Before flying to New York to spend the rest of the week on foreign policy matters, President Barack Obama this morning sought to reintroduce his national health care reform bill that is so controversial and confusing six months after its passage.
** NEW COLUMN COMING UP … OBAMA’S BANDWIDTH AND MEDIA CHALLENGES AND THE FEAR OF THIRD WORLD AMERICA.
** QUICK HITS. California First Lady Maria Shriver has arranged for Jerry Brown, billionaire Meg Whitman, and of course her husband, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, to appear jointly in a discussion of California’s future at the 2010 Womens’ Conference in Long Beach one week before the election. Today Show host Matt Lauer will moderate the discussion between the three. Lauer, as some will remember, conducted a live interview with Schwarzenegger shortly after he announced his “surprise” candidacy for governor of California in 2003. It did not go well for the tired governor-to-be. … Still ailing from a bad cold he caught on his Asian trade mission, Schwarzenegger conducted a “Big 5″ meeting with legislative leaders on the state’s very predictable budget impasse today at his Oak Productions office in Santa Monica. Schwarzenegger’s office is exactly like mine. Each has Warhols, each has at least one likeness of Schwarzenegger, though mine is a bobblehead doll whereas his principal likeness is a lifesize Terminator, each office, well, that’s probably the extent of the similarity, come to think of it. Suffice to say that no political office in America looks like this. The fabled “Smoking Tent” in Sacramento, which I expect to be turned into a “Zen Tent,” has nothing on this place.
** CALIFORNIA 2010: WHERE THE GOVERNOR’S RACE IS NOW, AND WHY. Jerry Brown does not lead billionaire Republican Meg Whitman in the governor’s race. At least, not yet, though some expected he would.
And despite the fact that he does lead her in a new public poll.
There are three brand new public polls in the race. None are good news for Whitman.
The Fox News poll has it this way: Brown 45%, Whitman 45%.
The clearly Republican Rasmussen poll has it this way: Brown 47%, Whitman 46%.
Incidentally, the Fox News poll is a Rasmussen poll, and readers know that I don’t think much of the Rasmussen operation, frequently used to create media narratives. More specifically, the Fox News poll is a re-branded Rasmussen poll, conducted by a robo-polling outfit called Pulse Opinion Research, which was established by Rasmussen as another profit-making venture — people can do their own instant polls, supplying their own questions, for a fee — uses Rasmussen’s robo-poll techniques, and actually conducts the polls released under the Rasmussen brand.
If this sounds like a way to further the flood the zone with Rasmussen polls to affect those “poll averaging” operations, of course it is.
Fox News came out with the tie result between Whitman and Brown, which contradicted the most recent Rasmussen poll, showing a Whitman lead.
So, voila, suddenly, there is a brand new Rasmussen poll showing Brown with a 1-point edge, i.e., a statistical tie.
Rasmussen doesn’t generally explain the make-up of his polls, making them obviously prone to manipulation, so one might assume that the Public Policy Polling survey, with a 5-point Brown lead over Whitman, is where the race is. However, the PPP poll assumes a whopping 16-point edge for Democrats over Republicans in partisan make-up of the electorate. That’s actually slightly more than the Democratic registration edge in the state, which is 14 points, and probably significantly more than the likely turnout in a non-presidential election.
Still, there may be some decline to state/independents as self-identified Democrats in the PPP poll. Or maybe the poll is just flawed. It is, after all, a robo-poll.
I don’t think that Jerry Brown is ahead. I think the race is still even, and so does Brown.
I think that Jerry Brown should be ahead. So why isn’t he?
There are a couple of reasons for this.
There was an assumption in some circles that if Brown reached Labor Day weekend running even with Whitman — after all her barrages of advertising, only somewhat countered by the California Working Families and Working Families independent expenditure groups — he would immediately take the lead after he finally went on the air himself.
That didn’t happen. For two reasons.
First, Brown’s ads introduced him to the electorate, or reintroduced him, for those who knew him, but did not present an especially compelling message. And Brown’s message on the stump has lacked the needed repetitiveness.
Second, Brown’s introduction advertising was jammed by Whitman’s thoroughly dishonest TV ad featuring false charges from Bill Clinton in a 1992 presidential campaign debate.
