E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSDuring a briefing with reporters today, top officials from President Obama’s re-election team predicted a long, drawn out Republican primary battle, which they said would ultimately bolster Mr. Obama’s chances of becoming a two-term president.
Senior advisers -- including David Axelrod, Jim Messina and Stephanie Cutter -- argued that they have the organizational upper hand over any potential rival. They also were encouraged by the fact that 8 million Americans, who were not old enough to vote in 2008, will be able to do so in 2012. And they touted their ground game. “I think we have more staffers on the ground in Iowa than any of the other campaigns,” Messina said.
Axelrod wasted no time lashing out at both Republican front-runners: Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich. Referencing Romney’s now-infamous $10,000 bet, Axelrod said, “What was startling to me was that generally his tactic was to bet other people’s money not his own.”
As for Gingrich, Axelrod called him the original “Tea Partier” -- accusing the former House speaker of causing several government shutdowns during the 90s, cutting Medicare and cutting taxes for the wealthy. Quoting a politician he knew years ago, Axelrod said, “The higher a monkey climbs on a pole, the more you can see his butt. The speaker is on a high pole, we’ll see how people like the view.”
Axelrod would not venture a guess about which candidate he thinks has the better chance of winning.
Messina mapped out five possible pathways to 270 electoral votes next November -- 1) through Florida; 2) southern states (including North Carolina and Virginia); 3) the Midwest (including Ohio and Iowa); 4) western states (including Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada); and 5) an expansion scenario (by winning Arizona).
Echoing Obama’s argument from "60 Minutes" this past Sunday, the advisers said that Obama has the capacity to beat any Republican candidate because his governing philosophy is fundamentally different.
“The debate is largely the same because the economic theory is largely the same,” Axelrod said.
Leave a Comment:
Trust me they won't be voting Teapubican!
LOL!
Newter does resemble a Howler monkey, the way he likes to throw crap into the wind!
He fails to apreciate it's usually blowing in his direction! ;o)
We just have to be sure everyone dots their I's and crosses their T's. My state (darn rebaggers) made our voting laws tougher. Amazing. If the GOP can't win legit - they try and rig it.
Howler monkey? Hmmmmm More a lumbering gorilla if you ask me (and aren't they going extinct)?
Whenever I see President Obama he is talking about important issues in a thoughtful and candid manner. Whenever I see anyone in the GOP talking, it's all BS, where they have to spend their time covering their backsides.
$10,000 bets, cheating, Fannie Mae, Palestinians aren't real people, RomneyCare, ads taken out of context, auto industry shouldn't be helped, taxes shouldn't be raised on the wealthy, off shore bank accounts ...
Can't these Republicans freakin' say anything that actually means something?
President Obama is 1,000 times the man these fools are. The president went on 60 Minutes and answered every single question. Romney goes on Fox and he practically cries over the questions.
99% of the people in this country are better persons than either Romney or Gingrich.
Don't vote for them.
President Obama thought this country was in serious enough trouble that he assumed the Republican Party would work with him to try and fix things for the middle class.
He assumed they were adults who could think for themselves and would roll up their sleeves to do the job they were hired to do. And tell Boehner and Boehner and Norquist to stuff it.
2012. GOTV
Since the monkey reference was such a bit of entertainment to you when used on Newt I would imagine that you will get the same kick when we hear about the same reference with Barry in the leading position heading up his own tree.
This time around, as he is now rather high in the tree, we see Barry for what he really is and not the "hope and Change" bait and switch charade that he pulled last time. He talked many times of a post-partisan Washington and then stated that "elections have consequences" and "We don't mind the Republicans joining us. They can come for the ride, but they gotta sit in back." Barry's administration projections that if we would just spend $800B on a stimulus then unemployment would stay around 8%, did not happen. Then there is the abomination called Obamacare now favored by less than 40% of Americans as his signature deal? But as Nan said, "Congress has to pass the bill so you can find out what's in it, away from the fog of controversy." The Obamacare monkey is climbing right beside Barry and we are clearly getting a good look at it now. Do you even want to talk about the Gitmo lies he spread during his campaign? Barry was/is so inexperienced that he did not understand that he could not do it by himself regardless of his Messiah complex.
