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Subscribe to RSSRomney TRIES to take center stage with presidential announcement from Stratham, NH at noon ET, but the small state is a bit crowded today… Per excerpts, Romney will focus on jobs and the economy and declare that “Barack Obama has failed America”… Contrasting Romney’s 2007 announcement from Michigan with today’s announcement from New Hampshire… The biggest question he faces (bigger than the one over health care): Who, exactly, is Mitt Romney?... He did pick a good week to talk about jobs and the economy… Is Palin stepping on Romney’s big day in New Hampshire?... Rudy Giuliani’s also in the Granite State… And the latest in the budget battle: Obama meets with House Democrats at 2:30 pm ET.
AP
Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts Republican governor, is set to officially announce his run for president today from New Hampshire, a state he likely must win to get the nomination.
*** Romney takes center stage: For someone who's essentially been running for president for nearly six years, it isn't easy to escape the political limelight. But that is what Mitt Romney has largely done in the past few months, part by design and part by Sarah Palin and Donald Trump. But today, Romney attempts to take center stage in New Hampshire -- well, at least until Palin also shows up in the state (more on that below). At noon ET, the apparent front-runner for the Republican nomination formally announces his presidential bid at a farm in Stratham, NH. His message will be the same one he’s discussed over the past year: jobs and the economy. Per a Romney aide, he’ll also talk about the importance of limited government, cutting the debt, and leadership in the world. Team Romney promises it will be a serious speech and will have an optimistic vision and tone.
*** “Obama has failed America”: But the thrust of Romney’s announcement today, at least according to advanced excerpts of his speech, will be a full-throated denunciation of Barack Obama’s presidency. “A few years ago, Americans did something that was, actually, very much the sort of thing Americans like to do: We gave someone new a chance to lead; someone we hadn't known for very long, who didn't have much of a record but promised to lead us to a better place,” Romney is expected to say. “Now, in the third year of his four-year term, we have more than promises and slogans to go by. Barack Obama has failed America.” More Romney: “Government under President Obama has grown to consume almost 40% of our economy. We are only inches away from ceasing to be a free market economy. I will cap federal spending at 20% or less of the GDP and finally, finally balance the budget. My generation will pass the torch to the next generation, not a bill.”
*** Dearborn 2007 vs. Stratham 2011: Of course, this isn't the first time Romney has formally announced a presidential bid. Four years ago, it was in Michigan (his original home state), where the backdrop consisted of automotive innovations (and where he walked out to Billy Ocean's "Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car"). This time, it's at a picnic/barbeque in New Hampshire (what's become an adopted home state). Four years ago, Romney was wearing a suit and a tie. This time, he'll likely keep his more casual look. And four years ago, the message was heavy on social conservatism (stressing the importance of family, the sanctity of human life, and securing the borders). This time, it will be about his background and Barack Obama. Here's Romney's biggest question, and it's bigger than the individual mandate: Who, exactly, is Romney? Is he the liberal Republican who supported abortion rights in 1994? Is he the pragmatist who got elected governor of Massachusetts and signed one of the most famous health-care laws in the land? Is he the social conservative who went all-in in Iowa but failed to win? Or is he business executive with unrelenting criticism at the Obama administration?
*** Who is Mitt Romney? The Democratic National Committee seizes on this question in a Web video, which concludes: “Same candidate. Different positions -- again.” (An irony to consider: If Obama were to give a speech announcing his re-election campaign, he’d probably do it from an automotive museum in Michigan…about the only thing right now the administration feels comfortable touting in this fragile economic environment.)
*** Romney picked a good week to talk about the economy: What if Romney had delivered today’s speech -- focused on the economy and his business background -- four years ago? We don’t know the answer to that question. But we do know that of any week to base a presidential candidacy on the economy, this is a good one. Just take a look at some of today’s headlines. The Washington Post: “Manufacturing slowdown the latest sign the recovery is faltering.” The New York Times: “Employment Data May Be the Key to the President’s Job.” The Chicago Tribune: For many families across Chicago, recession’s grip hasn’t eased.” The recent spate of economic numbers (tepid 1st quarter growth, falling home prices, lower manufacturing) is either a macroeconomic bump in the road -- due to the high gas prices and the troubles in Japan. Or it’s the first sign of serious economic worries. Remember, it was just a year ago when the BP spill and the Greek debt crisis sent the U.S. economy back into a tailspin for much of the rest of 2010.
