E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSRepublican presidential candidate Mitt Romney says he "repudiates" a PAC plan to attack President Obama's link to Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
JACKSONVILLE, FL -- Mitt Romney convened a rare press conference Thursday to explicitly distance himself from a controversial, racially-charged ad campaign reportedly planned by a Republican super PAC.
His campaign subsumed by a political firestorm first sparked by a New York Times report on a proposed campaign attacking President Obama for his ties to the controversial Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Romney appeared on camera to disavow the strategy.
"I want to make it very clear that I repudiate that effort. I think it's the wrong course for a PAC or a campaign," Romney told reporters after his rainy event here today. "I hope that our campaigns can respectively be about the future and about issues and about a vision for America."
First Read: Race front and center in 2012 campaign
The press conference -- a rarity for those following the Romney campaign -- reflected the urgency with which Romney and his advisers felt compelled to distance the candidate from the controversial proposal. Romney had initially passed on commenting this morning, saying he hadn't seen the story, before taping a radio interview this morning condemning the proposal.
Mary Altaffer / AP
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, speaks May 17 at the River City Brewing Company in Jacksonville, Fla.
The plan, which was presented by Strategic Perception and GOP ad man Fred Davis to Joe Ricketts, the owner of the Chicago Cubs, earned heavy backlash from the Obama campaign and many Republicans on Thursday. By mid-afternoon, Ricketts had disavowed the plan, and Strategic Perception had taken sole responsibility for the proposal, on which they said no action was taken.
Ricketts: I'm not going to use Jeremiah Wright
Vice President Joe Biden, campaigning this afternoon in Pennsylvania, condemned the proposed ad campaign, saying its proponents "act like it's 1942."
"I think these guys like that so misunderstand the state of the nation," he told reporters at an unscheduled stop at a Washington, PA BBQ restaurant. "They act like it's 1942. I mean, I think the public is so far beyond that."
Biden said that he'd heard reports that the proposed ad had been rejected by Ricketts.
"I mean look there are certain things that are sorta so morally clear and straight and straight-lined about it," he said. "You almost don't even wanna comment."
Republicans anxiously discourage racially-charged super PAC strategy
But for as much as Romney's press conference served ostensibly defensive purposes, the presumptive Republican nominee used the moment to go on the attack, as well.
Romney said he was "disappointed" in what he claimed was the president's campaign of "character assassination," complaining that ads recently released by the Obama campaign attacking Romney's work at the helm of Bain Capital were inaccurate and unfair.
Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty talks about a GOP Super PAC's idea to bring back into the spotlight President Barack Obama's link to Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
"There's this fiction that some have that somehow you can be successful by stripping assets at an enterprise and walking away with lots of money and killing the enterprise. There may be some people that know how to do that. I sure don't," Romney said. "Our approach was always to try and make the enterprise more successful. And the purpose of the president's ads are not to describe success and failure but to somehow suggest that I'm not a good person or not a good guy."
But the controversy of the day largely overshadowed Romney's bread-and-butter campaign speech about the economy. And for the political class, the Wright controversy also sidelined a more favorable story about the Romney campaign's fundraising success last month.
In Jacksonville, Romney argued the election ought to turn on who has the best plan for "jobs and kids," a catchphrase he was first heard using at a fundraiser last month in Palm Beach, where he will return later this evening for another fundraiser.
The Sunshine State has been good to Romney's campaign financially. Pool reports from his fundraisers show he raised more than $2 million apiece at stops yesterday near Tampa Bay and Miami. Romney declined to say whether Florida was a "must win" for his campaign, but closed his press conference by saying it was a state he was "counting on to be successful in."
Carrie Dann reported from Washington, Pa.
Leave a Comment:
Your great-black-hope is done this November lib-@!$%#s.
Your great-black-hope is done in November lib-@!$%#s...
Harris Interactive poll
A Harris poll, taken January 16-23, 2012, asked 2,016 adults what they think of previous U.S. presidents.[29]
"Looking at the list of presidents since World War II, which one do you think is the best president?"
"Looking at the list of presidents since World War II, which one do you think is the worst president?"
"Which one of the following presidents do you think was the best overall president in our history?"
Guess all it proves is that lot's of Americans have a penchant for 3rd rate, cowboy actors.
Yea, that's it, not like they approved of their policies or actions......
At least they weren't racists voting for the "black guy" regardless his actions!
Yea, let's see. Ran on cutting the deficit balancing the budget and reducing the size of "Big Government".
When he left office after 8 years he had DOUBLED the size of government, doubled the size of the deficit and done nothing to balance the budget.
He did spend freely, (to put it mildly) on the military and was a brilliant military tactician, invading bananna republics around the world and showed em whose boss.
Of course, Harry Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon & Ford did NOTHING to stop the spread of communism. Yep, The Gipper did all singlehandedly and had those Ruskies shaking in their boots.
By the time he left office he was a doddering old fool who needed Nancy Girl to answer questions for him and change his Depends hourly.
The good news is, that 2 of his 4 kids, both of them with Nancy Girl, one of them his namesake, Ron Jr. are card carrying LIBERALS!!! It's almost enough to convince me that there really is a god.
Well, at least we have proof that Obama was preceded by the worst President in recent memory. And that is an understatement.
MWD$Life - If I were you, I would wonder why Romney's advisory team (e.g. on foreign policy) is filled to the brim with ex-Bush people. That would not fill me with a load of confidence. Seems like an attachment to failure and incompetence. However, I did find it interesting that even these jackasses leaked to the press that Romney was a complete idiot on foreign policy. That is no arena for fools. I'll stick with Obama. Thanks.
