++Clinton 42.3%
Trump 42. %
Showing posts with label Iowa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iowa. Show all posts
Monday, September 26, 2016
Saturday, December 5, 2015
I Watched The Whole Trump Speech At His Davenport,Iowa Rally
++This afternoon I watched Chris Hedges on the Cult of the Celebrity and him talk about how the Obama brand was damaged. Then Ted Nugent appeared on Infonews to say,"President Obama is a freedom-hating,American hating punk President."
++It appears Obama Hate is in full throttle for a host of reasons--almost all emotional and racist-tinged.
++Then the Donald appears. Watch out. The New York Times did a study which should appear tomorrow that analyzes the language Trump uses and says he is better than the demagogues of old.
++Rachel Maddow made a big deal that Trump has been interrupted ten times by Black Lives Matter and walked off the stage. He had already talked for 50 minutes when he did that. He got clips out of it with African-American students singing "He'll build a Wall, The Wall Will be Tall, and the Wall will protect us all." And e got the woman asking him about celibate Syrian refugees. Only Rachel and democratic websites got Black Lives Matter protesting.
++The Donald shows up in Iowa. While his numbers may be exaggerated,he draws crowds all over the country the size of which dwarfs other candidates, even Bernie Sanders.
++He is the epitome of Chris Hedges "celebrity culture". The crowd is comfortable with the way he speaks and accepts him insulting the other candidates. He is tapering off on the others except his favorite Lindsey Graham whom he thinks is stupid and sits with John McCain like "Their bobsey twins". He keeps ribbing Jeb by reading his poll numbers and stays with his low energy line. That is the new dig at Hillary Clinton. She takes off from the campaign trail and rests. She committed so many illegal acts that the Democrats are protecting her. She is so tired that her ambassador in Benghazi keeps sending her emails but she doesn't have the energy to answer them.
++All is delivered to laughter. The audience doesn't mind what he says isn't true. He can deliver a line.
++They don't care whether he is rich. That means he is not bought like the others. He even talks about Rubio's rich donors and how he will be a puppet.
++He can even lampoon himself with the Wall. Now he is going to build it higher than the Great Wall in China.
++He repeats the right's line that if people in Paris and California had guns the story would be different. He claims he is an NRA me member but his sons are better shots.
++He talks about the United States getting ripped off by everyone. Today it was Japan and China. He works over the crowds feeling of being victims.
++He says that he would fight ISIS first and later deal with Assad. He thinks going after Assad is stupid. He repeats that he warned about the Iraq war and here he talks in a language that makes commonsense.
++He tells the crowd that ISIS is attacking and beheading "their bother Christians" like it is the Middle Ages.
++He tells them that the other candidates spend hundreds of thousands on polls but he just reads the one's printed. He pulls the curtain back on how politicians take their positions using them and then talks about Jeb trying to figure out whether the Iraq War was good or bad.
++He says that he isn't politically correct because he talks without notes and not with a teleprompter like Obama. He manages to get that across better than all the teleprompter jokes by Republicans the last six years.
++He goes strong for almost an hour.Nothing he says fits conveniently into a Fact Check or gaffe machine. He is unfiltered and like the figure the audience knows from television but folksier. He likes the crowd as much it likes him. He feeds off the applause. He could speak forever.
++He makes a virtue that he doesn't speak with a script. You think you are encountering a real person and he is speaking to you. His slogan "Make America Great Again." is repeated periodically throughout the speech and is wildly applauded.
++And he can be candid. He warns the audience that the Democrats have a structural advantage in a national election. Other Republicans don't tell them that. He also talks about the Silent Majority and then critiques the term. He is self-aware.And it is that attribute that makes him effective and dangerous in the general election.
++If you are expecting a Democrats with policy papers,Trump repeats his talking points and then says "trust me".
++Steve Benen wrote early in the Obama years that the Republicans had become policy-less. Trump is the inevitable consequence.
++I don't buy Chris Hedges' take on President Obama but with the Donald "the culture of celebrity" applies perfectly.
++The Donald said that he would erase all of President Obama's executive orders and said President Obama was the worst President in our history. He basically was dismissive of Obama and didn't rant about him like Cruz and Rubio.
++Trump did an analysis of what happens when he is attacked. He worked through Rick Perry, Scott Walker,Jeb. He chided people like George Will who without his glasses would look like an idiot. Glasses was a motif in this speech.
