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Republicans needn't worry about Hurricane Issac bearing down on Tampa next week; "Hurricane Todd" Akin has already overshadowed the GOP's national convention, according to Obama campaign officials.
Senior brass from the president's re-election team told reporters that the Florida-based convention had already been marred by Missouri Rep. Todd Akin's controversial suggestion earlier this week that "legitimate rape" rarely leads to pregnancy.
"Hurricane Todd has already borne down on Tampa and the damage has been done. And I don’t think that whether he stays on the ballot is that material," a senior campaign official told reporters gathered for a background briefing in Washington when asked whether they wanted to see Akin stay on the ballot in Missouri.
Akin has weathered demands from senior Republicans, including Mitt Romney, to step aside from his race to unseat incumbent Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill in Missouri. Though Akin has since apologized for his initial comments about rape, his political brand has become toxic, and has jeopardized not only Republicans' chances of winning back the Senate, but also the GOP's hopes of making inroads with women voters nationally.
To that end, the Obama campaign has sought to tie Akin to vice presidential contender Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) and the Romney campaign as a whole.
“It is true that Paul Ryan is, on these issues, Todd Akin’s ideological twin,” an Obama campaign official said.
The official went on to say: “This is the most radical ticket on these issues, and not just on women’s health and choice issues, but also on pay equity issues, things that are fundamental to women in this country. So, you know, we’ve earned the gender gap through the advocacy of the president ... but there’s no doubt that they have contributed to that through their positions and now through the appointment of Congressman Ryan."
The latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll showed that voters are far more confident in President Barack Obama’s ability to deal with issues of concern to women than Mitt Romney.
The Obama campaign also continued its attempt to frame the Republican Party -- and specifically, the convention -- as only catering to a very conservative base.
“They have no ability to expand the electorate. They have looked at the Latino vote, the fastest growing voting block in this country and have decided to send out [Kansas Secretary of State Kris] Kobach to be their person at the convention. They’re going to have [Sheriff] Joe Arpaio speak. I mean, I may pay to livestream that. That is going to be a great moment for the Obama campaign,” one campaign official joked.
(Kobach is known for co-authoring Arizona’s controversial immigration bill that was partially upheld by the Supreme Court this year. Sheriff Arpaio is known for his outspoken opposition to illegal immigration, and is currently being sued by the Department of Justice for “discriminatory and otherwise unconstitutional law enforcement actions against Latinos.” He'll be speaking not on the convention stage, but to a small group of Western state Republicans.)
As for the tradition of the opposing party keeping a low profile during the convention, the Obama campaign dismissed that notion.
“It’s not unprecedented for principals to be out,” said one campaign official, noting that there are 75 more days until the election. "We’re going to use each and every one of those days and make the most of it."
The Obama campaign's counterprogramming will include a presidential college tour in Iowa, Colorado and Virginia to highlight “the stark choice of going forward or moving back." Vice President Joe Biden will also be in Florida for two days next week, including a stop in Tampa on Monday.
“Again, 75 days left, Florida is a critical state. We’re not going to cede that state for four days just because they’re having their convention.” The official continued, “I don’t think that they’re going to hold back during out convention.”
Other topics addressed in the briefing:
THE RYAN EFFECT: The Obama campaign said the pick of Paul Ryan gave little or no bump to the Romney campaign. After pointing out that Sen. John McCain received a nine point bump after the picking Sarah Palin, a campaign official noted,” Ryan failed the Palin test here and he is a point underwater.”
MEDICARE: “We’re happy to have this debate,” a campaign official said about Medicare while accusing Ryan of having concocted a "voucher plan" multiple times. The official said the debate over Medicare is not one Republicans are poised to win.
BILL CLINTON AS A PRINCIPAL: Expect to see the former president out on the campaign trail stumping for the current president a great deal after the Democratic National Convention is over. On top of a prime speaking spot at the convention and a new commercial in support of Obama’s economic plan, Clinton is willing to give “a significant amount of time” stumping for the campaign. Obama officials believe he is an “important messenger.”
PERSUASION, REGISTRATION, TURN OUT: Those three words are the story the Obama campaign wants to have told right now. They believe their registration ground game in swing states far surpasses Romney’s and that will make up for the amount of money being spent by outside political groups that support Romney’s campaign. “Our numbers are going to continue to outpace 2008 in both registration and voter contact,” one official said. While there is more they admit they need to get done on the ground, they showed confidence in their ability to register even more voters in the fall when colleges and universities start classes again. “You haven’t seen nothing yet, because kids are coming back to campuses. What we learned in 2008 is you will see a major increase in the fall” in terms of voter registration said the same official.
