GOP strategists cannot like what they’re seeing

So this is what it looks like on Sept. 20, 2012, 47 days to the election that Newt Gingrich kept calling the most consequential since 1860:

In the presidential race, Mitt Romney remains neck and neck with Barack Obama in both the Rasmussen and Gallup tracking polls, with most of Obama’s post-convention bounce eroding. Other recent polls, however, show Obama building a significant lead. The latest Pew poll puts Obama up eight points; the latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll puts him up five.

But Romney’s real problems show up at the state level. In the swing states that he has to have — Ohio, Virginia, Florida — poll after poll shows his situation deteriorating significantly. At a point in the campaign where he has to be shrinking the margin, the margin is growing. Fox puts Romney down seven in Ohio, down five in Florida and down seven in Virginia.

Republican hopes to take the Senate, a goal the party once deemed a near certainty, seem to be collapsing as well. In state after state, the numbers are turning. Massachusetts, Florida, Virginia, Connecticut, Ohio, Wisconsin — in every crucial state in which fresh numbers are available, the tide is strongly Democratic. Last night in red Arizona, a new poll put Democrat Richard Carmona up by five over U.S. Rep. Jeff Flake, the first lead Carmona has enjoyed. Other polls will be needed to confirm that switch, but back in June, Rasmussen gave Flake a seemingly insurmountable 16-point lead.

“I’m not one for hyperbole,” Nate Silver of Fivethirtyeight tweeted last night. “But GOP Senate map is imploding. Chance of a takeover now just 21%.”

Most if not all of these numbers were generated before release of the video of Mitt Romney speaking a little too candidly to a roomful of donors. But GOP candidates all over the country are explicitly rejecting those remarks, running from them like Japanese villagers fleeing Godzilla. In Washington yesterday, Senate Republican leaders abandoned the microphones rather than take questions on the subject. (Rich Lowry, editor of the conservative National Review, has an admirably frank analysis of Romney’s distorted mindset at Politico.)

Even if you don’t put much credence in poll numbers, watch and listen to the Republican political professionals. If you don’t believe it, they do. Some are already in blame-shifting or recrimination mode, or trying to tamp down panic. Their internal polls are apparently telling them what the public polls are telling the rest of us. They also understand that if this turns out to be what it looks like — a broad and significant shift toward Democrats — Democratic control of the House, once considered little more than a far-fetched dream by party leaders, could — I stress could — become a possibility.

On the GOP side of the ledger, 47 days is a long time in politics, and Romney still has three debates against Obama in which to turn things around. He has a lot of money yet to spend, both in his own campaign coffers and through “independent” campaigns funded by wealthy conservatives. Outside events could also intervene. (However, his ham-handed approach to events in Egypt and Libya don’t inspire confidence in his ability to turn that to his advantage, should it occur.)

Finally, electoral waves that build too early have a way of cresting and receding by the time Election Day comes around. So it ain’t over, not for a while yet.

But something does seem to be going on out there.

– Jay Bookman

773 comments Add your comment

Junior Samples

September 20th, 2012
9:22 am

i don’t know that i would be too giddy about all of this polling; most of these outfits have an agenda and it’s usually not honorable;

Jose

September 20th, 2012
9:22 am

adam
i didn’t say they had to pay the mandate tax
****note that liberals are now calling obamacare a mandate tax!****

HEY ALL UNDEREMPLOYEDS…………. GREAT NEWS…………… we have no full time jobs for you……… but at least you dont have to pay a MANDATE TAX!

I'm a liberal and believe everything I read and nothing the other side comes up with...cause we're smart and they are not

September 20th, 2012
9:23 am

The events leading up to this Middle East melt down and Ambassador killing being covered up by the press is a sin. No 9/11 extra prep. President and his staff asleep at the wheel. Come to find out this Ambassador had a bad feeling feeling about an attack, and the guy was left virtually unguarded on 9/11 anniversary. Yuking it up with Letterman while snubbing the Leader of Israel. Arab Spring turned terrorist gone wild autumn…….The guy really is an amateur.

ByteMe - Got ilk?