Let's move on.
If you bring up that Obama was buddies with Bill Ayers, a known terrorist, you are a racist.
If you bring up that Obama went to Rev Wright's, a known racist, church for 20 years, are a racist.
If you bring up that Obama support the radical ideas of Saul Alinksy, you are a racist.
If you bring up that Obama supported a radical professor at harvard, Derrick Bell you are a racist.
If you bring up that Obama had no experience to be president you are a racist.
If you bring up that Obama had a horrible record of not voting while Senator, you are a racist.
Man how many race cards are in his deck?????
If you mention old sh** news from the 2008 campaign (which Obama dealt with and won), you are Devdoc12able.
I couldn't care less if you are a racist or not. That's your issue. I just think you are wasting your time re-running the 2008 campaign again.
If you bring up the radical sign outside Des Moines, Iowa with Hitler, Stalin & Obama you would know some Tea Party types spent $$$ on crap signage.
If you listen to Christian radio and some pastor comes up with Psalms 109:8 and 9 you would know that loving Christians can be full of hate.
If you listen to family radio with James Dobson in no time do they ask Christians to pray for this President, about 95% of their non-profit radio attacks Obama relentlessly.
If you listen to Hannity about 10% of what he says bears any truth and 90% is unpatriotic hate for this President. Hannity will be a key note speaker on a so called Christian cruise with popular Christian music artists, spreading God's love I am sure.
If you bring up that George Bush mislead us into entering Iraq with advanced WMD you would be correct
If you bring up he had no way to fund these 2 wars with tax cuts at the same time you would be right.
How much false information does the GOP and their radical Tea Partiers tell the public????
This is not the time to make a big deal about Jeremiah Wright. The time to do that was four years ago when all the networks except Fox were downplaying the issue. Personally, I find it hard to believe that Obama attended that church for twenty years and was unaware that the pastor was an anti-American black racist. That tells me that he is either incredibly stupid or a major liar. And I don’t think that Obama is stupid.
This Campaign should be positive. Any one who has suffered, knows what obama has done is wrong. Alot of people have been living it. We do not need to be reminded of it. Now Romney , which I think he is planning to do. Needs to focus on what he will do better. On a different note , if people are talking about bain. More jobs have been lost under Obama. Bain should not be an issue. The only thing that needs to be the focus, is the solution.
Ok, so we should ignore Romney's business practices with Bain, and his very mediocre record as a Governor in MA, and just elect him because he got rich, ran the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, and has a thick head of hair.
Also, you are going to need to show the evidence of more jobs being lost under Obama. During what period? Compared to who? What timeframe are you using? Seems like BS to me.
Also, you are not really swallowing this "I was responsible for creating 100,000 jobs while at Bain" line. In 1994, it was 10,000. When did he create these other 90,000 jobs?
The problem is that Romney has not come up with many solutions himself. "I will do better" and "I will do the opposite of Obama" are not really policies. It's funny, when economists do see some of MItt's proposed solutions, they announce that they will explode the debt. Bush on Steroids. If you don't believe me, go and read up about it. How the hell do further tax cuts for the top 1% and increases in the defense budget reduce the debt? It makes no sense.
But don't let that stop you voting for him.
John - Are you a complete idiot? What Obama has done is wrong? This whole Fu$%king mess is the result of GOP polices. You do remember the crash of 2008 months before Obama was even elected.
It took the first 6 months of Obama's first year to write and implement any polices.. Three months later we were adding jobs. We've had 25 consectutive months of jobs creation since, over 4.2 million.
His polices saved the mid-west...which would have been devastated if the Auto Industry had failed. The stimulus and the fed-reserve prevented us from 1933 and 25% unemployment.
If have issues with the state of the economy today, all you need to do is look at what the GOP has done to stimulate the economy since taking over the house....NOTHING....
And look at the GOP Senate, more filibusters in the last 3.5 years than all filibusters in the history of the nation.....
You are either stupid, and idiot or both, but you are surely GOP.
They should keep Wright out of it, I personally can fire out Mormon doctrine that would make the hair on your back curl, and it's actual doctrine. It would be some where in the Twilight Zone, so old Mitt would be smart to stay away from radical religious associations and attacks.
Paul, Really? I am interested in finding out what you would find about Romney's religion that would equate to Obama's radical association with a hateful racist person! I dare you! Give me a break!! Romney is too much of a gentleman to even go there with Obama and attack him on his character, I think he is being much too nice with Obama as he is on the attack in regards to Mitt Romney's character. Go ahead! Be my guest! Keep looking for stuff on Mitt Romney! He is 100 times the person than Obama is. He has just proven it!!
Dee - Get a grip...
Insuits is so fifth grade stuff. I will vote for Romney, not that he who I really want, but anything it better that Obama
AnyTHING?
Maybe you can explain to me why we are not in a depression, since the collapse in 2008 was worse than in 1929. What actions prevented it...
Why is it that the US is currently preforming better than ANY country that implemeneted Austerity to solve the fiscal crisis?
I'm serious, you say anyone is better than Obama....the PM Cameron in Britian, a conservative implemented austerity measures at the start of the crisis in Britian. They are now in a double-dip recession.... Please, tell me it why it wouldn't be any different if we had elected a republican and they had implemented Austerity....
Let me explain grasshopper. We actually would have experienced a depression, but Obama forestalled it (like he does every thing else ) by feeding AIG (a foreign company), Goldman sach, et al and the ilk with cash. The depression is here, you just won't know it until the price of a loaf of bread becomes $6. Remember when it was $.79 per loaf? Not that long ago.