That confused the low-hanging fruit, so to speak, of soft Democrats and independents who should be for Brown.
In the end, the Whitman ad will be a big mistake, because it is a thoroughgoing lie. And there are already signs that people are catching on, though early last week and late the week before that was not the case.
So here’s where we are. The race is clearly there to be won by Brown. He has survived Whitman’s months-long onslaught without falling behind, as most so-called experts repeatedly said he would. He has survived Whitman’s phony “Bill Clinton” ad, and there is a backlash ready to be stoked.
But Brown needs to come up with better TV advertising and a focused, passionate, and compellingly consistent message in order to ensure his victory.
** NEW POLL: AS OBAMA TURNS HIS ATTENTION TO FOREIGN POLICY FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK, AMERICANS STILL CARE MOST ABOUT THE ECONOMY BY FAR. Having tried to to deal, once again, with his controversial health care program this morning, President Barack Obama is off to New York, spending the rest of the week focused, once again, on foreign policy.
But a new Gallup Poll shows that Americans care far more about lingering economic woes, and the sluggish recovery, and place far more hope in Republicans than they should based on the record of the eight years prior to Obama’s election.
The economy in general and the specific economic problem of unemployment or lack of jobs far outpace all other issues when Americans are asked to name the most important problem facing the country. Only one other issue — dissatisfaction with government — is mentioned by at least 10% of Americans. …
Although Americans may be inclined to disagree, the National Bureau of Economic Research on Monday announced that the recession that began in December 2007 officially ended in June 2009. Still, the economy remains sluggish and the unemployment rate continues to exceed 9%. President Obama made jobs the centerpiece of his televised town hall meeting on Monday.
The economy and jobs have been the two most commonly mentioned problems each month this year. Healthcare and natural disaster response (related to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill) have at times approached the economic issues in frequency of mentions, and a fairly consistent percentage has mentioned dissatisfaction with the government. …
Going further back, either the economy or jobs has been the top issue mentioned each month since February 2008, when the economy overtook Iraq. During this time, the economy usually has been the top issue, though jobs tied the economy in February 2010 and topped it in March and April 2010.
Those Citing Jobs, Economy Differ as to Which Party Better on That Issue
The Sept. 13-16 poll also asked Americans to say which party would better handle the problem they think is most important. Overall, Americans are divided as to which would better handle that problem, with 40% saying the Republican Party and 38% the Democratic Party.
However, there is a difference of opinion as to which political party would better handle jobs and which party would better handle the economy among those who cite each as the most important problem. Those mentioning the economy believe the Republican Party would better address the issue than the Democratic Party, while those who say jobs is the top issue think the Democratic Party would better handle that issue.
Bottom Line
It is clear that economic concerns are paramount in voters’ minds with the midterm elections less than two months away. A poor economy makes re-election challenging for incumbents, especially those from the governing party. Consistent with this, Gallup’s tracking of 2010 election voting preferences continues to suggest that Republicans’ electoral prospects are better than Democrats’. However, the extent to which voters’ concerns center more around the specific issue of jobs and less around the economy more generally could provide an opportunity for Democrats to improve their party’s standing this fall.
Incidentally, the Jobs/Economy dichotomy, which seems very odd, shows how the framing of a poll can dictate its results. And why framing a campaign message in a consistent way is so important.
Right, Governor Brown?
President Barack Obama yesterday awarded the nation’s highest decoration for heroism, the Medal of Honor, to the late Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Robert Etchberg, killed by North Vietnamese forces in 1968 during the evacuation of a secret forward air controller base in Laos.
** OBAMA TODAY. President Barack Obama is in Washington, Virginia, and New York.
Obama has received the daily intelligence and economic briefings and met with senior advisors in the Oval Office.
Focusing on health care reform, he then dropped by a meeting with insurance commissioners in the Eisenhower Executive Office Bldg.
At 8:45 AM Pacific, Obama holds a backyard discussion on health care reform and the new Patient’s Bill of Rights which he and the Congress enacted earlier this year at a private residence in Falls Church, Virginia.
At 11:45 AM Pacific, Obama departs the White House on Marine One for Andrews Air Force Base.
At 12 noon Pacific, Obama departs Andrews Air Force Base on Air Force One en route to New York City.
