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Obama heads to New Jersey and New York to talk about the economy then raise money… Once again, folks are asking: Is Obama too exposed? (The answer is yes, but in today's media environment, he probably has to be.)… DNC to blast what they say is the GOP/Tea Party Contract with America… It's going to be Fallin vs. Askins in Oklahoma's gubernatorial race… Profiling ID-1… And Rob Simmons says unequivocally that he's back in the Connecticut Senate race.
From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
*** The fundraiser-in-chief: After recently sharpening his campaign message against Republicans (he refers to them almost daily now as the "partisan minority") -- as well as acknowledging yesterday that we're less than 100 days until Election Day -- President Obama attends a pair of fundraisers this afternoon and tonight in New York City. Democrats are hoping their DNC/DSCC/DCCC money hauls are enough to protect their majorities in the House and Senate. Yet before donning his fundraising cap, Obama will talk about the economy in Edison, NJ, where he 1) will meet with small business owners to discuss the importance of Congress passing legislation to help small businesses, and 2) will make a statement to the press (at 2:20 pm ET). This will become a familiar pattern for the president's travel where campaigning and fundraising will trump official speeches.
*** Overexposed, again? Also today, Obama tapes his appearance on "The View." That appearance -- plus even his new video on Web MD explaining the health-care law and how to use HealthCare.Gov -- has once furthered a narrative that the president is overexposed. (If you'll recall, we had this same discussion last year after Obama went on Leno, etc.) There is a potential danger here, and it does highlight the fact that there really isn't another key spokesman in the administration to talk about the economy or health care. But as the White House reminds us, the media world is now so diffuse (TV, newspaper, Web, cable Twitter, Facebook) that Obama has to do more than his predecessors ever did. That's the reality. So while folks INSIDE THE BELTWAY believe he's over-exposed, and those folks that watch a lot of cable TV might believe he's overexposed, ask the working parent of two if they think the same thing. One other related point: The White House also recognizes that even while it's losing rhetorical arguments about the economy or health care, it can't give up talking about them. If it does give up, then it will not only lose the short-term battle but also the long-term war.
*** The GOP/Tea Party Contract: At 11:00 am ET, DNC Chair Tim Kaine, DNC Vice Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and other Democratic members will hold a press conference to introduce what they will say is the "Republican-Tea Party Contract With America." These Democratic leaders, DNC spokesman Hari Sevugan tells First Read, "will present the American people a handy 10-point blueprint for how the Republican-Tea Party would govern, based on actual positions taken and held by Republican-Tea Party members." The blueprint includes: repealing the health-care law, privatizing Social Security or phasing it out altogether, extending the Bush tax cuts for the well-off, repealing financial reform, and abolishing the Education and Energy Departments.
*** Today's deficit/debt meeting: President Obama's 18-member bipartisan deficit/debt commission meets at 9:30 am ET on Capitol Hill. Per a release, the commission "will hear from two witnesses -- Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget and Barry Anderson, who recently served as head of the Budgeting and Public Expenditures Division of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)."
*** Last night's Oklahoma results: As expected, Rep. Mary Fallin (R) cruised to victory in last night's GOP gubernatorial primary to succeed term-limited Gov. Brad Henry (D). But there was an upset on the Democratic side, with Lt. Gov. Jari Askins edging Attorney General Drew Edmondson by fewer than 2,000 votes. Fallin vs. Askins ensures that the next governor of Oklahoma will be a woman -- the first time that's happened in the state's history. Fallin goes into November as the front-runner.
*** 75 House races to watch: ID-1: The Democratic nominee is one-term incumbent Walter Minnick. The GOP nominee is state Rep. Raul Labrador. McCain won 62% in this district in '08, and Bush won 69% here in 2004. Minnick voted no on the stimulus, no on cap-and-trade, and no on health care. Both Cook and Rothenberg rate the district as Lean Democrat. Just this week, Minnick became the second Democrat to call on Charlie Rangel to resign.
