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Subscribe to RSSHere come the attacks on Romney… McCain’s revealing answer on Arizona and if it’s in play in the general election… Perry’s decision to stay in the race helps Romney… Obama’s recess appointments -- a fight he wants to have with Congress… Santorum raises $1 million after Iowa… Don’t forget about the pro-Santorum Super PAC… Update on the ad spending in NH, SC, and FL… And lots of campaigning in the Granite State today.
*** Here come the attacks on Romney: Unlike past presidential-primary front-runners, Mitt Romney has enjoyed this advantage over the past year: His GOP rivals have largely attacked each other, and have left him alone. Just last week in the lead up to Iowa, Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann were blasting Rick Santorum; Perry also went after Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, and Santorum for their previous service in Congress; and Jon Huntsman hit Paul over those racially charged newsletters -- all leaving Romney unscathed. (The equivalent would be, in late 2007, Barack Obama, John Edwards, Joe Biden, and Chris Dodd all beating up each other instead of Hillary Clinton, which never happened.) But after Romney’s narrow win in Iowa, and now that Gingrich is looking for revenge, Romney has now become the target of attacks for the first time this campaign season. In fact, the Gingrich camp is now up with this TV ad hitting Romney in New Hampshire and South Carolina. The question becomes: How does Romney handle it?
*** McCain’s revealing answer on Arizona and immigration: Yesterday, one of us interviewed John McCain after he endorsed Romney at an event in New Hampshire. Toward the end of the interview, we asked McCain this question: Is Arizona in play in the general election? And his reaction was especially telling. He paused for a few moments and replied, “I think that if not this election cycle, the demographics are that Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, even Texas will all be in play.” McCain, who was once a principal architect of comprehensive immigration reform but who no longer supports it until the border is secured, added: “We have to fix our problems with the Hispanics.” Where does it start? “It starts with a way to address the issue of immigration in a humane and caring fashion -- at the same time emphasize the need to secure our borders.”
*** Perry’s decision helps Romney: Make no mistake: Rick Perry’s decision to stay in the presidential contest and campaign in South Carolina -- despite his fifth-place finish in Iowa (where he spent more than $4 million on TV ads) -- greatly helps Romney’s campaign. Why? Because it potentially splits up the conservative/Tea Party/evangelical vote. If both Bachmann and Perry had bowed out, that vote would probably go to either Santorum or Gingrich. In addition, it's -- shall we say -- interesting that Perry's decision surprised many of his own staff. Why the change of heart? Did Bachmann's withdrawal do it?
*** The fight Obama wants: As far as President Obama’s recess appointments yesterday, it is absolutely clear that he and his team want a fight with Congress -- and any legal challenge that comes with it. And they've made it clear if they don't currently HAVE a dispute with Congress, they are happy to pick a fight. And this fight, over the Consumer Protection board, has the added benefit of creating an "us vs. them" middle class narrative. After Obama made his recess appointment of Richard Cordray official, the Romney campaign fired off this press release: “This action represents Chicago-style politics at its worst and is precisely what then-Senator Obama claimed would be ‘the wrong thing to do.’ Sadly, instead of focusing on economic growth, he is once again focusing on creating more regulation, more government, and more Washington gridlock.” But the Obama campaign fired back with this: “By opposing the appointment of Richard Cordray to run the first-ever consumer watchdog bureau, Mitt Romney today stood with predatory lenders and Republicans in Congress over the middle class.” By the way, given the speed of the Obama campaign response, it's another sign that the Obama campaign is already focusing on the person they believe will be their general election opponent.
*** Santorum raises $1 million after Iowa: Turning back to the GOP presidential contest, Santorum has raised $1 million since his narrow second-place finish in Iowa, a campaign staffer confirmed to NBC’s Andrew Rafferty last night. Can they keep it up?