September 20th, 2012
9:23 am

Debates may only move polls so much, but it may be enough

Early voting starts soon in some places. The problem is that Romney is taking on the stench of a loser, and debate performance may not be enough to change that in time. Same with the supposed millions of ad dollars still undeployed. There’s not a lot of ad time left to buy in the swing states (fun fact: the stations there have to charge the candidates a discounted rates, but jack up the price to the PACs 2x to 3x.), and by mid-October, the last person who isn’t sick of them will be sick of them.

hiram

September 20th, 2012
9:24 am

Georgia isn’t a factor in the 2012 elections, and arguing with honey boo boos about national politics is a complete waste of time. Everyone knows that Georgia’s votes won’t factor into the outcome.
For those not familiar with this guy, he is the best in the business:

Silver’s final 2008 presidential election forecast accurately predicted the winner of 49 of the 50 states as well as the District of Columbia. He also correctly predicted the winners of every U.S. Senate race. The accuracy of his predictions won him further acclaim, including abroad, and added to his reputation as a leading political prognosticator. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nate_Silver

Chance of Winning – Now-cast Sept. 19

Barack Obama – 94.4%

Mitt Romney – 5.6%

Number of Seats in Senate

Democrats – 52

Republicans – 48

Chance of Majority

Democrats – 79%

Republicans – 21%

http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/

Morality?

September 20th, 2012
9:24 am

Time to get the tax system out of the hands of the lawyers/ politicians and back in the control of the citizens that pay their salaries. Time to simplify the tax system and remove loop holes, exemptions and deductions. Time to go to a Flat Tax -thus neutering Congress of their power to reward and punish the tax payers based on who votes for or against them and based on who sends them the most “contributions” AKA payoffs and kickbacks. Time for the citizens in the “private sector” to take back America.

Ham handed?

September 20th, 2012
9:24 am

I don’t have much of a dog in the Elephant/Jackass sweepstakes (Liberarian), but I’d prefer Mitt Romney’s “ham handed” approach to Libya and Egypt certainly were better than the WH and State Department reaction to 9/11 terrorist attacks by apologizing for alleged religious insensitivities. Are the people in charge of those two places either too ignorant to understand that the attacks (particularly in Benghazi) were coordinated (including apparently breach of security on Libyan front) or are they so spineless as to think someone attacking us requires an apology from us? Incompetence or just plain wimps, take your choice (if you consider those appealing choices).
The GOP is running a weak candidate, given. The Democrats are running a sitting President who easily rates in the bottom 5 to 10 of all Presidents we’ve ever had. Sad, often with tragic consequences, as we’ve seen.

bman

September 20th, 2012
9:24 am

Byte me…we do.a toys for Tots fundraiser every year. It’s one thing where too much is never enough

Adam

September 20th, 2012
9:25 am

kayaker: I live in a nice townhouse. :D

I don’t think where I live is important enough to be discussed and then potentially later brought up as some sort of ad hom attack. Suffice it to say I’m a registered Republican, in the south, near a metro area but far enough away to be comfortable, and I work for big oil and have my own small business. This is all I care to divulge about me personally on this forum, plus or minus a few anecdotes I have told and will likely tell.

Erwin's cat

September 20th, 2012
9:25 am

Adam

September 20th, 2012
9:26 am

****note that liberals are now calling obamacare a mandate tax!****

Note that conservatives can’t call it unconstitutional.

OHHHH! BURRRNN!

UPHELD, BABY!

Granny Godzilla - Union Thugette

September 20th, 2012
9:26 am

RE Kayaker and bets

I lost a bet to him on the House in the 2010 cycle.

After repeated attempts on the blog to get his attention and find a way
to pay my debt to him (a steak dinner btw) I gave up chasing him.

Months later he called me a welcher and I had to go back through the old posts to link to my attempt to make good on our bet.

So….be careful…and be specific.

Keep Up the Good Fight!

September 20th, 2012
9:27 am

Letterman — the new birther poutrage.

Adam

September 20th, 2012
9:27 am

certainly were better than the WH and State Department reaction to 9/11 terrorist attacks by apologizing for alleged religious insensitivities

More proof that some people just can’t keep up. And it’s not helping me have a more positive view of libertarians….

Adam

September 20th, 2012
9:30 am

Granny: So….be careful…and be specific.

I have saved the link.

To be fair, I probably will NOT be spending much time on the Internet the day after the election… well maybe. I’ll be at work but I suspect that if I am cheerful there will be a lot of people who are NOT, so I will have to be more careful there lol.

