Want more from Romney, Obama? Vote with your remote
The presidential race begins in earnest over the next two weeks with the nominating conventions, and we’ll get under way with the start of the GOP gathering Monday night. Unless you don’t have cable, in which case you’re stuck with “Hawaii Five-O.”
That’s right: CBS plans to air a rerun of a remake rather than a primetime speech by Mitt Romney’s wife Ann. ABC is going with “Bachelor Pad” rather than remarks by tea-party favorite Rand Paul of Kentucky.
When you hear the GOP is just a bunch of old, white males, recall that NBC offered you “Stars Earn Stripes” instead of Alabama Democrat-turned-Republican Artur Davis; Senate nominee Ted Cruz of Texas; the Indian-American governor of South Carolina, Nikki Haley; Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington; and Lucé Vela Fortuño, wife of Puerto Rico’s governor.
Hey, at least it’s a new episode.
This election is a critical inflection point for our country. Why would the networks bail on any of the nights? (At least the cable news channels are sticking with the news; the networks will air a single hour of convention coverage the other three nights.)
Maybe it’s because the airwaves are already thick with negative campaign spots. Peggy Noonan, in the Wall Street Journal, had the line of the campaign so far, about what folks are doing while they tune out the vitriol: “That sound you hear after the Obama attack ad is not cheers, it’s toilets flushing.”
Yet, Noonan counts herself as one who thinks voters would like to hear more from the candidates, if they talk about themselves and their plans. So do I. The conventions are one such opportunity.
Maybe the conventions are less than must-see TV because they are so stage-managed, so — ironically — made-for-TV.
It wasn’t always thus. At the 1880 GOP convention, James Garfield arrived in Chicago to nominate fellow Ohioan John Sherman and left town, 36 ballots later, as the party’s reluctant nominee. Imagine if there were even a slim possibility Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who was scheduled to introduce Romney on Thursday night, could, as Garfield did, wind up atop the ticket. (Note: As of Friday afternoon, Tropical Storm Isaac was forcing the GOP to consider pre-emptive changes to its convention schedule to minimize any disruption.)
In 1912, William Howard Taft fought off a hostile takeover bid by his fellow Republican and predecessor in the White House, Theodore Roosevelt. As late as 1964, moderate Republicans thought TV coverage of their proceedings would spark a backlash against presumptive nominee Barry Goldwater and produce a different standard bearer (they were wrong).
Either way, we know this year’s conventions won’t be the last we hear from Mitt Romney or Barack Obama. Amazingly, this was not always the case, either.
In her account of Garfield’s rise to the White House and eventual assassination, “Destiny of the Republic,” Candice Millard describes what the 1880 campaign was like for the Republican nominee:
“Although [Garfield] argued that he should ‘take the stump and bear a fighting share in the campaign,’ traveling from town to town and asking for votes was considered undignified for a presidential candidate. Abraham Lincoln had not given a single speech on his own behalf during either of his campaigns, and Rutherford B. Hayes advised Garfield to do the same. ‘Sit crosslegged,’ he said, ‘and look wise.’ “p. 59
Fat chance Romney or Obama would take Hayes’ advice today.
Nor should they. We need to hear more from them. If you agree, then, during these conventions, vote with your remote.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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460 comments Add your comment
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
August 26th, 2012
6:57 am
think?
splavistic: Major oops!
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
August 26th, 2012
7:15 am
I don’t know, marko. Obozo blew $800 billion on his “stimulus”, and unemployment went…UP! Federal spending went from it’s long-run average of 20% of GDP to and unprecedented 25% and unemployment went…UP! More Americans than ever before are on the dole, so those programs are spending more money than ever before, and unemployment went…UP!
Whatever you call Obozo’s approach, it has failed miserably.
I suppose one could blame his hatred for business, private property, and capitalism. And one could blame his love of regulations. And one could blame his economy-wrecking fascist power grab known as Obozocare.
The recession ended more than three years ago. Where are the jobs? Where is the economic growth?
The bottom line is that the Obozo regime has been a disaster.
skydog
August 26th, 2012
7:18 am
I have one question fro Bruno.
How many of the artist(Hollywood crowd) that you link concur with your right wing views?
