Category: Mitt Romney

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Barack Obama Mitt Romney Politics

The Campaign Cometh – Brace Yourself

If anything is clear about the presidential election so far, it’s that nothing is very clear at all. We have reached the first phase of the campaign where the key is for both candidates to define themselves and each other in diametrically opposite terms. Where does the race stand so far?

Both men are winning North Carolina, according to the latest polls. This might have something to do with both of their policy pronouncements concerning marriage equality, which seems to be hurting Obama in some polls, but the long-term trend in the country points decisively towards more people accepting marriage equality. In the end, if most North Carolinians voted to ban marriage equality and Obama just came out in support of it, that leads me to believe that the state might be out of his reach.

Electoral College projections have been fairly consistent so far, with Obama leading 243-170 in RCP (Wisconsin was just moved from Obama back to toss-up), by 303-235 at electionprojection.com and by 284-170 at HuffPost/Pollster. Most of those state polls were taken last month, so let’s see what May’s data shows. Mitt has seen a bump since the primaries ended and that will probably raise his state profiles a bit.

And what about the issues of the day? That depends on the issue. Obviously the economy is the country’s number one concern and my view is that May’s jobs numbers, to be released in June, might be his last opportunity to claim that the employment picture is improving sufficiently to show that the economy is moving in a positive direction. Most people will not pay attention in July and August, although if gas prices drop enough, people might feel better about their prospects for the fall.

Word now is that the GOP is going to press the debt battle over the summer and force the president’s hand on raising the debt ceiling, which really doesn’t need to be done until December. John Boehner believes that this is a winner for his party, but I’m not so sure. Much of this election will also be fought over Medicare and if Obama frames the issue correctly, he can run against any severe cuts the Ryan budget proposes. He can also say that Romney favors the wealthy and the military over health care. If the Supreme Court invalidates the health care law, then Romney will have a freer hand to say he’ll keep the most popular parts of the law (both of them) and make responsible additions once he’s elected.

If the Republicans really want to lose this election though, then running anti-Obama ads focusing on Reverend Jeremiah Wright, as reported in Thursday’s New York Times, is just the way to do it. As a strategy, this might appeal to the far right wing of the party, but these ads will spark a tremendous backlash against Romney. Americans like Barack Obama, but are not terribly pleased with his policies. Going after him personally is exactly the wrong way to defeat him. Plus, I’m sure there will also be ads aimed at his support for marriage equality. Has the Republican Party gone so far right that they think it would benefit them to run a racist, anti-gay campaign? It’s possible, but I’m thinking that cooler heads will prevail and will be able to walk them back from the precipice. Mitt’s already come out against the ads. Let’s hope that’s enough to convince the PAC not to run them.

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Mitt Romney Politics

TDAmeritrade and Chicago Cubs Owner Decide Against Jeremiah Wright Ads

Joe Ricketts, the founder of TDAmeriTrade and owner of the Chicago Cubs decided to scrap his plans to run a $10 million ad campaign against President Obama using the Republican created political boogeyman name Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Mr. Ricketts plan would have followed the same unsuccessful playbook Republicans used against Mr. Obama in the 2008 presidential campaign, where they tried to scare Americans into thinking that because the President went to Jeremiah Wright’s church, Mr. Obama had to be a crazy America-hating psycho.

Both Republicans and Democrats considered Mr. Ricketts proposed ad campaign a dumb move. “Right now, the story the voters are moved by, and tuned in to, is the economy,” said Republican Rick Wilson, who helped create some of John McCain’s ads in 2008. That statement was echoed by Republican House Speaker John Boehner who said, “I don’t know what these other people do or why they do it. All I know is the American people vote with their wallets.” Even Mitt Romney found the courage to make a statement, saying that he “repudiate that effort. I think it’s the wrong course for a PAC or a campaign.”

John McCain stayed away from the Jeremiah Wright issue in 2008 and when news of Mr. Ricketts plans came to light, McCain also issued a statement saying he is proud of the decision he made to not air ads featuring Jeremiah Wright, and if he had to do it all over again, nothing would change.

Even Joe Ricketts’ own daughter disagreed with her father. She told the Chicago Tribune exactly what she thought President Obama. “My view is that the president is doing a wonderful job,” she said. “He’s a great leader.”

With all the backlash from his own party, Mr. Ricketts came to the conclusion that reviving a dead issue may not be his best option.

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Mitt Romney Politics

Romney Donor Wants His Money Back. He Now Supports Obama

“You have chosen to be on the wrong side of history and I do not support your run for president any longer,” said Bill White, a one time Romney supporter and donor. Mr White is the chairman and CEO of the New York-based consulting firm Constellations Group. He was previously the president of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum – the cultural and educational institution whose major presence is the floating World War II Intrepid aircraft carrier sitting on the Hudson River.

