Mitt Romney, suddenly thrust into the general election campaign he’s been trying to say had already begun, today said the President Barack Obama “isn’t a bad guy. But what he knows is wrong.”
** NEW COLUMN COMING UP … HOW DID THE SUDDEN FIRST WEEK OF THE GENERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN TURN OUT?
** QUICK HITS. For a campaign that has been claiming the mantle of presumptive Republican presidential nominee for months, Mitt Romney’s got off to a stumbling start today on the first full day of the general election campaign with the presumptive nomination in hand. … Romney, trying to flip Democratic rhetoric about a conservative “war on women” based on a number of social issues, claimed in an interview today with friendly Fox News that 92% of jobs lost during the Obama Adminstration were held by women. That’s way off. … Then, on a conference call to do damage control over the gaffe, Romney aides couldn’t say if Romney backs a fair pay law for women. … Considering that women are a huge problem for Romney, you’d think they would have this stuff down. … The campaign later announced that Romney does back the law. … It doesn’t get easier for Romney this week. Thursday is the sixth anniversary of Romney’s Massachusetts health care law that was a model for “Obamacare.” Friday he addresses the National Rifle Association convention, where he gets to play pretzel over his past backing of gun control laws he no longer backs.
** NEW SURVEY: ECONOMIC INDICATORS ARE UP. A new Gallup Poll survey of several measures of economic activity shows upward indicators.
These are good signs for President Barack Obama as the general election campaign gets underway, and a problem for Mitt Romney, who has pitched his background as a leveraged buyout specialist as the key to reviving the economy.
Gallup’s key U.S. economic indicators tell a consistent story of improving economic and behavioral conditions. Americans’ self-reported employment status, personal spending, and workplace hiring trends were all better in March than in February, and were improved over March 2011, although still below pre-recession levels. In addition, Americans’ ratings of the U.S. economy were at a four-year high. However, that was prior to last week’s disappointing Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report and Wall Street’s latest downturn. Those events could spark another reversal like so many others that have occurred since 2009, but thus far, Gallup indicators suggest otherwise. …
All of Gallup’s economic indicators — except economic confidence, which receded slightly — improved further in the first week of April, based on interviewing ending April 8. Gallup Daily tracking in the coming days will reveal whether consumers’ confidence in the economy and willingness to spend have been rattled by the more recent economic news. In the meantime, it is clear that prior to now, Gallup’s economic metrics have all been pointing in a positive direction. …
President Barack Obama, in an early morning appearance at the White House, pressed his pitch for the so-called Buffett Rule, named for famed investor Warren Buffett, who originated the idea. Obama and Buffett argue that the wealthy should not pay taxes at a lower rate than middle-class wage-earners.
** NEW COLUMN COMING UP … HOW DID THE SUDDEN FIRST WEEK OF THE GENERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN TURN OUT?
** OBAMA TODAY. President Barack Obama is in Washington.
He then received the intelligence and economic briefings in the Oval Office.
Obama delivered a statement on the Buffett Rule in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building Room. 430
At 1 PM Pacific, Obama meets with Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta in the Oval Office.
At 2:15 PM Pacific, Obama attends a fundraiser at The W Hotel.
Obama moved quickly today to draw the contrast with likely Republican nominee Mitt Romney, again invoking the Buffett Rule to distinguish himself from the first major presidential candidate with a Swiss bank account.
Romney had a pretty easy time against under-funded and deeply flawed Republican primary candidates and still got his hat handed to him much of the time.
He’s in a whole different ball game now.
Obama is monitoring several geopolitical crises involving the Arab Awakening, Iran and Israel, Iraq, AfPak, and North Korea.
Military Crisis Zone Times: The Arabian Gulf is eleven hours ahead of Pacific time, and Afghanistan is twelve and a half hours ahead of Pacific time.
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced Wednesday that the Justice Department has filed suit against Apple and five book publishing companies, alleging that they conspired to set prices on ebooks.
** FROM THE JERRY FILES. Governor Jerry Brown is in Northern California.
He has no scheduled public events.
The state legislature is holding various hearings this week on his budget proposal and on his public pension reform proposal.
No action has taken place on either yet, and there are repeated signs that Democratic legislators want to hold off on Brown’s budget cuts at least until the “May revise” of his budget, at which time new numbers are applied to the situation.
But the situation, as state Controller John Chiang makes amply clear, is that revenues are running a few points below projections, as I have mentioned many times before.
