Romney's Diner Experience

Let's just file this one under really dumb Americans.

He sits down briefly with Ashley DelPidio, a college student who'd just nailed down a job after putting her resume on CareerBuilder.
"How is it for other people in your class," asks Romney.
"Not everyone is lucky," she says.
After Romney leaves I check in with her; she, too was impressed. "I could see myself voting for him," she says. "Obama made a lot of promises and he hasn't kept all of them." What would she want President Romney to do that Obama hasn't? "The government needs to help people more when it comes to finding jobs. I think we could use more federal aid, or a federal program for people who are unemployed." Slate

The Obama administration has had several programs to help the unemployed, including extending unemployment benefits--WHICH THE REPUBLICANS FOUGHT. Another was the stimulus, which arguably should've been even bigger but the republicans wouldn't allow it.
As if Romney would even consider a federal program to help the unemployed, as if he even cared. Sure, Romney wants to help his constituents -- businesses -- to get their tax cuts and fewer regulations, but helping the unemployed -- through a federal program -- HA! That's funny.
Republicans know, unlike many democrats and many Americans in general, that recessions are cyclical. They always work themselves out. Jobs will return.
This downturn will be a long slog because people bought more than they could afford -- more home, more car, more goodies. People used their homes like ATM machines, not planning for any kind of downturn. That's why this downturn has been worse. On top of the housing mess and the unemployment, people were in debt up to their eyeballs.

Romney Will Regret Saying Obama Threw Israel Under the Bus

John Dickerson leads a SANE discussion. David Sanger and Major Garrett both agree Romney will be sorry for playing to the right wing. Sanger: Obama may be the first to utter the words "1967 borders," but those words have always been understood. Obama didn't change the playing field. He changed the way presidents talk about the playing field.

Win the Future Vs. Believe in America

If Mitt Romney wins the Republican nomination in 2012, he will appeal to Americans sense of: we are the best, we've always been the best and nothing will ever change that, his "believe in America" slogan vs. Obama's message that we have to improve ourselves and our country to move forward and "win the future."
Status quo vs reaching higher. Mitt has the easier job. No one wants to hear that there are sacrifices to be made and there is a lot of work to be done. Republicans are very good at making folks believe in either or -- that if you want to "win the future" you can't possibly "believe in America."
Frankly, I don't think Mitt has a chance of winning the nomination, ironically because his kind, conservative republicans, aren't into Mormons. Mitt will be defeated by his party's prejudices.
If the tea party has any real sway, Mike Huckabee will be the guy.
Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty could be the mouse that could. Former Utah Gov. John Huntsman could actually use his time in the Obama administration to appeal to independent voters if he could only win the republican nomination, which is a longshot.  Tea party types aren't likely to accept someone who served in the Obama administration. But he may not even be running in 2012.
In conclusion, Obama wins a second term.

Romney in Hot Tea Water Over Healthcare

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Republicans Out Protesting Healthcare Bill

John McCain was on GMA, saying he was repulsed by the passage of healthcare. Hey, didn't he lose in 2008? Mitt Romney, my favorite, is out campaigning on repeal of the bill. He's likely running, again, for the presidency.
You didn't think the republicans would quit did you? In fact, republicans are exploding all around the nation.
Last night I watched the Rove vs. Plouffe debate from early Sunday on This Week. It was rather entertaining, worth the watch. Rove looked as though he was about to pop--and that was before the passage of the bill:

Part 1
Part 2

Republicans pushing the narrative that the bill is not going to be popular--anything to avoid doing actual work. Republican and former Sen. Bill Frist says republicans will campaign on repeal, but that repeal is not going to happen.

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Nancy-Ann DeParle, who worked on healthcare policy for the White House, offers a few more details:

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Mitt Romney is So Phony

Juan Williams interviews Mitt Romney for Book TV. Watch it here. It's so apparent to me this guy is such a phony and it's not just because he has anti-Obama views--Mitt says Obama isn't a strong defender of American values. He's just phony. I wish I could pinpoint what it is about him. It's the same thing I saw in John Edwards. I always attribute it to pretty hair, but it's something more than that.

Meet Rashad Hussain

Meet Rashad Hussain, the Special Envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference. Hussain talks about how important it is to find common ground with Muslims around the world, something that Mitt Romney and his kind will never understand.

Mitt Romney Writes Book

I think these guys write books to get on TV. Of all the conservatives, Mitt disturbs me the most. Used car salesman, slick, phony are things that come to mind:

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What's Mormon About Calling the President Un-American?

