about tied with potential Republican challengers in the 2012 election, and voter attitudes toward the president souring.
Biden could represent the kind of profile the Obama campaign needs. Whereas Obama has at times struggled to connect with white working-class voters in Ohio and Pennsylvania, and Florida's major Jewish constituency, Biden has deep ties to both groups. His pro-Israel credentials come from his many years on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. And he frequently stresses his blue-collar upbringing in a Catholic family from Scranton, Pa.
A Democratic official told The Associated Press that Biden has been working the phones with prominent Jewish groups and Catholic organizations in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida. Plus he's already made visits to those states.
A Democratic strategist with strong ties to the Obama White House told Fox News it's unlikely Biden will campaign in those three states as a substitute for Obama.
"This isn't like '92, when Clinton worked the North, Midwest and West while Gore campaigned in South," the strategist said. "Bottom line is Obama needs to win in those states, Biden can't win it for him."
However, the strategist said Biden "is an asset in those states and more."
"The value of Biden is highest on the campaign trail. Hearing him talk about his father's struggles with unemployment when he was a kid is compelling and resonates with average Americans. He'll be a key part of (the) campaign in key states," the strategist said.
Pollster Scott Rasmussen said the white working class is arguably the most important demographic in the 2012 election, particularly in states like Ohio and Pennsylvania, as well as Michigan.
"I think the key demographic group is the white working class Democrats," Rasmussen told Fox News on Saturday. "They voted for Hillary Clinton in the primaries in 2008 over Barack Obama. They voted for the president in the 2008 general election, and they voted for Republicans the last time around."
Rasmussen said recent polling shows "the race will be close."
Indeed, polls over the past month show neither party necessarily has the edge in Ohio, Pennsylvania or Florida.
A PPP poll showed Obama's approval rating has suffered severely in Pennsylvania. The poll, released earlier this week, put his approval at 42 percent, with 53 percent disapproving of his job performance. However, the poll still showed him tied with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney at 45 percent each. The poll of 500 Pennsylvania voters was taken Nov. 17-20. It had a margin of error of 4.4 percentage points.
A Rasmussen poll released last Sunday showed Romney leading Obama slightly in Florida. The poll put Romney at 46 percent among likely voters, with Obama at 42 percent. When matched up against former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who in several recent GOP primary polls has seized the lead away from Romney and businessman Herman Cain, Obama was leading by just 2 points. The poll of 500 likely voters was conducted Nov. 17 and had a margin of error of 4.5 percentage points.
A set of Quinnipiac University polls conducted two weeks ago also reflected a tight race in those three states, at least when Obama was matched up against Romney. The polls showed Obama slightly ahead in Pennsylvania and Ohio, and Romney slightly ahead in Florida.
Biden mentioned at a fundraiser in late September that the campaign was working on its battleground state strategy.
At the time, Biden said the campaign was preparing to compete in 12 battleground states. He described Obama's campaign operation as "the best presidential ground game that's ever been put together in the history of presidential politics."
Biden is also targeting organized labor, speaking frequently with union leaders in Ohio ahead of a vote earlier this month on a state law that would have curbed collective bargaining rights for public workers. After voters struck down the measure, Biden traveled to Cleveland to celebrate the victory with union members.
And while Obama may have declared that he won't be commenting on the Republican presidential field until there's a nominee, Biden is following no such rules. He's calling out GOP candidates by name, and in true Biden style, he appears to be relishing in doing so.
During a speech last month to the Florida Democratic Convention, Biden singled out "Romney and Rick", criticizing Romney for saying the government should let the foreclosure crisis hit rock bottom, and hammering Texas Gov. Rick Perry's assertion that he would send U.S. troops into Mexico.
And he took on the full GOP field during an October fundraiser in New Hampshire, saying "There is no fundamental difference among all the Republican candidates."
Democratic officials said Biden will follow in the long-standing tradition of vice presidents playing the role of attack dog, allowing Obama to stay out of the fray and appear more focused on governing than campaigning.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/11/26/biden-poised-to-play-role-attack-dog-obama-surrogate-in-battleground-states/
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The Future of the Obama Coalition
By THOMAS B. EDSALL
For decades, Democrats have suffered continuous and increasingly severe losses among white voters. But preparations by Democratic operatives for the 2012 election make it clear for the first time that the party will explicitly abandon the white working class.
All pretence of trying to win a majority of the white working class has been effectively jettisoned in favor of cementing a center-left coalition made up, on the one hand, of voters who have gotten ahead on the basis of educational attainment — professors, artists, designers, editors, human resources managers, lawyers, librarians, social workers, teachers and therapists — and a second, substantial constituency of lower-income voters who are disproportionately African-American and Hispanic.
It is instructive to trace the evolution of a political strategy based on securing this coalition in the writings and comments, over time, of such Democratic analysts as Stanley Greenberg and Ruy Teixeira. Both men were initially determined to win back the white working-class majority, but both currently advocate a revised Democratic alliance in which whites without college degrees are effectively replaced by well-educated socially liberal whites in alliance with the growing ranks of less affluent minority voters, especially Hispanics.
The 2012 approach treats white voters without college degrees as an unattainable cohort. The Democratic goal with these voters is to keep Republican winning margins to manageable levels, in the 12 to 15 percent range, as opposed to the 30-point margin of 2010 — a level at which even solid wins among minorities and other constituencies are not enough to produce Democratic victories.
“It’s certainly true that if you compare how things were in the early ’90s to the way they are now, there has been a significant shift in the role of the working class. You see it across all advanced industrial countries,” Teixeira, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, said in an interview.
In the United States, Teixeira noted, “the Republican Party has become the party of the white working class,” while in Europe, many working-class voters who had been the core of Social Democratic parties have moved over to far right parties, especially those with anti-immigration platforms.
Teixeira, writing with John Halpin, argues in “The Path to 270: Demographics versus Economics in the 2012 Presidential Election,” that in order to be re-elected, President Obama must keep his losses among white college graduates to the 4-point margin of 2008 (47-51). Why? Otherwise he will not be able to survive a repetition of 2010, when white working-class voters supported Republican House candidates by a record-setting margin of 63-33.
Obama’s alternative path to victory, according to Teixeira and Halpin, would be to keep his losses among all white voters at the same level John Kerry did in 2004, when he lost them by 17 points, 58-41. This would be a step backwards for Obama, who lost among all whites in 2008 by only 12 points (55-43). Obama can afford to drop to Kerry’s white margins because, between 2008 and 2012, the pro-Democratic minority share of the electorate is expected to grow by two percentage points and the white share to decline by the same amount, reflecting the changing composition of the national electorate.
The following passage from “The Path to 270” illustrates the degree to which whites without college degrees are currently cast as irrevocably lost to the Republican Party. “Heading into 2012,” Teixeira and Halpin write, one of the primary strategic questions will be:
Will the president hold sufficient support among communities of color, educated whites, Millennials, single women, and seculars and avoid a catastrophic meltdown among white working-class voters?
For his part, Greenberg, a Democratic pollster and strategist and a key adviser to Bill Clinton’s 1992 campaign, wrote a memorandum earlier this month, together with James Carville, that makes no mention of the white working class. “Seizing the New Progressive Common Ground” describes instead a “new progressive coalition” made up of “young people, Hispanics, unmarried women, and affluent suburbanites.”
In an interview, Greenberg, speaking of white working class voters, said that in the period from the mid-1960s to the early 1990s, “we battled to get them back. They were sizeable in number and central to the base of the Democratic Party.” At the time, he added, “we didn’t know that we would never get them back, that they were alienated and dislodged.”
In his work exploring how to build a viable progressive coalition, Greenberg noted, he has become “much more interested in the affluent suburban voters than the former Reagan Democrats.” At the same time, however, he argues that Republican winning margins among white working-class voters are highly volatile and that Democrats have to push hard to minimize losses, which will not be easy. “Right now,” he cautioned, “I don’t see any signs they are moveable.”
Teixeira’s current analysis stands in sharp contrast to an article that he wrote with Joel Rogers, which appeared in the American Prospect in 1995. In “Who Deserted the Democrats in 1994?,” Teixeira and Rogers warned that between 1992 and 1994 support for Democratic House candidates had fallen by 20 points, from 57 to 37 percent among high-school-educated white men; by 15 points among white men with some college; and by 10 points among white women in both categories. A failure to reverse those numbers, Teixeira warned, would “doom Clinton’s re-election bid” in 1996.
Teixeira was by no means alone in his 1995 assessment; he was in agreement with orthodox Democratic thinking of the time. In a 1995 memo to President Clinton, Greenberg wrote that whites without college degrees were “the principal obstacle” to Clinton’s re-election and that they needed to be brought back into the fold.
In practice, or perhaps out of necessity, the Democratic Party in 2006 and 2008 chose the upscale white-downscale minority approach that proved highly successful twice, but failed miserably in 2010, and appears to have a 50-50 chance in 2012.
The outline of this strategy for 2012 was captured by Times reporters Jackie Calmes and Mark Landler a few months ago in an article tellingly titled, “Obama Charts a New Route to Re-election.” Calmes and Landler describe how Obama’s re-election campaign plans to deal with the decline in white working class support in Rust Belt states by concentrating on states with high percentages of college educated voters, including Colorado, Virginia and New Hampshire.
There are plenty of critics of the tactical idea of dispensing with low-income whites, both among elected officials and party strategists. But Cliff Zukin, a professor of political science at Rutgers, puts the situation plainly. “My sense is that if the Democrats stopped fishing there, it is because there are no fish.”
“My sense is that if the Democrats stopped fishing there, it is because there are no fish.”
