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Subscribe to RSSRomney struggles to close the gender gap, but catches a break… And the campaign proves it can capitalize on a mistake… Biden to blast the “Romney Rule”… Obama to once again talk about the Buffett Rule… Dems seize on the sixth anniversary of Romney’s health-care law… Newt rails against FOX, George Will…. And VP tryout time? Portman stumps for Romney in Pennsylvania.
*** Romney struggles to close the gender gap: Yesterday was Mitt Romney’s first full day as a general-election candidate, and he and his campaign made two things crystal clear: 1) They know they have a problem with women and struggled early on to fix it, and 2) their campaign machinery proved more than adept in capitalizing on an unforced error. Before last night, Team Romney looked borderline desperate to improve its sagging poll numbers with female voters. First, Romney held an event in Connecticut where he was surrounded by women, which essentially screamed: “I have a problem with female voters.” Second, Romney made the dubious charge that women have accounted for 92% of the job losses since Obama took office. (Does anyone believe, with a straight face, that nine in 10 job losses over the past three years have been women workers?) Third, the Romney campaign held a conference call with reporters, but was unable to answer a question whether Romney supports the Lilly Ledbetter Act, legislation Obama signed into law guaranteeing that women have the ability to get equal pay for equal work. So, early on, they looked desperate, they were making a dubious charge, and couldn’t answer a reporter’s question.
Steven Senne / AP
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney speaks April 11, 2012, in Hartford, Conn.
*** But then he catches a break: Then the Romney campaign got a gift. Last night on CNN, Democratic commentator Hilary Rosen -- who has no formal role with the Obama campaign -- said that Ann Romney has never worked a day in her life. The Romney campaign and GOP establishment went into overdrive on Twitter. “Hilary Rosen attacks Ann Romney, an MS & breast cancer survivor & mom of 5, for ‘never working a day in her life,’” said Romney spokeswoman Gail Gitcho. Ann Romney even started a Twitter account and said this: “I made a choice to stay home and raise five boys. Believe me, it was hard work.” And she’s now set to appear on FOX during the 10:00 am ET hour, NBC’s Garrett Haake notes. The Obama camp quickly distanced itself from Rosen’s remarks. Said David Axelrod over Twitter: “Disappointed in Hilary Rosen's comments about Ann Romney. They were inappropriate and offensive.” Of course, we’re now waiting for some Republican to make a comment about President Obama’s race, or for a Democrat to say something unflattering about Romney’s Mormon faith. Folks, it’s going to be a LONG year…)
Mitt Romney kicked off his general election campaign by aggressively responding to what advisers believe is one of his biggest vulnerabilities – a double-digit gender gap. NBC's Mark Murray reports.
*** And his campaign proves it can capitalize on a mistake: But all of this activity yesterday revealed that the Romney campaign can take a small opening and capitalize -- almost as quickly as Democrats capitalized on the “Etch A Sketch” comment. But that the Romney campaign threw its full weight behind a comment from a Democrat not affiliated with the Obama campaign, and that it decided to make Ann Romney available to talk about it, also reveals the campaign knows it has a BIG deficit with female voters right now.
*** Biden to blast the “Romney Rule”: Meanwhile, Team Obama is continuing to charge ahead on the Buffett Rule -- and hit Romney in the process. Today, at 12:15 pm ET from New Hampshire, Vice President Biden will say, according to excerpts: “The Buffett Rule says that multi-millionaires should pay at least the same percentage of their income in taxes as middle-class families do. The Romney Rule says the very wealthy should keep the tax cuts and loopholes they have, and get an additional, new tax cut every year that is worth more than what the average middle class family makes in an entire year.” The Romney campaign this morning is holding a conference call to pre-but Biden, and former New Hampshire Gov. John Sununu (R) issued this statement yesterday: “I don’t agree with much of what Joe Biden says, but I completely agreed with him in 2007 when he said Barack Obama wasn’t ready to be president. That was true then, and is still true today.” As we noted yesterday, this speech by Biden and the decision to call the "Buffett rule" the "Romney Rule" proves this was a political proposal, not a serious policy one.
*** Obama to once again talk about the Buffett Rule: President Obama is also going to keep talking about the Buffett Rule. Beginning at 2:40 pm ET, he will conduct a round of interviews with affiliate TV stations from Columbus, OH, Cedar Rapids, IA, St. Louis, MO, and Reno, NV.