At 12:55 PM Pacific, Obama arrives in New York City.
At 1:45 PM Pacific, Obama delivers remarks at the Millennium Development Goals Conference at the United Nations Building.
At 3:35 PM Pacific, Obama delivers remarks at a Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee/Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee event at the Roosevelt Hotel.
At 4:30 PM Pacific, Obama delivers remarks at a DSCC/DCCC dinner at the Roosevelt Hotel.
Obama is monitoring geopolitical crises in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, and Iraq.
The governance situation in Iraq remains unresolved more than six months after national parliamentary elections.
** FROM THE ARNOLD FILE. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is in Los Angeles today.
He will meet with legislative leaders, who have been none too anxious to move, on the ongoing state budget impasse.
Schwarzenegger was to have been in Sacramento for private talks, but was still heavily under the weather over the weekend and missed his big No on 23 event at former Secretary of State George Shultz’s home.
Schwarzenegger was originally to have spoken yesterday at the Clinton Global Initiative meeting in New York on climate change, but it was clear that he was not going to be flying cross-country to give a major speech.
Friday broke the all-time record for the longest that the state Legislature has gone without passing a budget.
Billionaire Republican Meg Whitman blames Schwarzenegger for the delay, saying that he should not have taken a large business delegation on his trade mission to Asia. And that he should have, you know, acted really tough.
Whitman doesn’t understand what’s going on.
The Legislature has shown no particular interest in adopting a budget in any timely manner. Click on my latest Huffington Post feature below to see why.
Short form answer? Continued delay helps the already good prospects for Proposition 25, which would change the current two-thirds legislative vote requirement for budget passage — California is the only major state with such a requirement — to a majority vote.
As if on cue, TV ads for Prop 25 began on Monday.
… THE CALIFORNIA AS FIRST “FAILED STATE” DEBATE: SCHWARZENEGGER, DAVIS, WHITMAN, AND JERRY BROWN. … From my March 2nd column.
Here is my series of five columns on the governorship of Arnold Schwarzenegger for the Los Angeles Times in debate in fall 2008, prior to the global economic meltdown, with Pulitzer Prize-winning former Times reporter/editor Bill Boyarsky, whose columns are also included. You can listen to my video webchat last year with Schwarzenegger here. It covers most of the major issues and also reveals his cameo in the latest Terminator movie.
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps launches on Friday. Oliver Stone’s sequel to his 1987 film Wall Street stars Michael Douglas in a reprise of his Oscar-winning performance as Gordon Gekko. “I once said that ‘Greed is good.’ Now I find that it’s legal.”
** MAD MEN: “THE BEAUTIFUL GIRLS” REVOLVE AROUND THE NOT SO BEAUTIFUL MEN AND THE NOT SO BEAUTIFUL BIZ. … From my September 20th essay.
** EXPENDABLE ARNOLD: WHAT’S AHEAD FOR SCHWARZENEGGER? Arnold Schwarzenegger was back from his last big trip to Asia as governor of California and sounded pretty sick. But he powered through a Friday appearance giving out the annual awards of his Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sport. The overall numbers for the program were pretty impressive, with big increases in fitness activity levels for California schoolkids.
Still, another set of new numbers may have more bearing on Schwarzenegger’s future. Then there’s the usual state budget stalemate and the fights over the fate of the landmark climate change program Schwarzenegger helped enact and whether Jerry Brown or billionaire Republican Meg Whitman — now the biggest spending candidate in American history — will succeed him as governor.
The Expendables went over $100 million in domestic box office this weekend. The Expendables is the old school action flick, directed by and starring Schwarzenegger’s old rival-turned-pal Sylvester Stallone, which has become a late summer hit movie. Part of that is due to Schwarzenegger. He has only a cameo role in the picture — one scene which he filmed in a few hours last year — but it was heavily publicized in trailers, advertising, and PR as a sort of summit meeting of classic action stars. And Schwarzenegger appeared with his friend Stallone in LA and Vegas to help promote the movie. … From my September 18th column.
** BILL CLINTON HEARTS JERRY BROWN! (AND OTHER TALES OF INTRIGUE) For a debacle, this is certainly working out very nicely for Jerry Brown.