In other action, Senator Dianne Feinstein made one of her rather rare appearances in her re-election campaign yesterday, praising Brown’s revamped high-speed rail plan.
And Charles Manson is up for parole today.
Here is the NWN prediction: Parole denied.
We won’t count that to pad the stats.
** MAD MEN‘s MASTER CLASS IN AMERICAN STUDIES ROLLS ON TO SOME MYSTERY DATES. Well, that was one of the spookier Mad Men episodes, complete with not one but two dream sequences. As always, there be some spoilers ahead discussing this episode, the aptly titled “Mystery Date.”
The horizon of the future, i.e., the later ’60s, is getting much darker, and a lot closer. New York City has slid past its peak, at which it glittered as the series began. Things increasingly don’t work, we’re seeing some people who look rather unkempt. And they’re not the hippies, because those folks have yet to arrive. …
Mad Men, the great American novel for television that doubles as a master class in American studies — advertising, arguably the quintessential American industry for its stoking of desire and aspiration, providing a perfect milieu — incorporates all this into the lives of our beloved and not infrequently benighted characters. … From my April 10th essay.
** JERRY BROWN HITS 74. California’s youngest governor since it was barely a state back in the 19th century turned 74 on Saturday. Jerry Brown, back for a third term after his fascinating two terms as governor in the 1970s and ’80s is now California’s oldest governor, with little sign of slowing down.
It’s not a surprise. Brown’s father, the legendary Governor Pat Brown, lived into his 90s and his idea of exercise, in contrast to his very fit son, was splashing around in his pool. Brown’s mother, the ever sharp Bernice Brown, also lived into her 90s. And one of the most amusing moments at Brown’s third inaugural last year — in addition to his pointedly intoning that he was of “sound mind” in taking the oath of office to run the chronically troubled Golden State — was when he made a point of introducing his 99-year old aunt. Some ambitious faces in the front rows fell at that. … From my April 7th essay.
** IS ROMNEY “INEVITABLE,” AGAIN? … From my April 5th column.
** MAD MEN: WHOSE SIDE IS TIME ON, ANYWAY? … From my April 3rd essay.
** CALIFORNIA REPUBLICANS IN CRISIS: ANOTHER BIG SHOE DROPS. … From my March 29th essay.
** MAD MEN (FINALLY) RETURNS: WORTH THE WAIT? … From my March 27th essay.
** THE REAL GAME CHANGE: PALINISM’S RISE AND MODERATE REPUBLICANISM’S ECLIPSE. … From my March 23rd essay.
** CALIFORNIA REPUBLICANS HAVE ONLY THEMSELVES TO BLAME. … From my March 22nd essay.
** JERRY BROWN DEALS AWAY TROUBLE ON THE LEFT. … From my March 16th column.
** FROM GOVERNATOR TO MOONBEAM. … From my January 3rd, 2011 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 AL JAZEERA. With the US entangled in major military operations in the region, and the Arab awakening underway, it’s valuable to keep up with news and perspectives from the leading Middle Eastern-based TV news network. 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.
** 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 from the Russia Today channel. The NWN live link to RT does not constitute an endorsement of the state-run 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 $103 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
This is up about $69 from the low of $34 per barrel prior to enactment of the Obama economic recovery program, reflecting a low point in global economic activity, and down about $11 from the price at the time of the Osama bin Laden raid.
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| Comments (37) |
Good news video of President Obama on economic fairness.
I didn’t know what Apple is doing was ilegal.
Barack is ON MESSAGE!
Jonas says:
April 11, 2012 at 11:48 am
Good news video of President Obama on economic fairness.
Huh.
Jonas says:
April 11, 2012 at 11:50 am
I didn’t know what Apple is doing was ilegal.
Hahah, I love it!!
BB:Obama moved quickly today to draw the contrast with likely Republican nominee Mitt Romney, again invoking the Buffett Rule to distinguish himself from the first major presidential candidate with a Swiss bank account.
How could Charlie Manson even imagine he’d get paroled??
BB: In other action, Senator Dianne Feinstein made one of her rather rare appearances in her re-election campaign yesterday, praising Brown’s revamped high-speed rail plan.
And Charles Manson is up for parole today.
Here is the NWN prediction: Parole denied.
We won’t count that to pad the stats.
Any crisis video today?
Probably.
I doubt that he did.
>Capitol Boy says:
April 11, 2012 at 12:10 pm (Edit)
How could Charlie Manson even imagine he’d get paroled??