Do you realize how different your views are from Jerry Garcia? Jerry and most of the other artist can`t sue you for publishing their works because you are not charging a fee, but you can bet they would not want their music associated with your views or your crowd.
It is a free country and you can link what you want, but don`t think that just being able to link to a cool music video let`s you in the cool club.
I would think you would want to link to artist who share the same philosophies. You know Slim Whitman, David Allen Coe, Hank Jr.,Lee Greenwood, etc.
marko
August 26th, 2012
7:21 am
I’d rather vote for a Mormon than a moron. Who say’s you have to choose? In Mitt you get two for the price of one.
When he was elected governor of the Great state of Massachusetts, he had a 61% approval rating When he left , it was 37%. Why isn’t this relevant?
skydog
August 26th, 2012
7:28 am
Lil Barry,
You do realize a blog is the ONLY place you can spout sooooo much BS.
You cound not keep up your continuous dribble at work. They would fire you.
You can not keep up your dribble at home. They would (or have) leave you.
You could never talk your trash in a bar. They would knock you of the stool.
This media is IT for you.
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
August 26th, 2012
7:29 am
Why isn’t this relevant?
—————-
It’s a lot less relevant than actual accomplishments. Like four years worth of 8-10% unemployment, $1.5 trillion deficits every year, and record numbers of Americans on the dole.
Now THAT is a record to be proud of.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
August 26th, 2012
7:36 am
“When he was elected governor of the Great state of Massachusetts, he had a 61% approval rating When he left , it was 37%. Why isn’t this relevant?”
Because he’s not running for governor of Massachusetts. And because what he did to streamline government didn’t sit well with a state populated with liberals.
marko
August 26th, 2012
7:39 am
Lil’Larry, thank You for your civil tone. For the the record, I’ve never nominated Obama for the Nobel prize for economics. Nonetheless, I think the international banking crowd loves it when we sit back and blame Bush or Obama for their global cluster you know what. Their singing happy days are here again, as millions suffer from their criminal incompetence.
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
August 26th, 2012
7:55 am
marko, I appreciated your earlier comment about politicians forgetting the other half of Keynesian economics…what’s supposed to happen when the economy is doing well. The politicians just use that time to ratchet spending UP when it should be decreased.
marko
August 26th, 2012
8:04 am
I don’t see why so many people ignore the the fact that international banks have essentially become little more than casinos that privatize gains while socializing loses.
Speaking of casinos, Sheldon Adelson, the man who would be king maker, seems to acquire most his substantial income from his Chinese casinos. An international casino owner spends tens of millions of dollars to influence the outcome of American elections. Somehow I don’t think that’s what George ,Thomas and Alexander had in mind.
marko
August 26th, 2012
8:07 am
I’m going MIA for awhile. I’ll see where this things headed later.
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
August 26th, 2012
8:46 am
Banks don’t get to socialize losses without the assistance of the government. In a more sane world, a business that acts stupidly would disappear rather than get bailed out.
@@
August 26th, 2012
8:47 am
AmVet:
I haven’t surrendered anything.
I’m not even familiar with the story you’re so obsessed with. But since you’re pushing “the issue”:
David Adams, campaign manager for Paul, said Hightower resigned because of Internet postings.
In a statement, Adams said, “Today, the Rand Paul campaign became aware of some disturbing images on a social network site attributed to a campaign staffer.
“The images were not placed there by this employee but by someone posting on the site. These images in no way represent Dr. Paul or his campaign nor do they represent the beliefs of this staff member. These images are reprehensible and have no place in civil discourse.
“Paul, in a statement, said, “I have never heard a single utterance of racism from this staffer nor do I believe him to have any racist tendencies. However, it is impossible to present the ideas and reforms we need in this country with this controversy present. Therefore I have accepted his resignation.
“Recently, Hightower got into a controversy by making light of a video that portrayed Grayson as Hitler.
The Courier-Journal reported Thursday that Hightower resigned a few hours after he told one of its reporters that he had never been a member of myspace.com and that the words on the site were not his.
http://www.kentucky.com/2009/12/18/1064489/rand-paul-spokesman-resigns-over.html#storylink=cpy
@@
August 26th, 2012
8:51 am
AmVet:
And as long as accounts like these abound, I see anything as possible.