I remember in December 2008 when the price of gallon of gas was $1.65.
http://money.cnn.com/2008/12/25/news/economy/gas_prices/index.htm
And in June of 2008 the price of gas was over 4 bucks. What's your point?
You know what really gets my angry? The fact that Obama and his campaign has no reservations about attacking Mitt Romney's character in reference to his business dealings at Bain and incidents dating back from High School in which they labeled Romney a bully. But it is not OK to question Obama's intimate association with controversial, American hating, racist Reverand Wright in which Obama was a member of his church for 20 years (even Oprah was smart enough to quit after listening to his radical rantings). I would say this is a character issue that defines the way he thinks and influences how he makes decisions as President, why shouldn't this be scrutinized the way they are scrutinizing Romney. Democrats have no boundaries when it comes to attacking the character of their rivals and are free to say whatever they want but if a Republican does it to his rival, all hell breaks loose for the Democratic party. Does anyone see a problem with this double standard? Even though I get Romney's thinking that it is all about the economy, I would still advise Romney that all gloves are off, going after Obama's character the way they go after Romney's with a blink of an eye should be fair game. Democrats will continue to attack Romney's character and they want to call him a bully, they are the real bullies in this election!!
Or that Obama can snort coke (when he could afford it) according to his own admissions. It's interesting how some folks can spin Romney's actual stand on ethics into something wrong. I don't get how Romney is so horrible when we have a "president" who can snort coke and smoke weed and nobody says a word.
At least Romney HAD some business dealings and not just a government/badlawyer/community organizer background.
Dee - Just curious, what Romney did to that kid back in high school, was that bullying? You said labeled, you have any doubts that act wasn't what we today refer to as bullying? And remember, Obama didn't bring that out, the news media did...
And for 30+ years Romney attended what YOU GUYS call a cult..... Can you imagine if Obama was mormon.....he's had the decency to leave religion out of it...why, because in this country you should be able to practice the religion of your choice, which somehow the GOP hasn't been able to leave alone, whether it's calling him a muslim, or attending a anti-american racist church.
I'd bet money on it if you even attended Wright's church you wouldn't find it anti-American or racist.
Dee Patriot -
First of all, The Washington Post broke the story about Romney's bullying. If you want to complain, go The Post's headquarters in DC and whine to them. I personally do not put too much stock in what someone did 50 years ago. I also have yet to hear Obama mention it. Regarding Bain, the Dems were attacking Romney's claim to be a knight-in-shining-armor job creator while at Bain. That is the entire basis of his candidacy. Seems fair game to me. I do notice he never mentions his mediocre job creation record as Governor, though. That seems pretty important to me.
I think that Romney would be playing right into Obama's hands if he goes down the Wright road. He knows this (although he did try it in February of this year). Romney does not want an election fight on character. The result would be a repeat of 2008. He also does not want to get into a debate on how a person religious beliefs may influence his political decisions. He is on shaky ground there, too. So, let him try the Rev. Wright attacks. It will backfire. He should stick 100% to the economy if he wants to get anywhere near to the WH.
Harley - If you read the book instead of just repeating FAUX news headliners you'd know he was admitting to it as part of his youth, not advocating it. Clinton smoked weed, GW Bush did coke, it was part of the culture when they were growing up. None of them would advocate for it.
And just what ethics of Romneys are people criticizing? I haven't seen any unless you want to talk about how he never tells the truth. You can find on video him saying one thing, and the next day the exact opposite.. to me, telling the truth is ethics...
Racially charged? Where? Not a darn thing racial about it.
If Romney can find and get a good VP pick, preferably a qualified female, he will run right over Obama, who is stuck with Biden. I wouldn't let Biden shine my shoes...Or Obama for that matter.
How about game changer Sara Palin...
Keep dreaming there, pal. Over the next 5 months even the least involved voters will see clearly what a tool and liar Romney is. Only the Foxbots are in the fold now.
I wouldn't worry about Obama having to shine your shoes...
Susan Martinez could be a good choice. However, I don't know about being "stuck with" Biden in a campaign setting. Biden is pretty good at connecting with ordinary folk in a genuine way. Great asset.
Palin has too much "star power" for Romney. Also, she has no respect for him. Now that is saying something...
By the way, I am loving the cockiness of the GOP. You guys act like you have it in the bag. With Mitt Romney!! This really is something to enjoy.
Obama wins vs. Romney in IQ ..Obama has proven his intellect is superior. That is not a problem
Obama wins vs. Romney in EQ ..Obama hits the top of the charts with this one. He is so people savvy there is no way the dip Romney can compete.
In fact I don't think Romney even knows enough about people relations to discuss the weather. He is a loser and that's why he enjoys firing people so much. It makes him feel like a big important man. He imagines that he is rich because he deserves it because he is so special not, because he was born that way. He can fire people who are much brighter and harder working than he could ever hope to be because he's got the power.
I have news Romney. It isn't going to be so easy to fire President Obama. You don't hold a candle to him in Emotional I Q. THAT is what it will take to win this one. People want a relationship with the President. Even if it's from a distance. It's called trust. Trust inspires loyalty. Never going to happen for Mitt.
"Obama wins vs. Romney in IQ ..Obama has proven his intellect is superior."
Obama has never held a job as an executive or boss that ever ran a business. All Obama has is his grade in college and nothing else. Obama is good TALKER but is not an accomplished man. His signature legislation Obamacare was written and composed by OTHER people.
"He is so people savvy there is no way the dip Romney can compete."
He's a good liar too.
"You don't hold a candle to him in Emotional I Q. THAT is what it will take to win this one."
I knew you guys were all about "feeling" good about who you vote for rather that "thinking" about Obama's pathetic record.