Brosephus™

September 20th, 2012
9:30 am

Pats by 3

Crimson Tide by 23 ;)

I'm a liberal and believe everything I read and nothing the other side comes up with...cause we're smart and they are not

September 20th, 2012
9:30 am

But……………..He’s black…………He’s cool…………He’s far left…………He’s the smartest guy in the room..( no transcripts to back that up)……all while $4 gas……Lowest GDP in a long time….over 8% unemployment from day one ( really over 11% if you measure the work work when he took over) over 45 million on food stamps……Poverty level way up…….Real income down almost $5000 per year since he took over…..appeasement foreign policy crumbling daily…………………..And his only campaign battle cry is ” it was worse than we thought, I need more time”………Geez.

Morality?

September 20th, 2012
9:31 am

Obama will go down in history as hyper inflating the Fed debt warp speed. From $10 trillion to $16 + trillion in four short years. He is the leader of the the “Animal Farm”. Big Brother is watching.

ByteMe - Got ilk?

September 20th, 2012
9:32 am

It’s one thing where too much is never enough

Post a link to the blog when you do it this year. Some kids really do get nothing except that for Christmas.

Welcome to the Occupation

September 20th, 2012
9:33 am

Uh oh, I’m seeing football spreads in the spread. Can’t be a good sign for the cons.

Morality?

September 20th, 2012
9:34 am

Brain dead Zombies for Obama now staring in “Night of the Living Dead”. We all know that the dead vote democrat.

kayaker 71

September 20th, 2012
9:35 am

Granny, 9:26,

You didn’t have to chase me anywhere. I told you to buy your new grandson something that he would like. Remember? I don’t welch on bets…. ever.

ByteMe - Got ilk?

September 20th, 2012
9:35 am

Brain dead Zombies for Obama now staring in “Night of the Living Dead”. We all know that the dead vote democrat.

Eeeeeatttt braaaaaaaainss….. that’s why cons have none. Knew there was a logic reason.

ByteMe - Got ilk?

September 20th, 2012
9:36 am

logic => logical

Morality?

September 20th, 2012
9:37 am

Pelosi/Obama ticket is occupying D.C. and they are “evolving” this country toward their dream – a Socialist nation under Pelosi/Obama…… bow and face Mecca.

Welcome to the Occupation

September 20th, 2012
9:37 am

Hey Morality? When’s your first big American History chapter test? Shouldn’t you be studying? Come to think of it, shouldn’t you be in class?

Jose

September 20th, 2012
9:38 am

liberals always deflect when they show their ignorance

and they also never take responsibility

they are like jake elwood

Jake: Oh, please, don’t kill us. Please, please don’t kill us. You know I love you baby. I wouldn’t leave ya. It wasn’t my fault.
Mystery Woman: You miserable slug! You think you can talk your way out of this? You betrayed me.
Jake: No I didn’t. Honest… I ran out of gas! I–I had a flat tire! I didn’t have enough money for cab fare! My tux didn’t come back from the cleaners! An old friend came in from out of town! Someone stole my car! There was an earthquake! A terrible flood! Locusts! IT WASN’T MY FAULT, I SWEAR TO GOD!!!

USinUK - thug with a uterus ... and former Girl Scout

September 20th, 2012
9:38 am

Normal – 8:40 – sorry for the delay (blame it on the falafel) – the link is the article Jay links to above

bman

September 20th, 2012
9:39 am

Byteme .. .. There is no link. It’s sort of an in-house kinda thing.

Jay

September 20th, 2012
9:40 am

“Jake: No I didn’t. Honest… I ran out of gas! I–I had a flat tire! I didn’t have enough money for cab fare! My tux didn’t come back from the cleaners! An old friend came in from out of town! Someone stole my car! There was an earthquake! A terrible flood! Locusts! IT WASN’T MY FAULT, I SWEAR TO GOD!!!

I think he left out “It was the mainstream media! The pollsters! The voting fraud! The New Black Panthers!”

mm

September 20th, 2012
9:40 am

The cons are in denial today.

Keep Up the Good Fight!

September 20th, 2012
9:40 am

Oh no…. another empty chair lynched in TX. Looks like cons across the nation are losing it which tracks what they are posting on this blog. I can’t imagine what is going on over at Kyle’s. :lol:

Normal Free...Pro Human Rights Thug...And liking it!

September 20th, 2012
9:41 am

I’m a liberal and believe everything I read and nothing the other side comes up with…cause we’re smart and they are not

September 20th, 2012
9:30 am

Please explain to me how that is all president Obama’s fault and what he can do about it without the help of Congress and Big Business?