— Cliff Zukin
.As a practical matter, the Obama campaign and, for the present, the Democratic Party, have laid to rest all consideration of reviving the coalition nurtured and cultivated by Franklin D. Roosevelt. The New Deal Coalition — which included unions, city machines, blue-collar workers, farmers, blacks, people on relief, and generally non-affluent progressive intellectuals — had the advantage of economic coherence. It received support across the board from voters of all races and religions in the bottom half of the income distribution, the very coherence the current Democratic coalition lacks.
A top priority of the less affluent wing of today’s left alliance is the strengthening of the safety net, including health care, food stamps, infant nutrition and unemployment compensation. These voters generally take the brunt of recessions and are most in need of government assistance to survive. According to recent data from the Department of Agriculture, 45.8 million people, nearly 15 percent of the population, depend on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to meet their needs for food.
The better-off wing, in contrast, puts at the top of its political agenda a cluster of rights related to self-expression, the environment, demilitarization, and, importantly, freedom from repressive norms — governing both sexual behavior and women’s role in society — that are promoted by the conservative movement.
While demographic trends suggest the continued growth of pro-Democratic constituencies and the continued decline of core Republican voters, particularly married white Christians, there is no guarantee that demography is destiny.
The political repercussions of gathering minority strength remain unknown. Calculations based on exit poll and Census data suggest that the Democratic Party will become “majority minority” shortly after 2020.
One outcome could be a stronger party of the left in national and local elections. An alternate outcome could be exacerbated intra-party conflict between whites, blacks and Hispanics — populations frequently marked by diverging material interests. Black versus brown struggles are already emerging in contests over the distribution of political power, especially during a current redistricting of city council, state legislative and congressional seats in cities like Los Angeles and Chicago.
Republican Party operatives are acutely sensitive to such tensions, hoping for opportunities to fracture the Democratic coalition, virtually assuring that neither party can safely rely on a secure path to victory over time.
http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/27/the-future-of-the-obama-coalition/?ref=opinion
Hope n FNG Change!!!!!
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Im starting to wish Obama wins again just so i can see you implode:)
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LOL! $5 off the Barack Hoodie today only!
https://donate.barackobama.com/page/contribute/o2012-hoodie-offer?source=20111127_ofa_ndhoo&utm_medium=email&utm_source=obama&utm_campaign=20111127_ofa_ndhoo&keycode=
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Ohioans Slower to Donate to Obama
Monday, 28 Nov 2011
By Sandy Fitzgerald
President Barack Obama’s fundraising in Ohio is down about $200,000 from four years ago, and the state’s Republican chairman attributes the difference to voters’ frustration with the president’s job performance.
According to a Columbus Dispatch analysis of a study completed by the Center for Responsive Politics, the Obama campaign has only about two-thirds as much money as it did at the same point in his first presidential run.
Ohio GOP Chairman Kevin DeWine said Obama was elected on the promise of “hope and change” but claims his “job-killing regulations and mandates have left Ohio families and job creators with less hope and a lot less change.”
The Obama campaign, however, says the numbers don’t tell the full story. The difference this time around is that Obama is not campaigning against several Democratic contenders, campaign organizers said.
“Ohioans continue to show strong backing for President Obama and his agenda,” said Obama for America spokesman Tom Reynolds. “Across the state, we have a broad base of grass-roots supporters, which is in stark contrast to the way other campaigns are running their operations, planning to rely on millions of dollars from Washington lobbyists and other special interests.”
The campaign says that even though the Ohio numbers are down, the national numbers have doubled over the past four years.
http://www.newsmax.com/TheWire/ohio-obama-donate/2011/11/28/id/419193
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ABC's Tapper To Carney: Looks Like Obama "Is Campaigning On Taxpayer Dime"
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/11/28/abcs_tapper_to_carney_looks_like_obama_is_campaigning_on_taxpayer_dime.html
ABC News' Jake Tapper confronts White House press secretary Jay Carney over President Obama's schedule which has included a lot of traveling. Citing a Wall Street Journal article about the number of times President Obama has traveled to swing-states, Tapper bluntly asks Carney if Obama is "campaigning on taxpayer dime."
"President Obama seems to travel to battleground states more so than any other president before him. Am I'm wondering if you could respond to this. It looks like the president is campaigning on the taxpayer dime more than any other president has done," Tapper said at today's White House briefing.
"I reject the premise of that," Carney responded. Carney said since Obama "expanded the political map" by winning some red states, so many more states are considered "purple" or swing-states now. Carney also said that there is "logistical" decision making when the White House plans to travel.
Carney is then asked by CBS News' Mark Knoller if politics isn't the motive then what is, causing the press secretary to give a bumbling answer.
More blame Bush. What a scam Obama is.
http://michellemalkin.com/2011/11/28/did-you-miss-the-thanksgiving-white-house-visitor-log-document-dump/
MSNBC is the Obama re-election campaign team 24/7. Madcow in the WH 5 times already w Bama?
Obama and Liberal Intelligentsia Shed Dignity Ahead of 2012 Election
Russ Smith
While the President dithers and hides, media enablers plead for votes from his disappointed ’08 supporters.
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.Barack Obama has yet to add a “killer rabbit” incident in his growing list of parallels to Jimmy Carter’s failed presidency, and his quiver of good luck arrows isn’t so depleted that he’s attracted a principled Democrat to mount a challenge for the Party’s nomination, but as 2011 dwindles away into holiday distraction, the erstwhile political magician is running out of gas. That’s Obama’s car in America’s ditch right now, and the owner shows little interest in repairing the damage. At least the hapless Carter, when Teddy Kennedy announced his primary bid in late-1979, had the gumption and competitive spirit to tell anyone who’d listen that he’d “whip [Kennedy’s] ass. Obama, on the other hand, appears listless and bored, and is apparently counting on winning a second term as the lesser of two evils.
Three years ago, after Obama’s historic election, even those who didn’t support him would undoubtedly be astonished that America’s supposed savior would remain on the sidelines as the bipartisan “super committee” failed last week, perhaps purposely, to reach any sort of compromise on deficit reduction. Perhaps his political advisers told Obama to vanish—even though it was certain that the outcome would shatter the financial markets—and make plain that he’s taking the low road of blaming Republican extremists (“obstructionists” as they’re called, as if no Democrat has ever stymied a GOP president’s program) for the ongoing economic crisis until next November. This doesn’t square with the heady first months of Obama’s tenure, when he was described by delirious journalists as a combination of FDR, JFK and Abraham Lincoln, a man who’d be remembered by historians as a “transformative” president who nullified the damage his predecessor caused during the previous eight years.
Why wasn’t Obama, in public, on television angrily insisting that the committee reach an equitable compromise or face disgrace? Why didn’t Obama, in private, emulate LBJ and threaten Democratic legislators with the loss of federal pork and the Party’s support in their own upcoming elections? It’s mystifying, really, that Obama continually eschews the opportunity to demonstrate the leadership so often promised during his ’08 campaign. As Peggy Noonan wrote in The Wall Street Journal last weekend, Obama’s “instincts” haven’t adapted to the entirely different political and economic culture that’s emerged since he announced his presidential candidacy four years ago. Noonan: “[E]veryone else in America knows the crash and the underlying crisis it revealed—on our current course, we are bankrupt—changed everything. Strangely, inexplicably, the president thinks the old political moves apply to the new era. They do not.”
Here’s an important fact to remember: Obama defeated John McCain (who ran one of the worst presidential campaigns in my lifetime) by 7.2 percent in the popular vote. It wasn’t a landslide: in fact, despite the enormous turnout of first-time and casual voters who rode the Obama wave, in 1988, George H.W. Bush bested Michael Dukakis (a dud, but not as incompetent as McCain) by a superior 7.7 percent. And in 1980, Ronald Reagan, dismissed by liberal pundits as a nitwit not long before the election, dispatched Carter by 9.7 percent. Unless Obama somehow rediscovers his audacity of awesomeness, a near-impossibility given the unemployment rate and his own diffidence, it’s very difficult to believe that his campaign will generate a level of enthusiasm that even approaches 2008.
Some naïve pundits predict that this fall’s wave of Occupy Wall Street protests will help re-ignite the passion for the President. That’s doubtful for a couple of reasons: one, the most vocal OWS squatters consider Obama as part of the problem and won’t vote for a man who takes money from the infamous 1%; two, there’s no way to measure the effect of the OWS movement on the population at large, and I don’t think it’s simply a hunch that for all media fawning over Zuccotti Park Camp, most Americans aren’t paying much attention, far more concerned with their own debt and job prospects.
Nicholas Kristof, an Obama apologist, is typical of the whining from the liberal intelligentsia that’s now gearing up in earnest. Writing in The New York Times on Nov. 27, Kristof conceded that Obama “badly underestimated the length of this economic crisis” and has been “surprisingly inept at communicating.” Kristof despairs that Obama is a “piñata” for liberals and conservatives alike, and hopes the former will remember all his accomplishments, such as preventing a second Great Depression (true, so far, although we have no idea whether McCain would’ve also staved off that catastrophe), his “superb” record on education (parents throughout the country might choke on that notion), “bolster[ing] regulation of the tobacco industry,” killing bin Laden, “leading the international effort to overthrow Muammar el-Qaddafi” (Nicolas Sarkozy and David Cameron might pass gas at that assertion) and, naturally, passing a health care reform bill that’s eluded presidents “since the time of Theodore Roosevelt.” One can, conceivably, be charitable and give Kristof wide berth since he’s abroad so often, but ObamaCare is not, understating the reality, without its detractors. I’m fortunate to have a decent health insurance plan—I stress “decent,” because it’s not the 1990s anymore—but since Obama’s signature legislation passed, my checkbook has taken a beating, as the insurance company has compensated for the full implementation of ObamaCare by getting even stingier with reimbursement for ordinary medical procedures. I don’t believe this is uncommon.