++He is an effective speaker even if you don't like what he says because it is too simplistic. Remember the Republicans getting hysterical about Ronald Reagan hand the prospects he would win the presidency. I remember they had to have small gatherings to reassure people. And no,they didn't believe he could be President.
++Trump is a less canned candidate than Reagan. Reagan ran with his little note cards he had created over decades. The antidotes were always the same. People forget he was almost effeminate and that made him less threatening. Reagan had his own political history which the Donald speaks about in his interviews. And he was a real actor.
++I used to practice something that Reagan did . He never left a room filled with people with his back to anyone. It's an art but one learned from movies.
++The Donald knows media and he knows the American audience which has changed over the years. The other Republican candidates don't. The camera does nothing for Cruz. Rubio does sweat too much as the Donald always mentions. Carson looks like he's own drugs. The Donald is the only generating energy.
++Howard Fineman did a piece in the Huffington Post about how Hope is lacking in this election. He quotes Chris Matthews that candidates that project the sunny side win. But maybe not this year.
++The Donald has already said the "American Dream Has Died." He already warns that we are one election away from being a third world country. But it seems to me he conveys energy--which in this year's election is a positive.
++The GOP establishment is nervous as they were with Reagan coming on the national scene. They don't know where they can put the hooks into Trump.
++We can write about the demographics but they won't kick into 2020 when 90 million millenials will be of voting age. Unless the Democrats can motivate the Obama coalition,this might get tight.
++How do you actually combat Trump? None of the Republicans can. He made fun of John Kasich's ad likening him to a Nazi. But he does it in a way you have no idea about its content.
++The New York Times and the Washington Post are beginning to go after his lies. But they also went after Reagan's exaggerations. The excuse is that it is to make a larger point. Like African-Americans are freeloaders but I can'y say it. So the Post and Times reader tut-tuts about this but the average voter ignores them.
++And the GOP has picked up that the Donald is a tweeter and a proficient one while the others aren't. Rubio and Cruz, younger candidates don't even have their social media operation up and running.
++Trump has spent .22 million on television ads, Jeb has spent $30 million.Jeb is polling at 3% while the Donald is over 30%. Now Jeb is going to make 30 minute ads with his SuperPac money to re-introduce himself. So of you can't stand 30 seconds of Jeb, how are you going to like him better as 30 minutes. Aargh!
++This election doesn't seem to be following the rule books. So be warned,the Donald is not a passing fancy. Remember when he was going to quit and that his polls would drop.
++Watching him tonight. I still fear a Ted Cruz over the Donald.
++It appears Obama Hate is in full throttle for a host of reasons--almost all emotional and racist-tinged.
++Then the Donald appears. Watch out. The New York Times did a study which should appear tomorrow that analyzes the language Trump uses and says he is better than the demagogues of old.
++Rachel Maddow made a big deal that Trump has been interrupted ten times by Black Lives Matter and walked off the stage. He had already talked for 50 minutes when he did that. He got clips out of it with African-American students singing "He'll build a Wall, The Wall Will be Tall, and the Wall will protect us all." And e got the woman asking him about celibate Syrian refugees. Only Rachel and democratic websites got Black Lives Matter protesting.
++The Donald shows up in Iowa. While his numbers may be exaggerated,he draws crowds all over the country the size of which dwarfs other candidates, even Bernie Sanders.
++He is the epitome of Chris Hedges "celebrity culture". The crowd is comfortable with the way he speaks and accepts him insulting the other candidates. He is tapering off on the others except his favorite Lindsey Graham whom he thinks is stupid and sits with John McCain like "Their bobsey twins". He keeps ribbing Jeb by reading his poll numbers and stays with his low energy line. That is the new dig at Hillary Clinton. She takes off from the campaign trail and rests. She committed so many illegal acts that the Democrats are protecting her. She is so tired that her ambassador in Benghazi keeps sending her emails but she doesn't have the energy to answer them.
++All is delivered to laughter. The audience doesn't mind what he says isn't true. He can deliver a line.
++They don't care whether he is rich. That means he is not bought like the others. He even talks about Rubio's rich donors and how he will be a puppet.
++He can even lampoon himself with the Wall. Now he is going to build it higher than the Great Wall in China.