AP
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) tours the Statue of Liberty in New York yesterday on another leg of her bus tour.
*** Is Palin stepping on Romney’s big day? Intentionally or not, the fact that Palin also is expected to make her way to New Hampshire today is a slap at the apparent GOP front-runner. Of all days to come to the Granite State, why did she pick today’s Romney announcement, the news of which was released a week ago? That she’s not even giving him a 24-hour news cycle to make his case is a subtle sign that Romney has yet to unite the party, as well as a reminder that she could be a thorn in the GOP establishment’s side. That said, Team Romney is welcoming Palin’s New Hampshire stop with open arms. “Anything that gets folks pumped up and reminds them of what the country is all about is great by us,” a Romney aide tells First Read. “Gov. Romney is running as an alternative to President Obama and the way he's poorly handled the economy and unemployment, and Palin brings energy and passion and reminds folks it doesn't have to be this way.”
*** The fragile front-runner: Still, Palin is the actual physical evidence that Romney, while the front-runner, is fragile. But history suggests Romney will be the nominee -- not since Goldwater in '64 has the party nominated someone who had never RUN for president before or wasn't the incumbent (Ford) or wasn't the son of a former president (Dubya). And that's why what Palin is doing to Romney today is potentially so damaging. It doesn't give him even a day to have a clean shot on the most important day of any presidential campaign: announcement day.
*** Rudy, Rudy, Rudy: Palin isn’t the only other Republican who will be in New Hampshire today. At 6:00 pm ET, Rudy Giuliani headlines a state GOP dinner in Dover.
*** The budget battle: The day after meeting with House Republicans, President Obama today sits down with the House Democratic caucus at 2:30 pm ET to discuss the debt ceiling and other issues. Per the New York Times, House Speaker John Boehner said he’d like to reach a deal on raising the debt ceiling in the next month, and wants the president to play a bigger role in the negotiations. One possible compromise we’ve heard: The White House and Republicans would agree to a one-year deal raising the ceiling and cutting spending, and let the 2012 election decide the larger debate about long-term spending cuts and long-term tax increases as a result of some sort of "trigger." This could be an attempt to de-link the Biden talks from the debt ceiling.
Countdown to Iowa GOP straw poll: 72 days
Countdown to NV-2 special election: 103 days
Countdown to Election Day 2011: 159 days
Countdown to the Iowa caucuses: 249 days
* Note: When the IA caucuses take place depends on whether other states move up
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I see that fata$$redhead and navy bullsh*t have gotten thier paid rhetoric out of the way so that real conversation can take place.
So the attention of the chattering classes has strayed from Messr. Weiner's alleged dinkus to Mitt Romney's magic underwear. Hey, so long as Weiner doesn't bare it in an airport bathroom to a syncopated beat, he's welcome to play pocket pool with said object until he drops prostrate from exhaustion as far as I care.
Romney has huge problems in the republican primary. He's intelligent, educated and successful. Why he even served his full term as governor! Teabaggers consider such traits as elitist. You betcha!
Ron Paul is overtaking Romney. Romney is in the pocket of Wall Street. Look at his top 10 contributors of 2008. Almost all were investment banks.
Ron Paul is still getting my vote as it stands right now.
Romney has become a political whore, he'll say anything to try to get votes. But if he gets the nomination, Palin and her extreme right wing Christian bloc will NOT vote for him, as they consider Mormons to be devil worshipping cultists. Maybe she'll even come out and say that Romney is the Anti Christ!
Show me any politician (right or left) that isnt a political whore.
Tell me obama's and his associates* have the intrests in maintaining the country along the lines, our founders designed and maybe I will vote for him.
* soros, rev wright, van jones, ayres, vandorn, stern, trumpka black panthers.