The thing I don't get about these religious types is they never seem to adhere to the tenets of their religion. Mitt Romney shouldn't be questioning Obama's American-ness. The people who say the worst things about Obama almost always claim some sort of religious superiority. Read Romney's speech here. This guy reminds me too much of a used car salesman. He's slickier than slick:

Christina Romer on Meet the Press Dec. 13

Most economists say that jobs will begin to grow again in the second half of 2010. Most economists also say the stimulus boosted the economy. Those are facts.
I find it hard to fathom that David Gregory doesn't grasp the difference between the definition of a recession and what Americans perceive as a recession. But Gregory needs to get his headline: the recession is not over. The media is just playing games. I hate the way the media rely on tricks to stir up controversy. Here's a blurb at Politico:

Romer says the recession’s not over, but Summers seems to disagree. (McConnell, of course, agrees with Romer.)

Economists have already pronounced the end of the recession. Factually, the recession has ended. Christina Romer, an economist, knows that the recession has ended.
She's speaking in lay terms. She's saying what Obama always says-- that the recession isn't over until jobs come back. That's because most Americans don't know what a recession is, but they know what a job is.
But we should be cheering the end of the recession, because it means the only way to go is up. Unless you're a republican. If you're a republican in Congress, you're hoping for another period of economic defeat, a "double dip" recession, so that you have more rocks to throw at the administration.

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Here is the roundtable with loudmouth Jim Cramer, Alan Greenspan, Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm and icky man Mitt Romney. Romney is such a bore and an arrogant bore at that. He reminds me a lot of Cheney. Fortunately, he didn't get a lot of speaking time. He didn't even need to be there. We all know what he's going to say. He views government as an evil entity.

Late to the Party Romney Adds His One Cent

What took Mitt Romney so long to chime in on Afghanistan?
The rest of the republicans--even Dick--are showing him up.
I really don't understand and I would like A republican--any republican--to explain why they let Afghanistan languish for 7 years. Why didn't they care about troop deaths then? Troops have been dying their for 7 years and nada, nothing from the republicans. It's so disingenuous. They lost the right to voice any opinion against someone who's actually trying to make a difference in Afghanistan.

Romney says the stimulus didn't work. Most economists--who aren't being political--agree that the stimulus has given the economy a boost. The question now, the one that Harry Smith asked Romney, is when will the economy be able to run on its own? Note, the 2-year stimulus still has one year to go.

Glenn Beck Merely a Figment of His Imagination

David Brooks says Glenn Beck (and his kind) isn't as relevant as Beck thinks that he is. Listeners aren't the same as voters, Brooks says. But perhaps it's just wishful thinking on Brooks' part because folks like Brooks, conservative, yet coherent and intelligent, can't be heard above the din:

Let us take a trip back into history. Not ancient history. Recent history. It is the winter of 2007. The presidential primaries are approaching. The talk jocks like Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity and the rest are over the moon about Fred Thompson. They’re weak at the knees at the thought of Mitt Romney. Meanwhile, they are hurling torrents of abuse at the unreliable deviationists: John McCain and Mike Huckabee.

Yet somehow, despite the fervor of the great microphone giants, the Thompson campaign flops like a fish. Despite the schoolgirl delight from the radio studios, the Romney campaign underperforms.

Meanwhile, Huckabee surges. Limbaugh attacks him, but social conservatives flock.

Along comes New Hampshire and McCain wins! Republican voters have not heeded their masters in the media. Before long, South Carolina looms as the crucial point of the race. The contest is effectively between Romney and McCain. The talk jocks are now in spittle-flecked furor. Day after day, whole programs are dedicated to hurling abuse at McCain and everybody ever associated with him. The jocks are threatening to unleash their angry millions.

Yet the imaginary armies do not materialize. McCain wins the South Carolina primary and goes on to win the nomination. The talk jocks can’t even deliver the conservative voters who show up at Republican primaries. They can’t even deliver South Carolina!

So what is the theme of our history lesson? It is a story of remarkable volume and utter weakness. It is the story of media mavens who claim to represent a hidden majority but who in fact represent a mere niche — even in the Republican Party. It is a story as old as “The Wizard of Oz,” of grand illusions and small men behind the curtain. Read the rest at NYT. He comes to a pretty interesting conclusion.

Glenn Beck has a teleprompter malfunction:

Fox Talk Show Host Huckabee Wins Values Voter 2012 Vote

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee won the Values Voter Summit's 2012 presidential straw poll Saturday, grabbing nearly 29 percent of the vote in a crowded field.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Indiana Rep. Mike Pence each won roughly 12 percent of the 597 votes cast. CNN

Southern cook Paula Deen talks to Mike Huckabee about her battle with agoraphobia.