Kristof takes the trouble to quote two impartial observers to buck up the troops. Both Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin and Bill Clinton told the columnist that they’re certain Obama will be re-elected, even if, in Durbin’s words, it won’t be like the “first date” voters had with the President four years ago. The soothsayer either couldn’t, or wouldn’t, contact a Republican to ask his or her opinion.
Frank Rich, who mercifully left the Times for New York magazine earlier this year—and writes less frequently—recently tackled the Obama conundrum from a darker angle, claiming that the President is subject to a level of “hate” unseen since JFK’s assassination. That might come as news to George W. Bush, who, looking at Google, draws over 32 million comparisons to Nazis and Hitler; Obama rates half that number. In fact, Rich’s New York colleague Jonathan Chait, who has also cautioned liberals that the alternative to Obama would be devastating, opened a column for The New Republic in September 2003, with the words, “I hate President George W. Bush.” Chait then catalogued everything he hated about Bush, from his policies to the way he walks.
Rich devotes most of his long essay to a musing about JFK—and his presidency as a “half-remembered dream” that was “beautiful, even erotic, but somewhat weightless in content”—and the vitriol directed at him in Texas back in ’63, and though he doesn’t say it, the implication is that Obama, whom Rich finds quite similar to Kennedy in his political “centrism,” wariness of the “institutional left,” and “ardent” belief in capitalism, could be assassinated as well. Maybe so, though like the vast majority of Americans, I certainly hope not. Rich doesn’t mention that Presidents Ford and Reagan were also the victims of assassination attempts. He continues that both Obama and JFK inspired “a hatred so nightmarishly disproportionately to their actual beliefs, actions, and policies that it’s worthy of Stephen King’s fiction.
The inescapable conclusion from Rich is that Obama will run as a victim of right-wing thuggery, as opposed to a mediocrity who may persevere simply because of an unpopular opponent. In the Times last Sunday, Ross Douthat, the often indecisive conservative columnist for that paper, shoos Rich’s analysis away as if it’s the work of a hack Boomer who’s lost in the fog of Camelot. Also writing about JFK, Douthat makes the Obama comparison, without naming the current president, and says the ongoing “J.F.K.” cult matters” because “We confuse charisma with competence, rhetoric with results, celebrity with genuine achievement.”
Douthat’s not incorrect, particularly in today’s media-as-sewer culture, but I’d argue that the charisma that once defined Obama has long since evaporated, and if he does get re-elected—a not unreasonable assumption—it’ll be the result of negative campaigning and a superior organization that can somehow deliver votes. It’ll be a back-alley election, as opposed to Obama’s Yellow Brick Road journey in 2008.
http://www.splicetoday.com/politics-and-media/obama-and-liberal-intelligentsia-shed-dignity-ahead-of-2012-election
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Shaq throws in support for Obama in 2012 (Plus Tom Hanks, Lady Gaga and Magic Johnson)
Reuters ^ | November 28, 2011
Posted on November 29, 2011 3:16:24 AM EST by 2ndDivisionVet
NBA star Shaquille O’Neal said on Monday he believes President Barack Obama is doing a ”fabulous job” and will win the 2012 presidential election.
O’Neal, who retired from pro basketball this year, joined a handful of celebrities endorsing the Democratic president, ranging from singer Lady Gaga and actor Tom Hanks to Basketball hall-of-famer Magic Johnson.
“It’s a hard job … You can’t please everybody but I think he’s doing a fabulous job,” O’Neal told CNN host Piers Morgan...
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.reuters.com ...
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Only 225 show up for Obama tickets in Scranton
Pocono Record ^ | Nov. 29, 2011 | Michael Sadowski
When Hillary Clinton was on the campaign trail in 2008 and spoke at Scranton High School, the line to get tickets a few days before her appearance stretched about 1,000 people long.
Monday's line to grab the available free tickets to President Barack Obama's speech Wednesday was noticeably shorter — about 225 people were waiting when the doors opened for the distribution.
"It's a little disappointing to see that," said Cathy Kneeland, 64, of Scranton, who showed up more than three hours early to stand in line and found herself second. "You would think more people would want to see the president speak."
Wednesday's scheduled speech will be Obama's first stop in northeastern Pennsylvania since he campaigned for president in 2008.
Obama supporters, however, don't seem to be wavering. George Childs, 61, of Scranton, is on the front lines of the jobs debate, having been unemployed since January when he lost his six-year job as a stockroom employee. Before that, he worked at a slaughterhouse for 10 years before it closed.
"I would like to see what he has to say about jobs," Childs said from his spot first in line. "I want to see what he has to offer someone like me."
Barbara Yavuchak of Scranton said while she's "very worried" about the country, she was, like many Obama supporters standing in line Monday, blaming Republicans for blocking much of what Obama has tried to get done.
"I feel very sorry for (Obama)," she said. "He stepped into a terrible situation. But it hasn't made me not support him. I know quite a few people who have (lost faith in Obama), but I know what he's up against."
(Excerpt) Read more at poconorecord.com ...
Ha ha ha - no more throngs of deluded idiots showing up in huge numbers?
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Majority of Voters Say Obama Doesn’t Deserve Reelection; Independents Agree
Yahoo! News ^ | Nov. 30, 2011
Worthington, OH (PRWEB) November 30, 2011 -- With 2012 around the corner, where do Voters stand? Nearly half (46.3%) don’t think President Obama should run for a second term while 43.5% think he should, according to the latest American Pulse™ Survey of 6,071 respondents.
Further, a majority of Voters (51.8%) don’t think President Obama deserves reelection while slightly more Independents (52.5%) share this view.
In fact, since we asked the question in March 2011, a majority of Independent Voters have felt the current president hasn’t earned a second term.
In addition, 1 in 5 Independent Voters (20.8%) think Obama should hand over the reins to Hilary Clinton instead of running for reelection.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Yeah - he cant be beat!!!! LMFAO!!!!!
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Obama: ‘To Implement Affordable Care Act in 2014 … I’ve Got to Win in 2012’
CNSNews ^
Obama: ‘To Implement Affordable Care Act in 2014 … I’ve Got to Win in 2012’ By Fred Lucas December 1, 2011
(CNSNews.com) – Speaking at a campaign fundraising event at the Gotham Bar and Grille in New York City on Wednesday, President Barack Obama told a group of supporters he needed to win reelection next year to make sure the health-care law he signed in 2010 will actually be fully implemented in 2014 as planned.
“We still have a health care system that has to get more efficient and that has to improve its quality,” Obama said, according to a White House transcript. “And so we're going to have to implement the Affordable Care Act in 2014, and that means I've got to win in 2012.”
The law Obama signed mandates that by 2104 all must purchase a health-care plan that meets government requirements. The constitutionality of this mandate has been challenged in federal court and the Supreme Court has said it will hear the case in this session.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnsnews.com ...
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Obama's blistering fundraising pace
Politico44 ^ | 12/1/11 | BYRON TAU
Mother Jones crunches the numbers on President Obama's fundraising pace, and concludes that he has averaged one fundraiser every five day in 2011:
Sixty-nine fundraisers this year by December 1. That's an average of more than one fundraiser every five days. (Though, as Obama's latest New York trip shows, these events are often clustered together on a single day.) This is a blistering pace of rainmaking for the 44th president in 2011.
Obama's fundraising activity surpasses that of predecessors George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. According to Brendan Doherty, a political scientist at the US Naval Academy, Bush attended 41 fundraisers between January 1, 2003 and November 30, 2003. Clinton attended 23 fundraisers from January 1 1995 and November 30, 1995.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
Disgraceful.
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33336, what are you going to do when Obama gets reelected?
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33336, what are you going to do when Obama gets reelected?
He is going to get landslided like the dems did in 2010.
You obamabots are in for a very rude awakening.
1. He has a horrific record of failures
2. Economy will still be far worse than when he came to office.
3. GOP nominee will be better than mcCain
4. obama maxed out minority turnout and youth turnout in 2008
5. Obama blaming Bush only highlights his inability to fix anything.
6. People are worse off than they were 4 years ago.
7. Many of his voters will be staying home or not vote.
2012 -is going to make 2010 look like childs play. obama and the dems in the senate are gone.
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He is going to get landslided like the dems did in 2010.
You obamabots are in for a very rude awakening.
1. He has a horrific record of failures
2. Economy will still be far worse than when he came to office.
3. GOP nominee will be better than mcCain
4. obama maxed out minority turnout and youth turnout in 2008
5. Obama blaming Bush only highlights his inability to fix anything.
6. People are worse off than they were 4 years ago.
7. Many of his voters will be staying home or not vote.
2012 -is going to make 2010 look like childs play. obama and the dems in the senate are gone.
LOL. Which of the Republican whack pack is going to beat him?
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Doesn't matter. It's A B O in 2012.
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http://nation.foxnews.com/president-obama/2011/11/30/new-yorkers-furious-obamas-triple-fundraiser
Lol. He is even hated here.
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LOL. Which of the Republican whack pack is going to beat him?
Romney. I DARE independents to vote for Obama over Romney. The flip flop charges wont matter if Romney handles them in the right way (unlike the way he handled it in that FOX interview)
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Gallup: Obama’s job approval the lowest at this point for any modern president except … Carter
Hot Air ^ | DECEMBER 2, 2011 | ALLAHPUNDIT
Posted on December 2, 2011 10:07:44 PM EST by RobinMasters
In all seriousness, it’s amazing that his numbers are as high as they are. Never in my experience has the country seemed so close to catastrophe in so many ways.
