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Subscribe to RSSRomney’s immigration challenge… What Beth Myers heading up Romney’s VP search means…. Three very different polls in the Obama-Romney race… Romney to Obama: “Start packing”… Buffett Rule, as expected, goes down to defeat… Obama to make statement about market manipulation of oil prices at 11:10 am ET… Lugar mailer hits Mourdock… And GOP primary for Giffords’ seat in AZ takes place today.
Tim Shaffer / Reuters
Republican presidential candidate and former Governor of Massachusetts Mitt Romney speaks during the Independence Hall Tea Party Association's Tax Day Tea Summit at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania April 16, 2012.
*** Romney’s immigration challenge: Lost in the other statements Romney made at that Sunday fundraiser in Florida was his admission that he needs to move to the center to win over Latinos. "We have to get Hispanic voters to vote for our party," Romney said, observing that polls show Latinos breaking in huge percentages for President Obama "spells doom for us." Romney even said the GOP should offer something like a “Republican DREAM Act” to help woo Latinos. But there’s a challenge here for Romney, and it’s the same one Meg Whitman faced in 2010: How do you move back to center on immigration after running so hard to the right during the primary? Indeed, unlike other issues where he simply adopted conservative/Tea Party rhetoric (on health care, taxes, the deficit), Romney often used immigration as a weapon, particularly against Rick Perry. In addition, Romney said he would veto the DREAM Act, called Arizona’s immigration law “a model”, and proudly accepted the endorsement of the man considered the architect of that Arizona law, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach.
*** Is fixing his female problem easier than his Latino problem? Romney has the potential to fix his problem with female voters; after all, it’s not really his problem but rather the GOP’s. And he does have a story to tell here (wife Ann, the women he appointed in Massachusetts). But when it comes to immigration, this is an issue where he’s been consistent over the past five years as a way to prove his conservative bona fides (first against McCain, then against Perry and Gingrich). These are his words, not just the party's rhetoric being attached to him, and it’s going to be hard to take the back. Again, we’ll remind you that Obama’s Latino path (CO, NM, NV, and VA) is a not-so-hard way for him to get to 270 electoral votes -- without having to win Ohio or Florida (which also has LOTS of Latinos).
NBC's Domenico Montanaro joins the Daily Rundown to discuss the latest polls, which clarifies the matchup between President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney heading into the general election.
*** What tapping Beth Myers means: That, of course, brings us to veepstakes. Is Romney able to patch up his Latino problem with, say, Marco Rubio as his running mate? Yesterday, learned that the former Massachusetts governor tapped his longtime aide and ’08 campaign manager, Beth Myers, to lead his VP search. (Interestingly, Myers gave an interview yesterday to conservative blogger Jennifer Rubin. Does this mean Team Romney is going to be more public about this vetting process than past presumptive nominees have been?) Myers means that Romney will probably pick someone he’s VERY comfortable with. Beth Myers isn’t going to get you Sarah Palin; she’s going to get you someone you’ve campaigned with/interacted with quite a bit. And a Beth Myers is a Romney legacy protector -- she's probably not going to get Romney someone who will over-shadow him either (Chris Christie, we mean you). Having Myers lead this search will only reinforce the C.W. that Romney is going to zero in on folks like Portman, Ryan or even a Kelly Ayotte and not be looking for, shall we say, a game-changer.
*** Three very different polls: Boy, the polls were all over the place yesterday in this general election contest that’s barely a week old. First, the Gallup Daily Tracking poll had Romney with a two-point edge over Obama among registered voters, 47%-45%. Then CNN released its own survey showing Obama with a nine-point lead, 52%-43% fueled by his support by female voters. And then Reuters/Ipsos had Obama with a narrow four-point advantage, 47%-43%, after leading him by double digits last month. A little advice when presented with diverging polling data: Shake the Magic 8 ball again. Or better yet, wait for the next reliable national poll. Which brings us to... the latest NBC/WSJ poll will be coming out on Thursday.
