The President Is in Denial
Posted in Main Blog (All Posts) on July 10th, 2012 11:08 pm by HL
The President Is in Denial
Michael Gerson, Washington Post
WASHINGTON — One would think, given so much practice, that the Obama White House would have been better prepared for last week's wretched jobs report.Instead, we witnessed the five stages of bad public relations. Delusion: It was a “step in the right direction.” Dismissiveness: Don't “read too much into any one monthly report.” Grudging acceptance: “It's still tough out there.” Cliché: “There are no quick fixes.” Self-pity: “I suspect that most people in Cincinnati would acknowledge that I've tried real hard.”
Could Presidential Election End in a Tie?
Erin McPike, RealClearPolitics
Early this spring, as the new electoral map began to take shape, an intriguing scenario began circulating in political circles: the very real possibility that the 2012 presidential election could result in an Electoral College tie.The most likely combination that would produce such a result requires Mitt Romney to carry all the states John McCain won in 2008, which after the redistricting process account for 180 electoral votes. Add to Romney's column Indiana (11), Virginia (13), North Carolina (15), Florida (29), Ohio (18), and New Hampshire (4). That would yield 270 electoral votes for…
Despite Bain Attacks, Obama Still Struggling
Josh Kraushaar, Natl Jrnl
Two things have become clear in the presidential race over the past month. One, it'sevident that President Obama's campaign team believes, with good justification,that attacking Romney's record at Bain Capital to portray him as a wealthy,out-of-touch millionaire is their most effective line of attack. Second, it'sbecoming clear that the attacks are doing more to buy the Obama campaign timethan seriously change the trajectory of the race.For all the attention paid to the effectiveness of PresidentObama's Bain-themed attacks, it's remarkable how Obama has been…
High-Speed Rail: Unsafe at Any Speed
Debra Saunders, SF Chronicle
Democratic California state Sen. Joe Simitian probably is best-known as the author of California's bill to ban the use of hand-held cellphones while driving. After Friday's vote, Simitian may be best-known as the Democrat who warned his colleagues not to issue $4.6 billion in bonds for big-ticket high-speed rail.”Any of us who talk to our folks know that they're asking the same questions,” Simitian reasoned. “They're saying, 'Really? You made these cuts. We're threatened with more. And you want to build a high-speed train?'”The state…
Mitt Romney’s Flat-Footed Tax Dodge
Daniel Stone, The Daily Beast
It's been almost two weeks of nonstop attacks on Mitt Romney's personal wealth. And not just that he's wealthy, but specifically where he keeps his money. The Obama campaign has hammered Romney for accounts in Bermuda, Switzerland, and the Cayman Islands"”all of which, Team Obama alleges, allow Romney to take advantage of tax loopholes only accessible to the super-rich.A Vanity Fair investigation last week detailed the suspected reach of Romney's offshore money and the presumed reasons to move it out of U.S. banks. Now, after trying to change the subject…