Oh, and by the by…CPUSA (Communist Party USA) are, once again, supporting Obama. They said it’s essential that he be re-elected.
What’s that about?
schnirt
Streetracer
August 26th, 2012
9:38 am
Kinda late to this, and haven’t read all comments. What I would really like to see is an explanation from Obama as to why the bio he supplied to his literary agent claimed he was born in Kenya from 1991 to 2007. Was he using that claim to gain some kind of advantage?
skydog
August 26th, 2012
9:39 am
Guess who the local KKK endorses?
One clue. He ain`t black.
http://knightriderskkkk.org
SBinF
August 26th, 2012
9:40 am
“When you hear the GOP is just a bunch of old, white males, recall that NBC offered you “Stars Earn Stripes” instead of Alabama Democrat-turned-Republican Artur Davis; Senate nominee Ted Cruz of Texas; the Indian-American governor of South Carolina, Nikki Haley; Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington; and Lucé Vela Fortuño, wife of Puerto Rico’s governor.”
————————————-
“My anecdotes trump the statistical reality of the GOP”
lol….
The ALL Mittens channel
August 26th, 2012
9:57 am
When will Mitt become a man like his father. Answer NEVER.
What are you hiding Mitt?
The ALL Mittens channel
August 26th, 2012
10:07 am
Kyle
I thought you had standards for the discourse here.
I guess not, if they agree with your views.
JamVet
August 26th, 2012
10:14 am
Still covering up for the documented racist, huh?
Why am I not surprised?
Too funny.
Speaking of @@’s Lily White Party racists…
Vote for the candidate of your choise in the primaries, but when a Republican nominee is appointed for the general election, we must support him with our votes in order to turn this country from impending disaster.
Let’s show the media their manipulative attempts are as failed as Obama’s Presidency. Vote Republican in 2012! ~Jeff Jones, Imperial Wizard
MarkV
August 26th, 2012
10:28 am
Streetracer @ 9:38 am
Would a little checking hurt that much?
Miriam Goderich edited the text of the bio; she is now a partner at the Dystel & Goderich agency, which lists Obama as one of its current clients.
“This was nothing more than a fact checking error by me–an agency assistant at the time,” Goderich wrote in an emailed statement to Yahoo News. “There was never any information given to us by Obama in any of his correspondence or other communications suggesting in any way that he was born in Kenya and not Hawaii. I hope you can communicate to your readers that this was a simple mistake and nothing more.”
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/OTUS/born-kenya-obamas-literary-agent-misidentified-birthplace-1991/story?id=16372566
The ALL Mittens channel
August 26th, 2012
10:32 am
And why would where he was born matter. His mother was a US citizen.
md
August 26th, 2012
10:47 am
” I like Keynesian economics because it makes sense to me. When the economy contracts, we can choose soup lines, or we can use the occasion as an opportunity to get serious about the sad state of our aging infrastructure.”
And here’s the problem with that line of thought……if it doesn’t work the only thing that increased is the debt.
It’s a gamble, pure and simple. Japan has been trying it for 2 decades…..their debt to gdp ratio? 200%……that takes an awful big recovery just to get out of debt……which is compounded by the ever increasing service on the debt load.
It’s not necessarily the debt that does these countries in, it’s the service on that debt that is the killer.
Greece, Spain, and Portugal all come to mind…….it’s the service on their debt that took/is taking them under……….
Aquagirl
August 26th, 2012
10:54 am
I AM SICK AND TIRED OF A MONKEY RUNNING THE WHITE HOUSE.
Try as he might, Kyle just can’t clean up this place. Not surprising, considering the anything-goes sort of thinking like birtherism. Once you throw civility out the window and fully embrace tribalism you’re pretty much stuck in moderationland.