*** More midterm news: In Connecticut, Republican Rob Simmons -- after suspending his Senate campaign but then airing TV ads to announce that he's still on the ballot -- declared at forum last night: "I am running for the United States Senate"… In Wisconsin, "Republican Senate candidate Ron Johnson said … he hasn't decided whether to sell his BP stock, two weeks after he told reporters he would get rid of it."
Countdown to KS and MO primaries: 6 days
Countdown to CO and CT primaries: 13 days
Countdown to Election Day 2010: 97 days
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Obama over exposed! what a bunch of crap! These are the same people who were whining "Where's Obama??!!" during the early parts of the oil spill. Let's be honest, the media just needs something to write about! God forbid they actually do some research first and report a real story.
Unfortunately, exposure and action are two different things. He is the most visible president ever. But being visible playing golf, fundraising and trotting about the counrty on my dime isn't solving the problem. The spill? Not his fault, but a little empathy and reaction would be nice. We give millions to other countries to encourage drilling and he pulls the rug out from under our own? He seems to be out for revenge on anything republican.... blame it on everyone else... blame it, not solve it is his sollution. No president in history has ever disrespected the previous president. The disaster called Carter was never disrespected that way by Reagan..... this man has no class and no respect for you, me or this country. Looking at what I wrote.... I'll restate....no one in Washington (Rep or Dem) has respect for the average citizen.... fire them all and hire a bunch of soccer moms.... they will kick that little North Korean's butt.....
Paul I am still waiting down below IT is very easy ....Yes or no can't get any simple than that. are Republicans sending jobs to socialist nations and then call our President .a socialist please a yes or no will be fine?
I don’t understand why people feel the need to justify their beliefs by trashing someone else’s. Has our country become so divided, that there cant be opposing ideas without the hate-filled rhetoric? The posts on this board show just how divided we are.
A divided country is easier to conquer. Take away our rights, divide us, take away our guns and our free choice and ...............Heil Obama!
I can aleady see the changes in health care.... can't wait till rationing starts. My will is ready...
Hope this Hopey, Changey thingy is working for someone.... this unemployed, middle aged citizen is tired of losing my rights and liberty.... I am supposed to (by law) have health insurance, car insurance, register my gun and the Illegals in this country can't even be prosecuted? WOW.... my new name is Pedro and i no speaky.....insurance,,,, no senior.....but now I will have the best of care.... where's the welfare office senior???? My seex kids need food....... us illegals have our rights you know..... say that in Cuba, Iran or North Korea and see how far that gets you..... they will cane your a$$, hang you out to dry and then just hang you....say that in Mexico... I dare you.....
Paul you are loosing you mind ...........You just can;t grasp the Republicans are sending jobs to socialist nations ......so you just start with the crazy talk ?
Elvis, this was an interesting conversation of what appeared at first to be intelligent, USA loving folks. I guess I was wrong. Insults make it not fun. Go to bed.
Insults are the last resort of a weak mind. Good Night and God Bless You. Good Bye.
Paul .God bless you to i am not saying you are stupid heck you are probably smarter than me ...I am just asking a simple yes or no from you and i can't get that ..........talking crazy does not make you dumb?
Paul L,
So you have to resort to insults yourself?? Wow, pegged yourself there with your own crazy talk!
The right has worked on dividing this Nation for several decades, to the point that they have no other ideas other than to divide so that they can swoop into power, and we all saw what a horrendous job they do when they actually get into power, Doubling the deficit, getting into wars of choice, ignoring intelligence about attacks on our own soil, just to e able to start those wars which enriched their friends so well, relaxing regulation to the point that people die for their decisions and nearly destroy the entire world economy just to enrich the few. The Repubs, along with their Tea Bagger sycophants seem t be hell bent to destroy America as a strong Nation, only so their rich buddies can control ALL the wealth. Why any person in their right mind would follow them is a total mystery to me, unless you expect to be getting a large slice of the pie yourselves, which they will Never ever allow you because they want it All for themselves.
Elvis, I am for the right person. I voted for Clinton twice, Reagan.... even Hillory...... I appreciate your integrity.... the RIGHT person is who I vote for. This man has no integrity and will drive us to a 3rd world country... HE and the DEMS are in control.... The REPS are no better....