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Speaking of Todd Akin, anyone know why Team Willard is censoring journalists now?
Talk about control freaks...
What exactly DOES Willard want to talk about?
Ryan/Akin 2012 - Representing compassionate, conservative, Christians, one vagina at a time!
@Feisty,
The Romney peeps know they've got a real headache with this guy. Of course they don't want to talk about him.
Ryan failed the Palin Test. I thought the passing mark in Palin 101 was an F, that was her score.
It's like they believe if they keep their heads firmly planted up their asses long enough, this whole thing is going to blow away...
Who the hell is running that
campaignfreak show?I have to admit, I am enjoying the wheels fall off Willard's magical mystery bus though!
Care for some *popcorn*?
Well, considering the Ryan and Akin have co-sponsered bills in the House that should be to hard... as for tying the Mitt to that... perhaps they need to look no farther than the GOP Platform.
I thought the passing mark in Palin 101 was an F... She did well until that pesky Couric took her down. Damn Liberal Media! Lesson learned by the Weather Vane. He sure doesn't stray to far from Fox.
Will Willard refuse to answer the moderators questions during the debates?
Especially questions that he does not like.....which would be any question!
A La Sharon Angle......"I want to talk about what I want to talk about"......
You mean like Bible Spice? lol
She should have asked him why he thinks cutting taxes results in less of a deficit.
I actually looked at their site to see if this is true (couldn't find a list of speakers - would love a link if anyone has one!)
They seriously cannot be thinking of having one of the kingpins in the Birther movement speak????? Are they that DUMB????
Speaking of Hurricanes, it is traveling in the path right now to Haiti which has already been devastated by the earth quake years ago. I think we all need to say a prayer for the Haitian people.
*ahem* YUP!
They're gonna march every wing-nut they can locate across that stage to proudly prove to the country, you just can't FIX STUPID! lol
Nature is making her opinions clear on the GOP and it's dog and pony show.
I'd say - and has turned the GOP/TP political landscape into a massive debris field.
It could happen to a nicer bunch...
The difference being, grizzly Bible Spice didn't understand the questions. Romney has no excuse.
Hey fishty, you seem to be infatuated with vaginas?
Joe Thomas-6624551
Wow man, you've only been around for 2 days and your already calling Feisty by a name used by another who is recently departed.
Feisty - I don't think this is much of a surprise. Mitt's handlers have kept the press from asking him any questions they haven't cleared the entire time he's been campaigning. They know he can't take an "off the cuff" question without looking even stupider than Palin. It's that deer in the headlight look that always shows his lack of any insight into what is being talked about.
It will be interesting to see him during the debates. Can't wait!!!
Obama/Biden 2012
SS,
Me either... no where to run to baby... no where to hide! lol
Dayum,
These re-regs multiple faster than cockroaches! Leave Ol' Joe alone, he'll be gone soon! ;o)
Oh Queen Annie will be soooooo p*ssed!
Obama/Biden 2012
Personally, I'm kind of rooting for a nice big wet slow moving storm, like a high end tropical storm or low end Cat 1 to hit Tampa. Not strong enough to do a lot of damage to the surrounding area but plenty big enough to rain on King Willard's parade.
Psssssssssssst
Isaac is Hebrew for Laughter
They should just call the Hurricane KARMA! (my apologies to any in the path,...and I will pray for it to be mild).
Obama 2012
Romney 1040
Clara,
You chose the perfect name for your wonderful son Izzy!
As someone Who lived in Florida during Hurricane Andrew I would not wish a Hurricane on any of my fellow Americans.
Romney has about as much in common with Akin as Pres Obama had in common with Rep. Weiner. If this is the best attack the Dems have on Romney I think he is doing pretty well.
You know, this year is getting more and more interesting. You have a political party who insists that God/Jesus was conservative (so much for that sermon on helping the least amongst us and getting the money changers out of the temple)
A tropical storm is to hit in the middle of their big party that is to be used to sway the American to vote for them (however they did manage to hire more strippers for the dance clubs - gotta love the party of family values.
What's next?
Hey Layton-3733410,
Your comment made me look into Arpaio's role at the Republican National Convention and we modified the story to show that he hasn't been asked to be a speaker on the formal convention stage, but he will speak at a Western States' delegate event at the zoo. One of many side events that will happen during the convention.