Tracy... your kind are so ignorant of facts that I can only guess it is because you ONLY tune in to FAUX. I am a progressive that tunes into Faux, MSNBC, CBS, ABC and CNN to get a balance. Funny how Faux is always alone in their presentation and obviously spinning facts when compared to the other four. Think about it...
I am assuming you will be getting around to posting something even remotely related to my previous post?
Care to share what kind of business executive experience that Obama actually has?
Care to share ANY court case that Obama with his awsome law degree has argued before ANY court?
Tracy - You have almost 4 years to judge Obama's leadership qualities. Whether he's held a job as a CEO in private business is mute at this point. He has a record. His foreign policy record, stellar. His handling of the economy, stellar (if you don't believe it compare it to 1929, or look at any other country over the past 4 years that employed austerity as a policy and show me how much better they are doing, Britian comes to mind, but there are plenty of others). His social polices, stellar.
The economy was in the crapper when he took over, the deficits by products of the past administration, and the situation he created. And how he'll deal with the deficits, far superior to anything the GOP has mentioned yet. In fact, the GOP plan is the destruction of the US....I'm more qualified to run for president than any of those idiots they put forth.
Tracy, I know that you right wingers need to believe that Obama is not intelligent. I know what you think. How can anyone NOT know. You think it's impossible for a black person to be smart. The GOP has been busy "searching" for a black person they can use to speak to the black voters but they say they are having trouble finding one who can actually speak correctly and use good grammar! Dumb asses.
When did being a business executive worth a couple hundred million bucks become a requirement for the job of President of the U.S.? Says who? You and the GOP? I stand by my words. Romney's good fortune in business was not due to intelligence. It was due to heredity. The money not the brains.
Tracy - How about running the USA for the past 3.5 years. The idea someone as a CEO is even relevant is pretty funny. Totally different positions, a CEO has ultimate power, he doesn't have to get a congress to pass anything, he just orders it. You want to compare Romney's experience, use his 4 years as governor. If him being a CEO made him a job creator how come that state was 47th out of 50th in job creation? You'd think he'd have been #1 or #2...wouldn't you. He was so unpopular in Mass he didn't run for another term....
And I can't say whether he practiced law....it's possible he did, he worked for a law firm, but even that doesn't mean you argue before a court... And I doubt he wouldn't have been good at it had he done so, he was afterall head of the Harvad Law Review...you act like that is something that's handed to someone...and he graduated magna Cum Laude from Harvard, you have any idea what that means. 5 of the 9 supreme court justices are from Harvard, and none of them ever held the position of head of the Harvard Law Review...
Oneofthesane???? Really? Are you kidding? I listen to all news stations and Fox is the only network that gives you the other side of the story. It's so obvious that every other network leans to the left and most worship the ground Obama walks on and will do or say anything to help him get re-elected. No wonder Fox is #1 nationwide, you don't have to hear more of the same crap that people are tired of listening to!! You bet Fox is alone on their presentation, it is refreshing to hear the other side of politics for a change, that is why they are #1 and it is killing you libs!
Tracy...
I was assuming you know something about Robme's real record as a corporate raider It appears you don't.. Yes, he made millions for himself and his cronies by take over practices. Also true is that he killed more jobs than he created, The goal of a corporate raider is to make profit for the investors and thus make profit for yourself... the working man be damned. He was real good at that. Governing a country and pretending to care about those same people you screwed is a whole other matter. Most Americans are not stupid and can see right through that BS. Shame you can't.
"You have almost 4 years to judge Obama's leadership qualities."
Yeah they stink. Campaigned on being the post racial president and he is the MOST racially divisive one we have ever had, i.e. interjecting himself into multiple race related incidents.
"He has a record."
Yeah it's pathetic.
"His foreign policy record, stellar"
No it's average. Getting Osama good. Getting rid of Gadhafi good but allowing radicals to take over....bad.
http://www.infowars.com/chaos-grows-as-militias-now-run-libya/
The situation in Syria...horrible. The situation in Iran....not so good. Relations with Israel....not good at all. The situation in North Korea....getting worse everyday.
"I'm more qualified to run for president than any of those idiots they put forth."
I will bet you worked for a company that Bain helped create. LOL!!!
Dee... the only reason Faux is number 1 is because sane people have 4 networks to chose from so they all get an audience share. On the other hand, the only place the psychos have to go is Faux LOL. Wake up...
Just when I thought I heard it all on these posts! "Consider-It" Please, if you will, explain how Obama has proven his intellect is superior? What exactly has he done???
President of the Harvard Law review!!!! No one has EVER achieved that!!
And actually practiced in a court of law of course and knows how to read a teleprompter.
Tracy -
I've found him to be much like Jackie Robinson when he broke the color barrier in baseball. Taking a lot of Sh$%t and taking it.... I haven't found him devisive, I've found the right devisive, they just haven't been able to accept a black president any more than baseball took to Robinson.
And his record on foreign policy is stellar. The situation in Syria, unless you want to invade is what it is...the situation in Iran is starting to have real effects.. Getting Russia and China to agree to the tough sanctions is really working. And if it doesn't we'll bomb them....
And even Isreal says Obama has been the most helpful president in recent years. The idea our relations between isreal is any different that under Bush is total GOP BS....Obama has given in public speeches a 100% backing of the Isreali government, and his polices on the Isreal-Pala situation are the same as every other US president in the last 30 years. Keep making crap up, doesn't make it true
Tracy - Could you get into Harvard? Think you could become head of the Harvard Law Review...Didn't think so.. BTW Romney attended Harvard, has a law degree...never became head of the Harvard Law Review...just saying....
