Friday, November 09, 2012

A Night Spent On Twitter

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I Am Tired Of This First Lady Business

Just make Michelle Queen, and we would be done with it.

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Victory Speech

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This Is How You Say Thank You

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Thursday, November 08, 2012

Lincoln

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Bibi

The Likud Party led by Benjamin Netanyahu wins...
The Likud Party led by Benjamin Netanyahu wins a narrow victory in the Israeli general election (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Netanyahu Rushes to Repair Damage With Obama
Over the past several years, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has on several occasions confronted or even undercut President Obama, taking his message directly to the Israel-friendly United States Congress, challenging Mr. Obama’s appeal to the Arab world, and seeming this fall to support his opponent, Mitt Romney. ...... Netanyahu still maintains strong ties to members of Congress, particularly Republicans ..... Jerusalem is worried that Washington will agree to direct talks with Tehran, and go easier on the Palestinian Authority’s quest this month for upgraded status in the United Nations. ....... “Given what Netanyahu had done these recent months, the question is: Does our prime minister still have a friend in the White House?” Mr. Olmert asked at a meeting with Jewish leaders in New York. “I am not certain of this, and this might be very significant to us at critical points.” ...... “My sense is that he both dislikes and distrusts Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, and that he is more likely to use his new momentum to settling scores than to settling issues.” ..... Obama was loath to take on a new Middle East military operation ..... “a decade of war is ending.” .... the bid for nonmember state status in the General Assembly
Can Republicans Adapt?
A coalition of aging white men is a recipe for failure in a nation that increasingly looks like a rainbow. ...... America needs a plausible center-right opposition party to hold Obama’s feet to the fire, not just a collection of Tea Party cranks. ..... the Democratic Party embraced the pragmatic center-left Bill Clinton in 1992 after three consecutive losses in presidential elections. ..... primary voters are their party’s worst enemy. ...... the profusion of right-wing radio and television programs. Democrats complain furiously that Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck or Sean Hannity smear the left, but I wonder if the bigger loser isn’t the Republican Party itself. Those shows whip up a frenzy in their audience, torpedoing Republican moderates ......... an ideological black hole that no light can enter. ..... After this election, a record 20 senators will be women, almost all of them Democrats. Opposition to same-sex marriage used to be a way for Republicans to trumpet their morality; now it’s seen as highlighting their bigotry. ...... An astonishing 45 percent of Obama voters were members of minority groups .... Many others were women or young people. ...... if the Republican Party remains a purist cohort built around grumpy old white men, it is committing suicide. That’s bad not just for conservatives, but for our entire country.

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The Hug That Was Seen Around The World

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Wednesday, November 07, 2012