According to a letter addressed to Mitt Romney and obtained by CNN, Mr. White is also asking the Republican presidential candidate for his money back, saying “I feel that I no longer wish to support your presidential campaign and ask that you please return the maximum contribution that I gave to you last year.”

So why the change? Mr. White said it’s because of the President’s full evolution on gay marriage. Mr. White continued;

“I had a very visceral reaction to [Romney] – he had a great opportunity… to get on the right side of history, and to be someone to the country that helps to unite us, versus what divides us. And I just think his very proactive intention to pounce on this issue now has sent me to the other side.

“Now, I feel like he’s declared war on my marriage. And I could just sit back and not say anything. Or I could do something about it. And I’ve chosen to do something about it.”

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Mitt Romney pat robertson Politics

Pat Robertson Endorsed Romney, Only Because Jesus Isn’t Running

The Conservative Republican television host who preach politics but sometimes dabble in Religion, took his endorsement of Mitt Romney one step further, telling his listeners that since Jesus isn’t running for President, Romney – although a Mormon – is his choice.

“It looks like the people who were worried about his Mormonism, at least that crowd is diminishing somewhat,” Robertson said. “The question is, if you have two candidates, you don’t have Jesus running against someone else. You have Obama running against Romney.”

Robertson previously expressed some concern that Romney may govern the nation based on his Mormon beliefs, but Robertson was more than willing to give Romney a shot. On one of his TBN shows last month, Robertson said, “I can’t imagine that he’s going to interject the Mormon religion into the way he governs. He might, but I would sincerely doubt it. That’s the concern, but I think the biggest concern right now is the fact that this country is going bankrupt if we don’t do something about the terrible federal deficits.”

“I believe [we] now have a clear-cut choice between somebody who has no plan and between somebody who has a very detailed plan.”

And this “very detailed plan” amounts to tax cuts for the wealthy… again!

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Mitt Romney Politics

Romney’s Job Creation Record at Bain is Non-Existent

Mitt Romney is the first one to admit that he is not a politician, although he’s been running for political office for decades. He would rather the American public see him as a private citizen who spent his life running a business and have now decided to run for president. He would love if we forget the political nonsense he has said over the years and his dismal economic record as governor in Massachusetts.

With that in mind, the Obama administration decided to take a look at Romney’s business career – his record at Bain Capital. As the head of Bain, Romney’s decision to take over businesses, selling off their assets and shipping jobs overseas for cheaper labor is how Bain made its money.

Here’s an example…

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Mitt Romney Politics

Romney Then – A Bully | Romney Now – Doesn’t Care About the Poor and Likes Firing People

It’s all coming together. We’re slowly beginning to see who the real Mitt Romney is, as reports surfaced today exposing a young Mitt Romney bullying his classmates back in high school. And it makes perfect sense that the kid who bullied, mocked, laughed at and even held down another student and forcibly cut that student’s hair, would grow up to be the man who said he doesn’t care about the poor, that he liked firing people and he enjoys taking jobs away from Americans, closing down companies and shipping those jobs overseas.

Yes, it’s all coming together now.

Mitt Romney offered a qualified apology for his behavior as a high school student, without specifically saying whether a report that he bullied a student thought by his classmates to be gay was accurate.

“Back in high school I did some dumb things and if anybody was hurt by that or offended by that I apologize,” Romney told FOX radio host Brian Kilmeade Thursday. “If I did stupid things, I’m afraid I’ve got to say sorry for it.”

Romney, 65, noted he graduated from high school nearly five decades ago, and said, “I’m quite a different guy now.” He admitted “I participated in a lot of hijinks and pranks in high school and some of them might have gone too far, and I apologize.”

Five classmates described to the Washington Post on record an incident in which Romney, then a high school senior, teased and ultimately assaulted a student, John Lauber. According to their account, Romney mocked the student’s long blond hair, recalling that he once said, “He can’t look like that. That’s wrong. Just look at him!” before joining classmates in chasing him, pinning him to the ground and cutting his hair as Lauber screamed for help.

“I certainly don’t believe that I thought the fellow was homosexual,” Romney told Kilmeade. “That was the furthest thing from our minds back in the 1960s.

[TPM]

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Mitt Romney Politics

Romney on Same Sex Marriage – ” I do not favor marriage between people of the same gender”

(CBS News) FORT LUPTON, Colo. – Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney on Wednesday said he unequivocally opposes “marriage between people of the same gender,” drawing a contrast to President Obama’s “evolving” position on the issue.

In an interview with Denver-based KDVR-TV, Romney was asked about the failure of a ballot measure that would have allowed same-sex civil unions in Colorado. “I indicated my view, which is I do not favor marriage between people of the same gender, and I do not favor civil unions if they are identical to marriage other than by name,” Romney said. “My view is the domestic partnership benefits, hospital visitation rights, and the like are appropriate but that the others are not.”