++He repeats the right's line that if people in Paris and California had guns the story would be different. He claims he is an NRA me member but his sons are better shots.
++He talks about the United States getting ripped off by everyone. Today it was Japan and China. He works over the crowds feeling of being victims.
++He says that he would fight ISIS first and later deal with Assad. He thinks going after Assad is stupid. He repeats that he warned about the Iraq war and here he talks in a language that makes commonsense.
++He tells the crowd that ISIS is attacking and beheading "their bother Christians" like it is the Middle Ages.
++He tells them that the other candidates spend hundreds of thousands on polls but he just reads the one's printed. He pulls the curtain back on how politicians take their positions using them and then talks about Jeb trying to figure out whether the Iraq War was good or bad.
++He says that he isn't politically correct because he talks without notes and not with a teleprompter like Obama. He manages to get that across better than all the teleprompter jokes by Republicans the last six years.
++He goes strong for almost an hour.Nothing he says fits conveniently into a Fact Check or gaffe machine. He is unfiltered and like the figure the audience knows from television but folksier. He likes the crowd as much it likes him. He feeds off the applause. He could speak forever.
++He makes a virtue that he doesn't speak with a script. You think you are encountering a real person and he is speaking to you. His slogan "Make America Great Again." is repeated periodically throughout the speech and is wildly applauded.
++And he can be candid. He warns the audience that the Democrats have a structural advantage in a national election. Other Republicans don't tell them that. He also talks about the Silent Majority and then critiques the term. He is self-aware.And it is that attribute that makes him effective and dangerous in the general election.
++If you are expecting a Democrats with policy papers,Trump repeats his talking points and then says "trust me".
++Steve Benen wrote early in the Obama years that the Republicans had become policy-less. Trump is the inevitable consequence.
++I don't buy Chris Hedges' take on President Obama but with the Donald "the culture of celebrity" applies perfectly.
++The Donald said that he would erase all of President Obama's executive orders and said President Obama was the worst President in our history. He basically was dismissive of Obama and didn't rant about him like Cruz and Rubio.
++Trump did an analysis of what happens when he is attacked. He worked through Rick Perry, Scott Walker,Jeb. He chided people like George Will who without his glasses would look like an idiot. Glasses was a motif in this speech.
++He is an effective speaker even if you don't like what he says because it is too simplistic. Remember the Republicans getting hysterical about Ronald Reagan hand the prospects he would win the presidency. I remember they had to have small gatherings to reassure people. And no,they didn't believe he could be President.
++Trump is a less canned candidate than Reagan. Reagan ran with his little note cards he had created over decades. The antidotes were always the same. People forget he was almost effeminate and that made him less threatening. Reagan had his own political history which the Donald speaks about in his interviews. And he was a real actor.
++I used to practice something that Reagan did . He never left a room filled with people with his back to anyone. It's an art but one learned from movies.
++The Donald knows media and he knows the American audience which has changed over the years. The other Republican candidates don't. The camera does nothing for Cruz. Rubio does sweat too much as the Donald always mentions. Carson looks like he's own drugs. The Donald is the only generating energy.
++Howard Fineman did a piece in the Huffington Post about how Hope is lacking in this election. He quotes Chris Matthews that candidates that project the sunny side win. But maybe not this year.
++The Donald has already said the "American Dream Has Died." He already warns that we are one election away from being a third world country. But it seems to me he conveys energy--which in this year's election is a positive.
++The GOP establishment is nervous as they were with Reagan coming on the national scene. They don't know where they can put the hooks into Trump.
++We can write about the demographics but they won't kick into 2020 when 90 million millenials will be of voting age. Unless the Democrats can motivate the Obama coalition,this might get tight.
++How do you actually combat Trump? None of the Republicans can. He made fun of John Kasich's ad likening him to a Nazi. But he does it in a way you have no idea about its content.
++The New York Times and the Washington Post are beginning to go after his lies. But they also went after Reagan's exaggerations. The excuse is that it is to make a larger point. Like African-Americans are freeloaders but I can'y say it. So the Post and Times reader tut-tuts about this but the average voter ignores them.
++And the GOP has picked up that the Donald is a tweeter and a proficient one while the others aren't. Rubio and Cruz, younger candidates don't even have their social media operation up and running.