The Arizona Republican party put out a press release in support of Arpaio's role at the event: http://www.azgop.org/article/sheriff-joe-arpaio-to-address-western-state-gop-convention-delegates-in-tampa
wow
What on earth are the looney liberals gonna do starting next week when the only response when you bitch about Akin is going to be, "Who?"
The desperation from the Obummer camp is riding high. One dumb-ass from MO, that nobodys heard of before this past week, says one dumb thing and the loonbats think America is somehow going to forget what a horsesh*t job Obummer has done. They will be reminded next week.
Good luck with all and don't forget to pass da pipe...lol
Arapio, the big ass birther, is going to speak at a Western States' delegate event........at the zoo???! It doesn't get any better than this! Cue Stephen Colbert and John Stewart! LMAO!
Obama/Biden 2012
Arpaio speaking at the zoo?
That's where the entire Convention should be!
The Zoo LOL What an appropriate place for Arpaio/ I wouldn't be surprised if the animals don't voice their disapproval with catcalls.
There's another hurricane heading for Tampa: Joe Biden.
RELEASE THE KRAKEN!
The GOP Cult Convention.
Hurricane Akin....Hurricane Issac.......
Remember Hurricane Ike/2008 had it's sights on the Texas Gulf Coast....the GOP was beginning their convention in St Paul.........Their convention floor was as empty as the rhetoric coming from Willard/Ryan!
The first few days of the convention were nothing.....nada, since everyone, out of deference to their communities postponed a lot of events.......Galveston, TX was hardest hit!
Way to pick those Convention sites GOP!
chilled - actually, that might prove to be a blessing for the Republicans. If Ron Paul's group shows up they don't want a lot of people or coverage there. A hurricane could be great for Mitts!
Obama/Biden 2012
My son is in Tampa right now. He says it's raining buckets.
Sailcat - oooooh cats and dogs would be much better! They could all fall on Mitts and Queen Annie!
Good point, Seeking. I'll ask him to change my order to cats and dogs.
Sailcat - seriously, tell him to be careful.
Ron Pauls group will be 'comfortable numb'....but like you say, it may be a real blessing for the Republicans, but Issacs' arrival may give the attendees more time to hide out in the strip clubs!
From what I've seen, Ron Paul will be addressing his supporters on Sunday. Then many of them will be going to various Tampa locations to gather courage to face the storms (brought on by the other GOP members.)
Isn't the GOP fun to watch ? 5% is made up of birthers and flat earth specialists. 25% is made up of Tea Party specialists. 40% of conservative evangelicals. 25% of libertarians who really can't stand the others. 15% made up of moderates who haven't figured out that their party left them in 1980. And 5% made up of the party leadership trying to wrangle all these long tailed cats in a room full of rocking chairs.
I know that's 115%, but as I said, the party left the moderates in 1980, they just haven't been smart enough to become Democrats yet.
Democrats=100% stupid
"Senior brass from the president's re-election team told reporters..."
Translation: "Axelrod handed us our marching orders, while we NBC reporters shined his shoes to a high gloss..."
"PERSUASION, REGISTRATION, TURN OUT: Those three words are the story the Obama campaign wants to have told right now."
Not to worry, First Read will post any number of words -no limit- to please Obama Chicago HQTRs...
FR is entering the final campaign mode..."rip and read " the Obama talking points, dont even bother to edit it to sound like real journalism ...go to the Obama campaign website, you will read the same talking points as First Read ...
Bob in Virginia - I believe those have been the word for all campaigns for decades. Why is that unusual????
Your cutting FR is sooooo childish. The fact that your candidate looks like a buffoon is on you and the Republican party. You got what you asked for - a total duffus!
Obama/Biden 2012
@Bob in Virginia-5210392
Since you spend a lot of time on this lefty liberal loon blog, and now you've checked out President Obamas website, admit it, you must like it!
Join the Big Inclusive Democratic Party Tent!
Even if i wasn't inclined towards fiscal conservatism, who in God's name would want to hang out with the likes of the posters on the page above? (except for Bob).
It's like a hundred cats thrown at a blackboard. Screeching like most humans have never seen, nor have they wanted to. A coven of dispossessed, or perhaps just disposed.
You are actually hoping a hurricane hits Tampa?? God help you all.
This place is worse than MMA....FOAD!