Hey Don... I think you shut Tracy right the frick up. LMAO.
Yep, looks like he finally went to beat his dog....or stap it to the roof.
This teleprompter joke is getting old. Any more nuggets to pull out?
OK, as you are in a position, I am sure, to demean someone who has attended and excelled at the some of the best schools in the world, I'll just leave it alone. You're obviously too brilliant.
Most people agree that being a Governor is usually a good proving ground for becoming President (Not many true businessmen have won the Presidency. Many Governors have). Please tell me then why Romney has erased his time as a political executive from his resume? Never mentions it. If it was worth a damn, Romney would mentioning it every chance he got. Don't worry, he can't hide from it for six more months.
Also, how is Obama the most "racially divisive" President going? I remember him commenting on Henry Louis Gates and Trayvon Martin (not a divisive speech. The press asked him about it. He answered). I am sure you are a warrior for equality. Anyway, If Obama really was a racially divisive as you say, do you really think he would get as many non-minority supporters as he does? I would imagine white people would generally be reluctant to vote for a black person who hates them.
You are really pulling out all the crap tonight, aren't you?
Tracy -
Romney was a successful businessman. When he was Governor, mediocrity was his calling card. That's his political experience. Being a venture capitalist and a mediocre Governor is not the same as being President of the United States.
Had his grade in college? Columbia, Harvard Law (editor of the Law Review), State Senate, US Senate, President of the United States. Seems like a pretty impressive resume to me.
Your post is really just a waste of time. Let's move on....
"Being a venture capitalist and a mediocre Governor is not the same as being President of the United States. "
Yeah but being a crappy POTUS isn't all that great either.
"Your post is really just a waste of time. Let's move on...."
OK lets do talk about the massive debt and the persistant high unemployment rate. You first to spin it.
Tracy - The first $10 trillion was there before he took office, and if you look at the causes of the next $5 trillion, you'd find that 99.9% of it was going to happen regardless of who was in office. The majority of the deficit spending is the cost of the wars and the Bush Tax cuts......none was paid for, and all the GOP still favors.
And you want to talk about high unemployment fine....compare our unemployment rate to ANY other country that implemented Austerity measures to combat the crisis. Try Britian. No one wants to talk about what could have happened, but in 1933 after 4 years of austerity measures under Hoover unemployment during the great depression was 25%....that's the comparison you should make.
Anyone who thinks we should be out of this in 3.5 years is totally ignorant of how an economy works. No one talking office in 2009 would have not had the deficits of today, or unemployment numbers doubling what we have today had they implemented austerity measures. History proves it.
Ok. The "crappy POTUS" line - you can do better than that. You sound a bit irrational.
The massive debt is a result primarily of a extreme recession brought on basically a housing collapse, a financial collapse, two wars, massive tax cuts, and a reduction in revenue. In other words the Bush administration. Obama passed the stimulus and extended your beloved Bush tax cuts. This, of course, adds to the deficit.
Obama has added 4.2 million private sector jobs since he came to power. The unemployment rate is still high because the recovery is slow and there have been increased redundancies in the public sector. Teachers, state government workers, etc. are being made redundant in very high levels, primarily in Republican states (you know, where the job creators are). In previous recoveries, there were big job increases in the public sector. The opposite is happening in this recovery, so it is a drag on the unemployment numbers. I think that is the gist of it.
I guess you believe we were adding 500,00 jobs a month and had 4% unemployment in January 2009.
I'm gonna set you straight here, Tracy. The GOP used the filibuster more times than any other Congress in history to both keep from losing and try to make Obama look bad, Either you fell for that BS or you support it. In either case the GOP has tried to shut government down with a party incentive in mind and not all of us are too stupid too see through it.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57400369-503544/national-debt-has-increased-more-under-obama-than-under-bush/
"In previous recoveries, there were big job increases in the public sector. The opposite is happening in this recovery, so it is a drag on the unemployment numbers"
As far as job creation is concerned you shouldn't even be counting pubic sector jobs. That is our tax dollars paying for them so it's like you and I paying for it....not with realized capital gains. Private sector job is what is important. The real unemployment is much higher the 8.1% considering the labor force participation rate is at a 26 year low.
http://hotair.com/archives/2012/05/04/unemployment-rate-at-8-1-only-115k-jobs-added-participation-rate-shrinks-again-to-new-low/
Tracy - First look at the fiscal situation Bush inherited and then what Obama did. Secondly, look at the causes of the deficits and you'll find 99.9% of them situations Obama inherited from Bush, like the wars and the Bush tax cuts.
Now, yes, he could have ended the Bush Tax cuts, but if you remember we were shedding 700K jobs a month when he took over. The truth is the deficits over the last 5 years have been higher, but it's because we were still paying for 2 wars, the Bush tax cuts were never offset if cuts in spending, and the fiscal crisis of losing millions of workers and revenue and additional federal spending in unemployment insurance are the main causes...
And in NO other recession or depression has the Federal Govt NOT Increased the Govt workers. Reagan, Bush all did it.. in fact, it's happened in every recession in history, except this one...
When a republican does it it's good policy, if a Democrat wants to do it it's reckless government spending.
Let's also face the fact that at the end of 2010, when Republicans were about to take over the House, they pretty much held everything hostage to the tax cuts. Democrats wanted to raise taxes on the very wealthy, while Republicans said all or nothing--and they'd stop all legislation from getting through the Senate until they took over the House next year. Obama reluctantly agreed, and that was how we were able to get legislation allowing gays to serve in the military, extension of unemployment benefits, as well as money to help 9/11 relief workers.