EJ Moosa

September 20th, 2012
9:41 am

Democrats can not like what they are seeing from the economy. Unemployment claims continue rising.

The Philly Fed is reporting that 20 states have negative outlooks for the next six months, suggestion a recession is on the way.

Major corporations are laying off tens of thousands by year end.

Georgia unemployment NOT improving.

And Democratic leaderships is not even discussing these issues.

Perhaps the media can focus on polls for another 2 weeks. But then we will have the September jobs report. The conversation will change.

USinUK - thug with a uterus ... and former Girl Scout

September 20th, 2012
9:42 am

Jay – 9:40

oooooooo … well played, sir!

EJ Moosa

September 20th, 2012
9:42 am

Jose

September 20th, 2012
9:43 am

jay

conservatives just IGNORE that there was a problem…………. such as not acknowledging that they built defecits during BUSH…….. they dont even make excuses

that is why the have $16 trillion in DEBT

you can defend ONE party but its the FAULT of TWO parties
one that makes excuses
and one that won’t admit mistakes

Jm

September 20th, 2012
9:43 am

I think there are no good answers to the healthcare problem as of now

Which stinks. We sure could use a solution

And obamacare isn’t one

Granny Godzilla - Union Thugette

September 20th, 2012
9:44 am

K 71

Yes you did do that ….

After I proved that I had sought to pay you.

You’ll note I did not accuse YOU of welching.

Adam

September 20th, 2012
9:46 am

He’s the smartest guy in the room..( no transcripts to back that up)

Good grades != smart

Just fyi.

Normal Free...Pro Human Rights Thug...And liking it!

September 20th, 2012
9:47 am

USinUK – thug with a uterus … and former Girl Scout

September 20th, 2012
9:38 am

OK, thanks…read that one…I thought you had another, d’uh. I guess that’s what I get to have to get up at 0415 every morning…One of the Working Poor, I am :)

Adam

September 20th, 2012
9:47 am

I think he left out “It was the mainstream media! The pollsters! The voting fraud! The New Black Panthers!”

GOP after election day: “THEY SAMPLED TOO MANY DEMOCRATS!”

curious

September 20th, 2012
9:48 am

Romney:

I paid a lot of taxes.. (no returns to back that up).

Goldie

September 20th, 2012
9:48 am

It ain’t over yet — but it’s great that the momentum is on the Dems’ side so far!

:)

Mary Elizabeth

September 20th, 2012
9:49 am

From the Politico article, linked above: “Fear of the creation of a class of ‘takers’ can slide into disdain for people who are too poor — or have too many kids or are too old — to pay their damn taxes.”
——————————————————————-

It is true America has produced a class of “takers,” but they fall at the top of the income bracket, not at the bottom. Using government to enhance one’s personal wealth is not ethical but it is done without shame, and allowing CEOs of corporations out-of-proportion millions of dollars in income while their lowly employees make only $12.70 an hour, on which to raise a family, is grossly inequitable, but it is done without care. The financial framework of America has been skewed to benefit those at the top, who ironically feel that THEY are the real victims. (See the Paul Krugman article, in the link below.)

Furthermore, if so-called “entitlements,” such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, are so unsustainable to our nation’s financial well-being, why was this nation doing so well financially, only a little over a decade ago, during Bill Clinton’s administration? Answer: Republican ideologues deliberately ran up the deficit in the 2000s in order to create a situation which would force a cut to these “government” programs, which they have furiously abhorred for decades, as the intense passion in Romney’s voice confirmed, when he spoke so disparagingly of “those people,” who benefit from those programs. He, and his ilk, wish to cut these programs out as much as possible so that millionaires and billionaires can pay fewer taxes because, afterall, they are are the real “victims” of these programs.

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/19/nation-of-takers/?smid=fb-share

Adam

September 20th, 2012
9:49 am

Unemployment claims continue rising.

If you call an overall steady slow downward trend over the past year a “continued rising” maybe….

Joe Hussein Mama

September 20th, 2012
9:50 am

Adam — “GOP after election day: “THEY SAMPLED TOO MANY DEMOCRATS!”