I’m referring to his widely publicized joke on Sunday, in which he seemed to many to have wrecked his chances for backing from former President Bill Clinton, whose long-ago false attack (based on a very inaccurate CNN report) on Brown is featured in billionaire Meg Whitman’s thoroughly debunked anti-Brown TV ad.
Clinton on Tuesday issued a very snappy endorsement of Jerry Brown. In the process, he denounced Whitman’s latest TV attack ad against Brown.
With Clinton’s endorsement in hand, less than 48 hours after Brown told a rather mild joke in Los Angeles questioning the consistency of Clinton’s veracity, Brown thanked his former presidential campaign rival for his backing and pivoted to the launch of two new 15-second attack ads against Whitman which brand her a liar.
Was Brown’s Sunday joke, for which he apologized Monday, a gaffe or a gambit?
The effect of Brown’s action was to place more attention on Whitman’s TV ad and on the question of whether or not Clinton, who was with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Monday, would endorse him. My reporting told me all along that the former president — who had a very nasty campaign against Brown for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1992 — would nonetheless back his former rival and denounce Whitman’s TV ad. He just, well, hadn’t gotten around to it yet. … From my September 16th feature.
** MAD MEN: “THE SUMMER MAN” IS CLEARING HIS HEAD. … From my September 13th essay.
** JERRY BROWN’S OFF TO A ROLLICKING START AGAINST BILLIONAIRE MEG WHITMAN. … From my September 11th feature.
** GARY HART’S NEW MEMOIR SHOWS THE CONTINUITY IN CONTEMPORARY HISTORY. … From my September 9th essay.
** MAD MEN: “THE SUITCASE” IS TOUGHER THAN SONNY LISTON. … From my September 6th essay.
** ENTER THE MOONBEAM. … From my September 3rd feature.
** MAD MEN MAKES THE ALL-TIME TELEVISION PANTHEON, AND UNSPOOLS ANOTHER FINE EPISODE. … From my September 1st essay.
** HARSH REALM: THE MEG WHITMAN PROGRAM FOR FUTURE CALIFORNIA. … From my August 30th feature.
** OBAMA: RIDING WITH HISTORY. (NOTE: As Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th president of the United States, this column was the featured column on the top of the front page of the Huffington Post.) … From my January 19th, 2009 Huffington Post column.
** 24/7 LIVE TV NEWS FEED FROM RUSSIA TODAY. Russia has re-emerged as one of the world’s great powers. Click here for a live TV news feed on your computer, bringing you English-language, jargon-free, fast-paced coverage of global and Russian news from the Russia Today channel. You probably already know about CNN International, BBC World, and Al Jazeera. Russia Today, which also features culture, entertainment, and sports, is based in Moscow and is owned and operated by the TV Novosti division of Russia’s state news agency, RIA Novosti. While it’s quite foolish to expect to see, say, criticism of Vladimir Putin on Russia Today, the channel is very interesting nonetheless. With U.S. cable news chattering away as it does, this sort of respite can be informative. The NWN live link to RT does not constitute an endorsement of the channel’s views. It’s presented as an otherwise unavailable new media window.
** 24/7 LIVE TV NEWS FEED FROM AL JAZEERA. With the US entangled in two wars in the region, it’s valuable to keep up with news and perspectives from the leading Middle Eastern-based TV news network. Based in the Gulf Arab state of Qatar, Al Jazeera is very influential and more than a bit controversial. Click here for a live TV news feed on your computer. The NWN live link to AJ does not constitute an endorsement of the channel’s views. It’s presented as an otherwise unavailable new media window.
** TRACK GLOBAL AND NATIONAL ENERGY PRICES IN NEAR REAL TIME VIA BLOOMBERG ENERGY MARKET WATCH. Having crashed over $147 for yet another record on July 11th, 2008, crude oil is trading around $74 per barrel.
This is up about $40 from the low of $34 per barrel prior to enactment of the Obama economic recovery program, reflecting a low point in global economic activity.
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| Comments (42) |
Great Medal of Honor award ceremony.
Great trailer for the Wall Street sequel.
So Meg is going after Arnold for the budget delays? Is that to shore up conservative support?
I support Brown and find the polling trends very favorable to him. Of course, Meg will keep spending. But this race is very winnable by Jerry. Who is now very engaged!