++Trump has spent .22 million on television ads, Jeb has spent $30 million.Jeb is polling at 3% while the Donald is over 30%. Now Jeb is going to make 30 minute ads with his SuperPac money to re-introduce himself. So of you can't stand 30 seconds of Jeb, how are you going to like him better as 30 minutes. Aargh!
++This election doesn't seem to be following the rule books. So be warned,the Donald is not a passing fancy. Remember when he was going to quit and that his polls would drop.
++Watching him tonight. I still fear a Ted Cruz over the Donald.
Sunday, October 4, 2015
NBC/Marist New Hampshire and Iowa
++Admit it Hillary was likable on SNL.
++New Hampshire
Sanders 48%
Clinton 39%
Republicans:
Trump 21%
Fiorina 16%
Bush 11%
Rubio 10%
Carson 10%
++Iowa:
Clinton 47%
Sanders 36%
++Republicans:
Trump 24%
Carson 19%
Fiorina 8%
Bush 7%
Cruz 6%
Rubio 6%
Jindal 6%
++New Hampshire
Sanders 48%
Clinton 39%
Republicans:
Trump 21%
Fiorina 16%
Bush 11%
Rubio 10%
Carson 10%
++Iowa:
Clinton 47%
Sanders 36%
++Republicans:
Trump 24%
Carson 19%
Fiorina 8%
Bush 7%
Cruz 6%
Rubio 6%
Jindal 6%
Saturday, August 18, 2012
The Vulture-Voucher Ticket's First Week
This was a wild week. I sat through a World War II veteran in Ohio, who is a registered Republican,rant against the pick of Paul Ryan and against GOP obstructionism, particularly from the Ohio delegation. "If all they wanted to do for four years was defeat Barack Obama, then why did they even stay in Washington?"
I was spared the endless ads while out in Ohio. Maybe they were on other channels . The GOP is outspending the Dems in swing states three to one in television ads. President Obama told his campaign donors that he can win up until the GOP outspends him 5 to 1 or 10 to 1. That is the difference he thinks exists between organization and spending. He expressed confidence in his organization and their get out the vote campaign.
The Romney campaign had expected a bump of 5 its with their vice presidential pick. The verdict is in--it was a five point bump for President Obama. Nate Silver was more circumspect saying that the Ryan pick may have meant a one point plus for Romney. Next up will be the convention. The Romney campaign expects an 11-point bounce.
There was a lot of talk about various states becoming swing states or not. CNN and others are saying Wisconsin may be a swing states even though the latest polls show Obama holding about a 4 point lead--yes, less than 2008. But none of this gossip has been predicated on Romney taking a lead in the state. It is always that Obama's lead is not as large as it might have been. Romney still seems stuck at 191, and Obama bounces from 270 to 330 on a daily basis. Today I actually saw a map with Romney at 272 and Obama at 266--this would be the largest margin of victory for Romney imaginable. But there is nothing in the real world which indicates he s even close to this.
Obama spent this week on his small state strategy for reaching 270. He campaigned in Iowa and New Hampshire. Obama delighted Iowans by his quaffing beer with the natives while the Washington Post was horrified. He also lambasted Romney for his opposition to wind power tax credits, which accounts for 7,000 jobs in the state. Republican Senator Grassley said he felt he had been stabbed in the back by Romney since he was the main architect for wind power credits. President Obama also announced drought relief and pounded Congress for not passing the farm bill, which was being blocked by none other than the VP pick Paul Ryan.
President Obama also released an ad over Paul Ryan's very anti-woman record and his opposition to abortion under any circumstances, birth control and Planned Parenthood as well as against Equal Pay for Equal Work. The ad uses the most effective speech by President Obama delivered in Colorado on the issue of the women's reproductive health.
The Vulture-Voucher campaign got off to a rocky start. It is rumored that the two will now campaign together because separately they have bombed. With unemployment rising in 44 states, Romney was mired in his tax problem--which will not go away--and trying to explain how he would restore Obama's "cuts" from Medicare but he didn't explain how the Medicare Trust would be bankrupt by the end of his term and the program would cease to exist if he did restore the payoffs to insurance company and not cut the waste.
