President Barack Obama arrived in Denver, Colorado Wednesday today for his first debate with conservative Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney.
** QUICK HITS. Big demonstrations hit Tehran today as Iran’s currency collapsed nearly 50% in the past nine days. Iran’s economy is under big pressure from international sanctions against the regime’s nuclear program. … Secretary of State Hillary Clinton agreed to cooperate with a House investigation, led by California Congressman Darrell Issa, into the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya. … Still not seeing CIA Director David Petraeus mentioned in the coverage on this. CIA had a large contingent in Benghazi. Presumably the Agency had an interest in having its officers and assets protected. The CIA presence there is now very sharply diminished, a critical node in the intelligence net going mostly dark.
** NEW COLUMNS COMING UP … RECALLING TOTAL RECALL: SCHWARZENEGGER’S COMEBACK PROCEEDS WITH A BIG (NATURALLY) BOOK and BOND 50: DR. NO IS A TIME CAPSULE OF THE MAD MEN ERA.
** OBAMA TODAY. President Barack Obama is in Nevada and Colorado.
Obama broke debate camp in Henderson, Nevada at mid-day and flew on Air Force One to Denver, Colorado in advance of tonight’s first of three presidential debates.
At 6 PM Pacific, Obama participates in the first Presidential Debate, at the University of Denver.
First Lady Michelle Obama also attends.
Today is their 20th wedding anniversary.
Observes are almost uniformly saying that Mitt Romney needs a breakthrough.
While national polls are relatively close, Obama leads in all but one swing state, often by sizable margins.
And in the only swing state in which he is not ahead, North Carolina, Obama is tied with Romney.
Obama is monitoring several geopolitical crises involving the Arab Awakening, Iran and Israel, Syria, Iraq, AfPak, and the South China Sea.
Military Crisis Zone Times: The Persian/Arabian Gulf is ten hours ahead of Pacific time and Afghanistan is eleven and a half hours ahead of Pacific time. The time in Manila, on the South China Sea, is fifteen hours ahead of Pacific time.
The Proposition 30 revenue initiative campaign today launched its first TV ad, which is now running in markets around the state. Governor Jerry Brown does not appear in this ad, but will appear in subsequent ads which have already been produced.
** FROM THE JERRY FILES. Governor Jerry Brown is in Northern California.
He has no scheduled public events.
His Proposition 30 revenue initiative campaign today began its television advertising campaign, with the ad you see running above.
It is now appearing in markets around the state.
Brown does not appear in this ad, but will appear in subsequent ads which have already been produced.
Meanwhile, Charles Munger, Jr. has given another $5.9 million to the shadowy Small Business Action Committee, which I discussed in the “Jerry Brown: Gearing Up A Campaign At Last?” article linked below.
Munger, the activist physicist brother of heiress Molly Munger (who is spending multi-millions on her rival tax hike measure), son of Warren Buffett’s billionaire business partner, had already given $4.1 billion to the SBAC, which only raised about $60,000 in the first half of the year, directing that it go to promote the Proposition 32 initiative to block funding for public employee union political committees.
But the SBAC has also given money to the No on 30 committee.
This situation continues to intrigue. Munger has been known as a political reformer since he began his activism just eight years ago as a volunteer in then moderate Republican Steve Poizner’s state Assembly campaign in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Trying to play a major role in an attempt to defeat an initiative to avoid further budget cuts in order to keep taxes from going up on people like himself would be a risky departure.
Prop 30 leads in all public polls by between 15 and 28 points, and has a big warchest to spend in its support.
** OBAMA PASSES THROUGH THE MINEFIELD OF U.N. WEEK (BUT SETS UP A POTENTIAL EXPLOSION NEXT YEAR). … From my September 28th essay.
** IS POST-PARTISANSHIP PASSE? SCHWARZENEGGER AND COMPANY (AND BILL CLINTON) SAY NO. … From my September 26th column.
** DETHRONED: MAD MEN‘S DOWN SEASON OPENED THE DOOR FOR A SUPERLATIVE HOMELAND. … From my September 24th column.
** JERRY BROWN: GEARING UP A CAMPAIGN AT LAST? … From my September 22nd feature.
** HOW ROMNEY SHOULD HAVE ATTACKED OBAMA: ANATOMY OF A GEOPOLITICAL CRISIS. … From my September 19th essay.
** CONSIDERING THE DARK KNIGHT TRILOGY. … From my September 15th essay.
** WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED SINCE 9/11? … From my September 11th essay.
** PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE ELEPHANT: THE CONVENTIONS AND THE CLIMATE. … From my September 8th essay.