To give this man the free pass just 'cause is disrespecting what he initially stood for... equality and overcoming odds... hold him to the same standards you did Bush and you will see the real colors...
As for my last comment of the night,,,, I have a major final tomorrow... "did you or anyone you know ever get a job from a poor man?" Business drives this country and anyone Rep or Dem that forgets that should be burned at the stake.... Give a man a fish and feed him today... teach him to fish and feed him forever.....
Honest you are correct thank you .I might not be the best speller on the vine or the smartest.but i am always thinking about what i can do to help the ones that are wounded by lies ............If i offend any one I apologize sometimes words come out wrong ..............but I no I am right on this subject of there own word they started socialist. we are marked by lies.
Paul yes I have .Jesus ...he was a poor man and i work for him even at the job where i work.
Paul L,
A poor man is Much more likely to be able to find some chores for someone who comes up to the door looking to find work so he can eat. He is more likely give him a meal and a few dollars so he has at least something because he knows what it is like to have nothing, even though the poor man may have little he is more likely to share that little with someone who has less, if he can. A rich person is much more likely to run off the person looking for some work that way, or even call the cops on the 'vagrant'.
We have a ton of folks who are extremely good workers that have lost their jobs through no fault of their own, yet we have the rich getting richer yet and not providing the jobs that they easily could. Even though tax rates are the lowest that they have been for the last 60 years and their profits are sky high, they still refuse to help our Own economy, choosing instead to send their money to China, India, Bangladesh, Mexico and other places where they can get labor at slave like wages. These people are Un-American yet they get the huge tax cuts and tons of government benefits and Still refuse to hire here...why is this?? Pure and unadulterated greed and a lack of concern for their fellow humans are the only conclusions that I can see. That and helping to try to get the Repubs back into power so that they can continue to pollute using cheap equipment because of little regulation and huge unneeded tax cuts so they can live high on the hog themselves while paying less than minimum wage to illegal aliens and increase their already obscene profits.
That is why they are so scared of the Dems and Pres. Obama, is because the Dems and Obama are putting balance back into the equation and helping to protect the rest of us from the rampaging greed of the rich. The rich will never have to worry about starving, while we worry about it daily here in the middle and lower classes, especially if we happen to be unlucky enough to have lost our jobs, like tens of millions of other Americans.
Keep him on the tube and out of the Oval Office. When he's 'working', he's dangerous. One-term Barry's already preparing to take over Oprah's time slot on ABC.
Ron and crazyrooster
Is the FoxNews website somehow not a part of the FOX News Corporation? Is Glenn Beck not a FoxNews employee? Both of these entities (Beck on radio) misreported the Sherrod story BEFORE she resigned. Case closed.
Good point, Paul. It's all about narrowing the specifics to a point where you can say something that's technically true...even if it's misleading.
The President is doing the best he can......They have stop everything in there path .......and call him a socialist......But the Republicans have been taking jobs over sea's for years .......they have been more socialist for years then our President.because they have been taking jobs over seas and pay the workers over sea's with cheap labor so who embraces socialist Ideas the Republicans .why are the Republicans in a socialist country anyway making American products?
The Congress was Dem controled for Bushes last 2 years..... But with a Dem Pres, Dem House, Dem Senate and the Reps are holding His Majesty Obamma back? Wow.... that is one powerful minority group......or inept majority......
Paul it is just to hard for you ..you can't get past Obama ....Republicans Have been sending jobs to socials country's for years for years ............Not two years but years.your history has stop on two?
Before Bush..............Clinton................ my job went to india in '94......
Paul like I said are the Republicans sending jobs to socialist nations around the world and then with the same breath call the President a socialist ..I do not no how many times i have to ask you that .....You are a Republican.yes or no ...........And why are they sending our jobs to socialist nations to save a buck .........they really do like socialist Ideas don't they?
Paul, this is the new "Ownership Society." Just retrain yourself for something even better, take control of your life! We're ALL entrepreneurs now!
If you don't like the results of that concept thank 30 years of supply side, Laissez Faire, Republican economics. How's that deregulation thing working out?