Paul Ryan tried to explain that Obama really was the one who would raise middle class taxes even though his ticket would cost the average American about $2,000 more per year. Paul Ryan campaigned today in the largest adult residence complex in Florida with his mother who claimed his son would never hurt seniors even though his cuts to Medicaid would hurt all seniors in assisted living residents now not later. Ryan boasted how Medicare helped his grandmother who probably is dead by now. Paul Ryan said that Obama's Medicare would ration care for seniors and be "death panels". It's good to see the old standby used.
Howard Dean appeared on MSNBC and said that the GOP could not gain credence by suggesting Democrats would destroy Medicare. He likened the attack to Soviet propaganda techniques which repeated lies over and over again. But what Howard didn't mention was how like the Communist Party the Republicans have become by basically campaigning on exactly the same things as George W. Bush.
If you listen to the Republican speeches this past week, you will notice that what details you heard mirror the GOP talking points during George W without change. The Romney campaign told reporters that if they revealed specifics of their plans they would lose. So, Voter, assume the worst.
Mention of this week can not escape the Swiftboat Ad attacking President Obama over the bin Laden ad. The reason Swiftboat ads attacking John Kerry's military record worked was that he did not respond because he felt they were absurd and that no one remembered his military service. The producer of this 22 minute film is a self-proclaimed Birther who believes President Obama is a socialist and a son of an American Communist. He also is based here in Alexandria and in full disclosure I know two of the participants in this parade. The idea is that President Obama weakened national security by leaking details of the mission --after it happened--and that such leaks could jeopardize missions in the future--sort of. The ad couldn't really make the direct connections but tried. But America killed bin Laden , not President Obama.
Also in the pubic interest, another right-wing group has produced a clip alleging that Barack Obama, Sr. hid an elicit affair between Ann Dunham and the American Communist and also that Ann Dunham posed for S& M photos ala Bette Page.
And for your birther party, Pat Boone is going to host a gala Birther event in Arizona with Sheriff Arapaio.
The difference between this year and 2008 is that at least John McCain would slap down the nuts who claimed President Obama was a Muslim or that he was born in Kenya. Romney, whose religion claims blacks are the People of Ham, allows this insanity to breed because he hopes it will mobilize his voters.
Leftwing blogs are concerned that Romney acts like he really doesn't have to run a campaign because the election is rigged. This was a concern from 2008, which I personally share. In 2008, with the collapse of the economy and the bad odor of 2000 and 2004 still lingering, states went overboard to accommodate voters through early voting and easier ways to register. Democratic Lt. Governors ensured fairness in states that had been tarnished by allegations of voter suppression in the past. This year Republican Governors in Pennsylvania, Ohio,Virginia and Florida are making every effort to suppress voters, thinking it will affect minorities and the young the most. Florida has lost in court on its plans to restrict voting. Ohio's Republican Secretary of State has threatened to fire Democratic election officials who will not implement the new law. In Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Tribune said that at this stage the voter ID law will not effect the result of the election but if it is perceived as effecting the results this will mobilize even more voters.
++President Obama has silent majority of 57-23% in those not going to vote. As we get nearer the election, polls will start to benefit the GOP when they are "likely voters". Obama's chances hinge on a vigorous get out the vote campaign and tapping this silent majority.
I was spared the endless ads while out in Ohio. Maybe they were on other channels . The GOP is outspending the Dems in swing states three to one in television ads. President Obama told his campaign donors that he can win up until the GOP outspends him 5 to 1 or 10 to 1. That is the difference he thinks exists between organization and spending. He expressed confidence in his organization and their get out the vote campaign.
The Romney campaign had expected a bump of 5 its with their vice presidential pick. The verdict is in--it was a five point bump for President Obama. Nate Silver was more circumspect saying that the Ryan pick may have meant a one point plus for Romney. Next up will be the convention. The Romney campaign expects an 11-point bounce.
There was a lot of talk about various states becoming swing states or not. CNN and others are saying Wisconsin may be a swing states even though the latest polls show Obama holding about a 4 point lead--yes, less than 2008. But none of this gossip has been predicated on Romney taking a lead in the state. It is always that Obama's lead is not as large as it might have been. Romney still seems stuck at 191, and Obama bounces from 270 to 330 on a daily basis. Today I actually saw a map with Romney at 272 and Obama at 266--this would be the largest margin of victory for Romney imaginable. But there is nothing in the real world which indicates he s even close to this.