Bill. any thoughts on the Woodward book on the ‘Obama Wars’?
Barack is wonderful at these ceremonies.
Jonas Blane says:
September 22, 2010 at 8:55 am
Great Medal of Honor award ceremony.
I love the ’80s cell phone!!
Jonas Blane says:
September 22, 2010 at 8:57 am
Great trailer for the Wall Street sequel.
Is that book in stores yet?
mitchell says:
September 22, 2010 at 9:02 am
So Meg is going after Arnold for the budget delays? Is that to shore up conservative support?
I support Brown and find the polling trends very favorable to him. Of course, Meg will keep spending. But this race is very winnable by Jerry. Who is now very engaged!
Bill. any thoughts on the Woodward book on the ‘Obama Wars’?
I dont think its in stores yet but there have been excerpts released. Seems to show a very divided administration on Afghanistan policy, and attempts by Obama to get the military to agree to his strategy of drawing down in 2011. It seems very well documented as Woodward had access to the military leadership and to Obama.
Why does Obama’s staff refer to Etchberg as “Chief”? He wasn’t in the Navy.
I don’t know. He should be referred to as “Sergeant.”
Woodward always writes these inside access books about presidents and their wars.
> mitchell says:
September 22, 2010 at 9:56 am (Edit)
I dont think its in stores yet but there have been excerpts released. Seems to show a very divided administration on Afghanistan policy, and attempts by Obama to get the military to agree to his strategy of drawing down in 2011. It seems very well documented as Woodward had access to the military leadership and to Obama.
It was quite the status object at the time …
> Capitol Boy says:
September 22, 2010 at 9:31 am (Edit)
I love the ’80s cell phone!!
Jonas Blane says:
September 22, 2010 at 8:57 am
Great trailer for the Wall Street sequel.
Whitman knows she’s getting no favors from Schwarzenegger, who validated Brown’s record on fiscal matters in the face of her lying TV ad.
The polling for Brown is mixed, as I’ll get into. He hasn’t taken the lead and has been stalled himself.
I haven’t seen the Woodward book. The promotional reports don’t surprise me. Obama’s approach in Afghanistan doesn’t make much sense, so of course there’s a lot of internal disagreement.
> mitchell says:
September 22, 2010 at 9:02 am (Edit)
So Meg is going after Arnold for the budget delays? Is that to shore up conservative support?
I support Brown and find the polling trends very favorable to him. Of course, Meg will keep spending. But this race is very winnable by Jerry. Who is now very engaged!
Bill. any thoughts on the Woodward book on the ‘Obama Wars’?
It does look promising.
I hear Michael Douglas is great in it.
> Jonas Blane says:
September 22, 2010 at 8:57 am (Edit)
Great trailer for the Wall Street sequel.
Mitchell/CB…
According to Amazon the Woodward book is scheduled for release on September 27.
Wall Street 2 looks pretty good.
More video today?
lol
<< Incidentally, the Jobs/Economy dichotomy, which seems very odd, shows how the framing of a poll can dictate its results. And why framing a campaign message in a consistent way is so important.
Right, Governor Brown?
Good news video of President Obama on the benefits of the health care law.
That’s all a ball of confusion in this environment…
It looks pretty late to me…
Len says:
September 22, 2010 at 11:00 am
Wall Street 2 looks pretty good.
Wasn’t Woodward a naval intelligence officer before he became a “famous investigative reporter” on Watergate? Why wouldn’t he have access to the military?
mitchell says:
September 22, 2010 at 9:56 am
I dont think its in stores yet but there have been excerpts released. Seems to show a very divided administration on Afghanistan policy, and attempts by Obama to get the military to agree to his strategy of drawing down in 2011. It seems very well documented as Woodward had access to the military leadership and to Obama.
That’s some pretty good news for Brown. I love the conservative polls showing the numbers swinging back away from Whitman…
** CALIFORNIA 2010: WHERE THE GOVERNOR’S RACE IS NOW, AND WHY. Jerry Brown does not lead billionaire Republican Meg Whitman in the governor’s race. At least, not yet, though some expected he would.
And despite the fact that he does lead her in a new public poll.
There are three brand new public polls in the race. None are good news for Whitman.
The Fox News poll has it this way: Brown 45%, Whitman 45%.