Republicans embraces socialist country's with our Jobs .and then calls our President a socialist who wants to help the working class?
Republicans embraces our jobs and takes them to a socialist nations around the world and call our President a socialist. you Republicans are a hypocrite.....You sure like paying those workers socialist money cheap .........it is you who likes socialist Ideas why are you over seas making money the socialist way ?
Our president is not over expose it is the Republicans party that is ...............continue to lie about our President being a socialist ....................but send our Jobs over sea to socialist nations so if you want over expose print that ....know that is the truth?
I am waiting you Republicans you SOB .........to tell me the jobs that are going over seas are not socialist nations...........come on I am waithing you crazies?
it is not our President who is sending our jobs to socialist country's it it you the New Republican tea party?
The environment here is so anti-business they are going away. Seriously, if you owned a business and could save $1 million wouldn't you. You're a liar if you say you wouldn't. Wait till you see next year's tax bill. And that "Free" Health Care is already costing me $90 more on my individual premium.... probably double that next year....
Hope and Change..... same ol' same ol'
They have been going over seas before Obama Buddy ......Obama was a no name?
Paul the health care has not even kick in yet .....So you better check with your Insurance company they are gouging you for more money.
The business climate here in the US has never been better since the Robber Baron days, now it is the Bankster Robbers and Corprats that are destroying any chance that the middle and lower classes have to even get even, let alone ahead. Taxes are at their lowest for Corporations and Businesses than they have been for the last 60 years or more and the profit levels have never been higher. How can you say that the business climate here is bad with a straight face. The ones to blame for the job losses and lack of hiring are these same businesses and corporations that are making record profits now. They are holding Trillions in just cash, and that does not even touch what they have in stocks and in the money markets. Presently the Uber rich, the banks and the Corprats are the ones hobbling the economy and the Government is just trying to make sure that the people that are out of work do not starve. President Obama has actually been rather business friendly, maybe nor so friendly to the Corporations, but he has very good reason for that, they are Actively destroying this Nation for their own greed, right in lockstep with the Repubs trying to regain power that is getting farther and farther away from them as their lies come home to roost.
Elvis is right, if you are having to pay more for health insurance now it is because the insurance companies are trying to gouge as much as they can before the regs take hold, blame them, not Pres. Obama!
Jeez Louise! I am so sick of his mug I could puke! His arrogant a$$ snubbed the Boy Scouts to be on the VIEW! Leadership? Show Me. Every picture of him is looking DOWN at us. Just look at him. If Bush would have been doing what he is, crosses would be burning. He trots around the country, spending millions on security, jet fuel and all on us. He has our credit card in his filthy hand and will max it out before he is gone........... oops, he is already borrowing against our grandkids.... next will be the great-grandkids.....
Our rights and our money are flying out the door.... watch out.... you are next!!!!!!!!!!
Paul are these country's socialist country's you can not answer ...........you people say the same thing over and over and over .............This is new so tell me are The Republicans sending our jobs to socialist country's?
Paul L,
I seem to remember Bush flying down to his ranch all the time on our dime, in fact, he took over 1/3 of his presidency as vacation, leaving Cheney to run things for him. I do not think you were complaining then, were you? As far as money flying out the door, you did not complain about Bush doubling the deficit did you?? He actually led a major increase in the size of Government on his time, little facts that you folks on the right just want to ignore and forget that they happened.
President Obama has been one of the most successful Presidents of all time considering the long list of accomplishments that he has gotten through Congress in just 19 months, Much more than Bush ever dreamed of doing, and almost all of it aimed at getting the US back on a solid footing. However, with the Repubs voting in lockstep against all of his initiatives it is no wonder that he has not been able to get even more done. The Repubs are Actively trying to destroy this Nation and people like you are cheering them on. Look to Bush for putting your kids and grandkids into debt, Pres. Obama has added very little compared to what Bush and the Repubs did during their 8 years of total power, yet you seem to be oblivious to all of that. Sad what a selective memory will do to you!
