2012 Tuesday: What will we hear from Charlotte?
Last week in Tampa, the Republicans made significant progress toward their main objectives: revealing more of the personal side of Mitt Romney, and clearly communicating their pitch to voters in this election.
This week in Charlotte, it’s the Democrats’ turn. What will President Obama and his party try to accomplish? Will they continue to play defense against the GOP or try to seize the initiative?
Going into today’s opening events, it would appear it’s the former, with Democrats trying to neutralize the Republican message. Here’s part of today’s curtain-raiser from the Wall Street Journal:
The Democratic Party’s goals for the three-day gathering include widening its advantages among female and Hispanic voters while limiting Mr. Obama’s losses among white, working-class ones. At the same time, its overarching ambition is to rebut Mr. Obama’s opponent, Mitt Romney, who used last week’s Republican National Convention to try to pry away the president’s 2008 voters by casting him as a nice guy who isn’t up to the challenge. …
A senior Obama campaign official said the president may offer one or two new policy proposals in his speech Thursday, when he accepts the nomination for re-election, but that he would spend more time arguing that his existing ideas on health care, education and deficit-reduction amount to “a clear, concrete and achievable plan” for a second term.
The New York Times sounds a similar note, observing that the thrill of 2008 is gone and that Democrats’ “unity at this point is defined less by faith in Mr. Obama or a robust vision for what the party should stand for than by the prospect that Republicans could control the White House and Congress next year and enact a conservative agenda that would unravel much of what Democrats have stood for since Lyndon B. Johnson’s Great Society.”
So it’s defense, defense, defense.
In football, they say defense wins championships. Will that work in this year’s election?
I have my doubts. For one, pitching themselves and Obama as a suitable status quo against a radical Republican Party led by Romney and Paul Ryan would seem to hinge on the word “suitable.” And voters have their own doubts about that: In a new poll for The Hill, voters said the nation is worse, not better, off than four years ago by a 54-32 margin, and that Obama does not deserve re-election by a 54-40 count.
Even the Obama camp is having a hard time answering the “better off” question, made famous in 1980 when Ronald Reagan posed that question to voters after four years of Jimmy Carter’s presidency. Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley answered in the negative on “Face the Nation” Sunday — though he did gamely try to blame the Republicans — before backtracking on Monday.
Obama himself said yesterday he deserved a grade of “incomplete” for his handling of the economy, the same grade he gave himself last October and in August 2010. Will voters be as forgiving?
After the GOP spent a week being mostly upbeat in Tampa, I think it will be a problem for Obama if he and the Democrats can’t come up with a positive message in Charlotte.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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475 comments Add your comment
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
September 4th, 2012
3:51 pm
when McCain “suspended” his campaign to not deal with the economic crisis, he was never on top again.
Direct quote from Cindy McCain?
southpaw
September 4th, 2012
3:53 pm
Getalife @3:43, Finn @3:46
I won’t watch much of the Democratic convention for the same reason I didn’t watch much of the Republican convention. I can only afford to run my air conditioner and cool off the hot air for so long.
Romney Candidate of the Few by the Few for the Few
September 4th, 2012
3:54 pm
@Lil’ Barry Bailout – Vote American
September 4th, 2012
3:42 pm
Sorry folks, I responded to Few by the Few, but looking back at her post, it’s pretty obvious it’s just Trash and by responding I encouraged one of the problem-children. Won’t happen again.
*************************************************************************************************
“but looking back at her post”.
How do you know what my gender is?
Are you a psychic?
Don’t give yourself away Kyle.
Rightwing Troll
September 4th, 2012
3:55 pm
“They won’t speak directly to clear about what they really want, but this list will help you.
1. Tax payer paid abortion anytime, anywhere at any stage of the pregnancy.
2. Tax the hell out the rich ( paying most of it now)
3. open borders and complete amnesty
4. Kill fossil fuel , even without an abundant, affordable replacement
5. Kill right to work states
6. Gut the military about 1/3
7. Finish getting anything ” Christian” out of any public place
8. Total ban on guns.
THIS IS WHAT THEY ARE ABOUT. DENY ANY OF IT!”
OK… I DENY ALL OF IT!!!
They won’t speak directly to clear about what they really want, but this list will help you.
1. Tax payer paid abortion anytime, anywhere at any stage of the pregnancy.
Nope. just in cases of rape and incest. I don’t believe it’s an appropriate form of Birth Control otherwise, if you’re gonna do the nasty, you should plan better and take easy precautions.