Any senior or anyone else on medicare who votes for a pathetic, psychotic, facist repuke for president is cutting their own throat. Your medicare costs will go up about $6,000 a year, and your secondary insurance will skyrocket. This is according to the CBO. The National Council of Bishops who support the lying repukes only because of abortion, have highly criticized the Ryan voucher plan as being cruel and harsh and can't support it. It gives an average $250,000 tax cut to millionaires while cutting medicare.
Once the medicare funds get into the hands of the repukes corporate criminal backers, it will be destroyed.
Can you imagine what might have happened if the Pope's boy Sanitarium became president of the right wing radical cracked teanuts, the gay, rapist, pedophile catholic priests and the braindead evangelical Children of the Corn zombies. Men will no longer have to purchase condoms, as they will no longer be allowed in this country. All mens sperm must be used to create babies. Cameras will be in every bedroom. Catholic priests don't have to worry however, because, according to the testimony of former raped little boys, they don't use them.
I think Sanitarium is in desperate need of a vaginal ultrasound to find out what happed to his brains.
The Pope's first order to his boy will be to release all catholic rapist pediophile priests from prison as the Pope is running out of people to continue the process of shearing his sheep. He is running out of collection pot fillers. After all, he needs the money to fight off all of the lawsuits against the church worldwide.
His second order to RickyDickyDo will be to move the White House to Vatican City.
Rick the Dick Santarium has brainwashed his followers, the evangelical Children of the Corn zombies and the gay rapist, pedophile catholic priests that lyin Willardo is a member of an evil cult and is the anti-christ. He also told them that lyin Willardo is the worst person in history to ever run for the presidency, can't be trusted and will destroy our county. Nut Gingerhead totally agreed with the last three assessments.
So most of the evangelical sheep will probably stay home on election day or some may even vote for Obama. They are totally scared of lyin Willardo, the Mexican Mormon Moron tax evader, bankrupter and Etch A Sketch champion.
piglette...keep on dreaming and inhaling obozo's methane...that f'n clown and his entire circus is getting kicked to the curb in Nov.
Since when has Mo Romney ever been reluctant to run a negative attack ad? Willard's handlers realized that if Rev. Rearend Right did not bring down Obama in 2008.....it's too old hat now.
Even though Rearend Wright is a tool bag, he is some kind of mainstrream Baptist, isn't he? Willard is afraid to launch anything negative about Obama regarding religion and Rearend Wright......as he does not want some PAC talking about the Church of J.C. of Latter Day Saints.
LTC Rattus, USA, ret.
rattus- Having a hard time typying the words " Jesus Christ" ? What's that all about? You spent alot of letters telling us who you are. LTC Rattus,USA,ret.
.
.
"BTW Romney attended Harvard, has a law degree...never became head of the Harvard Law Review...just saying...."
Maybe he didn't apply for the position? You know Romney was busy working on his sucessful business career when Obama was still doing drugs in college...right?
Thanks for filling us all in Tracy, while backing down from all the BS you previously posted. Damn you make me laugh.
Tracy - If you've read anything about Romney you know he didn't start into business until after he finished school. Didn't apply for the position? Come on...of course he didn't, wasn't qualified..
Any idea how many successful business at that time did drugs? Almost everyone... Your hero GW Bush did coke...meaningless BS....I don't fault Bush any more than Obama...it was the times.. I'd bet Steve Jobs did something too...again it was the times.
I have no issue with Romney on his family or how he was brought up. Most morons I've met are upstanding people. Now, I've never seen a single one of them lie like Romney...in fact, that's the biggest problem I have with Romney, he'll say anything to get elected. How can you tell one audience you'll be to the left of Ted Kennedy on gay issues, and then 4 years later say you are totally against gay rights. It's stuff like that that just make he think I'd never vote for him. I don't even mind his vulture capitalizm, he was good at it, he likes to fire people...why wouldn't he.. but it doesn't make him a job creator....trickle down does not work. I have a degree in economics, and in every economics class you take the first thing they teach you is "demand" drives the economy...ie putting money into the hands of those that wil spend it...not trickle down...it's never worked, at least not well...
Tracy -
While Romney was busy being a mediocre Governor of MA with a ranking of #47 in job creation, Obama was preparing to become the most powerful man on earth.
You know, Romney could lose this election. I think you may need to prepare yourself for that possibility. I know you, like most GOPers, think you have this in the bag. It's kind of funny...
don...and where in the economics classes does it show the govt. creates jobs and demand not the private sector? And talk about saying anything to get elected, you obviously have selected memory. Shall I quote you several "passages" from obozo?
1.) I'll cut the budget in 1/2 in my first 2yrs..2.) Healthcare debate will be on cspan..3.) raising the debt by $4trillion in 8yrs is unamerican (obozo INCREASED IT BY $5TRILLION IN 3 1/2 yrs)..4) I don;t want to see blue states and red states, I want to see united states...5. I'll close gitmo...6. if I can't get the budget under control in my first term then I'll be a one-term president...7.) was for gay marriage when running for illinois senate; 8. With rev rick warren in CA in 2008...said marriage was between a man and woman;.9. my stimulus will create 3million shovel ready jobs...10...we'll have immigration reform...blah blah blah . He lied, pandered and kow-towed to every frickin' group imaginable.
Hope and change suckered you and many independents into voting for this snake oil salesman-huckster. Come Nov. we're kicking this lying, inexperienced clown and his entire socialist circus..tent an all to the curb. Say bye bye to obozo.
Slide 6 - Let me give you a perfect example of how government creates demand. After WWII Eisenhower decided to create the interstate highways. Used government funds to fund it which hired private sector companies to build it. Those companies hired, and those workers created demand.