RON PAUL is the ONLY candidate who wants to END THE FED.
If you're a Democrat you want to End the Fed because it only serves to redistribute wealth from the Middle Class to the international banking cartel.
If you're a Republican you want to End the Fed because it's the source of all of our insane debt and government spending - without unlimited "magic money" credit created out of thin air, the Federal government would HAVE to make responsible choices in creating government programs.
I voted for Obama, but Obama, Romney, Pawlenty, McCain, THEY ARE ALL THE SAME - STOOGES FOR THE INTERNATIONAL BANKING CARTEL THAT RUNS the Fed / IMF / World Bank.
Don't kid yourself - NOTHING WILL CHANGE with any of these as President.
The only REAL HOPE FOR CHANGE is RON PAUL.
Why hasn't anyone said ANYTHING about all the bills the republican party fillibustered in the first two years.Everyone is vilifying OUR President and forgetting everything that was tried AND shot down by the republicans. Such short memorys! An Indapendant thinker
Their memories are selective, like their interpretations of the Bible & the Constitution.
Why aren't the libby's upset that in the last four years, the only thing dems have accomplished while they were in charge, was health care and that will be repealed.
Gary K-- for reference please see http[colon slash slash]obamaachievements.org/list. While you were listening to Rush Limbaugh quite a bit has happened in the real world.
Already seen that list of cr*p, just like obama's numbers on the economy, jobs etc, you/ he can make them into anything you want look at illegals.
This whole Libs/Cons thing is a DIVIDE AND CONQUER distraction smokescreen!!! Created by the International Banking Cartel to keep us from seeing that they have been stealing from the middle class to make themselves richer.
The International Banking Cartel want TOTAL WORLD DOMINATION by their elite group of Global Totalitarian Authorities.
It's not a "Democrat" versus "Republican" issue, it's a "Small group at the very top" versus "the rest of humanity" issue.
STOP FEEDING THE MONSTER by perpetuating these false divisions into "libs" and "cons" and all that crap.
WAKE UP!
Well yipee skipee.
One of the first guys to make his fortune under Reagan's..."use OPM and dump jobs for profit" scheme wants to further the 'plight' of the rich by becoming President.
The poor DEMS & LIBBERS.....they don't even see it coming.......the list of things wrong with our economy and this Administration is a mile long now and getting longer by the day and if you believe all the nonsense that comes out of the White House Breifings....then 11/6/12 will make 11/2/10 seem like a slap on the wrist for the DEMS.......but you go ahead and keeping blaming Bush and spewing your vile insults and name calling and drinking that Obama Kool-aid....it might just make it all that much less painful when the time comes.......but I doubt it.
Practically the only thing wrong with this administration is that it has had to work across the aisle from the Terrorist Party of NO to try to accomplish anything.
That is the vile fact.
Nothing that an election like 11/2/10 can't solve.....but this time it will be in the Senate.....end of problem and the American People know it!
Woah.....Romney/Rubio.....Holy Cow....what a ticket!!!!...Love it!....The DEMS & LIBBERS will be cranking up their Democratic insult, slur hurling and name calling machine into maxium overdrive (and then some).....especially on the "The First Read" Board....where they all hide....cuz that's all they got! Ha!Ha!Ha!
It's fun to see Romney and Sarah Palin beating each other up.
But neither so far has added much to the debate. Where 's Romney's national plan as opposed to his stae one. How much will it cost? what will be inclujded and excluded? How will it fit with the Ryan plan?
So far lots of rehtoric and no asnwers.
Sarah's worse. No plan at all. She was a governor of a state that gave everyone oil money back, and increased taxes by 25% to do it. She could have easliy defrated a plan to fit Alaska's small population, given the flow of oil and natural gas. Instead she quit...to move to Arizona....
Maybe in Arizona she will strap on a gun and go fight Mexican's on the border.....if someone will pay her enough.
Romney is all things to all people. If you don't believe me just ask him! He wants to be the darling of the Tea Party. This is the same guy who tried to out liberal Ted Kennedy during a Senate debate!
