Only a 17% turnout.

People, the election is more than a year away. That's an eternity in politics. Last January the pundits said Obama was unbeatable. Now they say he can't win. That'll change a few more times in the next 14 months.

True DT, but that's a heavily Jewish district in from Obama received almost 80% of the Jewish vote in '08. However, the district only generated 55% of its vote for him in '08. The trend is of concern.

Point taken Oli....The Jewish vote might be problematic for Obama because the GOP candidate whoever it is will take a stronger pro-Isreal position, and/or paint Obama as not strongly for Israel.

Obama's main problem (like many Dems) is he is allowing the GOP to create a caricature of him that is widely believed to be an actual picture.

Well, as I posted in another thread, this Solyndra scadal bothers me and if it's shown that he played a part in it, then I may just not support him next time around. Caricatures can represent reality.

Lots of Americans--Jews and non-Jews--voted Dem in '06 and '08 because they were fed up with the domestic and international policies of Bush and his GOP Congress. Lots of Americans--Jews and non-Jews--voted GOP in '10, and will probably do it again in '12,because they're fed up with the domestic and international policies of Obama and his Dem Congress (latterly Senate). Israel is only one of the many items in that mix.

I am sick to death of all this. The president wasted too much time and political capital on healthcare when he should have been concentrating on the economy.

He did have some economic programs that were quite successful, but they were not enough. His Clunkers for Cash program succeeded beyond the wildest expectations. Also, the tax credits for people who bought houses increased home sales during their existence. I'm sure the hope was that the trend would continue, that the programs would be the necessary jumpstart, but they weren't. They died out.

The Republicans can't have their cake and eat it, too. They can't complain that the president doesn't do anything, and then fight him tooth and nail when he tries to do something.

As for whether Obama can be re-elected, Dick Cheney was on "The View" this week, and he said the current Republican candidates and their strategies would not be able to beat him in 2012. And I agree. The more they run to the right, the further they alienate moderates and anyone that would consider voting outside party lines.

The latest polls show that Obama can beat any of the Republican candidates now. With the exception of Romney, it's a weak filed.

WHich polls Oli? I hope he's leading that big, dumb Aggie.

At this point he beats them all.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/president_obama_vs_republican_candidates.html

Re Michelle Bachman's remarks about the HPV vaccine and the woman she allegedly spoke with who told Bachman that her daughter had the vaccine and then suffered from retardation because of it. Anyone think it's odd that the woman, after all the controversy hasn't spoken up? Leads me to believe or wonder if Bachman made up the story.


TIS

There are potential side effects, such as seizures, which could conceivably result in brain damage; however, I'm thinking they're rare. I don't agree that this vaccine should be forced onto 12 year olds, though.

Yes, the vaccine prevents a virus that can cause cancer, but the patient must be sexually active to contract that virus. What is Perry's stand on the mandated distribution of condoms? Or teaching about safe sex in schools? I would imagine that if a sexually active female used a condom, they would also prevent the virus.

Well I'm hearing doctors came out denying that it causes retardation as Bachman claimed. Although I really haven't heard much about potential side affects either.

I'd have to learn more, but I agree it shouldn't be forced and if my daughters' were younger and still getting immunizations I wouldn't totally rule out this shot as a precaution against cancer.

TIS

TIS, surf over to Politico.com to read a lengthy article about Bachman's verbal faux pas

I rest my case

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0911/63699.html


TIS

an American soldier booed at the GOP debate. That probably is a first.

(Thank God I quit that insanity years ago.)

By definition these debates are going to be slanted to appeal more to the Republican voter. I get that and have no problem with it.

But last night's version seemed to be slanted a bit too much. It will be interesting to see if and how the eventual nominee, assuming s/he was on the stage last night, pivots back to win independent voters.

And Gingrich should call it a day.

Can you imagine booing a soldier during the Bush years? My God, you couldn't say you were against the war without being accused of being unpatriotic. Remember that??

I agree Lilo, questions may have been chosen at random but were chosen from an entire "right" selection. (like the one about which Gov. Department would you eliminate if you had to pick one). The "Too much government" line.