"Persuasion, registration, turn out" they have to because the Repubs. want disuasion, disenfranchise, no vote for those same people. We need to physically take granny to get a photo ID. We need to go into the projects with a bus and gather anyone interested in voting and put them on the bus where we take them down and help them get a state ID and we need to get the college kids to make sure they have IDs to and all use them to vote if needed. If they can't afford to pay for the ID we help them. We also gather them up on election day and make sure they get to the polls.
If they have to pay for the ID does it become a poll tax?
No. Got another question?
Da Noid - yes, as it would present a barrier to voting in accordance to the 24th Amendment and as previously adjudicated in Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections.
By definition it would be a required payment to vote, hence a "poll tax."
If you're too stupid and/or lazy to possess a valid picture ID you probably weren't planning on voting anyway.
averoni You age is showing....go out side and play in the street dear.
praysalot: Give me just ONE logical reason why voters shouldn't be asked for an ID before they place a vote
averon1 - because voter ID fraud isn't a problem. Even Fox News says so:
"After a five-year hunt for voter fraud, the Bush administration's Justice Department came up with little widespread fraud, finding mostly cases of people mistakenly filling out voter registration forms or voting when they didn't know they were ineligible, The New York Times reported in 2007. But none of the cases involved a person voting as someone else."
Source: foxnews.com/politics/2011/09/24/voter-id-laws-target-rarely-occurring-voter-fraud/#ixzz20ALAR3D2
(Also, consider checking out the Brennen study on voter fraud @ brennancenter.org/content/resource/policy_brief_on_the_truth_about_voter_fraud/ or even the recent Florida Newspaper article @ http ://www .nwfdailynews.com/articles/florida-42393-editorial-foundation.html )
So what is happening is that the voter ID requirement is costing states millions in taxpayer dollars to implement for no valid reason. That's not logical and a sincere waste of taxpayer dollars.
Second "logical reason" - if the states as part of their voter ID process inappropriately disenfranchise only a couple of voters, they will have negatively impacted the election process more than historical voter fraud. The states themselves would have essentially perpetrated election fraud through the use of what boils down to Jim Crow style laws.
Todd Akin will fade in a week.
Besides...Anthony Weiner, Bill Clinton, who actually was accused of rape by one woman who was brave enough to come forward, John Edwards, Al Franken, Jesse Jackson Sr, Bill Maher, David Letterman, all generals in their own personal wars on women.
The left has no high ground when it comes to women. Obama pays women less in spite of the Lily Ledbetter law. Simply because the left condones abortion on demand regardless of the situation does not make them the champion of women.
But I digress. Todd Akin is simply another distraction from the failure-in-chief.
First time unemployment claims "surprisingly" (there's a laugh) ticked up. I'm not sure why they were surprised. The Obama administration has been killing jobs since they took office. Actually, the Democrats started two years earlier.
It's the economy stupid.
Obama has no plan, no vision, no hope. We need a change.
Romney/Ryan 2012.
AMEN to that!
Cr....you are half right...it may fade but then the Next clown will do a repb smack down. LOL
Like a Bigger war on Woman, The elderly, the hungry, the education of our youth, the sick, the middle class, the poor...the list goes on & on & on.
BTW Mitt Witt Where are those Tax records. Scared you will be prov en a felon or a tax cheat or did not pay your fair share to your Church???We are still waiting! And will hound you to for ever!!
prasalot,,,,Yeh,,,who cares about those little things like 8.4% unemployment and over 2000 people MURDERED by obama/holder's guns. We have to see Romney's tax returns!!!!! Idiots!
preys,,,Smackdown?? You mean like the one the republicans gave the democrats in the record smackdown in 2010 whic will be exceeded by the complete a$$whoping republicans will give libtards in 2012?
So Team Obama is joking about a hurricane hitting Tampa? I think that says a lot about his campaign.
It called God's Will. What other Proof do ya need.?
It will be called Obama's Akin moment.
When the President of the US joked about a possible hurricane hitting a major American city, which happens to be in a swing state.
How's his team going to say they have been "taken out of context" now?
Reading posts from both sides convinces me that neither side has much high ground on which to stand. Sexual escapades happen on both sides of the aisle. Some are more egregious than others. Some are more laughable. (I'm sorry, but Weiner?, he needs to find another name) Some are actually rather chilling. But no one has a lot of room to dis the other side. Politicians, by their very nature, have huge egos. Then they acquire power and oops, there goes any modicum of restraint. Either that, or all men are damn fools and I really don't want to believe that.
It won't hurt to laugh at ourselves and our candidates just a little bit. Humor can take some of the edge off, which is probably a good thing given the level of anger in this campaign. No one is perfect, not even your candidate.