LAWL :D

Elwood

September 20th, 2012
9:50 am

Illinois Nazis.

atler8

September 20th, 2012
9:51 am

kristie,
I just came to this blog & saw your early on comment only a moment ago.
I challenge you to go to a nomnpartisan fact checking site and look up the gasoline price range that occurred under President Bush. You will find that it was at $1.46 per gallon when he was inaugurated & that it had risen to $4.15 per gallon by June 0f 2008.
After that point it collapsed into the basement as the nation fell deeply into economic distress & demand fell sharply.
So in citing & criticizing gas prices under President Obama, you have covered only part of the facts. Was the gas price rise under Bush of no consequence to you or anyone else just because you supported Bush? If so, then why do you criticize President Obama for the rise since he took office?
Corresponding with the rise in gas prices, you might look at how the stock market has risen by 70% since Obama took office.
2. You talked about the entitlements & “victims” in your post and said that Romney was right. Well, I am offended because you and Governor Romney have just lumped my now-deceased mother into that “victim” & entitlement group.
Let me tell you something kristie: My mother was not a victim but rather a simple woman with simple tastes & a very modest income consisting of her social security check, from a system which she paid into all of her working life, as well as small interest income from her tiny but conservatively held investments.
Do you begrudge her those social security checks as well as the checks that go to the high percentage of senior citizens who have incomes low enough that they do not meet the threshold set by tax law for paying federal income tax?
Do you also begrudge retired and or disabled veterans who receive pensions or medical benefits?
Are they part of the so-called “victims” entitlement class described by both you and Governor Romney?
Kristie, both you and the governor should be more careful about who it is that you slam as “victims”!

EJ Moosa

September 20th, 2012
9:51 am

Adam, you better recheck your definitions…

Goldie

September 20th, 2012
9:52 am

I think also what’s going on is that Americans are seeing how the Con-controlled House members are sitting on their hands and jobs bills are getting voted down, all because they do not want to see Our President get any credit for moving America forward! The House will pay the price for doing nothing whatsoever re: the economy!

:)

THE PENGUIN

September 20th, 2012
9:52 am

ILLINOIS SOCIALISTS

EJ Moosa

September 20th, 2012
9:53 am

Doggone/GA

September 20th, 2012
9:54 am

“The House will pay the price for doing nothing whatsoever re: the economy”

Actually, it was the Senate that stopped that jobs bill for Veterans, not the House

Goldie

September 20th, 2012
9:55 am

Obamacare is only the first step forward in getting our healthcare costs under control — lots still to be done and improvements to be made, but we are moving FORWARD!

:)

ByteMe - Got ilk?

September 20th, 2012
9:55 am

The House will pay the price for doing nothing whatsoever re: the economy!

No, they won’t. Too much gerrymandering has created too many “safe” one-Party districts.

Butch Cassidy (I)

September 20th, 2012
9:55 am

You know things are bad when Bill O’Reilly tells Dick Morris to “button it”. Then, when given a chance to rebut O’Reillys remarks about Mitt Romney, Morris looked like he was going to cry. :)

Welcome to the Occupation

September 20th, 2012
9:56 am

Jm: “I think there are no good answers to the healthcare problem as of now”

Absurd statement.

Everybody knows single-payer is the one and only solution – even its enemies.

ByteMe - Got ilk?

September 20th, 2012
9:57 am

Everybody knows single-payer is the one and only solution – even its enemies.

And big business would get behind this, just because it’ll take that hassle off their hands. The only ones who would freak would be the marginal health insurance firms. The bigs ones would still figure out a way to get a piece of the pie.

EJ Moosa

September 20th, 2012
9:57 am

“Everybody knows single-payer is the one and only solution – even its enemies.”

Think again….

USinUK - thug with a uterus ... and former Girl Scout

September 20th, 2012
9:57 am

“If you call an overall steady slow downward trend over the past year a “continued rising” maybe….”

up is the new down, donchaknow

Butch Cassidy (I)

September 20th, 2012
9:58 am

If Obama does win the election and the Dems take the majority in the house,, can I ask that the statment “I guess you forgot about the 2010 elections” be eliminated forever?

Brosephus™

September 20th, 2012
9:58 am

Off topic, but I gotta bring this up…

Yesterday, much was made about the missing 2 minutes of Romney’s tape. At the same time, we’ve heard all about the “redistribution” tape of Obama. How many of the same people who were debating on the missing 2 minutes of Romney’s tape and complaining about selective editing of video have said the same thing about the redistribution tape?

http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/19/13971913-in-rest-of-98-clip-obama-speaks-of-competition-and-the-marketplace?lite

Mitt Romney’s campaign this week has pounced on a 14-year-old clip of Obama speaking about “redistribution” in October 1998 at a conference in Chicago, in which the future president seems to extol the virtues of redistributing wealth.