*** Dems seize on the 6th anniversary of “Romneycare”: And Democrats aren’t just using the Buffett Rule to go after Romney; they’re also making hay on today’s sixth anniversary of Romney signing Massachusetts’ health-care reform (and individual mandate!) into law. The New York Times: “[O]n Wednesday, Gov. Deval Patrick, a Democrat, pointedly said his predecessor should be proud of the law, which has been a hot potato for Mr. Romney on the Republican presidential campaign trail. ‘I know, or at least I sense, that he’s personally proud of it,’ Mr. Patrick said, pointing out that Mr. Romney’s official portrait in the State House depicts him sitting at a desk with a document stamped with a medical symbol, meant to represent the health care legislation.” While we expect Romney to stay silent on this anniversary, it’s worth reminding everyone that the Obama White House was a bit silent on the second anniversary of its health-care law.
*** Newt rails against FOX, George Will: Here’s the problem for Newt Gingrich remaining in the presidential race: Every story that now comes out isn’t a good one. Yesterday, we learned about his bounced check. Now comes him railing against FOX and George Will. “I think Fox has been for Romney all the way through,” Gingrich said, per RealClearPolitics. Gingrich also said Gingrich said that George Will was among the conservative media figures who harbored “personal jealousy” against him.
*** On the GOP trail, per NBC’s Adam Perez: Romney is down in Boston, MA…Gingrich campaigns in Delaware…Paul host a town hall event in the Lone Star State
*** Veepstakes watch: Ohio Sen. Rob Portman campaigns for Romney in Greensburg, PA at 6:45 pm ET (looks like some VP tryout time!)…
Countdown to the CT, DE, NY, PA, and RI primaries: 12 days
Countdown to Election Day: 208 days
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Since Republicans (all of them) like dirty water, filthy air, want Grandma to die, etc, It only makes since that they hate women too. I'm sure Ronald Reagan hated his mom and Nancy, just like Romney hates his mother and wife. It's a no brainer, right "progressives"?
That's not exactly true. Romney has convinced his wife to go along with his idea of America. It's those sinful women that he wants to keep from getting birth control, using Planned Parenthood and earn the same as a man.
Don't you see? If other women don't have these options, they will have a slew of kids and be dependent on a man just like Ann.
Poor Bear Down is confusing Romney with Santorum. Let's hope he/she stays home in November as ignoramuses should not vote.
your right you should not vote
BearDown-3307297
What is it with leftists and Planned Parenthood? I know they have sent Obama tons of cash and I know that all you leftist ascribe to eugenics to control the populations of the poor and infirm but couldn't you find a better way to do that.
Rosens comments were dumb and inappropriate but if she has no connection to the Obama administration what is the big deal. Romney is running against Obama not some dumb bimbo.
No connection? She's been to the WH 35 times since O's been in office.
Rosens comments were absolutely true..........Mitt was stupid for saying his rich stay at home proper morman wife knew a damn thing about what the other 99% of us women think or feel.
then why was she in the white house 38 times over the last 20 months? explain please. was she pleasuring the first lady because barak is so busy?
Wow !!
Little jimmy is now posting lesbian fantasies !!
Teapublicans are even more desperate than I thought !!!
I didn't know that stronghorse. I guess Rosen is a Obama insider.
kathryn how much cool aid can you drink you need help
well we know she wears knee pads you get the idea rosen im talking about
ANd you think the libs would let a comment like that directed at Michelle Obama slide. I think not!
I absolutely don't think we should be discussing the resumes of potential first ladies. They aren't material to the campaign unless you expect them to influence policy.
Move along. Nothing to see here folks.
Teapublicans are desperately grasping at straws..
It's about all they have in their hat..
The K1200 is a girls bike, yes?
"girls" do like them...
Yes I have seen the type of women who ride bit*ch on the back of this things. Not too impressive brain wise and they love to show everyone there "package".
Yea it is a girl's bike. Real men ride BSA 441's.
It's obvious that this whole lefty tirade has circled around to the always reliable "class warfare" rant. How do you think Mitt became wealthy? He worked for it. And for those of you who want to replay the media driven "Romney got rich by layin people off" story...Try using a little business intelligence and understand what companies like Bain Capital do. They buyout companies who are on the verge of financial collapse or bankruptcy. In most cases they are able to save the company thru reorganization etc..In some cases there is nothing there to save. Ever heard of a failure such as Solyndra where our tax money was squandered on a crappy business model? Companies like Bain Capital have saved many jobs that would have been lost otherwise. But of course in the 2012 campaign the anti-capitalist lefties are going to use the name "Bain Capital" to invoke the same panty wadded reaction that the evil "Haliburton" did during the Bush/Cheney campaigns.
Willard was born a multimillionaire you liar.
I'm a diehard capitalist but Bain did participate largely in vulture capitalism. They didn't make their money making companies successful. They made their money by leveraging the assets of failing businesses so they get their fees whether the business succeeds or not.