2. Tax the hell out the rich ( paying most of it now)
Nope, just tax the hell out of the “job creators” creating jobs in China and Tiawan to avoid paying Americans a living wage.
3. open borders and complete amnesty
Somebody has to cut the grass and dig the ditches, Americans are entirely too “exceptional” to be bothered with such endeavours… (this includes wingnuts as well).
4. Kill fossil fuel , even without an abundant, affordable replacement
A laughable lie at best, I just want us to be prepared when fossil fuels finally run out, or the mideast goes even more bat$hit crazy…
5. Kill right to work states
Nope, I could care less about this issue.
6. Gut the military about 1/3
Nope, not the military, just the military industrial complex. You could cut out 1/3 of it’s cost by eliminating and making things more efficient, and not have to shrink the military one little bit.
7. Finish getting anything ” Christian” out of any public place
Nope, just the fanatic christians who feel their beliefs are the only ones who belong in the public square.
8. Total ban on guns.
Another laugher… I live in a city where I’m required by law to own a firearm, I wouldn’t want to run afoul of the law now would I????
Romney Candidate of the Few by the Few for the Few
September 4th, 2012
3:55 pm
@Lil’ Barry Bailout – Vote American
September 4th, 2012
3:42 pm
Sorry folks, I responded to Few by the Few, but looking back at her post, it’s pretty obvious it’s just Trash and by responding I encouraged one of the problem-children. Won’t happen again.
*************************************************************************************************
“but looking back at her post”.
How do you know what my gender is?
Are you a psychic?
Don’t give yourself away Kyle.
CORRECTION: Lil Barry?
getalife
September 4th, 2012
3:56 pm
Check the polls the day before the election and they will probably be correct.
The cons will vote for a moderate that offers nothing new just more lies that are easily debunked.
ryan was a loyal bushie and voted to help collapse our economy. Check his voting record. It does not lie.
EJ Moosa
September 4th, 2012
3:56 pm
If you think Obama is in a jam now, just wait until the rest of the economic news arrives later this week.
Michael H. Smith
September 4th, 2012
3:56 pm
Okay, I’d go along with FDR as an exception to the citation.
Anyone since FDR? hmmm…
Oh and by the way, obama is no FDR! ha,ha,ha,ha
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
September 4th, 2012
3:57 pm
…and both FDR and Obozo extended and deepened the economic troubles through inept fiscal and monetary responses.
Obozo: Weakest recovery ever. Intentional, or mere ignorance? History will tell.
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
September 4th, 2012
3:58 pm
Will Obozo be delivered to the stage at Bank of America stadium in a Chevy Volt?
getalife
September 4th, 2012
4:01 pm
“I can only afford to run my air conditioner and cool off the hot air for so long.”
Sorry to hear that.
Do you need a loan?
Michael H. Smith
September 4th, 2012
4:02 pm
ryan was a loyal bushie and voted to help collapse our economy. Check his voting record. It does not lie
It sure doesn’t and that is what I hate about Party loyalties getting in the way of doing what you know is right. Like Paul Wellstone as the rare bird who stood-up against the war on his convictions while the majority of his Party voted to go to war.
Ryan has his support of Bush and Republican spending policies to regret, I’ll not defend them or him for doing it.
getalife
September 4th, 2012
4:04 pm
“Will Obozo be delivered to the stage at Bank of America stadium in a Chevy Volt?”
His name is President Obama and the Volt is a great vehicle to help get off high priced gas.
ByteMe
September 4th, 2012
4:04 pm
Anyone since FDR? hmmm…
Any global credit crises since between FDR and Bush? Hmmm….
Michael H. Smith
September 4th, 2012
4:04 pm
Do you need a loan?
Not unless it is as good and for as much as the one Solyndra received. Oh and can I get it fast and furious?
southpaw
September 4th, 2012
4:04 pm
getalife @4:01
Yes, I need a loan! But I’m not willing to run up any more debt. So…I’ll pass and make do with the money I have. Thanks anyway.
Romney Candidate of the Few by the Few for the Few
September 4th, 2012
4:05 pm
@Lil’ Barry Bailout – Vote American
September 4th, 2012
3:58 pm
Will Obozo be delivered to the stage at Bank of America stadium in a Chevy Volt?
*************************************************************************************
No. They borrowed one of ANN ROMNEY’S cadillacs.
heehee
getalife
September 4th, 2012
4:05 pm
’ll not defend them or him for doing it.”
Yet you will reward his votes with your vote?
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
September 4th, 2012
4:06 pm
Nobel prize…Motor Trend Car of the Year…both sullied by their relationship with Obozo.
getalife
September 4th, 2012
4:06 pm
“Thanks anyway.”
