Archive for the ‘Mitt Romney’ Category

My esteemed AJC colleague Daniel Malloy ventured out of D.C. today to witness the following:

ARLINGTON, Va. – Newt Gingrich played surrogate Monday afternoon for Michele Bachmann, Tony Blair, his own accomplishments from the 1990s, and – oh, yes — Mitt Romney.

Though it might have been hard to tell, Romney’s campaign organized the news conference at Belmont TV, an electronics retailer a few miles from Gingrich’s home, as one of 18 events by major Republican names across the nation intended to drive President Barack Obama’s “You didn’t build that” remark into the skull of every swing voter.

After owner Ken Sickmen, who took over the business from his father, lamented that the shaky economy means fewer people want to buy big-screen televisions, Gingrich took the podium for the kind of delightful, self-referential skewering of the president that was the basis of his primary stump speech. The former Georgia congressman also picked up on the news of the day, that …

Continue reading Newt Gingrich on Muslim infiltrators, Tony Blair – and some guy named Mitt »

Call a man a liar. Imply that he’s a felon. But there’s nothing crueler than putting a fellow’s singing on display. The re-election campaign of President Barack Obama put out word of the ad below this morning:

Reaction from the Mitt Romney campaign, via the Washington Post;

“Every day, President Obama hits a new low. It is sad and shameful that President Obama would mock America the Beautiful,” Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul said. “But sadly, it’s not surprising for the man who launched his presidency with an apology tour. The ‘Uncle Jims’ of our country – as he condescendingly calls middle-class Americans – don’t believe in mocking America the Beautiful and don’t believe in apologizing for America.”

- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider

For instant updates, follow me on Twitter, or connect with me on Facebook.

Continue reading New Obama TV ad spotlights Romney’s vocal talents »

Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers and his Republican challenger, chamber executive Brandon Beach, met in a debate up in Milton last night, sponsored by the North Fulton & Friends Tea Party.

Yours truly served as one of two moderators. For the record, the time needed to drive the 40 miles from the state Capitol was one hour, 55 minutes. My partner was former secretary of state Karen Handel, who – should she ever give up on politics – will make a fine TV news anchor.

Topics included the transportation sales tax, ethics, and a new Milton County. Both men support the latter. But stark differences showed up when it came to education and gaming.

Atlanta developer Dan O’Leary wants to harness the Georgia Lottery as the engine to drive a vast entertainment and gaming complex in Gwinnett County. We asked the candidates what they thought about the idea. Said Rogers:

”If people earn money, and they want to spend it in a way that doesn’t violate anybody else’s rights, it’s …

Continue reading Your morning jolt: Chip Rogers says he’ll vote ‘yes’ on casino gambling »

On a statewide fly-around by House Republican leaders, Speaker David Ralston on Monday pointed his finger at the state agency in charge of issuing drivers licenses for failing to be ready for new ID requirements – resulting in huge lines of applicants across the state.

New requirements, passed down in part by the federal government, include a birth certificate or passport. From the Columbus Ledger Enquirer:

“I think we did know that there would be some delays, but frankly, I’ve been a little disappointed by the level of preparation by the Department of Drivers Services,” Ralston said. “I think they understand now that this is taking more time.”

Many of the changes that state made were required by federal law, so state lawmakers’ hands were tied, Ralston said.

“In the post-9/11 world, we have a lot more security measures that we are required to implement,” Ralston said. “We have had some problems, but some are being ironed out as we speak. I’ve communicated to the department …

Continue reading Your morning jolt: House speaker says state to blame for long license lines »

Several years ago, there was a publishing house that failed to recognize the potential of a certain, young cross-cultural politician in Illinois.

The rights to “Dreams from My Father” were sold to another imprint for pocket change. Once Barack Obama decided to run for president, someone made a lot of money.

But it wasn’t the company that paid Obama to write his autobiography.

Now, another cross-cultural politician has written another memoir. This time, the publisher knows a long-term investment when it sees one. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., arrived in Gwinnett County for his book-signing last week with a team of roadies and his own bus, with his face plastered on the side.