Yet NBC News has obtained the entirety of the relevant remarks, which includes additional comments by Obama that weren’t included in the video circulated by Republicans. That omission features additional words of praise for “competition” and the “marketplace” by the then-state senator.

I guess it’s selective outrage in selective editing of selective videos.

USinUK - thug with a uterus ... and former Girl Scout

September 20th, 2012
9:58 am

I just want to know when Mittens’ 47% speech is going to get this treatment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUDjRZ30SNo

ByteMe - Got ilk?

September 20th, 2012
9:58 am

can I ask that the statment “I guess you forgot about the 2010 elections” be eliminated forever?

Nevah fergit!!

curious

September 20th, 2012
9:59 am

Single payer; The only rational solution, but the Insurance industry and lobby are 100% opposed because they see their golden goose having its head chopped off.

Adam

September 20th, 2012
9:59 am

USinUK - thug with a uterus ... and former Girl Scout

September 20th, 2012
10:00 am

“can I ask that the statment “I guess you forgot about the 2010 elections” be eliminated forever?”

I second that emotion

Adam

September 20th, 2012
10:01 am

EJ Moosa: You’re right, that visual WAS helpful. And it showed my statement as accurate. Despite the point at which you decided to put your arrow.

EJ Moosa

September 20th, 2012
10:02 am

Adam, be serious.

Every week the previous week gets revised up so this week can be reported down.

“Because the ever data-massaging BLS was kind enough to revise last week’s print upward (for the 86th week in a row) from 382K to 385K”

Jack

September 20th, 2012
10:03 am

Seems Obama’s snake oil is having its desired effect on a number of people. But the effect won’t carry into the voting booth unless there are a lot more gullible people than I ever imagined.

Keep Up the Good Fight!

September 20th, 2012
10:03 am

Oh no, 12 year old outsmarts many of the conservatives:

Dear Governor Romney,
I’d like to say congratulations on winning the republican nomination. But, I wish you stayed in Massachusetts. You’re plan for America isn’t what we need, and would hurt us more than it would help.

First, repealing Obama care and other health plans he’s put in place have helped families across America, including mine. I live in a middle class family, and two years ago my little sister; Kennedy was denied insurance because of her pre-existing condition. This was a huge emotional stress and financial burden on my entire family. Under Obama Care, insurance companies can no longer deny Kennedy and kids like her, the coverage they need and deserve. Because of Obama care my little sister was able to have the several surgeries she needed that helped save her life. Once the President was elected he put Obama Care into action, just like he promised and made it so that you could get insurance with pre-existing conditions. This has made a direct impact on my family. My family is with out a doubt better off now, than we were four years ago!

It is to my understanding that you stated that you were going to repeal Obama Care, including the part I have mentioned, which will take away the insurance we have and need for my sister Kennedy. Why do you think she doesn’t deserve health care? Also, when you were interviewed on “Meet the Press”, you stated that you would NOT repeal this part of Obama Care, but then your campaign backpedalled and on the “Tonight show with Jay Leno”, you said that you WOULD repeal this.

Also, you’re domestic plans (birth control, gay rights etc.) are horrible! Women should get to manage their own health, and if you wonder why you’re not appealing to many women voters, rethink your birth control and women’s’ rights plans. And people should be able to marry whom they want. We built this country so people could have freedom, and not have religious beliefs control them to that length. This country was in no way built on any religion, so we should not create laws that repress the American people in a religious way and hurt our most vulnerable.

Sincerely,
Jackson Ripley, age 12

And he did it without the childish insults used by many of the anti-Obama posters here.

EJ Moosa

September 20th, 2012
10:05 am

Adam, your statement is not accurate. It’s wrong. A general rise in weekly claims from the 350s to the 380’s is not going down.

And I did not make the chart nor supply the arrow…

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/initial-claims-print-so-bad-it-actually-good-market-sees-it-bad

EVE

September 20th, 2012
10:05 am

SINGLE PAYER……………..
Canada, Australia, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom have single-payer health insurance programs.

and because of it they LEAD THE WORLD in economic opportunity

joe

September 20th, 2012
10:07 am

Americans cannot like what they are seeing…out of Barry the magnificent. Watch the news over the next few days…Pakistan is next on the block. Pray for our ambassador and staff. Obama won’t do anything…he is truly the most pathetic president we’ve ever had and it amazes me blind liberals like bookman will say/write anything to pump up this idiot. You all are pathetic!