*** Don’t forget about the pro-Santorum Super PAC: While the pro-Romney Super PAC Restore Our Future has received much attention -- and deservedly so -- for the impact that it played in Iowa, it’s worth pointing out the role that the pro-Santorum Red, White, and Blue Fund had as well. Although Santorum spent a mere $23,000 in advertising in the Hawkeye State, the Red, White, and Blue Fund spent $530,000 there. That’s not a small chunk of change. And organizers say it’s planning to start advertising in South Carolina. Meanwhile, NBC’s Michael Isikoff reports that the conservative investor Foster Freiss, is one of the principal backers of this pro-Santorum Super PAC. He declined to give precise figures on how much he has donated (“I don't dare let my wife know that," he joked), but said he wouldn’t object to a report that he was the major financial backer of the political action committee.
*** Update on the ad spending: By the way, here’s where things currently stand in the early-state advertising battle:
New Hampshire: Our Destiny PAC (pro-Huntsman) $1.8 million, Paul $1.5 million, Romney $1 million, Perry $234,000, Santorum $30,000.
South Carolina: Make Us Great Again $1.8 million, Romney $555,000, Perry $220,000, Paul $219,000, Restore Our Future $147,000, Santorum $12,000
Florida: Romney $823,000, Restore Our Future $790,000
*** On the trail: With five days to go until the New Hampshire primary, most of the action is in the Granite State: Santorum has events in Manchester, Northfield, Tilton, and Windham… Gingrich hits Plymouth, Littleton, Lancaster, and Meredith… Huntsman is in Hampton, Durham, Portsmouth, and Newport… And Romney begins his day in Salem before heading to Charleston, SC, where he holds an event with Gov. Nikki Haley and brand-new endorser John McCain.
*** DNC hits Romney: And with McCain once again stumping with Romney, the DNC has a new web video cataloging all of the instances from the 2008 when McCain criticized Romney for being a flip-flopper. The video asks, “Which Mitt is he endorsing?
Countdown to New Hampshire primary: 5 days
Countdown to South Carolina primary: 16 days
Countdown to Florida primary: 26 days
Countdown to Nevada caucuses: 30 days
Countdown to Super Tuesday: 61 days
Countdown to Election Day: 306 days
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John F. Kennedy held a dinner in the white House for a group of the brightest minds in the nation at that time. He made this statement: "This is perhaps the assembly of the most intelligence ever to gather at one time in the White House with the exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone."
"When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe ." -- Thomas Jefferson
"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." -- Thomas Jefferson
"It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world."
-- Thomas Jefferson
"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." -- Thomas Jefferson
"My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government." -- Thomas Jefferson
"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson
"The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."
-- Thomas Jefferson
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." -- Thomas Jefferson
"To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical." -- Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson said in 1802:
"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property - until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers
conquered."
time! There is something that is not firing upstairs. I agree completely with the last statement about banks. The rest is pure fabricated nonsense. Nobody is promoting any of that crap. Fox news is the biggest cancer in this county. It clearly makes people paranoid and very stupid
Time to change things - you are right on the money! And if Thomas Jefferson was here today, and wasn't running for president himself, he would vote/back RON PAUL!
the only thing i dont like about ron paul is his lack of foreign policy...but his views on the federal government are spot on...the writers of the Constitution NEVER wanted this government we have now...and how many hidden taxes and infringement of rights are done in the name of good...
what Obama did yesterday was in direct violation of the Constitution and separation of powers...doesnt matter what he thought , felt wanted desired, when you usurp our rules of government, you embark down the trail to tyranny and fascism. PERIOD
t2ct- it's time to reduce our involvement in foreign affairs. At least until we eliminate the deficit! RON PAUL!
Taking pot-shots at Romney shouldn't be difficult for "real" Conservatives, there is soooo much to choose from:
www.MittvMitt.com
Does it really matter who wins the primary. As bad as you can argue Obama has been, there is no way in heck anyone with any sense can think that any of these clowns are better. This is the worst group ever and only a mentally challenged republican would think that any of these candidates is better for America. GW is better than any of these candidates and he is considered one of the three worst Presidents ever. And sorry mentally challenged repubs, Obama is no where close to the bottom, so fabricate something else. It is what you are good at
but obama is up there with the likes of lincoln yes NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT
The fact that all of these candidates have come to the realization that we need to reduce the size of the federal government and get rid of waste makes them far better than Obama ever will be
Thanks you two for proving my point. You can't argue with mentally challenged people like you. You could be convinced the world is flat if Fox News told you it was.
it seems david has already become addicted to the obama kool aide...and is another robo voter who wants his free handout...prosoing higher taxes at the expense of those who have worked for it...
time! Once again I love it when the mentally challenged prove my point. I know for a fact that I make more money then you and work probably twice as hard as you do. So do you have anymore fabricated BS, or are you just going to keep proving me right?