No problem.
Yes I am better off.
getalife
September 4th, 2012
4:07 pm
“Nobel prize…Motor Trend Car of the Year…both sullied by their relationship with Obozo”
Great achievements Americans are proud of.
southpaw
September 4th, 2012
4:08 pm
getalife @4:06
Congrats.
Better off is what I’m aiming for..starting with out of debt.
getalife
September 4th, 2012
4:08 pm
“Not unless it is as good and for as much as the one Solyndra received. Oh and can I get it fast and furious?”
This President has no scandals.
A role model for the children.
@@
September 4th, 2012
4:09 pm
JDW:
…you really should keep it from dribbling down your shirt.
Impossible, considering…
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
September 4th, 2012
4:09 pm
Formerly great achievments significantly devalued after having been awarded based on politics rather than merit.
Obozo: Undeserving.
Volt: Maybe if we make the taxpayer funded subside $25K they would sell…
Romney Candidate of the Few by the Few for the Few
September 4th, 2012
4:10 pm
@Michael H. Smith
September 4th, 2012
4:04 pm
Do you need a loan?
Not unless it is as good and for as much as the one Solyndra received. Oh and can I get it fast and furious?
****************************************************************************
Ask Myth Robme for a loan.
See how fast and furious you get one.
You AIN’T ONE OF THEM.
You are JUST plain ole Michael H. Smith.
Michael H. Smith
September 4th, 2012
4:10 pm
Any global credit crises since between FDR and Bush? Hmmm….
Probably has been but none including what FDR was confronting had the kind or amount of fraud involved as the one presently, which actually precedes Bush.
Anyway, in my opinion the things I have cited is all the reasons Americans needs to vote obama out of office. He failed to deliver not only on America’s expectations he failed to deliver on making the economy better.
Michael H. Smith
September 4th, 2012
4:11 pm
Romney Candidate of the Few by the Few for the Few
September 4th, 2012
4:10 pm
Romney Candidate of the Few by the Few for the Few
September 4th, 2012
4:12 pm
@Lil’ Barry Bailout – Vote American
September 4th, 2012
4:06 pm
Nobel prize…Motor Trend Car of the Year…both sullied by their relationship with Obozo.
****************************************************************
Where is you Nobel Prize?
What kind of car do you drive?
getalife
September 4th, 2012
4:12 pm
“Better off is what I’m aiming for..starting with out of debt.”
Keep working and you will get there.
Forward not back.
Romney Candidate of the Few by the Few for the Few
September 4th, 2012
4:12 pm
CORRECTION
Where is your Nobel Prize?
Michael H. Smith
September 4th, 2012
4:13 pm
What kind of car do you drive?
Ain’t made by the UAW!
Romney Candidate of the Few by the Few for the Few
September 4th, 2012
4:14 pm
@Michael H. Smith
September 4th, 2012
4:11 pm
Romney Candidate of the Few by the Few for the Few
September 4th, 2012
4:10 pm
***************************************
Hey plain ole Michael H. Smith
getalife
September 4th, 2012
4:15 pm
What kind of economy did you cons expect after a collapse?
The EU used austerity and back in a recession.
Is steady job growth ( the best you get after a collapse) not good enough for you cons?
Perhaps your expectations are way too high.
@@
September 4th, 2012
4:15 pm
Getalife:
In light of the recent meltdown, can we say that Ryan has “evolved”? If Obama gets to do it, why can’t Ryan?
Michael H. Smith
September 4th, 2012
4:18 pm
What kind of economy did you cons expect after a collapse?
The kind obama’s policy failures didn’t produce.
The Republicans have the policy moves right, where the democrats never did and likely never will.
ByteMe
September 4th, 2012
4:19 pm
He failed to deliver not only on America’s expectations he failed to deliver on making the economy better.
Economy was hemmoraging hundreds of thousands of jobs a month when he came into office. We’re gaining jobs 29 straight months now.
Unfortunately, the game is rigged to benefit those with the most money. So there haven’t been enough perp walks for my taste. But I wouldn’t expect any under Romney either.
It’s not a choice between Obama and Generic Republican (although with all of Romney’s conflicting positions, that’s possibly his strategy). It’s a choice between Obama and Romney. Romney gave me permission to be disappointed and vote Obama out. But he didn’t give me a good reason to vote FOR Romney. So I won’t do that.
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
September 4th, 2012
4:19 pm
Is steady job growth ( the best you get after a collapse) not good enough for you cons?