*** Romney to Obama: Start packing: In his interview with ABC yesterday, Mitt Romney was asked what he would say to Obama. Romney’s answer: “Well, start packing. That's what I'd like to-- like to say.” (You think the former one-term governor wishes he worded that a bit differently? seemed to border on OVER-confidence, no?) Also in the interview, Romney side-stepped questions about releasing his tax returns prior to 2010. “The president is going to try and do everything possible to divert from the attention being focused upon his record as president and the failure of his economic policies... We've released all the information required by law and then some.” He also ducked a question about his wealth (the two Cadillacs, the La Jolla house, the car elevator). “I think people want to have a president who knows how to lead, who knows how to create jobs, who can get our economy creating the jobs it should so we can see rising incomes again.” And Ann Romney was asked about Seamus the dog, who she said “loved” traveling on the top of the car. “He would see that crate and, you know, he would, like, go crazy because he was going with us on vacation. It was to me a kinder thing to bring him along than to leave him in the kennel for … two weeks.”
*** Buffett Rule goes down to defeat: Yesterday, as expected, the Buffett Rule was unable to clear the Senate. By a mostly party-line vote, 51 senators (all of them Democrats) voted to invoke cloture and have the measure proceed, while 45 senators (all Republicans and one Democrat, Arkansas’ Mark Pryor) voted against. Four didn’t vote -- Akaka (D-HI), Hatch (R-UT), Kirk (R-IL), and Lieberman (ID-CT). Lieberman released a statement saying he would have voted against had he been present. “I am not opposed to the Buffet Rule because I am opposed to raising income taxes on the wealthiest Americans. I am opposed to the Buffet Rule because it would double to 30 percent the capital gains tax on one group of investors and therefore reduce exactly the kind of capital investments we need to get our economy growing again and create jobs.”
*** Obama to tackle market manipulation of oil prices: The AP: “Under pressure to take action on rising gasoline prices, President Barack Obama wants Congress to strengthen federal supervision of oil markets, increase penalties for market manipulation and empower regulators to increase the amount of money energy traders are required to put behind their transactions.” The president will make a statement about this at 11:10 am ET from the White House.
*** Reminder: Santorum still hasn’t endorsed Romney: Rick Santorum still hasn’t endorsed Romney, the LA Times notes. He “pointedly declined Monday night to endorse presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney, instead pointing out that he has not backed a candidate in the race and urging his supporters to vote their conscience. ‘As far as how you vote, that’s up to you,’ Santorum told thousands of supporters during a conference call. ‘I haven’t supported any candidate at this point, so that’s really up to you.’” NBC’s Andrew Rafferty also reported on that conference call, writing that Santorum explained his decision to drop out had less to do with money and more with the inability of 1) Gingrich to exit the race and 2) of Texas to change its rules to be a winner-take-all contest. "I know there's been a lot of articles written that somehow we dropped out because we ran out of money. That just is a little, very, very small piece of the story," Santorum said. "The bottom line is we wanted to take this race as far as we could to the point where we felt that we could be successful."
*** On the GOP trail: Both Romney and Gingrich, in Pennsylvania, speak at a Lancaster County GOP… Gingrich also stumps in Harrisburg…. And Romney tapes an interview with CNBC’s Larry Kudlow.
*** ‘Take a closer look’: Longtime Sen. Richard Lugar, in the fight for his political life, is taking on challenger state Treasurer Richard Mourdock in a new mailer going out today. The mailer, strewn with $100 bills, focuses on the federal budget, goes after President Obama – someone he worked closely with in the Senate – for the federal debt, and urges Indiana Republicans to “take a closer look” at Mourdock’s budget proposal. That phrase -- “take a closer look” -- appears twice, once with a magnifying glass near an ashen-looking Mourdock. The mailer quotes the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, which said, “Mourdock’s budget fails honesty test.” Lugar operative Andy Fisher said, “The mailer contrasts Senator Lugar's thoughtful approach to cutting federal spending - like supporting both the Ryan budget and 'Cut, Cap and Balance' - versus Richard Mourdock's irresponsible plan to cut Social Security benefits for current beneficiaries and put our national security at risk.”