I liked what Ron from Indiana had to say although the influence of the Koch Brothers is, as usual, overstated. Inevitably, the conservative vote will coalesce and that will be the end of Mitt Romney. The Palin theory is something I haven't thought of, but have to admit it is possible.
The anti-Romney candidate will be the nominee and the next president. Although I have a theory that nominees are largely selected years ahead of time, it is fascinating to watch all of this unfold. Who is the anti-Romney?
MITT, u will NEVER be president...the die is cast. Congratulations, President Obama. American's know what's going on
so anyone that doesn't support OBAMA is not an american?
I hate to say it but after reviewing whats out there If Romney doesn't win the nomination then I would have to vote for Obama. If Romney wins then I think its a more difficult decision. Everyone else is trying for the "true conservitive" title and the country needs a moderate with business savy. Everybody complains about who own the GOP, well unfortunately the people that own the GOP are also the people that provide jobs and can provide more.
Obama doesn't know how to relate to business and the Fundamentalist Chritians/Tea baggers are all retired and don't have any jobs to offer.
Lets get people jobs first
What is so funny is that for all his bluffing on the debt ceiling debate, all Cantor got for his Tea Party efforts was looming defense cuts that BOTH Paul and the Libs want anyway! Talk about naive! Got taken to the cleaners he did. NOW he has to shut up just to get reelected
yes true he did not get what he wanted mainly because while Obama says we have to cut spending he doesn't really want to do it just lip service that you liberals want to hear
He IS cutting the Defense budget -- thanks the Tea party!! I can run logic circle humor around you all day but it gets old and I just get dizzy for my efforts
A simple way to describe Washington D.C. today is like two siblings in the room with only one toy there and each getting the grab at it. When it is either one's turn to play with it, that one isn't willing to share it. I am sure we have all witnessed and experienced this scenerio.
To the leaders in Washington. Put your pride aside and stop being childish. Learn to work together. Afterall, it is not a toy that you are playing with. It is human lives, our wellbeing and dignity that you are.
That will never happen because thye were never meant to be involved in all things they have intruded upon. The reason was that our forefathers knew this would happen and appointed most of the power to the states which has been usurped by the federal government
ARE YOU CRAZY? Limbaugh said you can never compromise with a lib period. You are better off not getting anything done then to compromise with them, thank god the tea party listened and are stopping obama in his tracks!!
stormrider. It seems you really have no clue about history. What happened the last time the states had all the power? If you are a history buff as you claim, you would know what happened and why it did not work. I find it so funny that you repubs want to go back to the 1800's to live. Like any of you had a f--- clue what it was like back then. i guess you all have hated America since you were born. Then f ing leave if you hate it so much. You obviously hated it while it is considered the greatest country on earth.
Limbaugh is the most Un-American person on the planet. Only dumbasses believe him
the gop gets it, quit blowing our money on entitlements and old people, no one and I mean no one shouild ever depend on a government check for their livlihood, especially those who no longer work you should take care of your own parents like it was before fdr brought us socialism!! make it happen vote tea party-were takin america back!!!
limbaugh! I see you haven't taken your meds today. Nobody holds your demented views. The Tea PArty is a thing of the past. Only an idiot like you would think that a TP candidate is going to win. Funny!
Lim as a conservative I disagree with you. Someone that has worked and supported this country for 25 years or more deserves a safety net. Perhaps before we touch medicare and social security we should cut all other entitlement and program spending like planned parenthood and the thousands like that. The we should look at improving SS and Medicare. They are quite sustainable of administered properly
The world is now dumber with your writing.
did anyone see rick santorum on c span last night? he came right out and send ssi and medicare need to be addressed now, the way to stop the debt is by attacking all the entitlements, most gop'ers agree with me
This has to be the most pathetic headline I've ever seen on msnbc. There is always enough "content" to make me question msnbc's objectivity and motives. But to say that Romney is being attacked "for the first time"? Seriously? For the first time?