Europe could implode in weeks and sink the world into depression; Congress can’t muster the will to slow the growth of debt that’s already soared past $15 trillion and triggered one downgrade; Iran’s seemingly at a point of no return on nuclear weapons; Syria’s ready to explode all over the Middle East; the Arab Spring is turning into the best thing that ever happened to Muslim fundamentalists; and Pakistan is more Pakistan-ish than ever. (I haven’t even mentioned protracted gruesome unemployment.)
Not all of it is Obama’s fault, but you know how it is with the presidency: If it happened on your watch, you pay the price politically. That Mayan 2012 prophesy is looking better every day, yet somehow The One’s polls are still just two or three good news cycles away from being above water. Remarkable. If China invaded Hawaii tomorrow, maybe he’d drop to 40 percent.
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he'll still win. the economy won't go into a depression in the next year, probably will continue to get worse but the media will keep placating it and wording it nicely so no one will pay attention as long as the stock market remains high enough, which it will.
he will get reelected.
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Even if what Obama supporters and Dems believe is true - that the economy was in such a mess that its taking them so long to get out - 4 years has always been enough time to show results. If the American people dont see results, they will throw you out. That is the way it has always been. To think they will treat Barack Obama any differently is the height of arrogance.
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A Strong Candidate Isn't Needed to Beat a Weak Incumbent
A Strong Candidate Isn't Needed to Beat a Weak Incumbent
By Sean Trende - December 5, 2011
The conventional wisdom persists that President Obama remains a strong contender for re-election in 2012, in large part because the Republican field is so weak. If the Republicans don't nominate a moderate conservative like Mitt Romney or Jon Huntsman, the CW goes, they’ll find themselves shut out of the Oval Office for another four years.
There are two problems with this. The first is the sense that Mitt Romney is a particularly strong candidate (the same certainly goes for Huntsman). In fact, Romney's flip-flops, slickness, wooden personality (witness how flat his joke fell when he claimed his first name really is Mitt -- when it is in fact Willard) and Wall Street ties present real obstacles for a general election bid.
More importantly, the conventional wisdom overstates the importance of challenger quality in these races. David Axelrod insists that this election offers a choice, rather than a referendum, but all experience points to the contrary. This election will largely turn on how the electorate views Barack Obama’s term in office. If voters don’t think Obama is doing a good job, they will probably vote for someone else. Incidentally, Axelrod made similar comments about the 2010 elections; we all know how that turned out.
Part of the problem is that our chattering class hasn’t fully accepted how weak the president really is. His job approval in the RCP Average remains mired at 44 percent. It has ventured above 50 percent exactly twice in the past few years: Once in the wake of the tragic shooting of Rep. Gabby Giffords, and once when the United States killed Osama bin Laden. But even then, his ratings were at best tepid. His reward for killing America’s public enemy No. 1? An approval that peaked at 52.6 percent. Moreover, his approval ratings on individual issues remain horrific, suggesting more downside than upside once the campaign truly engages.
This suggests a ceiling for the Obama that is perilously close to the minimum a president needs in order to be re-elected. As Jay Cost has noted, presidents rarely receive the votes of more than a small percentage of voters who disapprove of the job they are doing.
In fact, oddly enough, incumbents have seldom been defeated by particularly strong candidates. We’re constantly reminded that defeating an incumbent president is a rare thing. Given this, we’d expect candidates who defeat incumbents to be pretty close to perfect. But instead, they’ve typically been very flawed.
Take Jimmy Carter. He was a one-term governor of Georgia who emerged as a dark horse candidate in the Democratic primaries, to the horror of his party’s establishment. He almost blew a near-perfect opportunity to defeat Gerald Ford, winning by only two points amid high unemployment and widespread voter revulsion with the Republican Party.
Or Bill Clinton. People remember him today as a strong Democratic president. But that was not how he was perceived as a candidate. There really was a time when an adulterer who smoked marijuana and avoided the draft could not conceivably be elected president. Combine these traits with Clinton’s “flexibility” on the issues, and many pundits wrote him off in early 1992, especially when he sank into the 20s in the polls against George H.W. Bush and H. Ross Perot.
Even Ronald Reagan was not perceived as a particularly strong candidate; he regularly polled about 15 points worse than Gerald Ford in hypothetical early matchups with Carter. Carter’s team truly hoped that they would face off against Reagan, who was universally viewed as too much of a radical to win.
There are other examples -- take John Kerry, an exceptionally weak candidate who very nearly defeated a wartime president -- but the bottom line is clear: Weak candidates defeat weak incumbents all the time.
Now, this begs the question of whether Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry, or even Romney reaches the level of Reagan/Clinton/Carter in terms of candidate quality. This remains to be seen. Certainly Republicans should be cheered by the Public Policy Polling (D) poll of “voters” in the critical swing state of Florida showing Obama ahead by a 50-to-44 margin. This suggests that among the actual electorate (i.e., once a likely-voters screen is imposed), Obama and Gingrich are pretty close to tied.
But there’s another way to look at it. Given the enthusiasm gap between the parties, the 2012 electorate will probably be roughly split between Republicans and Democrats. Independent voters will therefore hold the key to the election.
Consider these three 2010 Senate challengers frequently cited as examples of candidates who are too extreme to win. It’s a little-known fact that Ken Buck won independents by 16 points in Colorado. In Nevada, Sharron Angle won them by four points. Even Christine O’Donnell, who is something of the ultimate warning sign against Tea Party excess, lost independents only by three points. They all lost their races in large part because they faced Democrat-heavy electorates. Had the electorates been evenly split between the parties, all three would have run very close races.
Whatever their faults, Romney, Gingrich, and Perry are not Christine O’Donnell-style candidates. They probably don’t rise to the level of Sharron Angle candidates. Now, whether they are strong enough to actually win a race against Obama is still an open question. But given the very real weakness of the current president, I would not be surprised if any of them were very much in the game come November 2012.
Sean Trende is Senior Elections Analyst for RealClearPolitics. He can be reached at strende@realclearpolitics.com.
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http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57340576-503544/grim-economic-outlook-weighs-down-obama-approval-rating
Wow 54 percent say he does not deserve a second term.
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Resurgent Republicans close gap in key states
By Susan Page, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – President Obama is moving to energize the Democratic base for his re-election campaign, but in the case of a dozen battleground states, he'll have to work harder than four years ago to find it.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/story/2011-12-12/2012-election-swing-states-poll/51844930/1
Since the heady days of 2008, a new USA TODAY/Gallup Swing States Poll finds the number of voters who identify themselves as Democratic or Democratic-leaning in these key states has eroded, down by 4 percentage points, while the ranks of Republicans have climbed by 5 points.
Republican voters also are more attentive to the campaign, more enthusiastic about the election and more convinced that the outcome matters.
INTERACTIVE: Presidential Poll Tracker
PHOTOS: GOP presidential field
The contrasting conditions of the nation's two major political parties — discouraged Democrats and resurgent Republicans — underscore how different Obama's re-election campaign is from the contest four years ago.
Consider the math: In 2008, when Obama carried the swing states by 8 percentage points, Democrats there swamped Republicans in party identification by 11 points. Now, that partisan edge has tightened to a statistically insignificant 2 points.
Real Clear Politics
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And the "enthusiasm gap" that helped fuel a Democratic victory last time has turned into a Republican asset. Sixty-one percent of Republicans say they are extremely or very enthusiastic about voting for president next year, compared with 47% of Democrats.
Among the most enthusiastic are some of the GOP's core voters: conservatives, middle-aged men and those 50 to 64 years old. Those who are least enthused include core Democratic groups that were critical to Obama's election in 2008, including minorities and younger voters.
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Read all On Politics posts "Enthusiasm is a tremendous benefit," Republican National Chairman Reince Priebus said in an interview. "We're going to be able to mobilize a grass-roots army. It helps us recruit volunteers and run absentee-ballot programs. We can fill rooms with people making phone calls and going door-to-door."
He says enthusiasm has shifted to the GOP because voters who were inclined to favor Obama in 2008 now see him as "a fraud."
Jim Messina, Obama's campaign manager, disputes the idea that Democrats are at a disadvantage. "It's not what we're seeing on the ground," he said in an interview. "We have built a really good ground operation. We've spent the last year building the infrastructure for a ground operation to turn out our votes, and the Republicans just haven't."
He notes that the president has attracted more than a million donors to his campaign this year, 40% of them first-time contributors, and has been able to deploy volunteers who have had more than 1 million "conversations" with other voters on his behalf.
This is the second in a series of surveys that USA TODAY and Gallup will be taking through the 2012 campaign focused on 12 swing states: Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin.
Most other states and the District of Columbia are all but guaranteed to be won by one party or the other, giving Obama a likely base of 196 electoral votes and the Republican nominee a base of 191. A candidate needs 270 to win the White House.
But these battlegrounds — chosen based on their voting histories, the results of the 2010 midterms and demographic trends — are up for grabs. Obama carried all of them in 2008 and needs to claim half of their electoral votes this time to win a second term.
In swing states, Obama trails former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney among registered voters by 5 points, 43% vs. 48%, and former House speaker Newt Gingrich by 3, 45% vs. 48%.
That's a bit worse than the president fares nationwide, where he leads Gingrich 50%-44% and edges Romney 47%-46%.
Amy Rybarczyk, 37, a pharmacist from Uniontown, Ohio, who was among those surveyed, voted with élan for Obama in 2008, helping him carry what has been the nation's quintessential swing state for a generation.
This time, she wants to see which contender the GOP nominates before deciding.
"I'm still kind of waiting to see how things are going to turn out," Rybarczyk said in a follow-up interview. "I just feel that the system is so broken that anybody you put there is ineffective. It's hard to see actual change happen."
Tim Shedd, 32, a transportation consultant from Denver who voted for Republican John McCain in 2008, worries that the GOP has "a crazy collection of candidates" running. Even though he hasn't settled on one to support — he was intrigued by Herman Cain until the former corporate executive suspended his campaign amid scandal — Shedd already is looking forward to Election Day.