You are exactly right Drew. Romney founded Bain Capital which manages approximately $65 billion in assets, and has founded, acquired, or invested in hundreds of companies including AMC Entertainment, Aspen Education Group, Brookstone, Burger King, Burlington Coat Factory, Domino's Pizza, DoubleClick, D&M Holdings, Guitar Center, Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), Sealy, The Sports Authority, Toys R Us, Unisource, Warner Music Group and The Weather Channel.
He was behind the start up of Staples. Starting with one store in 1986, Staples now is the world's largest office products company with $24 billion in sales in 2009.
There were a handful of companies in which jobs were lost, but the jobs created by all the others number in the hundreds of thousands ... hundreds of thousands of US workers.
What is even more noteworthy is the fact that he never blamed the previous management for his own difficulties – he just fixed what was wrong.
I could not be a stay at home mom...being a single mom. I would have loved to be a stay at home mom, this would have put us living on the street.
ROMNEY come walk in my shoes.
I don't live high on the hog either, turning to someone -hire to help me out. Turn the mirror over and look again and what do you see.
exactly how i feel when obama tells me he understands business owners problems. thank you.
Just don't try telling me Ann Romney knows a damn thing about the other 99%. She is and has always been a .01 percenter too.
Careful what you wish for Deb: MS, breast cancer?
Hilary Rosen's comment is typical of liberal dyke's with no filter between their brains and mouth. Probably is a feisty redhead.
LMAO! Your a liberal dyke...........
Super Buns, nope, just a tire old (male) fart!
Oh please, you can't tell me that this woman "worked hard" at raising 5 children. Maybe she broke a sweat or got writer's cramp after writing all the checks to the nannies, cooks, handymen, tutors, and housekeepers. You cannot compare her cushy life with no money worries to the average working mother who can't even afford the groceries for basic meals and gets 3-4 hours of sleep a night because she has to work full time, take care of the kids and the house and the bills and yard and the shopping and participate in the children's school activities, etc, etc... Sheesh, I could raise 20 children and work full time if I had unlimited funds like she does.
Applications for jobless aid reaches
2-month high
Published April 12, 2012
Associated
Press
WASHINGTON – More people sought unemployment
benefits last week, pushing the number of applicants to the highest level in two
months.
The Labor Department said Thursday that weekly unemployment benefit
applications jumped 13,000 to a seasonally adjusted 380,000. The previous week's
figures were also revised higher. The four-week average, a less volatile
measure, rose to 368,500.
Yea, but Obama swears, Things are looking up.
Wonder how many maids she had to help her be a full time mom?
Therein lies the problem and the reason she can not speak for the other 99%
maids, nannies, cooks, a butler a gardner or two or three, who knows?
My mother was a stay at home mom with a husband that did 28 years in the military and was deployed most of those years.
If you were to tell her that she never worked a day in her life she would put a whoopin on you so bad you wouldn't walk for a month.
How many maids and cooks did she have to help her?
Probably the same amount that Ann Romney did, zero.
The media is so desperate to gin up ANY kind of "momentum" for Romney. This will hardly register as a blip on the radar when the next polls come out. What a joke.
That's right Chucky, it's gonna be a LONG year...and you're just as responsible for making it tiresome as anyone else.
Every mom works even if not employed. I just may Vote for Romney. The people being shipped everywhere and in our vacation spots has me worried. My relatives worked hard for the Queen under Brittish rule. Even though from Ireland. I am a freedom and peace Democrate but some wars just need the re seperation of man. Towers of babble
Looking at the youth today, they need a mom to come home to after school. They can not read or understand what they read. They have no respect. No morals. No goals. Is working so you can take trips and have luxuries more important than being a full time roll model for your kids?
My dad was a mechanic. He worked long and hard. My mom never worked and yes we did do without luxuries like new cars, exotic trips and other luxuries. We made it one one income and my mom and dad raised 5 of us.
In most cases women do not have to work. They want to work
Most mormon breeders are on our welfare system with 10-15 kids collecting food stamps. Willard is the exception to that rule.
All liberals are on food stamps! All Democrats hate America! Obama hates white people. My name is Lance and I make a lot of stuff up. I'm 12 and got kicked out of school for calling people names.
Go back to Fox Noose you mindless zombie.
Ya, what Lance says or he'll beat you up. Luke, lance is a troll, nothing more. Probably excommunicated from the Mormon church and has an ax to grind.
Yea, Lance says you are all haters, but his mommy still thinks he's special.
'His wife has never actually worked a day in her life.' - Hillary Rosen
Yeah, yeah, yeah, homemakers never get the respect they deserve. Hillary, I and all women who choose to make a 'home' work take 'umbrage' at your lack of understanding. I would list the many 'jobs' I undertake on a daily business, but I doubt you would care and I don't feel like wasting my time.