TIS

Orlando, Florida (CNN) - Texas Gov. Rick Perry's presidential campaign was dealt a worrying blow Saturday when he finished in a distant second place to businessman Herman Cain in a closely watched straw poll in Florida.
Cain won 37% of the 2,657 votes cast in the straw poll conducted at Presidency 5, a three-day convention sponsored by the Republican Party of Florida that brought thousands of party activists to Orlando.

good to know that perry fucked him self over with his social seceraty views

Did anyone catch SNL last night. I didn't see the entire show but it started right off with the Republican Debate with Alec Baldwin as Rick Perry. It was funny.



TIS

It was amusing. But, like so much that SNL does, it went on too long. Much of the time, I watch SNL just for the news with Seth.

Oli,

Sorry to say, I only saw the first part (the skit on the debate). I couldn't keep my eyes open. I don't know any of the cast anymore since I really don't watch it on a regular basis.


TIS

Why are Floridians even allowed to vote anymore?

Florida likely to hold Jan. 31 primary, throwing 2012 calendar in flux

By Rachel Rose Hartman

Here's a little Christmas present from Florida.

State House Speaker Dean Cannon revealed to CNN Tuesday that officials are likely to choose Jan. 31 as the date for the state's 2012 presidential primary--in direct violation of Republican National Committee rules. Florida's decision will likely spur a land rush among other early voting states to move the timing of their own contests forward in an already front-loaded GOP primary schedule.

Cannon said the members of the state commission in charge of primary scheduling "are expecting to meet on Friday from 11 to 12, and I expect that they will pick January 31 as Florida's primary date."

The move is part of Florida's plan to hold the fifth primary nominating contest of 2012. The state pulled off the same move in 2008 as it sought to move toward the front of the scrum of early primary states--even at the price of losing delegates at the 2008 nominating convention.

States outside the charmed circle of the four already designated early-voting states--Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina--who try to jump ahead of March 6 on the primary calendar risk penalties from the national party. But the example of Florida, at least, suggests that states are increasingly willing to barter away some influence at the convention in exchange for the clout and media attention that come with earlier primary votes.

Florida's decision will almost certainly prompt protests from the four early-voting states. And if those states retaliate by moving their own primaries forward in January, that could mean that Iowa and New Hampshire, which traditionally lead off the primary season, could be casting ballots in early January--and suffering through last-minute campaigning appeals over the December holidays.

And the Florida move could also spark a more general push of states that feel neglected or largely irrelevant to the nominating battle into a front-loading face-off. Since the primary field tends to quickly winnow, late-voting states risk hosting a far narrower field of candidates, or serving as rubber-stamp plebiscites in an already settled primary process.

Indeed, Arizona recently fired its own shot across the RNC's bow by electing to keep its primary date scheduled for Feb. 28 in defiance of the national committee's direction.

States are due to submit their proposed primary and caucus dates to the RNC this Saturday, October 1.

Why don't they just cut Florida off at the Georgia border and let it float away into the Caribbean?

One of my friends posted this on Facebook.

Is the big package a black thing?

That's one stereotype that none of my male black friends seem to mind .

I'm watching a Fox report where Christie is pretty much saying (but not quite) that he won't run for President.

Isn't it quite a commentary on the current Republican field of candidates that many Republicans are begging Christie to run.

Oli,

Glad you brought that up. I saw Christie's comments and I took it as a definite "NO." He referred them to politico where they had several clips looped together, all of them, him saying "NO". He said he appreciated being asked and would be nuts not to be flattered. He also said he didn't feel it was right and that one needed to be ready to run and he didn't feel it.

Now, this morning all the pundits are saying he left the door open. I did not see it as that at all. I'm thinking WTF, did they not hear it? HOW was a door open (except for the media telling us it was)? I know the Rep. field sucks and I know they want this guy but if Christie's playing games he's gonna look like a jerk if he draws this out. I don't get it.

That being said, and assuming nobody else enters the race, I think Rep. voters will very reluctantly go to Romney. Just my opinion.


TIS

Romney-Cain is probably their best bet now.

Although many people have been impressed by what Christie has accomplished in NJ, I think he's an arrogant bully. I can't imagine that this blowhard is the "savior" of the Republican Party.

There's one thing that people are forgetting - Christie's appeal in the tri-state area is not one that will play well across the country. We like our politicians to be blunt and outspoken - to a point that many would consider rude.

I don't think he would translate well to a national candidate. Even I find him abrasive. Imagine the Bible Belt?