*** GOP primary for Giffords’ seat: Lastly, today is the GOP primary in the contest to fill Gabby Giffords’ seat in Congress. The AP: “Voters in southern Arizona's 8th Congressional District are heading to the polls to choose who will face former Gabrielle Giffords aide Ron Barber in a special election to replace the wounded ex-congresswoman. Four Republican candidates are battling in Tuesday's special primary election called after the Democrat resigned in January to focus on recovering from a gunshot wound. The four include 2010 Giffords opponent Jesse Kelly , a businessman and tea party favorite; state Sen. Frank Antenori ; retired U.S. Air Force pilot and political newcomer Martha McSally ' and businessman and broadcaster Dave Sitton.” The general takes place on June 12.
Countdown to the CT, DE, NY, PA, and RI primaries: 7 days
Countdown to Election Day: 203 days
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Isn't it great that neither party is interested in helping the American people, but will bend over backwards for illegals? Heaven forbid our govt. should actually do something good for the people who are legal citizens here.
If they don't uphold the voter ID law, maybe I'll vote for Romney more than once.
Every time I see a picture of Mittens, I can't help but think,,,,Blow Hard,,,,,I can't help it, it's just something about him!
Stonedog34,,,,,Air force one is not used for jetsetting,,,,,
tiggle,,,,,Of course the ecomomy has rebounded remarkablY,, but facts don't matter to the right,,,
David Walker,,,you need to give up on brainb,,,he's doomed,,,
Otherwise, everyone have a great DAY!!!!!
We can only imagine your thoughts when Mr. Obama pops in your mind. :) lol ha ha
NO MORE YEARS! :)
Nuf C Nuf
And what does Ann have to say about the guy throwing her big birthday bash? He's the one arrested in 1959 who along with a few friends, beat, disemboweled and cooked a dog on a spit! That knowledge kind of puts an end to the festivities, doesn't it, but I dare say, it probably didn't come up at the party.
Let me tell you one more time What part of illegal don't you understand????????????????. Don't expect me to abide by the laws of this country and pay my taxes etc. While illegal law breakers violate the very laws i'm expected to obey.What part of your screwed up brain doesn't get this.If you are here illegally you are a criminal not a citizen with rights!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just say no to the wet dream act period!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I find it very entertaining that the media refuses to even mention Ron Paul, he is running you know, and he's doing pretty good especially considering the media has black balled him, if you really read up on his beliefs, and NOT just listen to what corporate america wants you to hear, you will see he is the only one running that believes in your personal freedom, think about that, I mean REALLY think about losing your personal freedom to choose what you eat, where you live, where you work... the government really is trying to control every aspect of your lives
Sooner or later you Paul supporters need to stop clinging to your delusion that he is anywhere close to becoming President...
Let go of Ron Paul and be free...
Yeah,how dare you care about things like the future of the country or personal freedom.It dosent jibe with the communist who post here.
That's right MSNBC, get in there and bash the Repulicans and somehow forget to find fault with the Democrats. Balanced reporting, my a$$! You should be ashamed, but you don't have time for it because there is an election you have to win.
Fred, is that you? How are Rickie and Lucy? TV has not been the same since you left. Glad to see that you have not changed one iota.
At least they are not like the "insanestream" media that calls itself "Fair and Balanced" while giving it's viewers 24/7 of "hate liberals and Obama" propaganda.
Yes it was like one big bash the republicans page.Knothing negative about Obama ever.Just shameful.