And no one expects Government to create all the jobs, the private sector does the bulk of the lifting, but to discount what role government has is simply ignorant. The reason the economy boomed after WWII was actions like eisenhowers and the fact we were the only industrialized country untouched by the war...
And if I'm not mistaken government spending as a product of GDP is at a 60 year low. Our tax polices over the Bush years is what;s to blame, that and eliminating regulations like Glass-Steagell.
Slide - you need to calm down and get a grip.
More cockiness from a party with Mitt Romney as the standard-bearer.
I say Romney is close until September. By then, everyone will have had enough of him, and we'll move on without him. No one wants Romney in their living room for the six months, let alone the next four years. Dream on, Slide, this is Mitt Romney we are talking about.
By the way, that Debt prop is silly. Eventually, somebody rational is going to ask "how did it get so high" and "what are your policies to reduce it"? At that point, Romney will have to answer. End of prop. Can't reduce the debt with tax cuts and defense budget increases.
BTW, If Obama is lying, pandering and kow-towing, then what the hell has Romney done his entire political career?
Slide - Most of those comments are BS and not worth commenting on, but I'll answer the first one.
1.) I'll cut the budget in 1/2 in my first 2yrs
That was said in early 2008 before the financial crash and the full extent of the crisis was known. I know you'd like to think he was good enought to know the history before it happened, but even Obama isn't that good.
Of course, the facts aren't worth responding to. If he had any record worth running on, he'd be beating his chest. All this moron can do is try to divide, demean, marginalize, demonize the rich, just like most socialists and communist do. He is an EPIC ONE-TERM LOSER.
Slide - OK, close Gitmo. Everyone that supports him knows he tried. You know sometimes you can only try...and most people will understand that. I surely don't fault him for it, nor do I consider it a lie, or a change in position. I believe he still wants to close it. You see, I'd like to convince you to vote for Obama, and I might in the beginning be naive enough to think you'd listent to reason, I'd try and fail. Doesn't mean I didn't want to do it or try, or that I was a lair...
I'm pretty sure Obama never understood how fully how far the right would go to stop him from getting anything done....even I didn't think they would destory the country to do it.
All this...... can do is try to divide, demean, marginalize, demonize the rich, just like most socialists and communist do. This sounds like you in many ways. Look Warren Buffet and Gates don't consider want to tax the rich demonizing them. Obama who's also rich doesn't consider asking him to pay more taxes demonizing... only people like you do that.
The more I watch what the Right posts here, the more their ignorance becomes obvious. I can't even believe that anyone that knows anything about the true history of American politics would still even consider the Republican Party to be the Republican Party. It isn't... it is now the Tea Party. Completely different politics and beliefs than Regan's party yet they cling to the Reagan identity in hopes of fooling the unaware of their true agenda. Well. you may fool some but you will never fool the masses in an end game. November is going to be a rude awakening for all you con artists. Bank on THAT.
Keep on inhaling the obozo ether my friend. I have no delusions of Reagan or any other republican president. All I know is this inexperienced community organizer hoodwinked you and plenty others in 2008. Talk about not understanding politics? Blacks simply voted for him because he was (half) black. Hispanics voted for him because they thought he'd get amnesty for all the 8Million ILLEGAL HISPANICS in the country. How's the unemployment rate now especially for black men 18-30yrs old? He catered to the hairy arm pitted abortion women who protest war but have no problem murdering over 1.5million babies each year.
He suckered the independents with his BS "moderate" stance until he got into office and started bankrupting the country with his entitlements just like his hero saul alinsky describes in his socialist diatribes. The independents are running from this clown like rats from a sinking ship. His flip flop on gay marriage is going to alienate a good percentage of blacks and hispanics.
If I were you, I'd listen to a very smart man by the name of james carville. You do know who he is, right? He said don't bet on it. See you at the polls in Nov.
Obozo the clown is going down in Nov.
Oneof the sane - I'd like to think you are right, but there's a lot of nuts out there. Take Slide 6 for example....uneducated, red state crackers, and there are many of them.
It will be close, most people do not pay that much attention to politics and easily fall prey to current conditions regardless of who created them. Now, most educated people can reason, but guys like Slide 6 who barely made it through high school., you are not changing there minds.
Slide 6 - And Carville thinks Obama will be re-elected in a very close race. Read the polls in the battleground states, there's only 8-11 of them...all favor Obama by between 5-9 points. It will narrow as all the attacks adds start, but I'm betting on the women's vote....they are not as easily influenced as you. They can listen to an individual and tell which one is full of BS and which one is genuine..
In the end, they'll trust Obama to there kids...not Romney....And don't forget Romney has this huge weight around his neck called the Ryan Budget plan....don't think that won't come from and center.
Hey don..like a true brain washed left wing demoslob...you got to play the race card eh? I'm an independent in CA where we're over run by illegal immigrants and welfare recipients. The dem legislature took CA from the 8th largest economy ON THE PLANET into $16BILLION in debt and that's AFTER a $75BILLION tax increase, the largest state tax increase in US history. We have 12% of the population but 33% of the welfare recipients. Thanks again to the demoslobs.
All the demoslugs know how to do is tax and spend and cater to the union slugs just like your man obozo. Chicago-style cesspool politician playing the same game with the entire country. We'll see you in Nov. I'll be here waiting for you and the left wingnuts if you have the guts to show up after this clown goes down.
Slide 6 - You had a republican governor for the last 6 years don't forget. The problems in California are similar to all the states...all caused by the fiscal collapse the GOP brought on..