Year Two: Campaign Finance Reform



Biden Hints at 2016 Presidential Bid
Mr. Biden, who cast his ballot Tuesday after waiting in line to vote in his home state of Delaware shortly after 7 a.m., was asked if this was the last time he’ll vote for himself. The vice president grinned. “No, I don’t think so,” he said. ..... If he got into the race it would be his third presidential campaign. He’s made two unsuccessful bids in the past, including in 2008.
Bobby Jindal for president in 2016? The early line
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, who is barred by law from seeking a third consecutive term when his current term ends in 2015. ..... The young and wonky governor of Louisiana coasted to a second term last year, and 2016 might finally mark a good opportunity for Jindal to take a run at higher office. Jindal has been viewed as an up-and-coming star in the party since he won the governorship in 2007. He will serve as chairman of the Republican Governors Association next year. Jindal didn't shy away from raising his national profile this cycle, stumping for Romney and heading to Iowa to back Texas Gov. Rick Perry in the Republican primary. Jindal returned to Iowa this fall, traveling the state with former Sen. Rick Santorum in a campaign to oust a state Supreme Court judge who has supported same-sex marriage.
Wall Street left to rebuild Obama ties after backing Romney
given that Obama won and that financial reform is popular among Americans, many on Wall Street acknowledge that there's only so much they can do. ...... Wall Street was so confident in Romney's chances that the Financial Services Roundtable, a leading industry group in Washington, recently named as its head Tim Pawlenty, a Romney campaign co-manager who has little financial firm experience and few ties to Washington policymakers. ..... A 2010 Gallup poll showed that Dodd-Frank was Obama's most popular law, exceeding healthcare reform ...... Among the financial industry's top complaints is the Volcker rule, which prevents banks from making big bets in financial markets with their own money. ..... Warren was instrumental in creating the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which banks were hoping to weaken. Gaining political support for such a move now seems unlikely
Nor'easter bears down on New York City, complicating Superstorm Sandy recovery efforts
Thousands of people in low-lying neighborhoods staggered by the superstorm just over a week ago were warned to clear out, with authorities saying rain, wet snow and 60 mph gusts in the evening could bring more flooding .... a Nor'Easter storm that could potentially re-flood areas devastated by Superstorm Sandy..... A nor'easter blustered into New York and New Jersey on Wednesday, threatening to swamp homes all over again, plunge neighborhoods back into darkness and inflict more misery on tens of thousands of people still reeling from Superstorm Sandy. ..... and erase some of the hard-won progress made in restoring electricity to millions of customers. ..... "I am waiting for the locusts and pestilence next," New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said. "We may take a setback in the next 24 hours." ..... Drivers were advised to stay off the road after 5 p.m. ..... By early afternoon, the storm was bringing rain and wet snow to New York, New Jersey and the Philadelphia area. A couple of inches of snow were possible in New York City..... "It's like a sequel to a horror movie." .... "Here we are, nine days later — freezing, no electricity, no nothing, waiting for another storm" ...... The storm was a few hundred miles off New Jersey on Wednesday morning and was expected to remain offshore as it traveled to the northeast, passing near Cape Cod. Forecasters said there would be moderate coastal flooding, with storm surges of about 3 feet possible Wednesday into Thursday — far less than the 8 to 14 feet Sandy hurled at the region. ..... Ahead of the nor'easter, an estimated 270,000 homes and businesses in New York state and around 370,000 in New Jersey were still without electricity.
Athens ablaze as protesters try to storm parliament
Imran Khan favours resolving Kashmir row through dialogue
building more trust and strengthening cricketing and trade ties to repair relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. There was also praise for Jawaharlal Nehru and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar. ..... "We had nothing to do with 9/11, there was no Al-Qaida and Taliban in Pakistan," he said while blaming the Pervez Musharraf regime for turning Pakistan into the epicenter of the "war against terror" and promised a new approach that will seek to get the tribal population on board. "The key to winning the war... is winning the people in the tribal areas," he said. ...... he said it would depend on China, "Pakistan's all-weather friend", to build infrastructure, a statement that will raise fresh concerns in India over its northern and western neighbours joining hands.
Imran Khan-led party goes down in popularity: Survey
The survey shows that the PML-N is currently the single most popular party in the country. ..... 28 per cent of the respondents agreed to vote for PML-N, closely followed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf at 24 per cent. ..... The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) took the third spot with 14 per cent votes whereas Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) polled 3 per cent. .... 91 per cent of the people believed that Pakistan was heading in the wrong direction. .... Respondents termed electricity and inflation to be the two most important issues being faced by Pakistan.
Boehner opens door to ‘new revenue,’ to curb debt
Republicans are “willing to accept new revenue” to tame the soaring national debt and avert an ugly battle over the approaching “fiscal cliff.” ...... Boehner (R-Ohio) said Tuesday’s election amounted to a plea from voters for the parties to lay down their weapons of the past two years and “do what’s best for our country.” ..... In phone calls made overnight and this morning from Chicago, Obama said much the same thing to Boehner, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). ...... the party is open to “increased revenue . . . as the byproduct of a growing economy, energized by a simpler, cleaner, fairer tax code, with fewer loopholes, and lower rates for all.” ..... Obama and other Democrats have long insisted that the George W. Bush-era tax cuts should be permitted to expire for the nation’s top earners, raising the top rate to 39.6 percent. ..... Boehner said Democrats must not “continue to duck the matter of entitlements,” referring to the rising cost of Social Security and federal health programs, which he called “the root of the problem.” ..... “What we can do is avert the cliff in a manner that serves as a downpayment on — and a catalyst for — major solutions, enacted in 2013, that begin to solve the problem.” ....... Obama is proposing about $1.5 trillion in new tax revenue over a decade, largely by raising rates to 39.6 percent for wealthy Americans and eliminating tax deductions and loopholes. ...... Obama won large majorities among black, Hispanic, Asian and multiracial voters; Romney easily carried the white vote. Obama’s haul among Hispanics — a key and expanding demographic -- was overwhelming ..... Romney won among Protestants; the president found majorities among Catholics, Jews and members of other faiths. Men sided more with Romney; women solidly favored Obama.
Gridlock as usual or new era of compromise? Washington stares down 'fiscal cliff' crisis after election
a policy threat that some economists say could trigger another recession if left un-addressed...... House Speaker John Boehner said Tuesday night there is "no mandate for raising taxes." He told Fox News earlier that Obama "knows we're not going to raise taxes on American small businesses. He knows it." Boehner predicted a "real brawl" if the president doubles down on that..... 60 percent of voters said they thought taxes should increase for everyone or for just top earners...... “By itself, the recognition that we have common hopes and dreams won’t end all the gridlock or solve all our problems or substitute for the painstaking work of building consensus and making the difficult compromises needed to move this country forward. But that common bond is where we must begin” ...... Obama also could be setting himself up for tough battles with a divided Congress on some issues, including immigration reform and climate change ...... Some have suggested that the Democrats may just let the current tax rates expire in order to be in a better bargaining position come January