This election is shaping up like so many others. We will have two electable choices: A Democrat who represents the poor and big business or A Republican who represents the rich and big business. If you fit into the middle 80% of America do you really have an electable choice? The answer is no, because the candidates have no interest in you beyond getting your vote. As demonstrated over the last 60 years, middle America loses no matter who gets elected.
Voting only encourages the b*st*rds.
Then dont vote, we will all be better off. LOL
Of course the latin community is leaning towards obama...barry wants more illegals here than American citizens...that way, with the dem programs supporting them from cradle to grave, they know they dont have to worry about dems being re elected year after year.
Not all of the "latin community" thinks that way. I think of myself first as an American. I would never vote for Obama.
123ang
Thank you for being an American first. As I have stated in previous post all the Democrats can do is try and split people into groups. If we allow that to happen then the Dems win and America loses.
"all the Democrats can do is try and split people into groups. If we allow that to happen then the Dems win and America loses"
Exactly!
I hate to tell Mitt this, but if he tries to run to the center on illegal immigrants, he will LOSE my vote. In 2008, I voted for Obama, not so much because I liked much about him, but because I REALLY didn't like McCain's stand on illegal aliens (which, BTW--evidently was ALSO an attempt to get the Hispanic vote {unsuccessfully, I might add}, since he ran back to the stand that illegals are, well, ILLEGAL once he didn't become POTUS.
There are MANY US citizens whose lives have been adversely affected by our government's namby pamby attitude towards illegals. When is EITHER party going to come down on this issue based on what is good for AMERICANs, not for the illegals?
And when on earth are all those LEGAL Hispanics, whether they be here on a legal visa, or they be citizens, going to do LIKEWISE. THERE IS no greater proof of racism than when you want someone to get away with being a law breaker JUST because you "identify with" the color of their skin.
The bottom line to all of this is that identity theft, skyrocketing healthcare costs and a lack of jobs are the biggest concerns our country faces right now. Illegal immigrants in our country contribute directly to all of those problems. Romney's stance on illegal immigration alleviates a lot of that burden that we all carry with taxes. Obama's wimpy, vote-winning views only makes it worse. We've seen that for more than three years now!
Check out the video on Youtube:
Search: Baltimore St Patrick Day Beating
Where's Mr. Obama's comments?
Busy trying to counteract all the lies put out so the crooks can get back in!
Any entitlement laws passed by the GOP are exclusionary as opposed to inclusionary. Therefore a huge bureaucracy is created to enforce all the Catch 22s in the legislation to make damned sure nobody is ripping Uncle Sam off. They end up spending as much on an enforcement bureaucracy as they do in actual entitlement payouts
Contrast that with just walking into a clinic and getting health care for free, no questions asked except for nationality so we know where to send the bill. VERY little bureaucracy needed
Just have a comment on response from Ann Romney when question asked by Diane Sawyer "what words would you have for President Obama" paraphrasing here of course....start packing and Ann's response "it's Mitts TURN" really????? Is this how she feels a president should be elected because it's his turn??? Blows my mind how they think...what makes her think that Mitt deserves to be POTUS???? His train left depot long time ago if it ever rolled in...just had to get this off my chest...have a good day all!!!
Question many are asking themselves looking back at 2008 and the election of Mr. Obama.
How did we let this happen?
NO MORE YEARS! :)
Opposed by a majority of the American people and twice defeated in Congress, the DREAM Act grants amnesty to any illegal alien residing in the United States if s/he agrees to enlist in the U.S. military or enter college.
The Obama administration memo from the John Morton, Director of I.C.E. (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) directs I.C.E. agents now to use prosecutorial discretion with regard to enforcing immigration laws.
Director Morton says that Obama Administration policy directs border patrol agents not to enforce immigration laws: When ICE favorably exercises prosecutorial discretion, it essentially decides not to assert the full scope of the enforcement authority available to the agency.â€
You read that right. According to the Obama administration “favorable†enforcement means NOT enforcing the law!