Romney, in another interview Wednesday, told CBS affiliate KCNC in Denver: “My position is the same on gay marriage as it’s been well, from the beginning, and that is that marriage is a relation between a man and a woman. That’s the posture that I had as governor and I have that today.”

However, it’s still early in the election season. Check back later to see if Romney’s position changes. Most likely, it will.

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Mitt Romney Politics Rick Santorum

Rick Santorum Endorses The “Worst Republican In America”

Remember when Rick Santorum said Mitt Romney was the worst Republican in America to put up against President Obama? Well last night, Mr. Santorum jumped on the Romney bandwagon and decided to ride it as far as its deflated wheels will take him.

In a late night email to his supporters, Santorum said that he had “no doubt” that Romney would repeal President Obama’s Health Care Law – the very law that was patterned after Romney’s own health care law in his state of Massachusetts. And almost to the end of his 16 paragraph email, Santorum said;

“Above all else, we both agree that President Obama must be defeated.  It will require all hands on deck if our nominee is to be victorious. Gov. Romney will be that nominee and he has my endorsement and support to win this the most critical election of our lifetime.”

After the Gingrich endorsement, Shepard Smith of Fox News said “politics is weird.” What will he say about this endorsement?

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China Mitt Romney Politics

Mitt Romney Jeopardized Foreign Affairs for Political Gain

Senior Obama strategist David Axelrod hammered likely GOP nominee Mitt Romney for his criticism of the administration’s handling of Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng.

“I think what’s shameful is when presidential candidates are so craven to score political points that they speak irresponsibly on half information at a time when the president is trying, and the administration is trying to resolve a situation that is very, very sensitive and very difficult,” Axelrod said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.”

Chen, a blind human rights activist who has been under house arrest, sought refuge in the U.S. embassy last week. A deal to allow Chen to live with his family and receive regular contact with U.S. diplomats quickly unraveled last week after Chen said his family had been threatened by Chinese officials and that he wanted to leave the country.

Romney called the incident “dark day for freedom” and “a day of shame for the Obama administration.”

“We want to help Mr. Chen achieve his goal, which is to come here, and we want to do it in accordance with our values, and we want to be successful in doing that. And we’re making some progress in that regard,” said Axelrod. “But it doesn’t help to have candidates blunderbussing around, trying to score political points, when we’re in the middle of that process.”

Source: The Hill

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Mitt Romney New York pay Politics rachel maddow

“Mitt Romney Does Not Want Firefighters To Be Paid More” – Maddow

In the clip below, Romney traveled to New York on the anniversary of Osama Bin Laden’s death. He is seen talking to Firefighters then later at a fundraiser, Romney tells his donors of a conversation he had with some of New York’s bravest.

Rachel Maddow reports;

“I spoke with a fireman yesterday,” Romney told his donors, “and he has a 1 bedroom apartment and his wife is pregnant, and he can’t afford a second bedroom. …I asked the firefighters I was meeting with, about 15 of them, how many had to take another job to make ends meet, and almost all of them had.”

Rachel Maddow, host of MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show, then shows clips of Romney telling audiences that government employees are getting paid too much money, and if given a chance, he will cut government workers and workers pay.

Video.

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Mitt Romney Politics Rick Santorum

Rick Santorum: “As Governor, Mitt Romney was 47th Out of 50 States in Job Creation”

Today, Mitt Romney is bowing to the commands of Rick Santorum, even making the unprecedented move for a presidential nominee to go to the loser’s campaign headquarters to talk to the loser. That is what Romney is doing today as he begins his courtship for the Santorum endorsement.

And in preparation of that eventual endorsement, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) has prepared this video, reminding Santorum and Romney of some of the things that was said as recently as a few months ago.

This is too easy.

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Mitt Romney ted nugent Tid Bits

Mitt Romney’s Coveted Endorser Ted Nugent Explodes in CBS Interview

Ted Nugent is a man who has said some very outlandish things, most recently calling the President and members of his administration “criminals.” He was recently investigated by the CIA after making threatening remarks about the president’s possible re-election, where he said if the president gets elected for a second term, he [Nugent] will either be dead or in jail by this time next year.

The Republican nominee for president Mitt Romney, actively went after and got Ted’s endorsement. After Ted’s outburst against the President and his administration, the Romney campaign issued a weak statement basically saying that both sides should be mindful of what they say.

CBS received this interview with Nugent after his meeting with the Secret Service, and as I watch another unnecessary outburst from Nugent, I couldn’t help but wonder why Mitt Romney so desperately needed Ted’s endorsement.

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