"I feel better about the Republican chances of winning this time," he says.
Can't wait? For what?
The USA TODAY/Gallup Poll asked Americans which better described their attitude: You can't wait for the campaign to begin? Or you can't wait for it to end? On this, there is more national unity than on any other question posed: Get it over with, already.
The sentiment is even stronger in swing states than the nation as a whole: 70% of registered voters across the country and 74% of those living in the battlegrounds say they can't wait for the campaign to be over. That's the overwhelming view in both political parties and every demographic group.
Despite that cantankerous attitude, voters are paying more attention to this campaign, and earlier, than in the past.
Two-thirds of registered voters nationwide say they have given quite a lot of thought to the election.
That's more than double the number paying close attention at this point before the 1992 and 2000 elections, and a jump of about 20 percentage points compared with 1980, 1984 and 2004.
In 2008, interest reached today's level just after the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary had been held, when both parties were in the throes of hard-fought nomination contests.
This time, Republicans are more likely to be paying a lot of attention than Democrats — 69% to 48% — and they are more likely to say the election's outcome will make a major difference to the course of the economy.
That doesn't necessarily mean they avidly support one of the GOP contenders. For many, it means they avidly oppose Obama.
The antipathy to the president will help Republicans unite behind their nominee whoever he or she is, says Doug Gross, who in 2002 was the GOP's gubernatorial nominee in Iowa, one of the swing states. Unaffiliated in this year's presidential contest, he led the Romney campaign in the state in 2008, and acknowledges that some Iowa Republicans are cool toward the former Bay State governor.
"If Republicans feel Romney is their best chance to beat Obama, they will turn out in force," Gross predicts. "Running against an incumbent is a negative intensity. It's not necessary to have a positive intensity."
Among Democrats, economic woes weigh on some who had hoped Obama would be able to bring about more of the change he promised.
The demographic groups who provided his highest levels of support in 2008 are the same ones who have been hit hardest by the nation's slow economic recovery.
While the nation's overall unemployment rate dropped to 8.6% in November, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that African-American unemployment actually rose from October to 15.5%. For those 20-24, it was up to 14.2%. The jobless rate for Hispanics was unchanged at 11.4%.
"I thought more would get done," says Andre Donaldson of Burgaw, N.C., a 51-year-old financial analyst who voted for Obama in 2008 and plans to vote for him again. "What worries me the most is people's ability to make a living. The job market is so bad. I think that it all stems from the housing market going bad, and then it just spirals."
Wooing independents
The decline in the number of voters who identify themselves as Democrats — and the rise in those who call themselves independents — complicates the president's re-election strategy.
In the swing states, the number of self-identified Democrats (not including those who lean Democratic) fell from 35% to 30% since 2008. The number of independents rose 7 points, 35% to 42%.
"It means that the votes that President Obama needs to cobble together are going to be made up more of independents than they were last time," says Lanae Erickson of Third Way. The centrist Democratic think tank last week released a study tracking trends in voter registration in battleground states. "This time, it's going to be much, much closer, and in a closer race those independents are going to put him over the top."
In three of the eight swing states that have party registration — Colorado, Iowa and New Hampshire — there are now more independents than either Republicans or Democrats.
Obama's problem: Independents by definition aren't loyal to a party's nominee. And the full-throated appeals that help energize the Democrats' most loyal partisans — African Americans, liberals, Hispanics and others — can put off independent voters.
Republicans face a similar problem. A nomination contest that pulls candidates to the right to appeal to the most conservative primary voters can create problems in the general election.
But the nation's ideological makeup creates more stress for Democrats than Republicans. In the 12 swing states identified by USA TODAY, 44% of those surveyed are conservatives, more than double the 21% who call themselves liberal.
To win a majority, the GOP needs to attract the lion's share of conservatives plus only a fraction of the 35% who call themselves moderates.
In contrast, the Democratic candidate has to claim the solid support not only of liberals but also most of the moderates.
In recent days, Obama clearly has been trying to thread that needle.
In decisions that delighted environmentalists and gay rights advocates, he has delayed approval for a oil pipeline that would stretch from Canada to Texas and announced foreign aid would be used to promote gay rights abroad.
At the same time, in decisions that pleased conservatives, his administration has blocked an FDA decision to allow unrestricted sale of the morning-after pill and scrapped clean-air regulations planned at the EPA.
He delivered what the White House billed as a major speech last week in Osawatomie, Kan. — an iconic site where Republican Teddy Roosevelt delivered a classic populist stemwinder.
"The breathtaking greed of a few … plunged our economy and the world into a crisis from which we're still fighting to recover," he declared in words that echoed the sentiments of Occupy Wall Street protesters. "It's claimed the jobs and the homes and the basic security of millions of people — innocent, hard-working Americans who had met their responsibilities but were still left holding the bag."
But he also distanced himself from the mantra of Occupy demonstrators against "the 1%" — that is, the richest Americans who have benefited from a widening income inequality and exercise outsized influence.
"I'm here in Kansas to reaffirm my deep conviction that we're greater together than we are on our own," he quickly added. "These aren't Democratic values or Republican values. These aren't 1% values or 99% values. They're American values."
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Barack Obama Would Lose All 12 Swing States Today, Poll Says
Kenric Ward's blog | Posted: December 13, 2011 9:18 AM[/b]
A survey of 12 swing states that Barack Obama carried in 2008 now finds the president losing to both Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich there.
USA Today-Gallup -- polling registered voters in Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin -- found Obama trailing Romney 43-48, and Gingrich 45-48.
Because Obama is expected to hold the big states of California, New York and Illinois, he maintains a popular-vote advantage nationwide, where he leads Gingrich 50-44, and edges Romney 47-46.
But the Electoral College math would deliver the White House to Republicans if they can carry the swing states, as the USA Today-Gallup poll shows.
Even more heartening for the GOP is the poll's methodology. Surveys of "registered" tend to artificially inflate Democratic numbers. Scientific samplings of "likely voters" tend to produce more conservative, and accurate, outcomes.
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Obama and the politics of disappointment ("I believed in him 100%")
CNN ^ | 12/13/11 | Tom Foreman
Obama and the politics of disappointment
By Tom Foreman, CNN
updated 8:49 PM EST, Tue December 13, 2011
Washington (CNN) -- All politicians disappoint their supporters. It is a relentless truth in D.C.
They make pledges they can't keep, say things they don't mean, and encounter stiff headwinds in office that were just distant breezes on the campaign trail. The bigger their failed promises, the bigger the disappointment.
And just a few hours north of Washington, in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, it is easy to see that President Obama has a lot of disappointment standing between him and re-election.
"I believed in him 100%," says Andy Heller in Scranton. "I thought it was going to be a big turnaround from President Bush. But now you have to wonder."
Heller, 56, is a registered Democrat who runs Steamtown Blueprint and Copy Center, a small construction-related firm. In 2008, he placed yard signs for Obama, attended fundraisers and eagerly awaited a first term that he thought would bring more cooperation, more innovation, or at least a better economy. Since then, business has grown worse, the atmosphere in Washington has become more toxic and his faith in Barack Obama has steadily dwindled. "I'm not sure it was entirely his fault, but he made promises he couldn't keep."
**SNIP**
"When he spoke it was truly inspiring. I loved him in 2008, and right now if this were in a relationship, I'd be talking to a divorce attorney. When you mention Obama, there is a giant, collective sigh."
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
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Harvard Poll: Young Voters Say Obama Will Lose
More bad news for President Obama
By Paul Bedard
http://www.usnews.com/news/washington-whispers/articles/2011/12/15/harvard-poll-young-voters-say-obama-will-lose
December 15, 2011 RSS Feed Print More bad news for President Obama, this time from his alma mater, Harvard University. In a new poll, more younger voters, many of whom voted for him in 2008, think he will lose next year.
"This survey may well serve as an ominous sign for Barack Obama's 2012 chances and the political engagement of America's largest generation," said John Della Volpe, polling director at Harvard's Institute of Politics. [Check out our editorial cartoons on President Obama.]
The details: 36 percent of so-called millennial voters, age 18-29, think Obama will lose; 30 percent say he will win.
But it's not all bad. The same voters like Mitt Romney the best of the GOP candidates, and in a head-to-head vote would choose Obama over Romney 37 percent to 26 percent.
Here is what Harvard just sent Whispers:
MORE MILLENNIALS PREDICT OBAMA WILL LOSE BID FOR RE-ELECTION THAN WIN, HARVARD POLL FINDS
Cambridge, MA—A new national poll of America's 18- to 29- year olds by Harvard's Institute of Politics (IOP), located at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, finds more Millennials predict President Barack Obama will lose his bid for re-election (36%) than win (30%). The new survey also shows former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney fairing best among potential Republican challengers in a general election match-up against President Obama, trailing the president by eleven percentage points (Obama: 37%, Romney: 26%).
Thirty-two percent of Millennials say they are following the 'Occupy Wall Street' demonstrations either very (6%) or somewhat closely (26%), with 66% not following the demonstrations closely. Only twenty-one percent (21%) said they supported the movement. A detailed report on the poll's findings is available on the Institute's homepage at www.iop.harvard.edu.
'Our new polling data clearly shows Millennials are growing more concerned over the direction of the country and effectiveness of Washington, D.C. to solve problems,' said Trey Grayson, Director of Harvard's Institute of Politics. 'The opportunity exists for all political parties and campaigns to re-engage this generation—those who do can maximize results in 2012.'