** WHILE ONE CLINTON WOWS AT THE OBAMARAMA, ANOTHER PIVOTS TO THE LONG GAME. … From my September 6th essay.
** SO WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED WITH CLINT EASTWOOD? (AND THE PERILS OF ARGUING WITH IMAGINARY OBAMAS). … From my September 4th essay.
** 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.
The Season 2 premiere of Homeland, in its entirety.
** 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 $88 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
This is up about $54 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 $26 per barrel from the price at the time of the Osama bin Laden raid.
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| Comments (39) |
Good news video of President Obama getting to Colorado.
Good to see Homeland opening episode here. I will watch later.
Good ad by the Teacher of the Year for the Brown initiative.
Its okay…
This IS a public service.
Jonas says:
October 3, 2012 at 4:05 pm
Good to see Homeland opening episode here. I will watch later.
Romney gets no breaks or “breakthroughs” tonite…
I guess you aren’t making a big deal out of the debate.
Cool!!
Jack Aubrey says:
October 3, 2012 at 4:33 pm
This IS a public service.
Jonas says:
October 3, 2012 at 4:05 pm
Good to see Homeland opening episode here. I will watch later.
Barack is tanned rested and ready.
Hahah!
Jonas says:
October 3, 2012 at 3:59 pm
Good news video of President Obama getting to Colorado.
I like it! The teacher is great on camera.
Jonas says:
October 3, 2012 at 4:06 pm
Good ad by the Teacher of the Year for the Brown initiative.
The sanctions are working…
** QUICK HITS. Big demonstrations hit Tehran today as Iran’s currency collapsed nearly 50% in the past nine days. Iran’s economy is under big pressure from international sanctions against the regime’s nuclear program. …
Darrell Issa??
… Secretary of State Hillary Clinton agreed to cooperate with a House investigation, led by California Congressman Darrell Issa, into the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya. …
Yah, where was the great General Petraeus??!!
… Still not seeing CIA Director David Petraeus mentioned in the coverage on this. CIA had a large contingent in Benghazi. Presumably the Agency had an interest in having its officers and assets protected. The CIA presence there is now very sharply diminished, a critical node in the intelligence net going mostly dark.
Great news!!
BB:While national polls are relatively close, Obama leads in all but one swing state, often by sizable margins.
And in the only swing state in which he is not ahead, North Carolina, Obama is tied with Romney.
I have the debate turned on the tv for now. I am curious how this will play out but, my house is an Obama house period.
Romney: Comfortably handling this debate (whether you believe him or not)
Obama: Stutteringly defensive
Lehrer: May soon join Big Bird in the unemployment office
First impression – not a stellar performance on the part of President Obama on calling out the nonsense of the Republican cult of economic failure. Where’s Timothy Geithner when we really need him. Geithner obviously was not one of Obama’s debate advisors — too busy making sure the economy keeps recovering, I suppose.
However, Romney Etch-A-Sketched himself on a number of issues that are going to be difficult to explain. Take for example his pledge that he will not reduce the taxes of wealthy Americans … or, was I hearing things?
No knockout punch. Debate was somewhat dry affair, not focussed. Long answers that tended to make eyes glaze over. Romney tended to over promise and talk out of all sides of his mouth. President needs to be a tad sharper.
Crisis video today or only debates?
Mittens lied lied lied; he won’t get away with it.
He needs to drive that message.
Crisis material when it’s available and good.
> Jonas says:
October 4, 2012 at 10:23 am (Edit)
Crisis video today or only debates?
It was fairly dull, what little of it I watched.
> Dana says:
October 3, 2012 at 9:41 pm (Edit)
No knockout punch. Debate was somewhat dry affair, not focussed. Long answers that tended to make eyes glaze over. Romney tended to over promise and talk out of all sides of his mouth. President needs to be a tad sharper.
It doesn’t seem that Obama paid much attention to his debate prep.
Romney has some mealy-mouthed new version of his tax cut plan, which doesn’t track when I hear it.