According to one of the first press reports to break this important story, the new Obama policy is cut and dry: federal immigration officials do not have to deport illegal aliens if they are enrolled in any type of education program, if their family members have volunteered for U.S. military service, or even if they are pregnant or nursing.â€
Arizona and the voter ID law
Just recently Obamas Department of Justice (DOJ) blocked Arizona from enforcing its voter ID law. Arizona is one if not the biggest portal of illegal immigration in the nation with half a million illegal aliens coming through the sate annually. Arizonas Attorney General Tom Horne recently stated that he believed that blocking of the law facilitated massive voter fraud by illegal aliens.
Attorney General Tom Horne accused the Obama administration Tuesday of trying to thwart Arizonas voter-ID laws in a bid to get more illegal immigrants to the polls presumably to cast ballots for the president and Democrats.
Horne acknowledged that a brief filed by the Department of Justice in a case to be heard next month by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals centers around the agency’s argument that Arizona’s law requiring proof of citizenship to register is pre-empted by federal law. But Horne, a Republican, told Capitol Media Services he sees something more sinister.
First we have amnesty passed by executive order then we have President Obamas DOJ blocking voter ID in Arizona. What could possibly be the presidents motive?
Boy, deport, you sure have a great grasp of the concept of proof. Inuendo, rumors, second hand testimony, great case built up there. LOL
BTW, the Republican party has proven that it wants to eat your children because Romney said mothers enjoy kissing their babies.
PS, when you cut and paste, try to clean up the bit stream next time. Thanks, LOL
The hispanics are not going to vote GOP? Wow what a shocker. Maybe it had something to do with all of that talk about frying, shooting, rounding up all of them? That might cause their support to drop. I am disappointed with the President and will not vote for him. But Romney?...REALLY? Sorry I can't vote for him either. Women/hispanics/blacks will re-elect the President. Mittens will get the old white men vote and that's about it.
The left does not own hispanics or women. The more I hear them exploit us, the more I am convinced to vote straight Republican.
Before you get too excited, you should remember that a CNN poll about Obama and Romney is about as credible as Taliban poll on the popularity of burkhas.
Romney doesn't have a problem with Latinos....he has a problem with ILLEGAL ALIENS. Every legal Latino American I have talked with wants to stop illegal aliens as much as anyone does.
This is just more MSNBC liberal myth-mongering.
All of you so in love with what has to be the worst president ever makes me think the countrys is doomed.
Romney is doing the famous trying to make everyone happy thing.
Ron Paul really is the only decent intelligent person running.
Maybe just pretending to care about hispanics just to get votes isn't the best way to convince them to support you. And by what I have seen of hispanics, latinos, ect.., from living in So CAl for over 10 years is they are for the most part hard working and honest. There are a few bad apples ie drug and gun runners but that shouldn't ruin it for all of them. As far as unchecked handouts like welfare and medical care, IMO, no way. Welfare should only help people get back on their own two feet. If they don't show an effort to take care of themselves, sorry have fun on the streets. Also I know securing the border seems to most people as an attack on immigrants but in reality its about security. What if Mr I hate the US decides to sneak in and blow something up. Most people crossing the border are looking for a better life, I get it trust me. But how do we know who we are letting in if we don't verify their identity. Most does not cover the whole. As far as those who want to incite hate for immigrants please stop. You accomplish nothing and make most of us look bad. Im almost ashamed to say I vote republican because of all the assumptions flung at me. To the far left folks you are not totaly absolved of blame. Hate begats hate. Going off half-cocked and attacking someone just because they don't agree with you doesn't help validate your point. It makes you look hypcritical. Well I ranted long enough. And just to clarify most of this is just my opinion and not fact. Have a good day.
Wake up America, we need a new leader. Under Obama here is what we got.
High unemployment with many people leaving the work force
High gas prices
Spending out of sight......trillions of dollars spent with much of it spent on worthless programs
Healthcare a mess
On top of this we can see major leadership problems with many things out of control such as:
1) Fast and Furious. Gun program sending untraced weapons to drug cartels in Mexico
2) GSA spending huge sums of our money on worthless programs, vacations, etc.