'While we are more than a year away—it's important to note that with enthusiasm about politics and Washington down, nearly three-quarters of Millennials seriously concerned about jobs and the economy—and more believing that the President that they helped elect will lose, rather than win re-election—this survey may well serve as an ominous sign for Barack Obama's 2012 chances and the political engagement of America's largest generation," said John Della Volpe, Polling Director at Harvard's Institute of Politics.
The web-enabled survey of 2,028 18-29 year-old U.S. citizens with a margin of error of +/– 2.2 percentage points (95% confidence level) conducted with research partner Knowledge Networks for the IOP between Nov. 23 and Dec. 3, 2011 finds:
• Plurality of Millennials predict Obama will lose bid for re-election. Among all 18-29 year-olds, more believe that Barack Obama will lose re-election (36%) than win (30%), with almost a third (32%) not sure—the margin is nearly identical among students enrolled in four-year colleges (37%: lose, 31%: win, 31%: not sure). Among survey respondents who voted for Barack Obama in 2008, less than half (48%) believe he will win re-election at this time (19% say Obama will lose, with 33% undecided).
• Mitt Romney leads among young Republican primary and caucus goers. Among young Republican and Independents indicating they are at least somewhat likely (definitely, probably or 50-50) to vote in their state's primary or caucus (n=637), Mitt Romney leads the field with 23 percent, followed by Ron Paul (16%), Herman Cain (15%) and Newt Gingrich (13%). Examination and allocation of Cain supporters' second-choice selections for president shows Romney would continue to lead (25%) among Millennials with Cain out of the race, with Ron Paul (18%) and Newt Gingrich (17%) in a statistical tie for second place (Herman Cain suspended his campaign on
Dec. 3, the final day of the interviewing period for the IOP's fall poll).
• Approximately one-third of younger voters following 'Occupy' movement; less than one-in-four supportive. Thirty-two percent of 18-29 year-olds say they followed the 'Occupy Wall Street' demonstrations either very (6%) or somewhat closely (26%), with 66% saying they were not following the demonstrations closely. Twenty-one percent (21%) of Millennials say they supported the 'Occupy' movement with one-third (33%) not supportive and 46% either unsure or refused to answer.
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http://www.usnews.com/news/washington-whispers/articles/2011/12/15/harvard-poll-young-voters-say-obama-will-lose/comments?PageNr=6
LMAO at the comments. If this is any indication of anything - this communist traitor and thug pofs is going home in 2012 - hopefully to thug up the joint in kenya.
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Crucial voters' Obama ardor cools
By Salena Zito, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, January 8, 2012
About the writer
Salena Zito is a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review staff writer and can be reached at 412-320-7879, via e-mail or on Twitter.
MANCHESTER, N.H.
The Granite State shares more than the early-voting spotlight with caucus-cousin Iowa.
Its love affair with Barack Obama is in the same funk as is the Hawkeye State's.
And it all has to do with how New Hampshire voters feel about Obama's handling of the economy, according to David Paleologos, pollster and director of Suffolk University's political department.
Paleologos said data point to Obama being vulnerable here -- and that matters, he added.
"You wouldn't think that four measly electoral votes would turn an election," he said. "But in the current electoral map that Obama is counting on, New Hampshire is everything."
A University of New Hampshire poll in October showed Obama hitting a new low in his handling of the economy, with a staggering 58 percent disapproval rating; 52 percent disapproved of his health-care bill. His overall favorability among all-important independent voters was at 35 percent.
That's a sharp drop in a state that Obama carried by almost 10 percentage points in 2008.
Ray Buckley, who chairs the state's Democrats, watched the political pendulum swing seismically to Republicans in the last election's state, congressional and U.S. Senate races. He believes Obama will win here tactically, relying on massive voter contact, door-knocking, media hits and friend-to-friend persuasion.
"We have more Obama campaign offices in the state than all of the six candidates running for the Republican nomination combined," he boasted.
Asked what message Obama will use to win back voters, Buckley was less direct: "We plan on increasing our ground troops."
The Democrats' national co-chairman, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, is more forthcoming on that question. Obama's message, he said, "will be that he passed the health-care law, single-handedly saved the car industry, ended the wars and has had 22 months of job growth."
"Jobs -- where are those jobs?" asked small businessman Charlie Logiotatos. He admitted he supported Obama in 2008, mainly out of Republican fatigue.
"He was a smooth talker, what can I tell you?" Logiotatos said in between serving customers in his diner. "His entire campaign was based on hype."
Now he is saddened by the number of older, college-educated people who walk through his diner's door, looking to work as dishwashers after a lifetime of white-collar jobs.
"I have to admit, it is scary," he said. "Here you have people who are used to making $50,000, who are reduced to washing dishes or sweeping floors. They are the people who have given up, whose unemployment checks have stopped coming in."
Logiotatos said the sour economy also has produced an uptick in crime: "The bank next door? Robbed three times in the past few months. Drugs are a problem, too.
"I say people have lost hope since 2008. I don't think that was what the slogan was meant to portray," he said of the president's original "hope and change" platform.
In the three-block walk between Logiotatos' diner and a local stationery shop, four older panhandlers step from the doorways of shuttered stores to ask for spare change.
Mabel Amar, a hardcore liberal to the left of Obama, is very disappointed in him.
"He extended the Bush tax cuts, and he compromised with the Republicans," she blurted, "and I say, how dare he?"
In a perfect world, she would vote for someone else, she said. "He has disappointed so much of his base."
No matter which side of the political aisle you occupy, a deep distrust of government and a fear of it encroaching upon people's lives have always existed in New Hampshire.
To win this state again, the president needs to explain his record and have some sort of accomplishment to tout. Yet none of his accomplishments sit well with voters here in the "Live Free or Die" state.
Independent voters such as Logiotatos, who helped push Obama to victory in 2008, have hardened against him and will not turn back. Liberals such as Amar, who make up his critical base, are not motivated to turn out and vote; to them, Obama has been very disappointing.
And "the president has to have this state to win," reminded pollster Paleologos. "It is as important as either an Ohio or a Pennsylvania."
Read more: Crucial voters' Obama ardor cools - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/s_775418.html#ixzz1iu4Rd06Y
These idiots who voted for him have no one to blame but themselves.
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Obama's support faltering in Iowa
By Salena Zito
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, January 1, 2012
NORTH LIBERTY, Iowa — Bobby Burns has had a dramatic change of heart.
Burns, 23, was one of those young people swept up in Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign. Three years and one college degree later, he cannot imagine a scenario in which he would consider voting for the president's re-election.
"I guess you could say I have seen the light," he said.
On Tuesday he will caucus in a precinct right down the road from where he grew up. His vote will go for Mitt Romney.
Davenport is 60 miles east of here along Interstate 80, past two closed service-station interchanges and a relatively new but shuttered chain hotel. In the center of the city, overlooking the Mississippi River, is the majestic Blackhawk Hotel.
The century-old hotel is where presidents -- or guys who want to be president -- come to speak. Richard Nixon campaigned there; Obama stayed there just a few weeks ago.
Last week, Romney packed an enthusiastic crowd into the Blackhawk's Gold Room. Garrison Gardner, the hotel's on-duty manager, watched the former Massachusetts governor make his pitch for caucus voters.
Gardner, who leans Democrat, said he is ripe to be persuaded to vote for Romney. "Anything is better than what he have going on now at the White House," the former Obama supporter said.
While everyone focuses on the Republicans' shifting nomination process, they overlook Obama's Iowa problem.
The Hawkeye State began Obama's string of caucus victories that gave him a majority of the Democrats' "super-delegates" over Hillary Clinton in 2008, followed by a comfortable victory over Republican John McCain in the fall. It is not electrified by his presidential record, however.
Iowa does not share the country's high unemployment rate -- but it does share the Midwest's disapproval of the president's performance. A Public Policy poll late last summer showed just 45 percent of voters approved of Obama while 48 percent disapproved; independents split against him, 43 to 47; only 79 percent of Democrats thought he was doing a good job, while 87 percent of Republicans disagreed.
On Earth Day, just a handful of months after being sworn into office, Obama visited Newton, Iowa, located farther south along I-80. Standing at the TCI Composites wind-turbine plant, he praised the state's efforts in "green" alternative energy.
"The nation that leads the world in creating new energy sources will be the nation that leads the 21st century global economy. America can be that nation," he proclaimed.
He stressed the significance of wind energy as part of the green economy and he said TCI's new plant was critically important to Newton, which was devastated by the closure of Maytag's plant and corporate headquarters.
Late last week, TCI Composites, recipient of city and state tax credits and federal stimulus funds, laid off almost 200 workers. The company said it hoped to rehire them next spring.
Allen Anthony, 51, one of the furloughed workers, is not optimistic. "I really have no idea if they really will hire me or any of the other guys back," he said.
Leaning against a chain-link fence outside of the Iowa Speedway in Newton, Anthony looked exhausted. "Twenty-three years ago I made more than I did today," he said. "My future, my town's future, is all heading in the wrong direction."
His family spent a combined 85 years working at the Maytag plant. "Three generations in Newton," he said. "Now it is Maytag made in Mexico."
He will not support Obama again, he added.
Economic anxiety will play a larger-than-normal role in this year's presidential election. Less than a year out, the president lacks a message (although he has shopped a few of them, such as "We can't wait") or a policy that he can run on.
It's not going to be health care -- and definitely not bailouts. If the economy starts to recover, perhaps he can point to that.
All that he has right now, despite Washington media reports predicting his resurrection in the polls, is a political machine that can turn out just enough voters for him to win electorally.
Yet with guys like Allen Anthony, Barack Obama still lacks a persuasive reason for them to turn out and vote for him.
Salena Zito can be reached at szito@tribweb.com or 412-320-7879.
Images and text copyright © 2012 by Trib Total Media, Inc.
Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent.
Read more: Obama's support faltering in Iowa - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/columnists/zito/print_774495.html#ixzz1iu5Ifo1t
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Obama writing off Pennsylvania?