I do believe that Akin is different from those politicians who got caught with their pants down (literally) because what he said wasn't about fooling around. What he said, and implied, was that a woman couldn't get pregnant from being raped. He also used the term "legitimate rape" which in my mind suggests that a woman's assertion that she was raped is not taken seriously. Since my sister was killed by her rapist, I tend to take very deep offense to that kind of rhetoric.
Rape is a crime. All rape is a crime. All rape is wrong, evil, bad, etc. etc. There is NEVER a legitimate vs. illegitmate rape. Rape is rape. This is the reference to Hurricane Todd coming to the GOP convention. He has exposed the Republican bias against rape victims to the world. The bias is very much like the Taliban bias. It is the fault of the woman, it is the shame of the woman and it is the woman who must be punished. If this means forcing her to bear her rapist's child, so be it. I can't even find the words to express the revulsion I feel in the face of that attitude.
averon,
I know an 87 year old woman who has lost her eyesight and is confined to a wheelchair. She doesn't drive. She never goes anywhere alone. Her memory isn't what it used to be so she might have trouble finding her birth certificate. Asking her to find a ride to a location where she can verify her id and then go to still another place to get a picture id is imposing a significant hardship on her. Why would anyone expect an 87 year old woman to be guilty of voter fraud? Why would she go to that much trouble? She's not lazy or stupid. She's just old. Is that a crime?
To the Tea Party it is...
Well my grandma is in the same boat and she has never had a problem voting via absentee ballot. She also lives in a state that requires voter id.
You have to show your id befor an absentee ballot is counted. And its not a photo id, it a voter id! Student id cards with your picture and address clearly printed on it isnt good enough for you GOP dictaters. You always preaching about less government but sure dont have a problem with it forcing people to obtain their special gov id card in order to cast a ballot which is every americans god given right to participate in!
Mike Tarzai "Voter id laws which will allow gov romney to win the state of PA...DONE! "
Oh oops! He meant to say...which will clamp down on all these fraudulent voters! right!
Vote DEM! Its in your BEST interest!
If the democrats have their way,,,,ANY grandmother or person for that fact that is blind or old or illegal,or from mars or has a tail, or has been dead for 50 years will be able to vote also!!!! That is if they only vote democrat!
PTI,
@P-4252115
(so much for that sermon on helping the least amongst us and getting the money changers out of the temple). You could not have said it better. These republicans are certainly not in line with WWJD, not by a long shot. But I guess they think that swimming nude in the Sea of Galilee will resolve them of there
actionslies.I wonder,,,,,yeh, a bit too much we think! Too bad you just refuse to run on a faild pathalogical liar of a president's record and just want to spew all this hateful crap that does not effect the American people.
Swimming in the Sea of Galilee...just plain stupid! Doing what Anthony Weiner( improper sexual use of the internet), Barney Franks (Fannie & Freddie) and the grand one of all in New York, Charlie Rangel, hiding money overseas and tax evasion as well as tampering with votes in the recent primary for his seat. I'm not including the head of the Judicial Department, Holder, hiding behind Obama, so records will not be given to Congress and Obama's executive orders bypassing Congress and the Constitution! I_Wonder_Why, don't want to talk about Obama's record, eh! If I was an Obama supporter, I would be hiding where I can't be found especially if Obama wins and takes us on the deficit spending spree and robbing Medicare, and not explaining why ObamaCare is now projecting at 3X what he said it would cost!
Congratulation to the Democratic Party and the Obama Campaign team! You are the best in being able to totally misdirect addressing the serious issues confronting this nation; employing marketing firms and having the nation’s top TV networks spreading this misdirected BS and believing it. When you can promote/debate the issue of rape remarks made by a political candidate, carry on about Bain Capital and bring up some congressman swimming in the buff a year ago as the nation’s most important issues then have the media feed on it…….well that’s GOOD! It’s sad the Obama leadership and his failed administration don’t spend some of their campaign millions on hiring someone to show them the way to get the economy started, reduce our record debt, close our open borders, remove 7 million illegal aliens being employed in this nation, show them the harm by granting amnesty to illegals has on our legal citizens and get our troops out of harms way!
Wow you know we could say that God has spoken with all the storms, droughts, floods, tsunamis, etc.Maybe he is upset with the liar in chief.
The gall and bs that has come out of this administration is just astounding, worse is the puppets who follow him blindly & take his word for gospel.