TRUTH
August 26th, 2012
10:54 am
Why watch the GOP convention, Kyle? How many ways can a GOP/Tea Party candidate say the same things over and over? The President’s “failed” policies? When everything that comes out of the GOP ticket is fantasy and blatant lies? Now the hurricane is going to delay the the start of the GOP convention in Tampa…(what’s that chorus of who cares??!! I hear?) To make your position even weaker, the last GOP President declined attendance, the former governors of FL, are skipping the “festivities,” the speakers are a bunch that ALL turned down the #1 and #2 position on the ticket, you have a 1%er who has 0 understanding of what a middle and lower class citizen goes through just too make ends meet, and care for their families, you’ve p.o.’d women, latinos/hispanics, blacks, the LBGT community, students, and have villanized ANYONE who does not follow your very narrow line of thinking. Really? You may have a convention and ironically, NO ONE WANTS TO HEAR A DANG THING THE GOP HAS TO SAY (save the die hard base).
Oh, almost forgot the Tea Party and Libertarians are planning to disrupt the GOP convention…. blank stare. They are Republicans as well.
Yep, I think Hawaii 5.0 is a better viewing option. But then again, watching primetime lying could be more fun than saying Dan-O….
You can’t make this stuff up.
OBAMA 2012 (I predict by a landslide)
TRUTH
August 26th, 2012
11:05 am
@?, 9:57 AM
Thank you for stating the position that most hold for the President. “Monkey.” Wow. There it is. And no one has called you on it. Wow.
See Kyle, this is your base. Clearly uneducated, clearly racist, clearly hate-filled. Now let the distancing begin. Can’t change your stripes GOP!! The world sees you….
JamVet
August 26th, 2012
11:12 am
Question Mark boy is just another proud member of the not insignificant hyper-racist element that exists in the southern (primarily) wing of the Lily White Party.
He is probably a big Rand Paul fan, as well…
Aquagirl
August 26th, 2012
11:24 am
And no one has called you on it. Wow.
Not any of the locals, anyhow.
Dusty
August 26th, 2012
12:01 pm
Awww shades of deep regret from our dear liberal posters. They are so “delicate” about name calling.
Of course, calling the president a “monkey” is totally ignorant, racist, prejudiced, inappropiate, biased, loony, insane and Unamerican. It in no way reflects the president but does appear to describe the one who would post such things.
But, I can’t help but recall the numerous insulting and vitriolic names and insinuations made against the president of the USA, George W. Bush, by the liberal faction of this country. Not only bloggers and reporters but cartoonists like Luckovich who frequently would draw a “monkey looking” Bush.
I think none of this is appropiate for the president of our country whether you agree or disagree with him. We elected him. He is ours until the next election and then……the ire will rise again either way.. We will always have those who were never taught anything about manners or respect.
Dave M
August 26th, 2012
12:16 pm
Ive never seen such a sad political “race” . This makes us a mockery to the whole educated world..Sad to say its just going to race war at best!
Hillbilly D
August 26th, 2012
12:17 pm
People get up at 5 or 6 o’clock on a Sunday morning to argue on here?
Dusty
August 26th, 2012
12:25 pm
Hillbilly D,
Aint it the truth! Early on Sunday morning!
Anyway, it is noon time and I am ready to eat chicken and noodles.
Which reminds me, how are your neighbors?
Hillbilly D
August 26th, 2012
12:44 pm
Dusty
They’re just waiting on the reaper. Eight weeks isn’t long.
Streetracer
August 26th, 2012
1:02 pm
Mark V @ 10:28
According to my niece who has gotten a few novels published, all the agent does with the bio is send it to publishers that they are trying to sell the manuscript to. Obama may have gotten some help from the agent, but I don’t know why an unkown would.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Children of all Ages...The R N Circus is about to begin!
August 26th, 2012
1:06 pm
@Hillbilly D
August 26th, 2012
12:44 pm
Dusty
They’re just waiting on the reaper. Eight weeks isn’t long.
*********************************************************************************
YES Republicans are waiting to REAP WHAT THEY SOW.
GALATIANS 6: 7-9 : Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he
also reap.
The bible does not lie.
Towncrier
August 26th, 2012
1:09 pm
“Try as he might, Kyle just can’t clean up this place.”
You are still here, so I guess not.
“Not surprising, considering the anything – goes sort of thinking like birtherism.”
Of course you know that the “birther” charge originated in Illinois and then was picked up and used by the Clinton campaign before any Republicans ever got a hold of it. Right? Right?
“Once you throw civility out the window and fully embrace tribalism you’re pretty much stuck in moderationland.”
