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Subscribe to RSSA New Hampshire surprise?... The battle for second place… The battle over Bain Capital… A new negative narrative emerges for Romney: his struggles with revising history… Revenge on Valerie Jarrett… And a busy day in New Hampshire.
MANCHESTER, NH -- The New Hampshire primary has often been the place for surprises. In 1964, a write-in candidate actually won the GOP primary here (Lodge). In 1996, Pat Buchanan upset Bob Dole. In 2000, John McCain didn't just win -- but shocked most pollsters when he blew out front-runner George W. Bush. And on the Democratic side in 2008, Hillary Clinton pulled one of the biggest surprises in primary politics when she defeated Barack Obama. Yet with Mitt Romney leading in New Hampshire by 20 points or more in most polls -- a new WMUR survey has him leading Ron Paul by 24 points, 41%-17% -- this year’s New Hampshire surprise will probably be for second place. Right now, we’re seeing Paul and Jon Huntsman battle for independents. And we’re seeing Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum battle for conservatives. Whoever best consolidates one of those groups (either indies or conservatives) could emerge as this cycle’s surprise and “Comeback Kid.” By the way, only three campaigns are really up on the air in the NH/Boston market right now in New Hampshire: Romney, Paul, and Huntsman.
*** The battle over Bain: There’s also another battle going on in the GOP presidential contest: the battle to define Bain Capital. We saw it emerge as a topic in yesterday’s debate. We’re about to see it emerge in South Carolina, as the pro-Gingrich Super PAC Winning Our Future is planning to air advertisements in the Palmetto State. “Thanks to a $5 million donation from a wealthy casino owner [Sheldon Adelson], a group supporting Newt Gingrich plans to place advertisements in South Carolina this week attacking Mitt Romney as a predatory capitalist who destroyed jobs and communities, “the New York Times reports. NBC’s Michael Isikoff adds that Winning Our Future’s ad buy in South Carolina is $3.4 million, a huge sum for that state. And the DNC is out with a new video questioning Romney’s claim that Bain created a net 100,000 jobs. The issue of Bain is becoming enough of a concern for the Romney campaign that NBC's Garrett Haake reports that yesterday, Romney – for the first time -- brought up Bain to DEFINE his time there.
Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich tells TODAY's Matt Lauer that if frontrunner Mitt Romney were not to win New Hampshire or if it's a very close race, it would be a "defeat" for the former Massachusetts governor.
*** “You can’t handle the truth”: Besides Bain and also the flip-flopping charges that could carry over to the general election, a new negative narrative on Romney has begun to emerge: accusations that he’s not always telling the truth or that he’s revising history. One obvious example came at yesterday’s NBC/Facebook debate, when he maintained he had not seen the pro-Romney Super PAC ads hitting Gingrich. “With regards to their ads, I haven't seen them,” Romney said. Then moments later, he repeated the ads’ attacks -- almost word for word. “The ad I saw said that you'd been forced out of the speakership. That was correct. It said that you had sat down with Nancy Pelosi and argued for a climate change bill. That was correct.” The DNC also has produced another new video, entitled “Mitt, why not just tell the truth,” seizing on that exchange at yesterday’s debate.
*** Revising history: Stumping in New Hampshire yesterday, Romney also mentioned that he can relate to people who know what it’s like to worry about getting fired. “There were a couple of times I wondered whether I was going to get a pink slip.” But as the New York Times notes, his campaign could not cite specific examples of Romney almost getting a pink slip, although a spokesman said that “as a young person just out of college, [Romney] worked his way up the career ladder knowing that his continued employment was by no means guaranteed.” And as an example of possibly revising history, Romney said at yesterday’s debate, “I went to Massachusetts to make a difference. I didn't go there to begin a political career, running time and time again.” Yet Gingrich later called that line “pious baloney,” pointing out that Romney had run for Massachusetts senator in ’94, then for governor in ’02, and then began making plans for a presidential bid in ’06.
*** Romney opens up a big lead in Florida: Remember when Newt Gingrich had a sizable lead in the Sunshine State? Well, that appears long gone. Per a new Quinnipiac poll, Romney has opened up a double-digit edge over Gingrich among likely Republican primary voters in Florida, 36%-24%, with Santorum in third at 16%.
*** Revenge on Jarrett? The new Jodi Kantor book about the Obamas, as a couple, is the type of book that at another point in the calendar would be getting a LOT more buzz in the political world. But because of the New Hampshire primary, it's not getting the attention that it might deserve. While the book is supposed to focus on the relationship of the Obamas to each other and to Washington, there's a fascinating subplot to what is clearly the sourcing on the book: it's the revenge of the senior Obama staff on the longtime personal friend to the Obamas, Valerie Jarrett. Senior Obama folks we've talked to were actually surprised by how many fappeared to talk to the author and the theme, when it comes to how the White House has worked, revolves around one LARGER narrative: Jarrett's use of her personal access to sometimes drive a wedge within the senior West Wing staff. The grumbling about Jarrett by Obama folks started the day she showed up on the campaign trail in late 2007. Back then, she was perceived as Michelle Obama's "eyes and ears." And for better or worse, neither the senior political folks (or the White House senior staff) never seemed embrace Jarrett nor does it appear she tried as well as she could have to ingratiate herself. Either way, this book is exposing a riff that the White House current and former senior aides have tried to keep under wraps. Not anymore.