So much more, so looking forward to more of these highlights of his only term during the coming election cycle. Keep the spotlight on those monkey butts!!
It's just amazing how radical the GOP has become, yet they still don't realize how out of touch they are with the American public.
I don't know, John. 75% of the "American public" think the country is headed in the wrong direction.
And the Tea Party is less popular than atheism or Islam.
77% of Americans disapprove of the job being done by Republican leaders in Congress.
No wonder the American public thinks the country is headed in the wrong direction.
75% say we are headed in the wrong direction …
And a combined 75% of people think that this congress is the worst ever or totally ineffective
I wonder if those two 75% figures are somehow tied together tied together
Prez Obama never have not yet realised he is teh president. He never stopped campaigning..that's why he never accepts responsibility and blames everything either on Congress or Bush. And is it not amzing that the most vocal and authentic critic of President Obama is Senator Obama?
Genchez 19 you just typed exactly word for word what Sean Hannity said on his show.....Do you even know you are doing that or is he controling your fingers ?
Feisty -
Newter does resemble a Howler monkey, the way he likes to throw crap into the wind!
Hmmmm, I wonder if I made a similar comment about Obama, how well it would be taken?
".....LOL!
Newter does resemble a Howler monkey, the way he likes to throw crap into the wind!
He fails to apreciate it's usually blowing in his direction! ;o) ....."
I'm just wondering why it's acceptable to use this reference about Newt Gingrich, anymore than it would be to use it about Barrack Obama?
Hmmmm, a little food for thought.
The intriguing thing about the upcoming 2012 election is not so much that the incumbant will win because he's done such a good job. But rather, the incumbant will win because the opposition party doesn't have a viable candidate, all references to sub human primates aside.
That's really a shame too. Because we could have done a lot better than Barrack Obama..
the way I read the college campuses is Obama is going to be seriously disappointed this year in the young people vote.
Ron Paul is sweeping the college campuses like wildfire....
They are yappin like every thing is normal, business as usual and mittney and the grinch are the candidates to beat,
NOT even close!
If what they think is right, then why are they campaigning so hard now when they do not know who the actual candidate will be? Answer? They are trying to sway the nomination. By fighting now they are trying to up the exposure to the candidates they would like to run against by trying to make it seem like they are the choice.
Very foolish....
@Candice And wouldn't that be the direction the Tbaggers have taken us? If that's not the case, then President Obama's rating should be about the same as Congress. They are not. Just because we think the country is headed in the wrong direction can certainly mean it's headed there because of this do-nothing Congress and the Republicans. You and I can put whatever spin you want on it, but President Obama has tried to help the middle class. What have the Republicans done but keep us going in the same old direction, which is the wrong direction.
if anyone votes for OBOMBO and his liberal socialist demos is as un-american as he is!
Feisty...right back at ya...His words in his direction, the wind. Yep. I think you've pretty well got it.
http://thinkprogress.org/security/2006/07/16/6314/newt-world-war/
Thanks for the link, AI. That's the trouble not only with Gingrich but most of the Right...they fail to take into account that the Internet allows unprecedented fact checking and preservation of events from the past as they REALLY happened. It's something that isn't conducive to their MO of misrepresentation and rewriting of history.
8 million more kids will be eligible to vote in 2012 ! I never thought of that! Good news for Democrats - let's kick those right wingers out of our House!
As the mother of one of those newly eligible voters, I regularly talk to the 20 year olds that hang out in our den, I can tell you NONE of them will be voting republican!
Too bad so many of those new voters face such dire employment prospects.
Plus I'm sure they are very comforted by the $15 Trillion they are on the hook for and the fact that they get to pay for all those Boomers' retirement.
Spanky, these kids are already working while going to college part-time and I have no doubts that they will succeed because they're willing to work hard and are very bright! And we have talked about things like the debt and Boomer retirement because they are amazingly politically aware. Basically, they see nothing that the Conservative side offers as being realistic or balanced. And the best news of all is they are compassionate and tolerant; I see real hope that the coming generation will make our country better.