> Elizabeth Miller says:
October 3, 2012 at 8:18 pm (Edit)
First impression – not a stellar performance on the part of President Obama on calling out the nonsense of the Republican cult of economic failure. Where’s Timothy Geithner when we really need him. Geithner obviously was not one of Obama’s debate advisors — too busy making sure the economy keeps recovering, I suppose.
However, Romney Etch-A-Sketched himself on a number of issues that are going to be difficult to explain. Take for example his pledge that he will not reduce the taxes of wealthy Americans … or, was I hearing things?
I agree on all three!
> 916 Arsenal says:
October 3, 2012 at 6:48 pm (Edit)
Romney: Comfortably handling this debate (whether you believe him or not)
Obama: Stutteringly defensive
Lehrer: May soon join Big Bird in the unemployment office
It was a poor night for the president.
> carole w says:
October 3, 2012 at 6:03 pm (Edit)
I have the debate turned on the tv for now. I am curious how this will play out but, my house is an Obama house period.
It will get a tad closer after last night.
> Capitol Boy says:
October 3, 2012 at 5:23 pm (Edit)
Great news!!
BB:While national polls are relatively close, Obama leads in all but one swing state, often by sizable margins.
And in the only swing state in which he is not ahead, North Carolina, Obama is tied with Romney.
It’s quite mysterious.
He may be heading for the presidency … of Princeton, that is.
> Capitol Boy says:
October 3, 2012 at 5:22 pm (Edit)
Yah, where was the great General Petraeus??!!
… Still not seeing CIA Director David Petraeus mentioned in the coverage on this. CIA had a large contingent in Benghazi. Presumably the Agency had an interest in having its officers and assets protected. The CIA presence there is now very sharply diminished, a critical node in the intelligence net going mostly dark.
Yes, I know. Still, she has some explaining to do.
> Capitol Boy says:
October 3, 2012 at 5:21 pm (Edit)
Darrell Issa??
… Secretary of State Hillary Clinton agreed to cooperate with a House investigation, led by California Congressman Darrell Issa, into the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya. …
They are having a major effect, but it remains to be seen if they are effective.
> Capitol Boy says:
October 3, 2012 at 5:21 pm (Edit)
The sanctions are working…
** QUICK HITS. Big demonstrations hit Tehran today as Iran’s currency collapsed nearly 50% in the past nine days. Iran’s economy is under big pressure from international sanctions against the regime’s nuclear program. …
He’s kind of a natural.
> Capitol Boy says:
October 3, 2012 at 5:20 pm (Edit)
I like it! The teacher is great on camera.
Jonas says:
October 3, 2012 at 4:06 pm
Good ad by the Teacher of the Year for the Brown initiative.
As it turned out, not so much.
> Capitol Boy says:
October 3, 2012 at 5:19 pm (Edit)
Barack is tanned rested and ready.
Hahah!
Jonas says:
October 3, 2012 at 3:59 pm
Good news video of President Obama getting to Colorado.
Indeed.
> Capitol Boy says:
October 3, 2012 at 5:18 pm (Edit)
Cool!!
Jack Aubrey says:
October 3, 2012 at 4:33 pm
This IS a public service.
Jonas says:
October 3, 2012 at 4:05 pm
Good to see Homeland opening episode here. I will watch later.
Correct. So of course Obama fell flat.
> Cooper Hawks says:
October 3, 2012 at 4:48 pm (Edit)
I guess you aren’t making a big deal out of the debate.
He got some breaks, all right.
> Jack Aubrey says:
October 3, 2012 at 4:34 pm (Edit)
Romney gets no breaks or “breakthroughs” tonite…
Thanks.
> Jack Aubrey says:
October 3, 2012 at 4:33 pm (Edit)
This IS a public service.
Jonas says:
October 3, 2012 at 4:05 pm
Good to see Homeland opening episode here. I will watch later.
Twill be here …
> Jonas says:
October 3, 2012 at 4:05 pm (Edit)
Good to see Homeland opening episode here. I will watch later.
Does this debate make a difference or is it just something to obsess about in the media?
That’s almost funny.
Bill Bradley says:
October 4, 2012 at 12:40 pm
Correct. So of course Obama fell flat.
> Cooper Hawks says:
October 3, 2012 at 4:48 pm (Edit)
I guess you aren’t making a big deal out of the debate.