This guy has been attacked more in the last 5 years than any other candidate.
A better headline: "2012 election will be the first time that Obama is actually investigated."
other than the attack obama gave him a few weeks ago by saying he said corporations are people too, name another one??
Have you heard Newt Gingrich? Michelle Bachmann? Rick Santorum?
Or perhaps you forgot the now infamous "goal" of the Obama team to "kill" Romney.
Get real here.
ROMNEY is surely not MISTER CLEAN. He has McCAIN backing him. WHAT IS UP WITH THAT !!!
SHMOOZING so that nothing gets changed to hurt the wealthy and rich or themselves !!!
Is it that he is trying to make sure that the status quo can be established ??????
Wow and Obama is not. How come you liberals always tend to ignore the fact that Obama had the largest campaign purse in history and his top contributors the very people you are complaining about. You think maybe that's why for all his bluster they are still doing well? Maybe you should have learned to connect the dots better when you were a child
stormrider! What is your excuse for not being able to connect the dots? Heck, you can't even see the dots can you?
Iowa has a history of picking LOSERS. Therefore both Mitt and Santorum are toast. and since Paul is merely being humored, that leaves Newt with his baggage and Perry with his aw shucks Southern charm as the last men standing
He who wins S. Carolina wins the nomination. Both Perry and Newt should be pulling out all the stops there
IOWA UPDATE 2012
Closer scrutiny of all ballots cast (far less than 2008) indicates the real winner of the 2012 Iowa Republican Caucuses was ...
President Barack H. Obama!!!!!!!!!!
Partisan politics is in the past. Wake up folks, let's start electing individuals, not ideologies. The further the divide, the incumbent's chances to retain office increase exponentially.
Aw yes the GOP is splintering. ain't no baptist gonna get enthused over no dull Mormon, and Paul says the defense budget sucks!
Iowa has never been a true gage of where we country stands
Truth never changes. It is the same today, yesterday and tomorrow. We are the ones that must change to align with that fact, the truth. Not the other way around. Changing and adapting with the deteriorated conditions based on the slippery slope of falsehood and deception is foolish and dumb. The impossible attempt at changing truth ensues, rather than us making the change according to truth, and is mad. It like beating your head against a brick wall. The environment we observe today is the one that is built when we won't aknowledge The Truth. Lowering the standard, or the bar if you will due to the present environment will never work, and is doomed to fail. Man has been going through this cycle of change since the dawn of human history and is sort of like a dog chasing his tail, which is, has been and always will be attached to him, or her and has it's appropriate place where it is and he will never catch up with it, or detach it.
When we stop beating our heads against a wall based on this fact, and instead humbly come together as one, rather than individually causing further division among ourselves, we will then see real the real improvement and the kind of change we all deep down desire and want. It will be better for us all. "All for one, one for all". "A house divided it shall fall". So let's quit the in- fighting America. We have enough outside enemies to do that that we need to be unified and concerned about. Let's roll up our sleeves and do the hard work of building a great nation together again according to truth and leave it the way we found it when we arrived in the world to the next generations that follow.
"Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it."
nice speed but ineffective. you cannot bring such dissenting opinions together the divide is great. Hence more power should be with each state individually and less with the fed as the constitution dictates
are you crazy? are you living under a rock? never before the 2010 elections and now this coming election have canidates come out so openly about cutting and eliminating and privatising social security as they are now, also medicaid and medicare and obama care, its a whole new political world, the dems sacred cows are now in play!!
CRAP BAGGERS & REPUKEALINS are all the same FASCIST and COMMIES with BIG HOODIES !!!
Their version of TAKE BACK AMERICA is Repression and Steal America for their own use ONLY !
Wow you are what in high school?
Definition of communism - Government runs everything you get from government only what they deem you can have.