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio signs books at Discovery Mills in Gwinnett County on Thursday. Marcelo Wheelock, Mundo Hispanico/ Marcelo.Wheelock@mundohispanico.com

And this is a man who’s only getting mentions for vice president?

But seriously, it was significant that, on Thursday, while Louisiana Gov. …

Continue reading Don’t bet the farm on Marco Rubio as Mitt Romney’s running mate »

Republican Mitt Romney has had a tough week, but the next 24 hours will belong to President Barack Obama. From the Associated Press:

U.S. employers added only 80,000 jobs in June, a third straight month of weak hiring that shows the economy is still struggling three years after the recession ended.

The unemployment rate was unchanged at 8.2 percent, the Labor Department said in its report Friday.

The economy added an average of just 75,000 jobs a month in the April-June quarter. That’s one-third of the 226,000 a month created in the first quarter. Through the first six months of the year, job creation is also trailing last year’s pace.

“It’s a disappointing report,” said George Mokrzan, director of economics at Huntington National Bank in Columbus, Ohio. He said the job gains are consistent with sluggish economic growth.

***
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed will be at the White House on Friday when President Barack Obama signs that bipartisan legislation that reauthorizes …

Continue reading Your morning jolt: 80,000 jobs in June makes for a presidential contest »

Late Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal editorial page posted a sharp critique of the way GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney is handling his presidential campaign. The lambasting more than echoed skeptical Tweets from the paper’s owner, Rupert Murdoch.

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio signs books at Discovery Mills in Gwinnett County on Thursday. Marcelo Wheelock, Mundo Hispanico/ Marcelo.Wheelock@mundohispanico.com

It just so happens that U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., spoken of in many quarters as a potential running mate for Romney, was in Gwinnett County this afternoon. (Take a look at the above photo – is that a vehicle for a man who wants to be vice president? He even had roadies.)

Rubio was in town – at Books-A-Million at Discover Mills (very close to Ralph Reed’s office, actually) – to push his new memoir, “An American Son.” So he was in no mood to give a sharp elbow to the man who will leave Tampa next month as the Republican nominee for president. Said …

Continue reading Marco Rubio: Mitt Romney’s campaign has done ‘a fantastic job’ »

If you’re in Gwinnett County at lunch time, think about popping in on U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R- Fla.,who has a noon book-signing at Books-A-Million in Lawrenceville. GeorgiaPundit.com has helpfully linked to a map.

In this April 23 photo Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, campaigns with Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., in Aston, Pa. AP/Jae C. Hong

Do not expect him to enlighten you on the vice presidential selection process as he signs “An American Son,” (Penguin Books, $26.95) In an interview this week, the Florida senator said he’s sworn off such talk. He’s also attempting to tread a very careful line on illegal immigration.

But religion is one surprising topic that Rubio, the son of Cuban emigres, is willing to discuss. His publicist encourages it, in fact.

Like many other immigrant families before them, the Rubios sampled the American cafeteria, moving from Catholicism to Mormonism to Catholicism to Southern Baptist – and back to …

Continue reading Your morning jolt: Marco Rubio on his brush with Mormonism »

Jonathan Krohn, 17, is once again making news after going public with his changed his political views. In 2009 the then 13 year-old penned a book , "Defining Conservatism" endorsed by the likes of Newt Gingrich and Bill Bennett. Brant Sanderlin/bsanderlin@ajc.com

Marla Krohn’s cellphone rang Tuesday, with a friend of 34 years on the other end.

“Have a nice life,” the friend said. It was a breakup call.

Krohn’s sin? Her 17-year-old son Jonathan, a former child prodigy of the Republican political circuit dubbed “Little Mr. Conservative” by the New York Times, had strayed into unforgivable territory.

That’s right. Last week, Jonathan Krohn declared, to the same national media that had marveled at him as a miniature Newt Gingrich, that he was something other than conservative. And that he was headed to New York University to study Friedrich “God Is Dead” Nietzsche and filmmaking.

It gets worse. Marla and Doug Krohn’s teenager, in full rebellion, has endorsed …

Continue reading No more ‘Little Mr. Conservative’ »

Continue reading Mitt Romney: Never mind – health care mandate is a tax »