This administration has no agenda to run on so just like 2008, we will throw the negative attacks in, who threw out the first statement about racism? Obama when he said "ooohhhh who's afraid of the black man"
The man is nothing but a phoney but they will get a permanent vacation come November, just watch.
You know...to use a natural disaster or some gun wielding idiot as a tool for political advancement is ABSOLUTELY distasteful and is completely inappropriate. And for the libs jumping on the bandwagon to support your "leader"...shameful.
Conservatives and Libertarians on this thread: The election of Romney is under control. Do not be distracted by the left. Obama one and done just like Carter yet worse. The important issue is the Senate! We must repeal Obamacare before 2014 when it fully kicks in. It will become an entitlement bigger than Medicare or SS.
THe Courts bent over backwards to allow it to stand so it must be repealed by Congress! Concentrate on the Senate Races; Ryan and Romney are the common sense choice-trust the electorate
Somebody is concerned that Obama was called "scumbag" on Fox! He may have been on Hannity or Five! But scumbag is tame compared to what Chris Mathews, Ed Schultz, Rachel, Maddow and Andrea Mitchell have said on the news or on their shows! I don't know how many tyimes have wished death on particular Republicans, or how many derogatory comments Maddow and Mathews have spewed out their mouths. I would guess the indivual that questioned the scumbag name calling watches these arrogant and brainless drones! You are probably too busy waving your pom-poms, blowing your whistle and dancing around yelling, that you don't hear all the vile words in describing conservatives! I'm sure it helped when the Obama Administration paid $500,000 for 100 ads on two MSNBC shows promoting their job corp stimulus. Funny, the ads had no positive impact! The ad was directed toward business owners. I guess they decided they didn't want to invest money Obama is going to suck from them with ObamaCare and all the regulations his labor department have and will invoke to make their businesses lee profitable. Obama just can't get ity in his brain that profits in a good economy provide more tax revenue to the federal government! Obama thinks that the federal government made businesses successful..he must also think businesses can run in the RED like the federal government! Almost truning over to $16 TRILLION, then we will be paying $500 billion in interest alone to the likes of China! I guess that's not even enough to pay China. Obama's Energy Department okayed a loan of $249,000 to A!@#, a failing battery manufacturer that China is buying! Well, if China pays back the loan they will probably apply it to all the interest we are paying!
When Bill Clinton left office, the government had a surplus, we were not at war, we had helped avert a genocide in Eastern Europe, the economy had just come out of the DotCom downturn and was thriving, yet, eight years later the country was trillions of dollars in debt, we were involved in two wars (one legitimate and one not) and Americans, who used to were together to get things done, were too busy scratching each others eyes out to accomplish anything. Four years lkater we are still suffering from the Bush legacy. The stock market is near an all-time high, the recovery is slow but steady and the debt has risen at a slower rate under Obama than it did under Bush. You conservatives have short memories and regressive visions of the future. The US is multi-cultured and although it still is mostly run by white rich men, the electorate is changing fast. The 50s are gone. It's time to have a vision for all Americans working together rather than a pitched-battle to divide and conquer perpetrated by the wealthy. By the way, I am an Independent, not a member of either party.
A couple of points
1. We all know that Sarah Palin is stupid and has done more to regress the cause of women like no other in modern history, Ryan is being touted as the bright boy of the republican party, and their ideological agendas are very very similar so what does that tell you about how bright the party actually is?
2. No-one is tackling a ticking time bomb called unemployment, why because for the past 12 years America has been selling its manufacturing base to the cheapest source, (usually China) amd mow we are paying the price for all those cheap overseas manufactured goods.
3. There is a definite need in the U.S. for a third party, a moderate party who will work not for their own agenda but for everyone, a party who is in touch with the reality of day to day living, a party who works for us who represents us as a nation, wow what a concept!
I'm an ol guy from Detroit, Mich. I voted for Mitt's Dad, George , for Governor twice. George was tough, honest, smart , and loved the middle-class working guy..and we Union blue-collar workers put him in office because we could resonate with his own struggles .Mitt has many of his dad's great qualities but is from a different mold; one of privilege and pampered grooming; a world of white men raised in a plutocratic society of wealth and power. He looked uncomfortably out-of -place trying to be "common" but tried very hard. I like Mitt, but he is in bad company- and his mannerism and body-language was one of a 'hostage' to a cause he really didn't believe in 100%..Sad ! This Texas Independent is voting for Obama, for the first time ! Better for Mitt to go back to Bain than to live with a bad conscience if elected. He is just too nice a guy to be today's kind of Republican ! SAD !