——————-
Steady job growth implies that there are more jobs today than when Obozo took office. That is not the case.
Our President Bush had steady job growth. Obozo has grown nothing but deficits, debt, and dependency.
Romney Candidate of the Few by the Few for the Few
September 4th, 2012
4:21 pm
@Michael H. Smith
September 4th, 2012
4:13 pm
What kind of car do you drive?
Ain’t made by the UAW!
*******************************************************************
I bet you drive the infamous Chevy El Camino
ERRRRRR
ERRRRRR
jconservative
September 4th, 2012
4:22 pm
Kyle and others,
Whatever the details on the polling the fact remains that Obama owns the worse economy in 80 years and the Republican candidate cannot make any headway against him. There has to be a reason. I am saying the reason is the Romney campaign staffers.
The 1992 Democratic campaign had one great lesson and the Romney/Ryan campaign apparently never heard of it.
The last thing I want to see is Obama for another 4 years. But if the Romney people do not get smart fast that is what we will have.
Michael H. Smith
September 4th, 2012
4:22 pm
Economy was hemmoraging hundreds of thousands of jobs a month when he came into office. We’re gaining jobs 29 straight months now.
Unfortunately, the game is rigged to benefit those with the most money. So there haven’t been enough perp walks for my taste. But I wouldn’t expect any under Romney either.
It’s not a choice between Obama and Generic Republican (although with all of Romney’s conflicting positions, that’s possibly his strategy). It’s a choice between Obama and Romney. Romney gave me permission to be disappointed and vote Obama out. But he didn’t give me a good reason to vote FOR Romney. So I won’t do that.
Yeah and obama has never given me a good reason to vote for him. So I shall continue not to vote for him, though, this time shall vote for Romney, whereas I didn’t vote for McCain.
getalife
September 4th, 2012
4:23 pm
@@,
ryan has not evolved.
He wants to go back to the failed bush policies..
We will move forward with our President’s steady job growth.
The economists predicted we will add 12 million jobs in our President’s second term if the gop does not mess it up.
The funny thing is robme predicts he will add 12 million jobs too.
getalife
September 4th, 2012
4:25 pm
“Our President Bush had steady job growth.”
Lie, it collapsed under w.
A fact you ignore.
Michael H. Smith
September 4th, 2012
4:26 pm
jconservative
September 4th, 2012
4:22 pm
You may have a point though I can tell you obama’s bunch really aren’t much better and this time he doesn’t have what he himself called catching lightening in a bottle and he won’t get it either. The charisma is gone.
getalife
September 4th, 2012
4:27 pm
My expectations from President Obama was to save our economy and end the occupations.
Done.
Romney Candidate of the Few by the Few for the Few
September 4th, 2012
4:29 pm
@Lil’ Barry Bailout – Vote American
September 4th, 2012
4:19 pm
Is steady job growth ( the best you get after a collapse) not good enough for you cons?
——————-
Steady job growth implies that there are more jobs today than when Obozo took office. That is not the case.
Our President Bush had steady job growth. Obozo has grown nothing but deficits, debt, and dependency.
*******************************************
In Bush’s first term the economy shed 913,000 private sector jobs! 913,000!
The only thing that saved Bush’s first term from being a complete economic
disaster was robust public sector growth: The economy added 900,000 government
jobs.
Without the massive growth in the public sector during Bush’s first term, would he have been
reelected?
Bush led the U.S. economy out of a weak recession with strong public sector growth.
Obama is leading the U.S. economy out of a near-death experience while a steadily
shrinking government swells the unemployment rolls.
Which magic trick do you think is harder?
Michael H. Smith
September 4th, 2012
4:29 pm
getalife
September 4th, 2012
4:25 pm
Nah you lie and try to ignore this series from PBS (all four parts including external links mentioned) one more time.
http://video.pbs.org/video/2226666502/
Now get the facts that you deny.
Michael H. Smith
September 4th, 2012
4:30 pm
Time to leave for now.
Hillbilly D
September 4th, 2012
4:30 pm
The most depressing thing about all this to me is that these two are what we have to choose from. Oh well, that’s the beauty of being part of the Great Unwashed; life goes on until it’s over.
td
September 4th, 2012
4:32 pm
Street vendors across downtown Charlotte are selling posters and artwork depicting President Obama as Jesus Christ and a fulfillment of prophecy.
One poster features an image of the president in prayer with the headline, “Prophecy Fulfilled.”
Read more: http://nation.foxnews.com/president-obama/2012/09/04/artwork-portrays-obama-jesus#ixzz25XEW4kcR