Bush did not have the majority that the Bamster has AND people like you forget that things started going downhill once the Dems took control of the house and senate during the Bush years. Why are you witless turds still talking about Bush anyway? B.Honest is clueless. Pay more taxes and get back to me when you like it. Tax hikes on businesses are what is sending jobs overseas. Once again...who holds the purse strings....congress. Who has held the house and senate for 8 years......Democrats. Enough said.
hopey,
The Dems have had a majority for only 3 1/2 years actually, and for 2 of them they only had a bare majority and the Repubs blocked most of what they tried to do and also Bush had a veto power, which he threatened many times, 8 times in fact, where before that, during the 6 years that the Repubs held the majorities he only threatened once...So Yes, Bush had control over things for the entire 8 years that he was in office and Yes, things that happened on his watch were still his fault.
Sorry to pop your bubble there!
Republicans I have no takers on this .......because you no it is the truth.......I have been waiting some time now ..........and I hear no sound of a chalk board..................................republicans are hypocrites .Oh I am holly-er than thou .please don't call use a socialist we are sinless................just waiting for me to leave do one of you republicans can put up some stupid talking points that may make sense I am sure y'all are thinking real hard at this point?
Paul we are a free country and the Republican party has been taking jobs to socialist nations around the world for years .........Remember we are the only free society the others are socialist nations is this to hard for you grasp the truth .about your Republican party.
Before Bush.............Clinton................8 years......same ol' same ol' (he never had sex with her after all)
Dems, Reps... they all have THEIR interests at heart.... Mr. Kerry? Mr. Kennedy?
The only honest one of them all lately, looking at our conversation is Carter.... he is what he is.... no more no less and never blamed anything on anyone....inept... sure... but honest.....Gerald Ford too... honest and inept....neither one harmed the country....
Paul you are a loose cannon ....I am sorry?
Paul I am not saying you are dumb ................so please answer yes or no ......Is there any Republican volunteers?
WOW. What are they giving you at the VA, Navy Vet? The studies you quote are from left-leaning "think-tanks". My family is middle income and the tax cuts helped me and my family. Spewing Dem. talking points does not change reality, 50% of this country pays no taxes. Why should my taxes go up to pay for lazy people on unemployment. If one is unemployed for more than 6 months, then they are not trying to find a job. I should not see 1 "for hire" sign anywhere!!! I work hard for what I make and socialists like you want more. Amazing, especially since some people in here may be depending on my taxes. I will stand back and watch as the Pied Piper leads the rats to the oceans edge. I only hope that once the rats leave there is still enough in the kitchen to keep cooking.
Hopey,
Your "50% pays no taxes" has already been well debunked, anybody working pays taxes as well as sales tax, property taxes (even renters, the landlords just pass them on) licensing fees and federal taxes on telephone usage and the more. To say that they pay no taxes is a plain, debunked lie.
I happen to know several people that are unemployed, and desperately looking for work, it is hard to get by on 30-60% of your previous wages, especially if you held a good paying job before you got laid off. I only happen to know, personally, of one person that does not even try to look for work and if he does manage to get a job is fired within the first week (my GF's ex is a real lazy jack@ss). Right now there are over 5 people unemployed on average for every job opening and for some trades it can be as high as 30-50 for every job opening. Right now my GF is unemployed, has been since November, she does job searches every day and it is hard just finding someone that will give her an interview, let alone a job, and she is an accountant with 15 yrs experience and has led office staffs. If it were not for my SSI payments we would be homeless and have had her car repo'd. Your arguments do not hold water!
This is after the Repubs nearly destroyed the economy, not just here in the US, but the whole world over, yet they try to push the bame off on the Dems. The Dems did NOT have the ability to pass legislation past the Repubs because they only held a bare majority and Bush kept threatening to veto anyways.
Your talking points, debunked as they are, do not change reality. I am glad that you actually make enough money that the tax breaks helped you, but for Most people they either did very little, or in the case of the rich, helped them save Trillions collectively.
Will Washington's Failures Lead To Second American Revolution?
By ERNEST S. CHRISTIAN AND GARY A ROBBINS Posted 07/30/2010 06:30 PM ET
The Internet is a large-scale version of the "Committees of Correspondence" that led to the first American Revolution — and with Washington's failings now so obvious and awful, it may lead to another.