The clearly Republican Rasmussen poll has it this way: Brown 47%, Whitman 46%.
And the rather Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling, another robo-poll outfit, this one out of North Carolina, has it this way: Brown 47%, Whitman 42%.
Clinton had a pretty good message for Brown, along the lines of his being a capable, creative problem-solver who’s tight with a buck.
JB can do better than that.
I think that’s a good part of it, though it’s more of a characterization than a message per se.
> Clutch J says:
September 22, 2010 at 3:44 pm (Edit)
Clinton had a pretty good message for Brown, along the lines of his being a capable, creative problem-solver who’s tight with a buck.
Yes, especially since it’s not as though Brown has done all that great of late, either.
Still, I predictably heard a foolish radio reporter talking about the big swing to Brown while driving around this afternoon …
> Jack Aubrey says:
September 22, 2010 at 2:06 pm (Edit)
That’s some pretty good news for Brown. I love the conservative polls showing the numbers swinging back away from Whitman…
** CALIFORNIA 2010: WHERE THE GOVERNOR’S RACE IS NOW, AND WHY. Jerry Brown does not lead billionaire Republican Meg Whitman in the governor’s race. At least, not yet, though some expected he would.
And despite the fact that he does lead her in a new public poll.
There are three brand new public polls in the race. None are good news for Whitman.
The Fox News poll has it this way: Brown 45%, Whitman 45%.
The clearly Republican Rasmussen poll has it this way: Brown 47%, Whitman 46%.
And the rather Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling, another robo-poll outfit, this one out of North Carolina, has it this way: Brown 47%, Whitman 42%.
Bob Woodward was a briefer for Admiral Thomas Moorer, who as chief of naval operations was a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff …
> Jack Aubrey says:
September 22, 2010 at 2:05 pm (Edit)
Wasn’t Woodward a naval intelligence officer before he became a “famous investigative reporter” on Watergate? Why wouldn’t he have access to the military?
mitchell says:
September 22, 2010 at 9:56 am
I dont think its in stores yet but there have been excerpts released. Seems to show a very divided administration on Afghanistan policy, and attempts by Obama to get the military to agree to his strategy of drawing down in 2011. It seems very well documented as Woodward had access to the military leadership and to Obama.
You’re both right.
>#
Jonas Blane says:
September 22, 2010 at 1:27 pm (Edit)
Good news video of President Obama on the benefits of the health care law.
#
Jack Aubrey says:
September 22, 2010 at 2:03 pm (Edit)
That’s all a ball of confusion in this environment…
It does look good.
> Len says:
September 22, 2010 at 11:00 am (Edit)
Wall Street 2 looks pretty good.
Another book I can feel guilty about not having the time to read …
> Sacramento Solon says:
September 22, 2010 at 10:28 am (Edit)
Mitchell/CB…
According to Amazon the Woodward book is scheduled for release on September 27.
While Arianna wasn’t looking and while she was spending all of her time blindly criticizing everything Obama/Biden/Geithner have done, this administration has prudently, deliberately and effectively begun to rebuild the middle class.
Her ‘Third World America’ notion is about a decade behind the times.
The middle class is in deep trouble in America. Bailing out Wall Street helped Wall Street. I am happy that President Obama is getting rid of Larry Summers.
I hope he listens to you. He has not won yet.
Bill Bradley says:
September 22, 2010 at 5:32 pm
Yes, especially since it’s not as though Brown has done all that great of late, either.
Still, I predictably heard a foolish radio reporter talking about the big swing to Brown while driving around this afternoon …
> Jack Aubrey says:
September 22, 2010 at 2:06 pm (Edit)
That’s some pretty good news for Brown. I love the conservative polls showing the numbers swinging back away from Whitman…
** CALIFORNIA 2010: WHERE THE GOVERNOR’S RACE IS NOW, AND WHY. Jerry Brown does not lead billionaire Republican Meg Whitman in the governor’s race. At least, not yet, though some expected he would.
And despite the fact that he does lead her in a new public poll.
There are three brand new public polls in the race. None are good news for Whitman.
The Fox News poll has it this way: Brown 45%, Whitman 45%.
The clearly Republican Rasmussen poll has it this way: Brown 47%, Whitman 46%.