Goldie

September 20th, 2012
10:08 am

“Single payer” — I agree, curious — we’ll always have an expensive system as long as the insurance companies continue to reap their profit$ on the backs of Americans’ healthcare!

Butch Cassidy (I)

September 20th, 2012
10:08 am

joe – “You all are pathetic!”

Don’t worry Joe, you guys will have another shot in 2016.

lefty_316

September 20th, 2012
10:10 am

It’s no suprise that Obama is winning, and will win this November, in Virginia and Ohio. Those are the states, along with Texas, that have enacted the harshest restrictions on women’s right of choice in the nation. Women are incredibly angry, and rightly so, over this senselesst government intervention into their personal lives. They are going to take it out on the entire GOP this November, and Romney will be an incidental victim of their wrath.

The democratic party has traditionally been the party affiliated with radicals. That was certainly the case in the 60s – the Weathermen, Students for a Democratic Society, the rest of the New Left. But now it is the GOP that is the party of radicals – hostility to science, birth control, comprehensive sex education, intelligence, etc. And that is NOT conservatism.

USinUK - thug with a uterus ... and former Girl Scout

September 20th, 2012
10:11 am

EJ – weekly numbers are volatile – not to mention, don’t include the number of people who actually GET new jobs

that’s why you follow the net employment numbers at the beginning of the month, not the weekly.

ByteMe - Got ilk?

September 20th, 2012
10:11 am

Don’t worry Joe, you guys will have another shot in 2016

Not if they don’t fix their TP problem.

The Leg Lamp is a "Major Award".....

September 20th, 2012
10:12 am

I’ve been hit and miss this year as I’ve had the unique experience of doing some mission/charitable work in the US and overseas. This will be my last day here for at least 4 weeks so I thought I’d look one more time at the political news between two contrasting organizations, CNN and Fox News. Below is the list of political links listed on each website:

FOX NEWS:
Romney Vows to Repeal ObamaCare
Jobless Claims Fall to 382,000
FOX NEWS POLL: Obama Leads in 3 Battleground States
Pawlenty Resigns From Romney Campaign Role to Lobby
Romney: I’m for ‘the 100 Percent’

CNN NEWS:
Focus on Florida as campaign rolls on
Opinion: Romney, we pay plenty
Romney is asked: You’re not Latino?
47% remark: Mistake or truth?
Poll: Voters react to Romney tapes
Opinion: Real conservatives apologize
Ticker: Comedian doesn’t ‘hate’ Romney
Old Obama video featured in GOP ad

Fox is often disparaged by the left but I ask, which list of “news” seems to be more objective, Fox or CNN?

Among other things, Fox mentions the jobless claims falling and that Obama leads in 3 battleground states.

CNN is pretty much limited to hits on Romney.

I believe Fox is more “fair and balanced” but of course others may disagree.

I will try and stay informed on the political front as best I can but will certainly be back in time to vote. Hope all of you have a great 4 weeks.

USinUK - thug with a uterus ... and former Girl Scout

September 20th, 2012
10:12 am

“Obama won’t do anything”

I’ll play … what exactly is he supposed to do??

getalife

September 20th, 2012
10:17 am

Our President can’t change congress and their agenda to make him a one termer.

Our President can’t change the gop.

The gop senators are all on the senate floor attacking our President.

A disgusting and desperate gop.

ByteMe - Got ilk?

September 20th, 2012
10:17 am

I’ll play … what exactly is he supposed to do??

Pass an anti-women “jobs bill”, like the House keeps doing?

Regnad Kcin

September 20th, 2012
10:18 am

” a Socialist nation under Pelosi/Obama…… bow and face Mecca.”

Apparently cons think socialists are Moslem? What the?

DannyX

September 20th, 2012
10:18 am

A Gallup poll out today on voter enthusiasm could be the worst news of the week for Republicans. Democratic voter enthusiasm is up 19 points from June, is now at 68% and now exceeds that of Republicans.

Democrats smell meat, as in Meat Romney.