Obama spent this week on his small state strategy for reaching 270. He campaigned in Iowa and New Hampshire. Obama delighted Iowans by his quaffing beer with the natives while the Washington Post was horrified. He also lambasted Romney for his opposition to wind power tax credits, which accounts for 7,000 jobs in the state. Republican Senator Grassley said he felt he had been stabbed in the back by Romney since he was the main architect for wind power credits. President Obama also announced drought relief and pounded Congress for not passing the farm bill, which was being blocked by none other than the VP pick Paul Ryan.
President Obama also released an ad over Paul Ryan's very anti-woman record and his opposition to abortion under any circumstances, birth control and Planned Parenthood as well as against Equal Pay for Equal Work. The ad uses the most effective speech by President Obama delivered in Colorado on the issue of the women's reproductive health.
The Vulture-Voucher campaign got off to a rocky start. It is rumored that the two will now campaign together because separately they have bombed. With unemployment rising in 44 states, Romney was mired in his tax problem--which will not go away--and trying to explain how he would restore Obama's "cuts" from Medicare but he didn't explain how the Medicare Trust would be bankrupt by the end of his term and the program would cease to exist if he did restore the payoffs to insurance company and not cut the waste.
Paul Ryan tried to explain that Obama really was the one who would raise middle class taxes even though his ticket would cost the average American about $2,000 more per year. Paul Ryan campaigned today in the largest adult residence complex in Florida with his mother who claimed his son would never hurt seniors even though his cuts to Medicaid would hurt all seniors in assisted living residents now not later. Ryan boasted how Medicare helped his grandmother who probably is dead by now. Paul Ryan said that Obama's Medicare would ration care for seniors and be "death panels". It's good to see the old standby used.
Howard Dean appeared on MSNBC and said that the GOP could not gain credence by suggesting Democrats would destroy Medicare. He likened the attack to Soviet propaganda techniques which repeated lies over and over again. But what Howard didn't mention was how like the Communist Party the Republicans have become by basically campaigning on exactly the same things as George W. Bush.
If you listen to the Republican speeches this past week, you will notice that what details you heard mirror the GOP talking points during George W without change. The Romney campaign told reporters that if they revealed specifics of their plans they would lose. So, Voter, assume the worst.
Mention of this week can not escape the Swiftboat Ad attacking President Obama over the bin Laden ad. The reason Swiftboat ads attacking John Kerry's military record worked was that he did not respond because he felt they were absurd and that no one remembered his military service. The producer of this 22 minute film is a self-proclaimed Birther who believes President Obama is a socialist and a son of an American Communist. He also is based here in Alexandria and in full disclosure I know two of the participants in this parade. The idea is that President Obama weakened national security by leaking details of the mission --after it happened--and that such leaks could jeopardize missions in the future--sort of. The ad couldn't really make the direct connections but tried. But America killed bin Laden , not President Obama.
Also in the pubic interest, another right-wing group has produced a clip alleging that Barack Obama, Sr. hid an elicit affair between Ann Dunham and the American Communist and also that Ann Dunham posed for S& M photos ala Bette Page.
And for your birther party, Pat Boone is going to host a gala Birther event in Arizona with Sheriff Arapaio.
The difference between this year and 2008 is that at least John McCain would slap down the nuts who claimed President Obama was a Muslim or that he was born in Kenya. Romney, whose religion claims blacks are the People of Ham, allows this insanity to breed because he hopes it will mobilize his voters.
Leftwing blogs are concerned that Romney acts like he really doesn't have to run a campaign because the election is rigged. This was a concern from 2008, which I personally share. In 2008, with the collapse of the economy and the bad odor of 2000 and 2004 still lingering, states went overboard to accommodate voters through early voting and easier ways to register. Democratic Lt. Governors ensured fairness in states that had been tarnished by allegations of voter suppression in the past. This year Republican Governors in Pennsylvania, Ohio,Virginia and Florida are making every effort to suppress voters, thinking it will affect minorities and the young the most. Florida has lost in court on its plans to restrict voting. Ohio's Republican Secretary of State has threatened to fire Democratic election officials who will not implement the new law. In Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Tribune said that at this stage the voter ID law will not effect the result of the election but if it is perceived as effecting the results this will mobilize even more voters.