And the rather Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling, another robo-poll outfit, this one out of North Carolina, has it this way: Brown 47%, Whitman 42%.
The hard truth of the matter is that Wall Street had to be rescued in order to save Main Street. Main Street was saved as a direct result of Secretary Geithner’s bold leadership and expertise in developing a plan to stabilize the financial system that was, I hasten to add, often at odds with what Summers was advocating.
Thanks to the actions taken by Geithner with respect to his management of TARP, the US financial system was stabilized at a cost to taxpayers that was an extremely small fraction of what anyone had predicted.
I’d be very interested in knowing where you think those of us who reside on Main Street would be if Wall Stree had not been rescued.
marcos leon says:
September 22, 2010 at 8:38 pm
The middle class is in deep trouble in America. Bailing out Wall Street helped Wall Street. I am happy that President Obama is getting rid of Larry Summers.
What new video today?
Obama’s first UN speech, and a new Wall Street trailer …
The Wall Street bailout is widely loathed, except on Wall Street.
> Elizabeth Miller says:
September 22, 2010 at 9:29 pm (Edit)
The hard truth of the matter is that Wall Street had to be rescued in order to save Main Street. Main Street was saved as a direct result of Secretary Geithner’s bold leadership and expertise in developing a plan to stabilize the financial system that was, I hasten to add, often at odds with what Summers was advocating.
Thanks to the actions taken by Geithner with respect to his management of TARP, the US financial system was stabilized at a cost to taxpayers that was an extremely small fraction of what anyone had predicted.
I’d be very interested in knowing where you think those of us who reside on Main Street would be if Wall Stree had not been rescued.
marcos leon says:
September 22, 2010 at 8:38 pm
The middle class is in deep trouble in America. Bailing out Wall Street helped Wall Street. I am happy that President Obama is getting rid of Larry Summers.
It will probably work out …
> marcos leon says:
September 22, 2010 at 8:39 pm (Edit)
I hope he listens to you. He has not won yet.
Bill Bradley says:
September 22, 2010 at 5:32 pm
Yes, especially since it’s not as though Brown has done all that great of late, either.
Still, I predictably heard a foolish radio reporter talking about the big swing to Brown while driving around this afternoon …
> Jack Aubrey says:
September 22, 2010 at 2:06 pm (Edit)
That’s some pretty good news for Brown. I love the conservative polls showing the numbers swinging back away from Whitman…
** CALIFORNIA 2010: WHERE THE GOVERNOR’S RACE IS NOW, AND WHY. Jerry Brown does not lead billionaire Republican Meg Whitman in the governor’s race. At least, not yet, though some expected he would.
And despite the fact that he does lead her in a new public poll.
There are three brand new public polls in the race. None are good news for Whitman.
The Fox News poll has it this way: Brown 45%, Whitman 45%.
The clearly Republican Rasmussen poll has it this way: Brown 47%, Whitman 46%.
And the rather Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling, another robo-poll outfit, this one out of North Carolina, has it this way: Brown 47%, Whitman 42%.
The operative word being “begun” …
>#
Elizabeth Miller says:
September 22, 2010 at 5:52 pm (Edit)
While Arianna wasn’t looking and while she was spending all of her time blindly criticizing everything Obama/Biden/Geithner have done, this administration has prudently, deliberately and effectively begun to rebuild the middle class.
Her ‘Third World America’ notion is about a decade behind the times.
#
marcos leon says:
September 22, 2010 at 8:38 pm (Edit)
The middle class is in deep trouble in America. Bailing out Wall Street helped Wall Street. I am happy that President Obama is getting rid of Larry Summers.
How pray tell is the idea of 3rd world America a “decade behind the times?’
America was a paradise a decade ago compared to how it is today.
Elizabeth Miller says:
September 22, 2010 at 5:52 pm
While Arianna wasn’t looking and while she was spending all of her time blindly criticizing everything Obama/Biden/Geithner have done, this administration has prudently, deliberately and effectively begun to rebuild the middle class.
Her ‘Third World America’ notion is about a decade behind the times.
I couldn’t wait to see Shia LaBeouf in this movie. I’ve seen the first part of Wall Street and I was really inspired by Gordon Gekko. Greed is good! –Tanya Bayo
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