Diane -- Are they as tolerant as so many of the folks that post here? If so then we are in trouble.
James - LOL! Much more tolerant!
Diane from California
I respectfully disagree, your children might be voting democrat, but the majority will be voting for change, REAL change.
I have three nieces and two nephews in college. One here in Washington, two in Oregon and the other two in California. All major universities. We, well their parents have been getting all kinds of stuff on how we need to check out Ron Paul and not throw our votes away on establishment democrats or republicans.... If the kids have their way all the establishment politicians will find their collective butts out on the street next November....
They are very active in the Youth for Ron Paul movement sweeping the colleges...... Change is coming guys, and many people are not going to like it...
Egilman,
I find that really interesting and wonder if its a difference in the amount of organizing done on large campuses? The kids I'm talking to, by in large, come from former upper middle class families that have been impacted by the economy and have chosen to go the community college route for the 1st 2 years because tuition is so high at the big schools. They all work 1 or 2 jobs while taking at least 12 units! Hard working kids. But they don't indicate big Ron Paul following on campuses. My own son & daughter feel Ron Paul is "OLD" and other than legalizing marijuana, living in the early 20th century.
I had to lsugh when Gingrich declared in Saturday's debate "I am a Reaganite." As I recall, Reagan wasn't that popular during his presidency, and that was a long, long, long time ago. Gingrinch better come up with a more up to date hero. "I am a Bushie?"
Oh Amy, always so precious.
Say, can you remember the margin of his '84 victory?
Yep, I suspect old Mondale might disagree with you assessment of popularity.
Amy,
The two largest landslides in the history of American Politics?
Yeah I can understand why the grinch would like to channel Reagan, But the electorate knows better.
The only candidate that has a direct link to Reagan as a supporter is Ron Paul.... and Paul is not trying to attach himself to Reagan, he is standing on his own two feet ...
The President and his reelection campaign may be able to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat thanks to the implosion of the Republican Party. Both of the GOP's leading frontrunners for the nomination, Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich, are so heavily damaged that they will be unable to mount a credible or successful bid to challenge Obama next year. The Republican s have failed to offer a reasonable alternative to Obama for American voters to even consider. They're well on their way to one of the worst political blunders in history. http://www.sunstateactivist.org
I think the republicans are far from imploding, in fact once you get past the media block, certain republicans are doing VERY Well.....
A former secstate of Florida (republican) wrote an op/ed regarding the new, restrictive voting laws here. He refered to them as Jim Crow laws, and was upset that the Repubs actually voted for them. And this, as I said, from a Republican!
@Matt
By bowing to their base, they have lost the middle of the country.
With all due respect Phine,
I think the Democrat party is going to be up one liberal former republican when this former sec. of State changes party back to their original party...... less than a year to go!
I find it startling that Mr. Axelrod was startled. Afterall, betting with other people's money is exactly what President Obama and Company did with General Motors, Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, Solyndra....just to name a few.
Which is exactly why I'm thinking and hoping citizens vote for the President's opponent - whoever that may be. I don't think we can't survive another four years of this President's governing and his philosophy. People will be certainly be looking for something fundamentally and totally different.
"Obama campaign team discusses 2012, blasts GOP candidates"
That pretty much summarizes most First Read stories, dont you think? FR being a part of the Obama campaign team.
Hey MSNBC, did you write down the delicate talking points about Gingrich and "monkey's butts", from your putative boss and Obama reelection teammate, the despicable David Axelrod, mudslinger from the Chicago school of dirty politics?
Surely these Axelrod gems will be worked into upcoming First Read stories bashing Republicans..
Bob, I couldn't agree with you more, you hit the nail right on the head. Every story about Obama on this website has a "warm-fuzzy" spin to it. While every story about opposition candidates, or even about people in Obama's own party who challenge him or disagree with him paints them as being of questionable character or somehow a little "shady."
I remember the 2008 primary season when Obama called Hillary "old and out of touch." There was a lot of people like myself who were offended by that comment.
But, FIRST READ didn't report it that way.