Doubt Ann Romney ever lifted a finger as a homemaker. Just don't see her ever washing a floor or cooking a meal.
Let's see, she grew up in exclusive Bloomfield Hills, went to an exclusive private school, married into even more money, lives in at least four (but could be more) mansions, has Cadillacs on each coast (just in case). But, as she's said, she's never felt rich. After all, doesn't everyone have these perks? I'm sure she empathizes with the hard-working women of this country who take care of the house, raise the kids, etc., all on their own.
Why is it people always have sour grapes when they feel someone has a better slice of life? Sheesh, Kathryn, Ann has struggled with breast cancer and was diagnosed with MS in '98.
Hillary Rosen is a lesbian who had two kids with her ex-lover "Elizabeth". I guess to liberals, that's the perfect family.
I also love how liberals are back peddling today, on Newsvine and all across the internet. Oops! Did one of your operatives not stay on "message"? Failed to accurately read the talking points? Liberals are robots, they say what they're "supposed" to say but this one "slipped".
This isn't going to solve the Romney's problem with women. He has to distance themselves from the GOP idiocy about contraceptives, abortion, etc. and he can't do THAT! Hey, how about a distraction? Focus on JOBS, JOBS, JOBS! Hahahaha! What a joke those Teabaggers are!
You're a pretty cheap "vote", give you some birth control pills and an abortion clinic and you're happy.
Just the opposite, can't be bought for a cheap tank of gas or an $8.00 job.
I wasn't talking to you Kathryn but now that you bring it up how much should gas be and how much do you want to make an hour? Sounds like you want the government to make gas expensive and force companies to pay you more than you're worth.
Who is this Biden guy everyone keeps walking about?
We are not voting for Anne Romney. Until he proves otherwise Mitt is still a clone of Santorum when it comes to social issues and the rights of women.
and that is the truth.........will not vote for Romney no matter what.
For all those Republicans who feel like they stand a chance, check out http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/2012_elections_electoral_college_map.html. It shows Obama with 280 likely electoral votes. It takes 270 to win. Have a nice day!
It is absurd to try to compare Ann Romney to a normal stay at home mom. Most stay at home moms don't go about moving from one mansion to the next, supervising the nannies and house staff, own numerous luxury cars, and go horse back riding on horses from her own stable. She has no clue about the economic realities faced my women today. Maybe she should go on Wife Swap and spend two weeks with a poor family and get a reality check. In the mean time, she shouldn't be trying to make public statements on things that she know nothing about.
Yep, agree. Privilege has its place but not in the White House.
So, Kathryn, for you it's status vs. ability. LOL
Yes, Mitt is a liberal. Everybody knows this.
What an attack on all women across America, shows the hate
for family values the majority of Americans hold close… They will be gone if we
have four more years of these types in office.
I always love the word "attacked" ....it so depends on who said what. Any statement of fact that doesn't support Republican delusions is an attack. Fact: Ann Romney never worked a day in her life. No one called her a couch potato or a worthless parasite or a Marxist Socialist Pig. She raised five boys...."And believe me it was hard work." As the wife of a multi-multi-millionaire, how hard was it Ann? There were schedules for nannies, butlers, maids, laundry service, chauffeurs, and the laundry service. It probably fell to you to research which private schools each boy should go to during the year... I am not being insensitive to the fact that she has suffered with MS and that surely has made being a mom more difficult. I have several friends with MS. What I'm pointing out is that once again, the Romney's in general have little in common with the other 99.9999% of us. Raising five boys is a far different "job" than for the vast majority of women.
how about thoses Lib lies about employment numbers again being false! Lies on top of Lies, attacks on attacks
So I guess you feel the same way about the Kennedy's, John Kerry, millionaire's Hillary and Bill Clinton? You feel the same way about Michael Moore and George Soros. If you want a butler or a nanny, if you want to send your kids to private school then get off your butt and work for it but stop demonizing successful people just because you aren't willing to work hard.
and don't forget she has access to the best medical care money can buy.....unlike the other 99%
Hilary Rosen showed the true color of the Democratic Party in her comments on Ann Romney. Amazing the only women they choose to support are the ones that choose to work instead of working at home and raising the kids. Up until the 70's it was rare for the mother to work out side the home. Funny we didn't ahve nearly the behovioral problems then either. Wonder if there is a corelation. I would bet so! I for one am glad my wife has chosen the same route as Ann Romney. Even though it costs us economically our children will be better for it. Our country and our children would be better off if more families would make this choice.
hmmm it would probably be better if dead beat dads rich and poor lived up to their resposibilities.
its not mutually exclusive.