*** On the trail: On the final day before the new Hampshire primary, almost all the campaign activity is in the Granite State: Santorum stumps in Nashua, Salem, Derry, Somersworth, and Manchester… Gingrich hits Dover, Manchester, Nashua, Hudson, and Concord… Huntsman is in Lebanon, Claremont, Henniker, Concord, Dover, Nashua, and Exeter… Romney campaigns in Nashua, Hudson, and Bedford… And Paul visits Manchester, Hollis, and Stratham… Meanwhile, Perry remains in South Carolina, stumping in Pickens and Greenville.
Countdown to New Hampshire primary: 1 day
Countdown to South Carolina primary: 12 days
Countdown to Florida primary: 22 days
Countdown to Nevada caucuses: 26 days
Countdown to Super Tuesday: 57 days
Countdown to Election Day: 302 days
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I've already made up my mind, so all I have left to do now is pray.
The GOP has not begun to make the case that Obama must be defeated:
Obama kept on Secretary of Defense Gates. Obama enacted the most-conservative universal health care plan. (See Romney's recent defense of HIS Massachusetts plan, as being the most conservative way to do this.)
Obama led the fight to keep the US auto industry alive. His stimulus kept us out of a 2d great Depression, by showing that there was a bottom to the economy's 2008-2009 freefall.
The unpaid-for War and the unfunded Medicare Drug Benefit, had made this Country poorer than it was in 2001. Unfortunately, after the financial meltdown, we needed more deficit spending, to get us back to work, so we can pay for these things.
Obama's election and offer to talk, weakened the nutty regime in Iran and inspired its opponents--after the previous Administration gave Iran the first place in the Middle East and Iraq's nuclear scientists. (He got that bin Laden guy too, but it seems that this is no longer important to Fox.)
Last summer, Obama offered the GOP in the House a historic compromise, to raise some taxes, but cut back on entitlements and healthcare spending. The GOP House rejected this compromise.
The Tea Party prefers a white President to a solvent America. The rest of us see that Obama is doing the best that anyone could do, in the real world.
Adding One Trillion to the Federal debt every year, having 15% to 17% unemployment (check the U-6 stats) after adding to the Federal Debt, growing government, entitling people with healthcare, ignoring the immigration issues in the US, stopping states from enforcing immigration laws after states passed their own laws, is a lot for one President to have accomplished in one 4 year term!
Most of us, do not like the accomplishments of Obama and the direction he has led America and would vote for ANYONE ELSE!
MTMike, you're not listening or comprehending. America is fed up with your lies. go away.
The 2012 election is not about the Republican Nominee.
The 2012 election is about Obama, his leadership, the economy and if one likes the direction Obama has led this country!
You can't have it both ways. You can't question Pres Obama's "leadership" and then say that he "led the country" in ANY direction in one breath. Why not just admit that he's a leader, but you don't want to follow him?
New Hampshire is only one of 50 (not 57 states as Mr. Obama suggested) so it is no more or less important than Iowa. In all likelihood, this Republican convention will be a "brokered" convention and will require the "winner" to at least acknowledge the views of the major contenders.
This business of declaring primary elections over and done with after only a few small and relatively inconsequential states have chimed in is......b.s.
4 things that will bring down the Republicans in 2012:
1. Assuming all voters hate Obama and want him replaced
2. Assuming that all voters are white, older and they all vote
3. Repeating the 1992 election "cultural war"
4. The economy improves
Should be an interesting election.
With the GOP war on social security and medicare, they can't be thinking voters are older. For that matter, What are they thinking? Just what are they thinking?
Those that don't watch, read, or listen to the main stream media are uninformed.
Those that listen to Faux News are misinformed.
(apologies to M. Twain)
Chuck Todd: Chuck Todd became NBC News’ political director in March 2007. He also serves as NBC News' on-air political analyst for "NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams," "Today," "Meet the Press and MSNBC, including "Hardball with Chris Matthews."
Full Disclosure, Chuck is a Republican. Even Chuck can't defend those clowns.
I find it amazing that when voters are interviewed, they are stuck on one issue that has no bearing on running the country. Apparently, no one has a memory longer than their little finger because if you have any memory at all you can't forget what people like Newt Gingrich was twenty years ago and still is today. Who's backing him, we can start with 5 million from Las Vegas, what does that tell you Christians who hold everyone's feet to the fire unless they are your guy. Newt is no good, despite what the experts say, people never change. Most of this Republican field should be home counting money and saving their breath because they are only spinning their wheels and doing what America does best, waste money!