And the problem with California began many many years ago with Jarvis-Gann, making any tax increase almost impossible... and what 75 billion tax increase.? Total BS....I live in the state, we haven't had a massive tax increase...we need one....
Tax and spend, you realize federal taxes are at the lowest point in the last 50 years. And I spent 37 years representing management against unions.....
And if indeed you are from California you know your vote is a waste of time. California has always gone blue and will do so again.
You know in 2008 Obama only got 42% of the white vote, he got 63% of the educated white vote. That is why he's so high on education......and why you don't have one.
Hey Slide... you are the one being hoodwinked by a party that is gonna get you to vote against your own best interests unless you are a 1%er. I don't know you.... maybe you are a 1%er... or maybe you are just stupid.
Slide, I'm glad you work for a 1%er. I, on the other hand work for myself so I don't have to listen to their BS or be content to accept their hand outs for being "a good little repuke". Suck up to your master and shine his shoes. LMAO.
Trust me, Slide 6 isn't one of the 1%ers.. His idea of higher education is to drive by the college on his way to his 8-5 job...
You work for "youself", really? Give me a int of what you do. My bet is you get a percentage of your income (if you're telling the truth which I doubt) from some 1% here or there.
Still with the "1%" thing, really, is that all you libtards have? The owner of our company spends his money taking care of his employees and businesses in the community. Your libtard CA legislators have drive hundreds of businesses out of CA and thousands of high-income wage earners out of state.
All the country has to do is to look at CA. It is a blueprint of demoslob tax & spend, union and entitlement mentality. $16BILLION IN DEBT. Obozo...added $5TRILLION!!!!!!!!!!! How can you idiots deny the obvious?
Been nice chatting with you. I suspect I'll see you continue spewing your two points...race and blame the rich for obozo's failures until Nov. when he gets the big boot. Ciao for now.
I do web design and my success or failure is all on me. What do you do other than talk @!$%# and run from logic and facts? Ciao Biash! LOL
Slide 6 - And I retired wealthy. Before I retired I have about 1600 people just like you working for me. The vast majority were good hardworking people, we had a few like you that you couldn't convince of anything...
And what company was this Don? Easily verifyable.
Come November, independents as well as ALL republicans will vote for Romney. Heck, I'd vote for the frickin' gas station attendant. It will be ANYBODY BUT OBOZO.
Your only talking pints are the "1%-ers" and race card because obozo has no record to run on. I am lucky to be working for a 1%-er who started their business out of a garage and built it into a $500M business that employs 150 people.
I've never gotten a job from a poor person, have you? Let's blame the rich now for obozo's failures. Tired of blaming bush? obozo's been at the helm for going on 4yrs now. LMAO. Again, I'll see you guys here in Nov. to compare notes. After obozo loses, who are you going to blame then?
Slide 6 - If Obama loses, why I'd blame you...
don...glad you mentioned the budget...where is the clown's budget? Over 1,000 days without a budget. Your own dem-controlled senate voted 97-0 on obozo's "budget" plan. hairy reid even said there will be no budget proposed until after the election!! THAT'S 4YRS WITH NO BUDGET! What an absolute travesty!
Are you kidding me? If I were you, I'd crawl back under your msnbc rock and keep tuned in to richard mannow and fat head ed shultz.
Slide 6 - The easy answer is he submitted one. And just why did it go down 97-0, any idea? Politics.....The Democrats didn't want to have to defend it in attack adds when he had not chance of becoming law...plain and simple.
We all know, those of us with common sense is that we won't get true spending cuts and deficit reduction until the end of 2012 when the Bush Tax cuts expire and the $1.2 trillion in cuts take place automatically unless a deal is worked out.
And then and only then will something like Simpson-Bolyes be adopted, when the GOP has no alternative but to agree to tax cuts and reveune increases. And if they don't, Obama lets the Bush Tax cuts expire and the $1.2 trillon, of which $600 million will be in defense spending. He has the GOP over the barrell, no doubt about it.
"Slide 6 - The easy answer is he submitted one. And just why did it go down 97-0, any idea?"
97-0 pretty much means that your plan sucked. Don't try an spin any further or your will hurt yourself.
I was watching a documentary about our economic meltdown They were interviewing, i think it was Geitner who went to the senate and congressional leaders demanding an immediate vote on tarp 1. When informed they don't do anything immediately he told them if tarp isn't passed by monday our economy will be in a worse meltdown than 1929. Tarp 1 was passed on oct. 3rd 2008, 1 month before Obama was elected. The economy lost 15 trillion in net worth & tax base and was losing jobs at the rate of 750,000 a month. Obama began his presidency with hundreds of billions in lost revenue and the highest unemployment since the 70's but the reason the economies not skyrocketing is Obama's fault..........yea right.
According to Slide 6 it's all Obama's fault...Doesn't matter if it happened before he was elected, had McCain been elected come jan 1 everything would have reversed, we just needed good leadership.
Fu$King idiots.
People see what they want to see and the less educated they are, they less they CAN see. Such are the working class Repukes... unable to see what folly their leaders are selling.
Man, is that a great tactic or what. Behind the scene, get your people to air slimy vicious attacks on Obama, while in front of the cameras you pretend your not in favor of that kind of negative ad. The pretense is obvious. It's like the pretense that he's just an ordinary Joe like the rest of us and all that other crap he's so bad at trying to appear what he's not. But I'll say one thing, based on his success enriching himself off the backs of those poor workers he displaced when he ran their companies into the ground and got paid huge commissions for it, ol' Mitt sure knows how to play dirty.
Extremists on both sides are ruining the country.
Extremists are stupid.
You can't fix stupid.