BB: In other action, Senator Dianne Feinstein made one of her rather rare appearances in her re-election campaign yesterday, praising Brown’s revamped high-speed rail plan.
And Charles Manson is up for parole today.
Here is the NWN prediction: Parole denied.
We won’t count that to pad the stats.
Spies have Swiss accounts.
>Capitol Boy says:
April 11, 2012 at 12:09 pm (Edit)
Hahah, I love it!!
BB:Obama moved quickly today to draw the contrast with likely Republican nominee Mitt Romney, again invoking the Buffett Rule to distinguish himself from the first major presidential candidate with a Swiss bank account.
I haven’t formed an opinion yet.
>Capitol Boy says:
April 11, 2012 at 12:04 pm (Edit)
Huh.
Jonas says:
April 11, 2012 at 11:50 am
I didn’t know what Apple is doing was ilegal.
He certainly is.
>Capitol Boy says:
April 11, 2012 at 12:01 pm (Edit)
Barack is ON MESSAGE!
Jonas says:
April 11, 2012 at 11:48 am
Good news video of President Obama on economic fairness.
Your Mad Men feature is brilliant, a “master class”. Thank you.
Are you saying Mitt is un espion?
Bill Bradley says:
April 11, 2012 at 2:02 pm
Spies have Swiss accounts.
>Capitol Boy says:
April 11, 2012 at 12:09 pm (Edit)
Hahah, I love it!!
BB:Obama moved quickly today to draw the contrast with likely Republican nominee Mitt Romney, again invoking the Buffett Rule to distinguish himself from the first major presidential candidate with a Swiss bank account.
Good news video of Romney.
Romney, I may be in love.
Wish he had gotten ON MESSAGE at the start…
Bill Bradley says:
April 11, 2012 at 2:02 pm
He certainly is.
>Capitol Boy says:
April 11, 2012 at 12:01 pm (Edit)
Barack is ON MESSAGE!
Jonas says:
April 11, 2012 at 11:48 am
Good news video of President Obama on economic fairness.
So… Where is it??
Jonas says:
April 11, 2012 at 1:05 pm
Any crisis video today?
Bill Bradley says:
April 11, 2012 at 2:01 pm
Probably.
I better explain, I love that a guy who can never get his story straight attacks Obama for having false knowledge
Jonas says:
April 11, 2012 at 2:45 pm
Good news video of Romney.
Jack Aubrey says:
April 11, 2012 at 3:12 pm
Romney, I may be in love.
He still bores me.
I don’t know what to think from the story.
Bill Bradley says:
April 11, 2012 at 2:02 pm
I haven’t formed an opinion yet.
>Capitol Boy says:
April 11, 2012 at 12:04 pm (Edit)
Huh.
Jonas says:
April 11, 2012 at 11:50 am
I didn’t know what Apple is doing was ilegal.
Why did they even have that hearing?
Bill Bradley says:
April 11, 2012 at 2:01 pm
I doubt that he did.
>Capitol Boy says:
April 11, 2012 at 12:10 pm (Edit)
How could Charlie Manson even imagine he’d get paroled??
BB: In other action, Senator Dianne Feinstein made one of her rather rare appearances in her re-election campaign yesterday, praising Brown’s revamped high-speed rail plan.
And Charles Manson is up for parole today.
Here is the NWN prediction: Parole denied.
We won’t count that to pad the stats.
Fantastic!
** NEW SURVEY: ECONOMIC INDICATORS ARE UP. A new Gallup Poll survey of several measures of economic activity shows upward indicators.
These are good signs for President Barack Obama as the general election campaign gets underway, and a problem for Mitt Romney, who has pitched his background as a leveraged buyout specialist as the key to reviving the economy.
This is all really great…
** QUICK HITS. For a campaign that has been claiming the mantle of presumptive Republican presidential nominee for months, Mitt Romney’s got off to a stumbling start today on the first full day of the general election campaign with the presumptive nomination in hand. … Romney, trying to flip Democratic rhetoric about a conservative “war on women” based on a number of social issues, claimed in an interview today with friendly Fox News that 92% of jobs lost during the Obama Adminstration were held by women. That’s way off. … Then, on a conference call to do damage control over the gaffe, Romney aides couldn’t say if Romney backs a fair pay law for women. … Considering that women are a huge problem for Romney, you’d think they would have this stuff down. … The campaign later announced that Romney does back the law. … It doesn’t get easier for Romney this week. Thursday is the sixth anniversary of Romney’s Massachusetts health care law that was a model for “Obamacare.” Friday he addresses the National Rifle Association convention, where he gets to play pretzel over his past backing of gun control laws he no longer backs.