Pass the Cheesy Grits Please

September 20th, 2012
10:19 am

Americans cannot like what they are seeing…out of Barry the magnificent. Watch the news over the next few days…Pakistan is next on the block. Pray for our ambassador and staff. Obama won’t do anything…he is truly the most pathetic president we’ve ever had and it amazes me blind liberals like bookman will say/write anything to pump up this idiot. You all are pathetic!

This is what we are up against. This is why we are winning.

USinUK - thug with a uterus ... and former Girl Scout

September 20th, 2012
10:19 am

Byte – well, that’ll appease al quaeda!

Jose

September 20th, 2012
10:20 am

those crazy Germans……… engineering a better system than either DEMS or REPS can come up with

Healthcare in GermanyFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Germany has a universal multi-payer health care system with two main types of health insurance: “Law-enforced health insurance” (Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung) known as sickness funds and “Private” (Private Krankenversicherung).[1][2][3]

Compulsory insurance applies to those below a set income level and is provided through private non-profit “sickness funds” at common rates for all members, and is paid for with joint employer-employee contributions. Provider compensation rates are negotiated in complex corporatist social bargaining among specified autonomously organized interest groups (e.g. physicians’ associations) at the level of federal states (Länder). The sickness funds are mandated to provide a wide range of coverages and cannot refuse membership or otherwise discriminate on an actuarial basis. Small numbers of persons are covered by tax-funded government employee insurance or social welfare insurance. Persons with incomes above the prescribed compulsory insurance level may opt into the sickness fund system, which a majority do, or purchase private insurance. Private supplementary insurance to the sickness funds of various sorts is available.

In 2005, Germany spent 10.7% of GDP on health care, or US$3,628 per capita. According to the World Health Organization, Germany’s health care system was 77% government-funded and 23% privately funded as of 2004[4]. In 2004 Germany ranked thirtieth in the world in life expectancy (78 years for men). It had a very low infant mortality rate (4.7 per 1,000 live births), and it was tied for eighth place in the number of practicing physicians, at per 1,000 people (3.3). In 2001 total spending on health amounted to 10.8 percent of gross domestic product

Lord Help Us

September 20th, 2012
10:21 am

‘what exactly is he supposed to do??’

Lower taxes…and raise defense spending.

USinUK - thug with a uterus ... and former Girl Scout

September 20th, 2012
10:21 am

Pass the Cheesy Grits … is that you, Bosch???

They BOTH suck

September 20th, 2012
10:22 am

Kyle

9/20/2008: Obama up 2.4

9/20/2012: Obama up 3.3

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/obama_vs_romney_compared_to_obama_vs_mccain.html

Long way to go, but doesn’t look good if all else stays even. Of course we have the debates which could prove to be a game changer.

Pass the Cheesy Grits Please

September 20th, 2012
10:22 am

Apparently cons think socialists are Moslem? What the?

LOL. Its just one of the things they parrot over and over.

For instance 37 percent of Republican Voters in Ohio dont think Obama was born in the US.

Again this is what we are up against. This is why we are winning.

When part of your argument against the other guy is based on lies.

Kenyan..Muslim…Birther..etc etc

Your already behind the 8 ball.

Adam

September 20th, 2012
10:23 am

EJ Moosa: A general rise in weekly claims from the 350s to the 380’s is not going down.

Your statement is correct here, and so is mine when I added the qualifier over the past year which I did on my very first statement on the subject

Pass the Cheesy Grits Please

September 20th, 2012
10:24 am

Pass the Cheesy Grits … is that you, Bosch???

No

They BOTH suck

September 20th, 2012
10:24 am

My last post was supposed to be for Wingfield’s blog, however it is still some interesting data for all to marinate on.

ByteMe - Got ilk?

September 20th, 2012
10:25 am

Byte – well, that’ll appease al quaeda!

You mean AQ in Kansas?

getalife

September 20th, 2012
10:25 am

Now romney says is for the 100 %.

The IG is reporting to congress in case you are interested in the facts of fast and furious.

The gop still refuse to work with our President and still lie about redistribution with the help of corporate media.

Lord Help Us

September 20th, 2012
10:27 am

‘GOP strategists cannot like what they’re seeing’

Except for the ones who could benefit from a Christy or Jeb Bush run in 2016…

DannyX

September 20th, 2012
10:28 am

“Your already behind the 8 ball.”

I think that will be Meat Romney’s next move, he needs to trade in his Etch-a-Sketch for a Magic 8 Ball. The Magic 8 Ball will give him much better advise than what he has been getting.