The only surprise would be if Huntsman somehow beats Romney. Really doesn't matter, everyone will just move on to South Carolina, albeit a little more confused. But I don't think that will happen. Romney's name is too strong in NH, which is why all the other candidates will ignore the results and head South.
Newt Gingrich said that Romney was not telling all the truth ot he was revising history. Say, I read another article today that said almost the same thing. However, it was about Obama. Obama wants everything his way. several hundred Senators and Congress people made statements the Obama disregards the Constitution and does things his way. No wonder we are screwed. Who wants to join Obama and spit on the Constitution? I call that treason.
Romney Can Not Win nor any Republican that intends to harm seniors and the disabled with an arrogant rich mans plan . This is the current Republican proposal on Entitlements . Remember the word ::: Entitlement ;;; mean what others earned , even if Obama wants to give it away to those who never worked or did illegal work or are immigrants who have their own entitlement in the country they can from . Ok what is the problem . Well first here is the Romney arrogant entitlement plan . ( Before touching Entitlements one has to realize why this country is still in trouble and the effect of this was and still is CORPORATE WELFARE AND IRRESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL BEING PAID OFF . TO GIVE ONE EXAMPLE IS THE FACT BANKS BORROW AT ZERO FROM THE FED , AND CAN INVEST THE PROCEEDS OF THE LOAN WITH LONG TERM TRES PAYING 4%. . THIS IS Theft and Corporate Bank Welfare . Not Capitalism . So we have to realize that Republicans are not for Capitalism , but their brand of Socialism that allows them to get richer , but not allowing any rights to those other than the rich. .So , Medicare reform will allow under Republicans or Romney for Republicans to put a cash check in their pocket so they can buy the best doctors which is supplement by their money. This is a subsidy to Millionaires who are not now using the poor plan of Obamacare as it is trash and are buying quality doctor out of pocket without Medicare becasue Medicare under Obamacare rip off is calling Chronic medical condition not Medical condition so as not to pay for these conditions . ) Here is the Romney Plan ,,,,::::"""""""""
Senior advisors to the Romney campaign say that entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicaid would be preserved under Romney’s plan. Medicaid would still exist, but so would other choices. The current Medicare plan would be made into a premium support system, according to aides, that would allow seniors a fixed-amount of money to purchase health insurance.
The campaign acknowledged that the premium support system is in line with Rep. Paul Ryan’s plan, but said the difference between the two lies in Romney’s allowance for the traditional Medicare choice to be available to seniors.""""""""""This is taken from a E.Friedman of ABC who has a link on her article to Newsvine so it infers it is allowed to reprinted on Newsvine . ( her link ishttp://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/11/romney-lays-out-plan-for-entitlement-programs-notes-similarity-to-ryan-plan/ )
As you can see from Ms Friedman article Romney Plan is basic to supplement the rich who are avoiding Medicare now and paying out of pocket for good doctors or doctor who want to be paid for claims.
To add to the comment above . Medical Insurance or the purchase by seniors is going to be extremely expensive espeically to those senior who are disabled and who have medical conditions . Under the Romney plan most senior even if they get a check from the government will not be able to purchase insurance privately . For one thing every private insuance company will evaluate the risk and charge according which is called underwriting . If you can 't get this check from the government because you an not afford the insurance , this too will make the rich richer as the check size can be increased to the rich . If the check was given with or without the seniors getting insurance this would be fairer as the none rich would be able to pay some of their medical bills with this money .
In any case this is pure class warfare with the rich saying they want to become richer at the expense of the those who what are called middle class or the working none executive class .
As to Medicare , it was started so businessmen would vote Democratic during the Vietnam War . Before Medicare individual employers especially public employers provided health insurance for their retiree workers which was collectively bargained for with their active employee and retired employee being the same same in the collective bargaining unit. As the middle class had nothing to do with Wall street making phony derivatives and Aig getting regulation exemptions instead of taking money from those who caused the financial crisis and banks which are still being supported by public monies and the likes of political pork organizations such as Fannie and Freddie , the seek like the King of old in Europe who would also say let the people eat manure or each other while they took from the people their earning and their self respect . For the people served these Kings and they the King which are now both Parties and their patrons said well G0d allowed me to be King and yu to be a slave of mine .
Finally , the crap about jobs . Jobs are being created out of illusion . It is money
that is being spent to create higher prices and jobs . Corporate profits are going up due to an illusion which is the expansion of the money supply or the printing of money . This is being transferred to debt . When you figure the amount of money being spent by increasing the printing press for things as explained above in the Banking industry where the banks borrow at zero and the put the loan at zero into government bonds you have to know that that you the public are creating banking jobs and banking profits by the government printing money so they can make banks rich without any work , but by theft of the people money which is not growth but inflation and debt . However before an election it is called growth . Really . but you all are supposed to be dumb >and knownot.