++President Obama has silent majority of 57-23% in those not going to vote. As we get nearer the election, polls will start to benefit the GOP when they are "likely voters". Obama's chances hinge on a vigorous get out the vote campaign and tapping this silent majority.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Ding,Ding,Ding--Fight over in Ames, Iowa
If Romney is the front-runner, it's a very tenuous position at best. Romney ducked the issue of raising taxes to get his S&P rating, claiming he cut taxes 19 times in Massachusetts. His economic plan was pure gibberish. He invoked the 10th amendment on Romneycare but insisted that gay marriage should be illegal everywhere and that there should be a constitutional amendment against it. He ducked foreign policy issues but said that he would want to get out of Afghanistan within two years (sort of like Obama) but he would listen to the generals (even though he would be the commander-in-chief) and said that America learned its lesson that it can not fight someone else's war for independence for them (!!!). He was against extending unemployment insurance but favored the unemployed creating their own employment accounts (since they have no money).
All GOP candidates were against any debt/deficit deal that would entail $10 in cuts for $1 in taxes.
I think you can put a fork in Newt. Newt spent his time fighting the moderators about "gotcha questions." He likened himself to Reagan who dismissed staff during his 1980 run and invoked Reagan about getting back to sound money, even though the inflation rate was higher then than now. New was against the deficit commission and the deficdit deal. The Fox moderators went after him about his flip-flops on Libya and he got even more confused saying he flip-flopped before he flip-flopped.
Michelle Bachmann came across as the most focused and feisty. She was absolutely insane and even Ron Paul called her crazy. She said if we had defaulted we would have economic recovery in three months. Even Frothy Mix Rick Santorum said "Of course, you have to raise the debt ceiling."
TPaw did his level best in taking the fight to Bachmann and then to Romney. He said Bachmann wasn't qualified to be President, Bachmann retorted about TPaw former incarnatgion as someone for health care mandates and cap and trade. The optics gave Bachmann the edge but verbally TPaw bested her. On Romney he got two bites at the apple on Obamacare, Romney managed to duck the first jab and then was defensive the second go-around. Romney vowed to cancel the Affordable Care Act.
Herman Cain provided amusement and gave his off-the-wall answers that seem sedate in this forum. Cain said that America needed to get a sense of humor on his answer about building a moat with alligators to stop illegal immigration. Cain did get into the issue of Mormonism, saying it didn't bother him but it sure bothered people where he comes from.
We did learn one Bachmann legislative achievement--co-sponsoring the Lightbulb Freedom of Choice Act, which would preserve old lightbulbs against those which would last longer and cost less for the consumer.
Rick Santorum tried to escape Dan Savage by defending the gays in Iran, who are persecuted. But he slipped back into saying that gay marriage was a direct result of polygamy.
Needless to say everyone was anti-abortion. Santorum said he would make abortion illegal even for rape because he didn't want the woman to go threw two traumatic events and , besides the rapist probably would not be executed.
Ron Paul had a dust up over Iran with Bachmann and Santorum. Ron Paul said the CIA told him Iran wasn't building a nuclear weapon. Santorum claims the Iranians have killed more Americans in Afghanistan than the Afghanis. Michelle Bachmann claimed that Iran was the biggest threat to the United States and that we should continue the war on terrorism without regard to the rule of law. Ron Paul went ballistic saying,"Of course, we need the rule of law."
Tim Pawlenty seemed to suggest we should go to war in Syria.
The problem is that everyone came across as absolutely insane. Jon Huntsman tried to be reasonable but even he couldn't resist going after the EPA's "reign of terror" and claimed that Chinese spying and hacking were acts of war--which obviously he did nothing about as Ambassador. But he came back about same sex unions and tried to portray himself as Mr. rational on the economy except he admitted he didn't have a plan.
Since everything Michelle Bachmann said was batshit crazy, she should retain her base. Mitt Romney will be grudgingly seen as still the frontrunner. But a pre-debate poll has Parry closing fast and Bachmann falling. It's doubtful whether Romney can take a punch with Parry.
It will be interesting to see whether TPaw gets a second look . He did what he needed to do but he still comes across as flat and quite frankly no one cares what happened in the Minnesota legislature.