His IS funny isn't he, he is pro'choice but if you want him to be anti'choice well, okey dokey, he is for healthcare for all but will repeal it if you want him to, okey dokey, whatever he was he will change it for a vote.........he is a Morman folks and they are kinda crazy folks........
There he is.........Romney is in.
Now the left will really pee all over themselves. They will attempt to portray his stint as Governor as a failure. All the while giving the big O a pass on his failures. Which is pretty much everything he has attempted.
Domestic policy
Foreign policy
Golf.........no matter how many weeks in a row he goes and whacks at the balls.
Just like Weiner's bulge.........his attempt to regain the Presidency will come up short.
Romney 2012.
If Romney is going to get into the race he had best learn how to speak better, those tea baggers will eat his lunch.
A box buried in the dirt in New York in 1830, containing about 60 pounds of "golden plates" inscribed with "reformed Egyptian" accounts of North American prophets. Translated by means of a "seer stone" placed in the bottom of a hat which was placed over the face and the words read from the stone.
Perhaps the next president of our United States of America? And Americans are concerned about a congressman's underwear shots? Please, someone assure me I've entered the Twilight Zone. If this were reality it would be too much to endure.
I tried to watch Romney yesterday but he is such a bad orator that I got totally frustrated trying to follow him. You would think he could practice a little beforehand, he kept losing his place on the page. He is so yesterday anyway and looks like it up beside our sophisticated, urbne President. Obama is doing the very best anyone could given the circumstances and if we put some cracker, social warrior in the oval office we will be very sorry.
Watch the piranhas circle, they will eat each other to death.
Go republicans!!!!
Hahahaha,,,,I see Weiner is now the Republican talking point, What a total waste of time??? He seems to be the next Rangel, I wonder how long and how hard (and how much the GOP will spend investigating) before Weiner is found totally innocent of any crime like Rangel?? They already KNOW he didn't do it himself, But I guess the GOP has to grasp at any straw they can when they have nothing else to go on so,,,,,,Let's discuss weiners again, Funny how this gets Republicans all worked up (and there isn't even a little boy in the story, lol)
Where the beef Mr Romney? You'd had 8 years to put together a job program for America. Aside from the ususual mantra of "cut taxes" Which Obmam already did by e xtending the Bush tax cuts for 2 years. And there were a whole slew of additional tax breaks inthe stimus bill too..But where are the Republicans? You would think they would publicze every sincle tax break wether the enacted it or not to re-inforce that lame theory that tax breaks actually work.
But lets not stop there; let's ask you about the Ryan plan. That further extends the Bush tax cuts. So why does the Ryan plan call for a $16 trillion deficit then at $24 Trillion deficit. If tax cuts actually work, why does the defict actually swell so substaiallly on the this Republican plan.
And what's the jobs target for this plan? You notice there isn't one. So where's the growth the republicans promise. There isn't any.
And that's exaclty why the plan is worng for America.
The GOP doesn't answer to a person their master is the artificial person created by us corporations. I would say nearly all our problems is Corporations and their ceos want to maximimize their profits not only here but in every foreign country that has a recource that they can exploit for the gain of an industry. We launch wars have a large money outlay in defense which has taken on a life of its own. When i was in grade school in american history class they talked about the U.S. making refrigerators and domestic products instead of guns and war related products. Eisenhower warned us against it and now our military industry is breaking the backs of middle class americans. As long as we are in 2 unfunded wars have military units all around the globe , a burgeoning pentagon our economy will continue to weaken. We need to cut military pull out of Iraq and iran reduce our presence in our our occupied lands outside of those countries by 10 to 25 % . We need to save trillions not millions. Stop taking programs that help ourn people. The programs that made america a great nation . We are not a petty nation that denies equality for all. We shouldn't be a nation that allows corporations to define what programs we should and should not have. Make the rich and corporations pay their fair share of taxes. Punish corporations who take their jobs and physical addresses offshore and increase tariffs on incoming products at least equal to other nations we deal with. Americans and american products and our economy will have a resurgence. This teabagger ,corporation backed mania will not help america. putting americans including the hundreds of thousands overseas back to making work in america, making american products and spending american dollars here.