People are asking, "Is the government doing us more harm than good? Should we change what it does and the way it does it?"
Pruning the power of government begins with the imperial presidency.
Too many overreaching laws give the president too much discretion to make too many open-ended rules controlling too many aspects of our lives. There's no end to the harm an out-of-control president can do.
Bill Clinton lowered the culture, moral tone and strength of the nation — and left America vulnerable to attack. When it came, George W. Bush stood up for America, albeit sometimes clumsily.
Barack Obama, however, has pulled off the ultimate switcheroo: He's diminishing America from within — so far, successfully.
He may soon bankrupt us and replace our big merit-based capitalist economy with a small government-directed one of his own design.
He is undermining our constitutional traditions: The rule of law and our Anglo-Saxon concepts of private property hang in the balance. Obama may be the most "consequential" president ever.
The Wall Street Journal's steadfast Dorothy Rabinowitz wrote that Barack Obama is "an alien in the White House."
His bullying and offenses against the economy and job creation are so outrageous that CEOs in the Business Roundtable finally mustered the courage to call him "anti-business." Veteran Democrat Sen. Max Baucus blurted out that Obama is engineering the biggest government-forced "redistribution of income" in history.
Fear and uncertainty stalk the land. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke says America's financial future is "unusually uncertain."
A Wall Street "fear gauge" based on predicted market volatility is flashing long-term panic. New data on the federal budget confirm that record-setting deficits in the $1.4 trillion range are now endemic.
Obama is building an imperium of public debt and crushing taxes, contrary to George Washington's wise farewell admonition: "cherish public credit ... use it as sparingly as possible ... avoiding likewise the accumulation of debt ... bear in mind, that towards the payment of debts there must be Revenue, that to have Revenue there must be taxes; that no taxes can be devised, which are not ... inconvenient and unpleasant ... ."
Opinion polls suggest that in the November mid-term elections, voters will replace the present Democratic majority in Congress with opposition Republicans — but that will not necessarily stop Obama.
A President Obama intent on achieving his transformative goals despite the disagreement of the American people has powerful weapons within reach. In one hand, he will have a veto pen to stop a new Republican Congress from repealing ObamaCare and the Dodd-Frank takeover of banks.
In the other, he will have a fistful of executive orders, regulations and Obama-made fiats that have the force of law.
Under ObamaCare, he can issue new rules and regulations so insidiously powerful in their effect that higher-priced, lower-quality and rationed health care will quickly become ingrained, leaving a permanent stain.
Under Dodd-Frank, he and his agents will control all credit and financial transactions, rewarding friends and punishing opponents, discriminating on the basis of race, gender and political affiliation. Credit and liquidity may be choked by bureaucracy and politics — and the economy will suffer.
He and the EPA may try to impose by "regulatory" fiats many parts of the cap-and-trade and other climate legislation that failed in the Congress.
And by executive orders and the in terrorem effect of an industrywide "boot on the neck" policy, he can continue to diminish energy production in the United States.
By the trick of letting current-law tax rates "expire," he can impose a $3.5 trillion 10-year tax increase that damages job-creating capital investment in an economy struggling to recover. And by failing to enforce the law and leaving America's borders open, he can continue to repopulate America with unfortunate illegals whose skill and education levels are low and whose political attitudes are often not congenial to American-style democracy.
A wounded rampaging president can do much damage — and, like Caesar, the evil he does will live long after he leaves office, whenever that may be.
The overgrown, un-pruned power of the presidency to reward, punish and intimidate may now be so overwhelming that his re-election in 2012 is already assured — Chicago-style.
• Christian, an attorney, was a deputy assistant secretary of the Treasury in the Ford administration.
• Robbins, an economist, served at the Treasury Department in the Reagan administration.
Sweeeeeet.
What I wanna know, does Breitbart get prosecuted before the fundraiser or after?
Oh,poor Michael, being that needy must be difficult. Anything to gain acceptance from the extreme Right.
I'm feeling you brother Michael. Noone takes you seriously being a cartoon character like Buffoon Breitbart..
Oh my, birds of a feather . . .