Oh boy, here comes a liberal in the guise of a superhero to save the day. Never mind that she is about as uncivil a person as any regular poster on Jay’s blog has been. But don’t take my word for it – go look at a random selection of her posts over there – especially those in which she is responding to conservatives.
Hillbilly D
August 26th, 2012
1:11 pm
Ladies and Gentlemen, @ 1:06
As Dusty knows, my comment about 8 weeks had absolutely nothing to do with politics and elections. It was about broiler chickens.
Towncrier
August 26th, 2012
1:13 pm
What, gentle readers, is the common response from liberals when it is claimed that main stream media has a liberal bias? Well, the gig is up:
The executive editor of the New York Times is disputing an accusation of liberal bias made by her very own public editor, Arthur Brisbane [I wonder why...].
In his final column for the Times, Brisbane wrote that his fellow staffers “share a kind of political and cultural progressivism” that “virtually bleeds through the fabric of The Times.” Brisbane even argued that Times reporters approached some liberal issues, like gay marriage and the Occupy movement, “more like causes than news subjects.” [Thanks for your honesty, Art]
Aquagirl
August 26th, 2012
1:27 pm
As Dusty knows, my comment about 8 weeks had absolutely nothing to do with politics and elections. It was about broiler chickens.
And here I thought it was about cannibalism. “Mmmm, ready for lunch here…..that reminds me Dusty, how are the neighbors?” That don’t sound right.
Maybe I should skip those “Walking Dead” marathons.
MarkV
August 26th, 2012
1:29 pm
Streetracer @ 1:02 pm
And your point is …?
MarkV
August 26th, 2012
1:30 pm
Dusty @ 12:01 pm: “But, I can’t help but recall the numerous insulting and vitriolic names and insinuations made against the president of the USA, George W. Bush, by the liberal faction of this country.”
Dear Dusty,
Aren’t you the one who always objects to bringing the name “Bush” into the discussion of this year politics?”
Dusty
August 26th, 2012
1:34 pm
I’m sorry, Hillbilly, that I caused you trouble about your fine, juicy neighbors. They are so tasty. If you need an affidavit let me know. I’ll standup for every drumstick and wing out there!. Fired or broiled!!!
Hillbilly D
August 26th, 2012
1:34 pm
Aquagirl
Skipping any kind of marathon is probably a good idea. I watched a Ren and Stempy marathon one time and I’m not sure I ever did recover from that.
Dusty
August 26th, 2012
1:37 pm
Dear MarkV
I certainly am the one who objects to the insults posted here about Bush. Does not mean his name should be banished from the blog. Just the insults.
Now “chicken out” or go eat them for lunch.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
August 26th, 2012
1:38 pm
AmVet is ready to argue at any time, any day.
Dusty
August 26th, 2012
1:52 pm
Dear Aquagirl,
Don’t you worry your lil’ ol’ head about cannabalism in these parts,, not as long as those tender neighbors of Hillbilly’s keep growing and crowing!!
Besides, my neighbors are tough. (In case of misunderstanding, I do not eat my neighbors. Even when I am hungry.)..
Ernest T Bass
August 26th, 2012
2:06 pm
When you hear the GOP is just a bunch of old, white males,
It is a bunch of old white males.
A few tokens not withstanding.
Towncrier
August 26th, 2012
2:23 pm
“It is a bunch of old white males. A few tokens not withstanding.”
Let’s see: Biden, Reid, Durbin, Schumer, Pryor, Ross, Pastor, Thompson, Miller, McNerny, Stark, Cardoza, Costa, Sherman, Berman, Schiff, Waxman, Baca, Filner, Udall…and on and on and on. Oh…wait…these are Democrats!
MarkV
August 26th, 2012
2:28 pm
Dusty @ 1:37 pm
The point is hypocrisy. When the subject is comparing something done by Obama with what Bush did, you always object that this is now, Bush is not running. But when somebody insults Obama, you condemn it, BUT you cannot resist comparing it with what was said about Bush.
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
August 26th, 2012
2:29 pm
Note that ALL the talk of race originates from the lefties.
Republicans really couldn’t care less about race. We welcome all who believe in free people, free markets, personal responsibility, limited government, and a strong national defense. We don’t choose our party members, they choose us.
Democrats: America-hating race pimps.