By Salena Zito
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, December 4, 2011
NEW BRIGHTON
The Brighton Hot Dog Shoppe on Third Avenue is one of those places where politicians who want to be president stop to look decidedly un-presidential.
Al Gore visited; so did John Kerry. President Barack Obama opted instead for ice cream at the Windmill, 8 miles up the road.
"It is where you take them to make candidates look authentic," explained a Democrat strategist who routinely works on presidential campaigns in the Keystone State.
After orchestrating three statewide presidential wins, he is sitting out this cycle. He doesn't see Obama winning Pennsylvania in 2012.
Life is different here in Beaver County: Three chili dogs with "the works," large fries and a large vanilla milkshake cost just over $8. Outside, a steady stream of hunters, families and other locals lingered after Thanksgiving, enjoying unseasonable warmth.
Beaver County has long been a Democrat stronghold. Traditionally, everything along the rivers where industry used to boom is more Democrat; the farther from the rivers, the more conservative the voters -- yet even conservatives are registered as Democrats.
Their preferences changed dramatically in 2008 when Republican John McCain beat Obama here. Until then, the last GOP presidential candidate to win the county was Richard Nixon.
That trend solidified when the much more conservative Pat Toomey, a Republican, beat former congressman Joe Sestak, a Democrat, for a U.S. Senate seat.
Hard to imagine a Democrat could lose Pennsylvania in a presidential election, especially one who won it just three years ago by nearly 10 percentage points.
Never mind that Republicans swept the state in last year's midterm elections, taking a majority of U.S. House seats, a U.S. Senate seat, both chambers of the state Legislature and the governor's mansion -- Pennsylvania is still 4 percent more "Democrat" than her Midwestern counterparts.
The latest survey from liberal-leaning Public Policy Polling showed 59 percent of white Pennsylvania voters disapprove of Obama's job performance, a rate usually found among Southern voters.
Sean Trende, a RealClearPolitics numbers analyst, said that while the president could write off Pennsylvania and win, it would be difficult. "The key would be holding the Bush states he won in the Mountain West -- Nevada, Colorado and New Mexico, plus Virginia and North Carolina."
That path gives him 280 electoral votes and assumes he will lose Indiana and Ohio, which he almost certainly will if he loses Pennsylvania.
Obama's main problem in Pennsylvania is downscale whites, said Trende: "The white working class has never been crazy about this president, and really only came on board with the collapse of the stock market in September of 2008."
It has nothing to do with race. "He called them 'bitter,'" Trende said -- and they have never forgotten that.
If Obama writes off Pennsylvania, he's basically conceding he can't win the Pittsburgh area outside Allegheny County and is running poorly in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area.
"In the long run, the Philly suburbs can conceivably provide enough votes to overcome this," Trende said, though he hasn't seen evidence of that yet.
Without a collapsing economy to remind these voters why they're still Democrats, they will vote Republican. Indeed, a just-stagnant economy on a Democrat's watch doesn't help.
Six weeks ago, Obama visited Pittsburgh. The union crowd was thin. Enthusiasm was nonexistent; so were local elected Democrats, who opted to shake his hand at the airport rather than stand on stage with him while he talked about jobs.
Last week he went to Scranton, home to Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Sen. Bob Casey. A no-show in Pittsburgh, Casey again declined to appear with Obama.
Like Pittsburgh's congressional Democrats, the freshman senator faces a tough re-election campaign next year.
In off-year elections last month, Republicans increased Pennsylvania counties they control by 12, to 52 of 67. Most gains were in Northeastern or Western Pennsylvania, home to Scranton and Pittsburgh, respectively.
Heading north along state Route 51 into Allegheny County, a faded Hillary-for-president sign straddles a closed business and a yard. Duct tape appears to be still holding it in place.
Salena Zito can be reached at szito@tribweb.com or 412-320-7879.
Read more: Obama writing off Pennsylvania? - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/columnists/zito/print_770153.html#ixzz1iu5tVLW9
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The Campaign Spot
Election-driven news and views . . . by Jim Geraghty.
Print | Text In Florida, Obama Trails Mitt By 3, Leads Rick By 2
By Jim Geraghty
January 11, 2012 7:39 A.M. Comments
0If the GOP race comes down to Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum, is Romney still the most electable or most competitive against President Obama? This morning, Quinnipiac says that Romney still holds that advantage… but there’s not a huge difference.
The top Republican presidential challenger, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, has 46 percent of registered voters to President Barack Obama’s 43 percent. If former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum gets the GOP nomination, he scores 43 percent to President Obama’s 45 percent, the independent Quinnipiac University poll finds.
In Florida’s U.S. Senate race, Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson has 41 percent, with 40 percent for his leading Republican challenger, U.S. Rep. Connie Mack.
The president has a solidly negative 42 – 54 percent job approval rating and Florida voters say 52 – 44 percent that he does not deserve a second term in the Oval Office.
“Florida is among the most important swing states in the country and if the election was today President Barack Obama would have difficulty winning its electoral votes,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
Not if 240 has anything to do with it.
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Belafonte on Obama: He Doesn’t Deserve a Second Term, Lacks ‘Moral Compass’
by Hollywoodland
http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/hollywoodland/2012/01/10/belafonte-on-obama-he-doesnt-deserve-a-second-term-lacks-moral-compass
If Matt Damon is disillusioned with The One, Harry Belafonte is downright dismayed with President Barack Obama’s first term.
The Calypso crooner didn’t hold back during a recent radio chat on “Smiley & West,” co-hosted by Tavis Smiley and Cornel West, even if a rebroadcast of the program snipped out Belafonte’s most punishing comments, according to The Radio Equalizer.
“My question is, what legacy will he leave, having the opportunity to serve under such hugely dramatic circumstances and had such a huge impact on the universal state of things … how could he have had such a splendid opportunity to do more than most presidents would have ever been able to do, and he let that opportunity slip away from him.
I’m very cautious of the fact that those who think he has some second agenda and only if he could be given a second term for us to see the new light, new things will be revealed, new efforts will be made to take us to a place other than where we’ve been and where we languish. I just don’t trust that. I don’t believe that’s a safe way and accurate way to look at this scenario. If there was the kind of moral compass serving Barack Obama the way we hoped, the moral force would have helped him make choices, the absence of that force in his equations, that barometer to guide him when he has to make these decisions that are hugely complicated, he should have come to the table with the things that would have helped us in this moment of crisis.”
Sounds like someone took that whole Messiah shtick a tad too seriously.
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Obama's Florida Freefall
By Josh Kraushaar
January 11, 2012 | 8:58 AM | 3 Comments
http://decoded.nationaljournal.com/2012/01/obamas-florida-freefall.php
There's nothing particularly new about Quinnipiac's new Florida numbers showing President Obama struggling, but they do underscore how badly the president has slipped - both with white voters and Hispanic voters in the demographically-diverse Sunshine State.
The poll shows Obama's job approval rating among white voters at just 33 percent, and his approval with Hispanic voters at 46 percent. Obama trails Romney by 21 points among white voters, 55 percent to 34 percent, and only holds a one-point lead among Hispanics, 46 to 45 percent.
Back in 2008, Obama won 42 percent of the white vote against John McCain in Florida; his level of support has dropped eight points since then. Even more stark is the president's 11-point slippage with Hispanics (he won 57 percent of the state's Latino vote against John McCain).
Obama's carefully-tailored message focused on fighting for the working class seems to have fallen on deaf ears in the Sunshine State, at least so far. Florida has been particularly hard-hit by the recession, with the state's unemployment rate and foreclosure rate ranking as one of the highest in the country.
Among all voters without a college degree, Obama trails Romney by four points, 47 to 43 percent. Among whites without a college degree, he trails Romney by a whopping 25-point margin, 56 to 31 percent.
If these numbers hold up - and Quinnipiac hasn't found encouraging numbers in Florida for the president since May - it may be wise to start looking at Florida as a lean-Republican state more than its traditional position as a toss-up. Pundits have begun to classify New Hampshire in that category, and there's been enough polling in Florida to indicate a similar trend in the Sunshine State.
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Obama: ‘Everything that we fought for is now at stake in this election’
BY ABDON M. PALLASCH Political Reporter apallasch@suntimes.com January 11, 2012 5:12PM
http://beaconnews.suntimes.com/9954638-417/obama-everything-that-we-fought-for-is-now-at-stake-in-this-election.html
Obama campaign, Democrats raise $68 million in final 3 months of 2011 Updated: January 12, 2012 5:08AM
Trying to jump-start his re-election with hometown fund-raisers and rallies, President Barack Obama told 500 cheering fans Wednesday, “Everything that we fought for is now at stake in this election.”
He repeated the message at more intimate gatherings in private homes in Lake View and Kenwood. He fired up the troops in his very first visit to his national headquarters in the Prudential Building. And he even stopped in to his own home for 20 minutes at the end of the night before flying back to Washington, D.C.
He hopes the fund-raisers bring in more than $2 million for what he told donors would be a “close race.”
“If you’re willing to work even harder in this election than you did in the last election, I promise you, change will come. God bless you Chicago, I love you!” he told the 500 fans at the UIC Forum after R&B singer Janelle Monae warmed them up. So did Obama’s Harvard Law School classmate CSI NY Star Hill Harper, while about 100 protesters shouted outside.
Talking to 140 of his neighbors and old friends just a few blocks from his home in Kenwood, he joked, “Is somebody mowing the grass in front of my house? I’m going to go over there and check.”
His neighbor, Bear Stearns Executive Stuart Taylor told him, “Our message to you on behalf of everyone gathered here is very simple and that is: We’ve got your back, despite what you might hear or read.”
His friends cheered.