Dick Morris explains -- why I was wrong about the 2012 election
The key reason for my bum prediction is that I mistakenly believed that the 2008 surge in black, Latino, and young voter turnout would recede in 2012 to “normal” levels. Didn’t happen. These high levels of minority and young voter participation are here to stay. And, with them, a permanent reshaping of our nation’s politics........ In 2012, 13% of the vote was cast by blacks. In 04, it was 11%. This year, 10% was Latino. In ’04 it was 8%. This time, 19% was cast by voters under 30 years of age. In ’04 it was 17%. Taken together, these results swelled the ranks of Obama’s three-tiered base by five to six points, accounting fully for his victory........ Sandy, in retrospect, stopped Romney’s post-debate momentum. She was, indeed, the October Surprise. ..... the Republican tilt toward white middle aged and older voters is ghettoizing the party so that even bad economic times are not enough to sway the election..... Blacks cast 13% of the vote and Obama won them 12-1. Latinos cast 10% and Obama carried them by 7-3. Under 30 voters cast 19% of the vote and Obama swept them by 12-7. Single white women cast 18% of the total vote and Obama won them by 12-6. There is some overlap among these groups, of course, but without allowing for any, Obama won 43-17 before the first married white woman or man over 30 cast their vote

After Romney loss, GOP soul searching begins
Mitt Romney's loss on Tuesday laid bare a Republican demographic problem that, if not addressed, could transform the GOP into a permanent minority party. .... white voters, who made up 72 percent of the electorate ... In 1988, they were 85 percent of all voters. By the year 2000, that was down to 81 percent. It's fallen nine more points since them. .... Latinos accounted for more than half of the U.S. population increase between 2000 and 2010 .... The black and Asian vote, which also broke overwhelmingly for the president, is also growing. Blacks were 13 percent of the electorate this year, up from 10 percent in 1988; Asians have risen from one percent of the electorate to three percent over the past two decades. ..... red states like Arizona and even Texas are on a path to become battlegrounds themselves. ..... "For the first time in American history, the Latino vote can plausibly claim to be nationally decisive." ...... Voters under 30 supported the president 60 percent to 37 percent, and voters between 30 and 44 years old backed Mr. Obama by seven percentage points. ..... young women, who overwhelmingly backed the president .... Fifty-nine percent of voters in the exit poll said abortion should be legal

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Biden, Bobby




It will be Joe Biden versus Bobby Jindal.

Six People Who Could Replace Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State
The Race for 2016 Starts Today


Jindal, Christie tapped to lead GOP governors
Jindal, who serves on the association's executive committee, will chair the group in 2013 under a plan that officials say has broad support from other Republican governors. Christie, the current vice chairman, will take over in 2014. ..... The move gives both up-and-comers prominent leadership roles in the Republican Party and access to a national network of conservative donors, laying the groundwork for possible presidential bids in 2016 .... Jindal will serve as Christie's vice chair after relinquishing the chairmanship in 2014. ..... Christie was chosen to deliver the keynote at the Republican National Convention in August. ..... has had a meteoric rise within the Republican Party. The 41-year-old won re-election last year in a landslide with minimal opposition. ..... Taking a turn as the association's leader has in recent years been a prelude to seeking higher office. Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, both served as chairman before pursuing a presidential bid.
Top 10 Republican presidential contenders for 2016
Top 10 Democratic presidential contenders for 2016
Will Marco Rubio lead the Republicans in 2016? GOP scrambles to find new standard bearer after Romney loses minority voters
Romney lost Hispanics to Barack Obama by 69 points to 29 and blacks by 93 to six. ..... After being portrayed as an extremist on abortion and fertility issues, Romney also lost women voters by 55 to 43 points. ....... Romney lost Florida, Ohio, Virginia and Colorado - his most likely path to a narrow victory - by just over 305,000 votes ..... The fact that Obama was able to increase his support among Hispanics is indicative of the deep unpopularity of the Republican stance of dealing with illegal immigrants. ..... More than two-thirds of voters believed that illegal immigrants should have some kind of 'path to citizenship'. But in the primary, Romney had argued that the millions of illegals should be forced to 'self deport'...... A broader problem for the Republican party is that among voters who wanted a president who 'cares about people like me', Obama won by 81 per cent
Handicapping the 2016 presidential field
we could be looking at a race as wide open as 2008 for both parties. ..... Bobby Jindal: The Louisiana governor seems all-but-certain to make a bid for president in 2016 and he’s got a strong argument in his favor. He’s Indian American (Republicans badly need non-white faces in top positions), he’s compiled a decidedly conservative record as governor of the Bayou State and he’s among the wonkiest members of his party. Jindal’s time on the national stage hasn’t exactly been filled with star turns — his 2009 Republican response was super awkward — but we’ve always been impressed with his ability to move seamlessly between politics and policy, a rare gift in politicians. ...... Joe Biden: Just in case you had ruled out the possibility of Biden running in 2016 — he will be 73 on Election Day 2016 — Biden reminded you of it while voting on Tuesday. Asked whether this was the last time he would cast a ballot for himself, the Vice President smiled mischievously and said “No, I don’t think so.” If the best indicator of wanting to run for president in the future is having run for president in the past, then Biden qualifies since he has run for the top spot in 1988 and 2008. Biden would have the benefit of semi-incumbency going for him and has always had a top-tier team of political professionals who have stuck with him through thick and thin in a political career that began way back in 1972. Biden’s problems? One is named Hillary. The other is named Joe Biden. The Vice President’s tendency to veer off script would be a major issue if he decided to run in four years time.

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Susan Rice For Secretary Of State

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