Republicans want less government -hmm therefore your statement is not only erroneous but well illogical which means you are very young
Great description of the Democrats Alain, keep it up.
and what...take our money and give it to those that dont work or deserve it...you cannot redistribute wealth...not to mention it defies EVERYTHING the CONSTITUTION was founded upon!!!
Where is welfare, social security, etc in the Constitution...the powers of the federal government were limited by the writers to prevent the very injustice that Obama is imposing upon this nation...
if you take from peter to pay paul, then why should peter do anything at all
facist and communist are at differnt ends of the spectrum
The liberal media again, due to a technicality Congress WAS NOT in recess, making Obama's appointment contrary to the constitution.
actually the whole thing has never been taken to court and only dem presidents have ever used it, so you probably are right u dont need to impeach him we just defeat him come november
I am reading a lot of comments that have BIGOT AND DISCRIMINATION as the NAME !!!
well it has been done by repubs too. Dems made a big deal of this with bush however, how bad it was. So hmm lets see did anyone teach them the basic premise of two wrongs dont make a right
Santorum is disgusting...as a human...and these goofy people think he's the answer.
Where are the true leaders???
why is he disgusting?
Romney is the only candidate that has the experience needed to turn the economy around. The others use great words but don't have the experience.
what experience is this?
Did you know Rush was a flaming disingenuous genius Liberal who found out he could make a nice living by simply stirring up his Conservative cult ant pile once in a while with shtick stick?
David 102! You are dead on. Funny thing is consevatives aren't smart enough to figure that out. There is a reason they are considered to be mentally challenged
becareful, do you know who your talking about (almost god) this is pure blasmasphy!!
On the subject of Gingrich, when he faked tears for his mom, that really didn't impress me. You know why? When he was asked that question and he turned the question into the lead in for his tears, he didn't leave enough time for a normal person's emotions to overwhelm them. You know what I mean? He went right from the question, to a split second mention of family, to the tears. It was pretty sickening to me. He didn't have 60 seconds in between to even get teary, to even think of his mother. So scripted. How did he cry on demand like that?
TO: Orthehighway who wrote:
Maybe he saw his wife standing back stage. Woof !
The only time I saw a person that fugly was in a Batman movie as "the Penguin". That's some nose she's got there.
I would like to see a documentary on the Mormon faith. If more of you people knew something about the Mormon religion, you would never consider electing Mitt Romney. Don't tell me it's not a cult. Did you know that adults wear a garment underneath their clothes? Did you know that each and every person has to put two years in as a missionary, either knocking on doors in the US or as a missionary overseas? So his children, grandchildren, etc. all will have to do the service. The Secret Service will have to do it with them, or they could be kidnapped. The service is mandatory. There are a lot of really weird things about the Mormons, like how nobody can go inside their temple but a Mormon, so the secret service will have to be Mormons. How is this guy going to be a president when he is a member of this weird religion? Do you know that even if you hate the Mormon religion, they can induct you into it after you're dead? This is a true fact.
When will these true lunatic conservatives realize that they never win because nobody buys into their fabricated arguments.
Here is the list of pure conservative arguments that are completely fabricated.
1) The liberals are pushing for socialism.
2) Liberals are declaring class warfare.
3) Liberals are lazy and need Government assistance to live
4) Liberals are for tax increases and a bigger government
5) God is a conservative.
The list goes on and on, but there is not one ounce of proof other than what you hear on The Fox Enquirer that any of these arguments are true. I am a progressive liberal who does not want to see my taxes go up, or wants a bigger government, owns my own business and work my ares off, and do believe in God.
So stop with your lunatic posts and educate yourself on the FACTS
hope you got more for you $100K in student debt then a poor arguement of misleading bs in guise as pseudofacts
Time: Talking to yourself?
TIME! Watch out for that cliff ahead. You know all sheep eventually follow the heard over the cliff.
Wow really then I tell you what you stop taking my tax money for planned parenthood, paying for women who have children and cannot support them etc you are the liars and socialism is what you promote by far
David101010, If what you state about yourself is true. You are indeed an exception to the liberal rule.
You must be talking about rush on number 5