“If you look around the room, these are people who were there for you going way back,” Taylor said. “We’re here for you. We’re no less enthusiastic this time around than we were the last time.”
Obama flew to Chicago on Air Force One with senior advisor Valerie Jarrett and outgoing chief of staff Bill Daley, who left after a rough year on the job this week.
“I want to say a special word about a friend of ours, a man who has done extraordinary work for me and performed extraordinary service for our country over the past year, Bill Daley,” Obama said at the first event of the night at UIC. “As much as I will miss him in the White House, he will be an extraordinary asset to our campaign. He’s going to be helping us win in 2012.”
Obama listed all the promises he said his administration had delivered on – health care; gays able to serve in the military; bringing the troops home. He also listed the issues he said his Republican opponents were wrong on: education funding, environmental protection and worker rights. Obama slammed his GOP opponents without mentioning their names:
“When you’ve got the top Republican saying his No. 1 priority isn’t creating more jobs, solving the health care problems; it isn’t making sure were competitive in the 21st century, but it’s to beat me — then you know things aren’t on the level,” Obama said. “They’ll fight with their last breath to protect tax cuts for the most fortunate in America, but they’ll play political games with tax cuts for the middle class.”
Playing to the crowd, Obama said, “I’ll be honest with ya: I wouldn’t mind popping over to the United Center — I think the Bulls are playing tonight. They are off to a fine start. You might have heard the Dallas Mavericks came to the White House on Monday to celebrate their championship. I told them to ‘Enjoy it — because the Bulls will be here next year.’”
About 100 protesters organized by Occupy Chicago gathered across from the Forum, where some students got in for as little as $44. VIPs paid $1,000. Some protestors criticized the large number of deportations. A few protestors stood among Obama fans across the street from his second stop at Newsweb Founder Fred Eychaner’s Lake View home.
One held a sign calling the exclusive gathering of 60 Obama fans paying $35,800 a couple a “Solyndra Board Meeting.”
Against the eclectic collection of artwork and sculptures adorning the concrete walls of Eychaner’s home, Obama identified in the room: Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, whom he recognized as his seatmate in the state legislature; Gov. Pat Quinn; and Sen. Dick Durbin. Obama jokingly recognized “carpet-bagger” Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), former Senate candidate Blair Hull, whose loss helped send Obama to the U.S. Senate.
Obama joked about having to return to these donors so often to ask for money.
“This will be my last campaign,” Obama assured them. He quoted former federal appellate justice and Clinton White House Counsel Abner Mikva: “Being friends with a politician is like permanently having a child in college: Every year another tuition check. But I’m finally graduating.”
Even though this is his first visit to his campaign headquarters, Illinois Republicans charge that most of his administration’s key decisions are made at the Prudential Building — and not the White House.
“There hasn’t been a decision out of the White House in three weeks that’s not political,” said Illinois Republican party Chairman Pat Brady.
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Unbelievable on so many levels.
A B O
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Why Obama's Florida Numbers Should Worry Him
By Sean Trende - January 12, 2012
If there's one indicator of the difficulties bedeviling President Obama's re-election effort, it's Florida. To say the state is key to Obama winning another four years is something of an understatement. If you assume he loses the McCain states along with Indiana, New Hampshire and Florida this time around, he begins with a ceiling of 314 electoral votes. This gives Obama a very narrow window for his re-election bid, forcing him to come close to sweeping the remaining swing states.
So the president’s polling in the Sunshine State has to concern his campaign team. Consider the latest entry from Quinnipiac. The poll of registered voters shows him trailing likely Republican nominee Mitt Romney by three points, 46 to 43. That 43 percent number is especially troubling for the president because it matches up with his “solidly negative” job approval number of 42 percent, as well as with the 44 percent of Floridians who believe that he deserves a second term in office. In other words, his job approval among those voters who are undecided is probably very, very low.
Additionally, this is a poll of registered voters. Later on, we’ll get a better sense of how Obama stands among the actual electorate when pollsters begin to screen for likely voters. Right now, 56 percent of Republicans say that they’re more likely to vote than usual, compared with 29 percent of Democrats. This yawning “enthusiasm gap” suggests that the president’s deficit among actual participants in the general election is probably more substantial.
In the RCP Average, he clings to a 0.2 percent lead in Florida. He has to hope that Quinnipiac is the outlier in the average, and not NBC/Marist (which showed him with a substantial lead).
Sean Trende is Senior Elections Analyst for RealClearPolitics. He can be reached at strende@realclearpolitics.com.
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Obama hurting with swing voters, poll shows (Americans figuring out Obama really does hate America)
Politico ^ | 1/19/2012 | By MJ LEE
Posted on January 19, 2012 7:01:21 AM EST by tobyhill
President Barack Obama is poorly positioned with key independents less than a year away from Election Day, with less than a third of swing voters expressing a favorable opinion of the president in a new poll.
Just 31 percent of independent voters indicated a favorable opinion of the president in a New York Times/CBS News poll out Thursday, compared to a 38 percent favorability rating among all voters.
Asked about how Obama is handling his job, the majority of swing voters, 52 percent, said they disapprove while 37 percent said they approve.
Meanwhile, two-thirds of swing voters said the president hasn’t made significant progress in fixing the country’s economy, while six in ten of them said Obama doesn’t share their priorities for the country.
The poll also revealed that more than five in ten independent voters, 54 percent, do not have a clear idea of what the president wants to accomplish during a second term of presidency.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
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Obama hurting with swing voters, poll shows (Americans figuring out Obama really does hate America)
Politico ^ | 1/19/2012 | By MJ LEE
Posted on January 19, 2012 7:01:21 AM EST by tobyhill
President Barack Obama is poorly positioned with key independents less than a year away from Election Day, with less than a third of swing voters expressing a favorable opinion of the president in a new poll.
Just 31 percent of independent voters indicated a favorable opinion of the president in a New York Times/CBS News poll out Thursday, compared to a 38 percent favorability rating among all voters.
Asked about how Obama is handling his job, the majority of swing voters, 52 percent, said they disapprove while 37 percent said they approve.
Meanwhile, two-thirds of swing voters said the president hasn’t made significant progress in fixing the country’s economy, while six in ten of them said Obama doesn’t share their priorities for the country.
The poll also revealed that more than five in ten independent voters, 54 percent, do not have a clear idea of what the president wants to accomplish during a second term of presidency.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
This is the main reason why Obama is going to lose in November.
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Politifact: “We Rate Obama's ‘Revolving Door’ Policy For Former Lobbyists His Biggest Broken Promise.” (Angie Drobnic Holan, “Not So Fast On Obama Revolving Door Policy,” Politifact, 1/23/09)
Solyndra, Obama’s Poster-Child For “American Ingenuity And Dynamism,” Declared Bankruptcy. “The California-based Solyndra, which employed more than 1,000 people, declared bankruptcy earlier this month. President Obama visited the company in May of 2010, saying it was a prime example of ‘American ingenuity and dynamism.’” (Alexander Mooney, “White House Beats Back Claim It Pressured Loan To Now-Bankrupt Company.” CNN,9/14/11)
Obama did not create 2.7 million green jobs: “The clean economy, which employs some 2.7 million workers, encompasses a significant number of jobs in establishments spread across a diverse group of industries. Though modest in size, the clean economy employs more workers than the fossil fuel industry and bulks larger than bioscience but remains smaller than the IT-producing sectors. Most clean economy jobs reside in mature segments that cover a wide swath of activities including manufacturing and the provision of public services such as wastewater and mass transit.” (Mark Muro, “Sizing The Clean Economy: A National And Regional Jobs Assessment,” The Brookings Institution, 7/13/11)
“While Bush was in office from 2001 to 2009, the oil and gas industry saw many new leases and other expanded drilling opportunities. In March 2010, Obama announced plans to expand offshore drilling, but he retreated in the aftermath of the BP oil spill. According to EIA’s short-term 2011 outlook, released last week, oil production was significantly higher in 2009 than in the years prior. Obama may have been in office for most of that year, but the oil production numbers are due to action taken before he became president. In 2010, most if not all of the production increase recorded is likely due to action that predates Obama, since Obama didn’t take any major action expanding offshore drilling his first year in office.”(Amy Harder, “Obama’s Fuzzy Oil Production Math,” National Journal, 3/17/11)
________________________ ___________
Obama = a lying sack of garbage.
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Unreal.
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President Obama serenades supporters with Al Green classic at Harlem's Apollo Theater
New York Daily News ^ | January 19, 2011 | Celeste Katz
Posted on January 20, 2012 1:16:57 AM EST by OddLane
President Obama was the crooner-in-chief Thursday night, taking the stage at Harlem’s famed Apollo Theater and serenading supporters with an Al Green classic.
Capping three fund-raisers in the city, Obama softly sang the opening to “Let’s Stay Together,” with Green himself giving the Prez props for his chops.
“We’re so honored. It’s the first time we’ve ever had a sitting President at the Apollo,” the venue’s CEO, Jonelle Procope, said of the event where tickets went for $100 to $25,000.
Earlier, Obama met Jewish leaders at upper East Side restaurant Daniel and said the election is “going to be a tough race, regardless of who they nominate.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nydailynews.com ...
What a clown.
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Is this wackjob 333386 still posting here? Has he killed himself since Obama got reelected or is he holed up in some doomsday bunker clinging to his guns?
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Is this wackjob 333386 still posting here? Has he killed himself since Obama got reelected or is he holed up in some doomsday bunker clinging to his guns?
He's still here.
Thanks for bumping the thread.
I just had a good laugh at how many things a single person can get wrong.
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More bang for your buck.
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Is this wackjob 333386 still posting here? Has he killed himself since Obama got reelected or is he holed up in some doomsday bunker clinging to his guns?
:)