3) Secret Service problems with prostitutes and breach of security
Ray, how far did you get in school? Problems 1, 2, and 3 originated in the Bush years, they just got exposed during Obama's attempt at making government transparent. LOL
High unemployment has more to do with the collapse of the economy during the last year of Bush's reign than Obama's successful turn around. According to the Republican experts in 2008, unemployment would be in the 20's if Obama got elected. So, if we are to believe anything they say, he has done a good job.
If you dont like the duly elected leader of America, leave. We will not miss you. Please take your pointy white hood with you.
Defining Liberals and Conservatives:
Liberals believe that government is a tool that if used wisely can benefit society.
Conservatives believe that government is a threat to individual initiative.
The irony, of course, is that both viewpoints are correct. The tragedy is that neither group can acknowledge the correctness of the other.
Always amazes me how illeagle's protest in LA, they actually think they are owed something by this country, oh ya, they are getting benifets for withstanding the trials of getting here, good job Obama, good gob.
It is a sad joke that they know ICE will do nothing about it...
Your all illegal aliens to begin with - from the first invading Europeans. I find it amazing that the one's screaming the loudest about illegal aliens are in fact illegal aliens themselves
Just follow all the current laws...don't pander to illegal aliens and lead...seems simple to me. I think legal immigration is great but those who think they can just cut to the front of the line and not wait their turn should be deported...preferably with all their expenses paid for by the employers who hired them.
If you want to support illegal aliens then open up your home, let them drive your cars and attend your kids schools. Heck if possible marry one. Otherwise they are simply stealing jobs from legal citizens.
If any politician has the balls to stand up for their own citizens they will have my vote.
Mitt's a Mexican, not American! He should have no problem, buying Hispanic votes!
I could tell by his last name. Mitt Rodriquez has my vote. Dos Amigos!
Mitt's a liar.
Everything is about big money to Mitt. I think this is very sick:
Today Mitt Romney told President Obama to "start packing." And he's selling tickets to his "Presidential Inaugural retreat."
That's right. Romney's so confident about winning this election, he's already auctioning off "preferential treatment" to $50,000 donors -- and other perks
Considering Obama's performance concerning the economy I would say that's a safe bet.
Obama / Biden 2012
Does anyone know why Obama's aides won't let him go to Burger King???
They are afraid he will bow down to their mascot!!!!!!!
MICK: You sure you're not referring to Dubya tongue kissing a Saudi Prince??????????
Now we know why there a no conservative comedians or conservative comedy shows...
LOL, Mick. The leftist don't get it. What a shame.
Talking to politicians on either side of the aisle about illegal immigration is like talking to New Yorkers about manners; it does not compute. The truth of the matter is that neither party cares one iota about illegals in a personal sense; they simply want to secure the vote from the legal relatives of the illegals who are here, or have a chance of coming here & living off the largesse of the American Citizens. Our immigration system is not broken, as the politicos would have you believe...it is simply not enforced. If the E-verify option were passed in to law in all 50 states, & for all employers, the majority of illegals would self deport because the carrot of work would no longer exist. Mexico ranks somewhere around 14th in the world in GDP, & yet their government still encourages illegal immigration so that they can score billions of dollars a year in hard currency that is sent back over the border from the illegals gaining work here in the US of A. Our insecure borders, both North & South, will be the death of America in the long run.
(Our insecure borders, both North & South, will be the death of America in the long run.)
Hey Buddy -
Living near the northern border - I don't see too many Canadians clammering to get into the US!
Hey Suzq, I wasn't referring to Canadians per se; I was referring to the fact that our borders are porous on both ends of the country....Illegals are not all Mexicans or South Americans, but they all come in to our country because our borders are not secure. I didn't really think I needed to explain that, but obviously I do.