I also remember when Norman Hsu was prominently displayed in the media as being a Clinton fundraiser. It destroyed her campaign in late 2007.
But, FIRST READ forgot to tell you that Norman Hsu also "BUNDLED" contributions for the Obama campaign. He even introduced Obama to his 2008 campaign finance manager.
Then of course there was the Tony Rezko matter, something FIRST READ and the rest of the mainstream media either downplayed or flat out REFUSED to print, post or publish openly. Rezko, a federally convicted political racketeer, arranged the sweetheart deal that brought Obama his rather posh Kenmore, Il. estate; at a time when Obama didn't have a nickle in his pocket. Obama also did legal work for Rezko, and wrote letters on his behalf urging municipal financing for one of Rezko's tenements which was actually outside of Obama's state senate district in Il. On the day Rezko was convicted on sixteen (16) counts of federal political racketeering, to include influence peddling, FIRST READ actually put the story up on it's website, behind a "link" that required special software to open. WHY IS THAT, FIRST READ? Obama also walked out of a press conference in Chicago and refused to answer any further questions that same day, when he was pressed for answers about his friend Tony Rezko. Why is THAT, FIRST READ?
And it doesn't stop there. Obama's association with William Ayers was completely downplayed throughout the entire 2008 campaign. Ayers belonged to an organization that shot & killed two security guards and a Nyack Police Officer during a Brink's armored car robbery, AND firebombed a NY State Supreme Court Judges home! FIRST READ never talked about that or did any in depth exposition of that topic, even though a man, who was running for PRESIDENT of THE UNITED STATES, had (at least) a "friendship" with another man involved with such things! Anty time someone brought the topic up, they were shouted down, as if it was of no consequence whatsoever, and as if such a thing should not matter at all.
I wonder if it would have been portrayed that way, had Hillary Clinton been the one with such friendships.
The bottom line is that MSNBC was, is, always has been, and probably always will be in Obama's corner. They are his media-trollips who do his dirty work for him online during the day, and on-air at night.
But, it doesn't matter because they are proud of it, and they aren't going to change.
Journalism use to mean something in this country. Now, it's just an opportuinity for someone to put their own political ideology in print or on the air.
At the end of the day, Bob, the people who run this website, and the most of the on-air personalities over at MSNBC are political-propaganda-prostitutes who have been "turned out" by their pimp, Barrack Obama.
Don't expect solid journalistic analyses, or even one iota of the truth from this website. Because, you will be sorely disappointed if you do.
I'm not saying FAUX News, or Rush Limbaugh are any better. What I AM saying is that one would expect more from a news organization that bears a major networks call-letters. But, you will not get it here.
pmsnbc [the obombo network]
Yep, you can bet yer nice little nuclear bums on that folks...
http://thinkprogress.org/security/2006/07/16/6314/newt-world-war/
I find it very intriguing that the Obama team A) ignored Ron Paul and B) admitted that the Republicans and Democrats are essentially the same on key points because they both support the system as is.
If Ron Paul is President Obama's adversary, and the economy does not recover, what could the President possibly say in any case? In a debate he would look extremely foolish and out of depth. Imagine him trying to explain the failure of the last four years........what could he say? Dr. Paul, whether you like his ideas or not, DID PREDICT the financial crisis and the essential problem. And criticize a return to the Constitution is to admit it is obsolescent and cannot work - however saying that in the midst of a crisis that is so dire that it is obvious that the current policies do not work would be ridiculous. And you cannot fault Dr. Paul for his honesty and integrity, whatever one thinks about his political idealism. I agree that both the Democrats and Republicans are responsible for the present crisis, and the situation can only deteriorate further if something is not quickly done. The next disaster will be an increase in unemployment followed by another war (to provide distraction from the insoluble mess). Syria, Iran, a trade war with China - I know a good one; lets try to destabilize Russia, a nation that could fight back.........now THAT would be a distraction.
RON PAUL 2012
Team Obama needs to hold a conference in Hawaii to discuss how they intend to sell America on the great accomplishments of Barrack. LOL
Good luck with that one boys and girls.
It will be Romney as the Rep nominee and he will lose to Obama in 2012. Case closed !