Deval Patrick on Filling Kennedy's Senate Seat

Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick wants to be able to appoint someone to fill the Senate seat for the five month interim prior to the special election. A law needs to be changed. What's interesting is that the democrats changed the succession law in the first place:

The succession law was changed in 2004, when Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., became his party's presidential nominee and Republican Mitt Romney was the state's governor. Democratic lawmakers changed the law to block Romney from installing a Republican to serve until the next general election. MSNBC

There's Something Seriously Wrong With This Poll

Seriously wrong. This essentially proves my theory that there's no good poll unless it's a good poll. There is no way that that many Americans would vote for Palin. No way.
No way Obama's tied with Romney. Ick.

Why are all these polls coming out now?

If the 2012 presidential election were held today, President Obama and possible Republican nominee Mitt Romney would be all tied up at 45% each, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.
The president, seeking a second four-year term, beats another potential GOP rival, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, by six points – 48% to 42%.
In both match-ups, seven percent (7%) like some other candidate, with three percent (3%) undecided. Rasmussen

Democrats better step up their game and start throwing some support behind Obama who's been carrying the baton since before he took office. But he hasn't been able to pass it off because no one is there. Democrats--who have enough votes--are whining about health care instead of getting it done. We don't want to hear that it might not get done, or that it might take longer. Just shut your pie holes and do it. That's what you're paid to do. Honestly, what do these people do all day long?

Romney: We've Got Ideas

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Republicans Get Sappy Over Achy Breaky Sanford Heartbreak

I'll say this: Gov. Sanford is a wreck. Anyone can see that.
But this morning Mitt Romney and Lindsey Graham, the godfather of one of the Sanford's children, try to defend his butt.
Romney says it's not for anyone outside of South Carolina to make pronouncements on. Wrongo again Romney.
I've never seen republicans tap into so much emotion as they try to defend Mark Sanford. It's not the affair that was horrible, it was the manner in which he had the affair, the way he used taxpayer money, the way he through his job out the window like a lovesick puppy.

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Harry Smith Shuts Down Snide Mitt Romney

Republicans have some sort of weird thing going on with Ronald Reagan. I understand having admiration of the former president, who has since passed away, but come on, get with the modern times. What worked then might not work now. If Reagan were president today, he might be doing things in a different way. But don't try telling that to conservatives pining for the past.
CBS' Harry Smith shuts down Mitt at about the 2 minute mark when Romney says Obama's stance on Iran wasn't like Reagan's "tear down this wall" moment.
Smith points out that was a very different occasion.
Romney is such a snot. His language is so spiteful and he has such venom for Obama, a psychologist might say he's plainly jealous. Many of the alpha males have troubles keeping their testosterone in check when it comes to Obama.
Watch the video here.

Biden: Talks With Iran Aren't A Reward

On Meet the Press, Joe Biden talks about the election results in Iran and U.S. talks with Iran, which he says isn't a reward for good behavior. 
Biden's doubtful about the outcome of the elections. Biden says we have to accept Ahmadinejad for the time being but all the facts aren't in.
With all the flare ups in the world, I'm grateful that Obama is president. Obama, with his calm and pragmatic demeanor, is perfectly suited for the times. If a republican was in charge, say Mitt Romney, who's out campaigning, matters could be escalated to a point of no return.

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Mitt Romney Says Obama's on Apology Tour

How much do I dislike Mitt Romney? I prefer Sarah Palin to Romney. There's something about Romney. He's kind of like Cheney, cold hearted. But unlike Cheney, who is what he is, Romney strikes me as a disingenuous person who needs to pound his chest.

Romney says Obama's on an "apology tour."

Romney and his ilk are much too dense to understand a progressive approach to international relations because they still view America as the conqueror.

Obama is saying count us in the global community. We don't want to own it. We want to be part of it. We don't want to push our values on you. We want to hear what you have to say. We want you to hear us and then we want to find a way to live on the same planet. That's strength and confidence. Not invading a country or refusing to meet with other world leaders.

Republican Mitt Romney, seen as a likely contender for the White House in 2012, scolded President Barack Obama on Monday, arguing that he has failed to take a tougher line against U.S. critics in the global arena.

"I take issue with President Obama's recent tour of apology," Romney said. "It's not because America hasn't made mistakes — we have — but because America's mistakes are overwhelmed by what America has meant to the hopes and aspirations of people throughout the world."

Obama has expressed regret while traveling abroad for America's leadership failures and other past conduct.

"This is the time for strength and confidence, not for apologizing to America's critics," Romney said. MSNBC

But is anyone listening to Romney besides the choir? Check out the comments at CNN. Doesn't seem like anyone cares much for Mitt.