Not for Romney.
It’s a matter of course. All inmates have rights.
>Capitol Boy says:
April 11, 2012 at 5:20 pm (Edit)
Why did they even have that hearing?
Bill Bradley says:
April 11, 2012 at 2:01 pm
I doubt that he did.
>Capitol Boy says:
April 11, 2012 at 12:10 pm (Edit)
How could Charlie Manson even imagine he’d get paroled??
BB: In other action, Senator Dianne Feinstein made one of her rather rare appearances in her re-election campaign yesterday, praising Brown’s revamped high-speed rail plan.
And Charles Manson is up for parole today.
Here is the NWN prediction: Parole denied.
We won’t count that to pad the stats.
I hear that. I was hoping for someone less two-dimensional and whitebread than Romney.
>Cooper Hawks says:
April 11, 2012 at 5:06 pm (Edit)
He still bores me.
One thing that Romney is good for is irony.
>Jack Aubrey says:
April 11, 2012 at 3:35 pm (Edit)
I better explain, I love that a guy who can never get his story straight attacks Obama for having false knowledge
Jonas says:
April 11, 2012 at 2:45 pm
Good news video of Romney.
Jack Aubrey says:
April 11, 2012 at 3:12 pm
Romney, I may be in love.
I didn’t see anything good enough.
>Jack Aubrey says:
April 11, 2012 at 3:13 pm (Edit)
So… Where is it??
Jonas says:
April 11, 2012 at 1:05 pm
Any crisis video today?
Bill Bradley says:
April 11, 2012 at 2:01 pm
Probably.
He would be in better shape, and things might have gone better, too.
>Jack Aubrey says:
April 11, 2012 at 3:13 pm (Edit)
Wish he had gotten ON MESSAGE at the start…
Bill Bradley says:
April 11, 2012 at 2:02 pm
He certainly is.
>Capitol Boy says:
April 11, 2012 at 12:01 pm (Edit)
Barack is ON MESSAGE!
Jonas says:
April 11, 2012 at 11:48 am
Good news video of President Obama on economic fairness.
Wouldn’t that make him interesting?
>Requiem says:
April 11, 2012 at 2:32 pm (Edit)
Are you saying Mitt is un espion?
Bill Bradley says:
April 11, 2012 at 2:02 pm
Spies have Swiss accounts.
>Capitol Boy says:
April 11, 2012 at 12:09 pm (Edit)
Hahah, I love it!!
BB:Obama moved quickly today to draw the contrast with likely Republican nominee Mitt Romney, again invoking the Buffett Rule to distinguish himself from the first major presidential candidate with a Swiss bank account.
Thanks, I appreciate it.
>Requiem says:
April 11, 2012 at 2:31 pm (Edit)
Your Mad Men feature is brilliant, a “master class”. Thank you.
While that played a part, no doubt, I rather think the fact that he faced an impossible task electorally, his campaign was out of money and, most significantly, he was looking at a possible loss in his home state that would have finished him politically were the main reasons he ditched out.
Bill Bradley says:
April 11, 2012 at 1:58 pm
And the race would still be going on if Santorum didn’t have a sick three-year old …
>Pat Skipper says:
April 10, 2012 at 5:22 pm (Edit)
It was more interesting than I imagined it would be, but in the end money and organization won out over a pathetically weak field, as expected.
Bill Bradley says:
April 10, 2012 at 3:28 pm
It was a very interesting race, but I was a little tired of it so I’m ready for what comes next.
>Pat Skipper says:
April 10, 2012 at 12:37 pm (Edit)
So long, Rick.
Crisis video today?
Yes, Syria.
He would have won in Pennsylvania, as Romney was set for his latest backfire, then gone on to a bunch of wins next month as the race moved south again.
The daughter proved to be a huge distraction at a bad time.
>Pat Skipper says:
April 11, 2012 at 7:17 pm (Edit)
While that played a part, no doubt, I rather think the fact that he faced an impossible task electorally, his campaign was out of money and, most significantly, he was looking at a possible loss in his home state that would have finished him politically were the main reasons he ditched out.
Bill Bradley says:
April 11, 2012 at 1:58 pm
And the race would still be going on if Santorum didn’t have a sick three-year old …
Excellent read, I just passed this onto a colleague who was doing a little research on that. And he actually bought me lunch as I found it for him smile Thus let me rephrase that: Thank you for lunch!