And say Goodnight, Newt
You should not expect from these debates any realistic assessment of our nation's real problems. With government revenues at 60-year lows, no one considered the need for new revenues. In fact, it was who can outcut the other. Romney had a cute little phrase" the employer community" and this community would determine how much regulation was necessary for the economy. Fascinating idea--say goodby to any common good. It will be determined by the corporations . Then all wars will be determined by the generals. I wonder what the President should do. But none of the candidates spoke about the future of America, the types of technology and business necessary to make it to the next phase and what specific things can be done to get the econonomy growing. The only disagreement was where to fight the next war but no discussion--even from Newt--about the role of the United States in the world.
All GOP candidates were against any debt/deficit deal that would entail $10 in cuts for $1 in taxes.
I think you can put a fork in Newt. Newt spent his time fighting the moderators about "gotcha questions." He likened himself to Reagan who dismissed staff during his 1980 run and invoked Reagan about getting back to sound money, even though the inflation rate was higher then than now. New was against the deficit commission and the deficdit deal. The Fox moderators went after him about his flip-flops on Libya and he got even more confused saying he flip-flopped before he flip-flopped.
Michelle Bachmann came across as the most focused and feisty. She was absolutely insane and even Ron Paul called her crazy. She said if we had defaulted we would have economic recovery in three months. Even Frothy Mix Rick Santorum said "Of course, you have to raise the debt ceiling."
TPaw did his level best in taking the fight to Bachmann and then to Romney. He said Bachmann wasn't qualified to be President, Bachmann retorted about TPaw former incarnatgion as someone for health care mandates and cap and trade. The optics gave Bachmann the edge but verbally TPaw bested her. On Romney he got two bites at the apple on Obamacare, Romney managed to duck the first jab and then was defensive the second go-around. Romney vowed to cancel the Affordable Care Act.
Herman Cain provided amusement and gave his off-the-wall answers that seem sedate in this forum. Cain said that America needed to get a sense of humor on his answer about building a moat with alligators to stop illegal immigration. Cain did get into the issue of Mormonism, saying it didn't bother him but it sure bothered people where he comes from.
We did learn one Bachmann legislative achievement--co-sponsoring the Lightbulb Freedom of Choice Act, which would preserve old lightbulbs against those which would last longer and cost less for the consumer.
Rick Santorum tried to escape Dan Savage by defending the gays in Iran, who are persecuted. But he slipped back into saying that gay marriage was a direct result of polygamy.
Needless to say everyone was anti-abortion. Santorum said he would make abortion illegal even for rape because he didn't want the woman to go threw two traumatic events and , besides the rapist probably would not be executed.
Ron Paul had a dust up over Iran with Bachmann and Santorum. Ron Paul said the CIA told him Iran wasn't building a nuclear weapon. Santorum claims the Iranians have killed more Americans in Afghanistan than the Afghanis. Michelle Bachmann claimed that Iran was the biggest threat to the United States and that we should continue the war on terrorism without regard to the rule of law. Ron Paul went ballistic saying,"Of course, we need the rule of law."
Tim Pawlenty seemed to suggest we should go to war in Syria.
The problem is that everyone came across as absolutely insane. Jon Huntsman tried to be reasonable but even he couldn't resist going after the EPA's "reign of terror" and claimed that Chinese spying and hacking were acts of war--which obviously he did nothing about as Ambassador. But he came back about same sex unions and tried to portray himself as Mr. rational on the economy except he admitted he didn't have a plan.
Since everything Michelle Bachmann said was batshit crazy, she should retain her base. Mitt Romney will be grudgingly seen as still the frontrunner. But a pre-debate poll has Parry closing fast and Bachmann falling. It's doubtful whether Romney can take a punch with Parry.
It will be interesting to see whether TPaw gets a second look . He did what he needed to do but he still comes across as flat and quite frankly no one cares what happened in the Minnesota legislature.
And say Goodnight, Newt
You should not expect from these debates any realistic assessment of our nation's real problems. With government revenues at 60-year lows, no one considered the need for new revenues. In fact, it was who can outcut the other. Romney had a cute little phrase" the employer community" and this community would determine how much regulation was necessary for the economy. Fascinating idea--say goodby to any common good. It will be determined by the corporations . Then all wars will be determined by the generals. I wonder what the President should do. But none of the candidates spoke about the future of America, the types of technology and business necessary to make it to the next phase and what specific things can be done to get the econonomy growing. The only disagreement was where to fight the next war but no discussion--even from Newt--about the role of the United States in the world.
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