WorldTraveller

Indeed, Obama has held half as many availabilities as his two most recent predecessors at this point in the year of their reelection campaigns, according to data provided by Towson professor and presidential scholar Martha Joynt Kumar. At the same point in their reelection campaign, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton had held 17 and 16 pressers, respectively. Obama has held just eight. Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/79840_Page2.html#ixzz23pmu0drJ Usually the Obama administration wilts under pressure when it comes from the left. My guess is he'll do one soon.

There's nothing wrong with doing softball interviews during a campaign cycle. Lots of people vote based on likeability, and to that end one's take on the mole in Albuquerque is a matter of great regional importance. Music matters even more -- Nick Hornby has argued that you can tell a lot more about a person by what they like than by what they're like. But, more than eight weeks since his last press conference, every question the president fields from an outlet like 93.3 KOB.FM becomes another turn of the thumb in the eye of his White House press corps. "I just flirted with the President of the United States of America," the co-host of the show says after President Obama hangs up. White House correspondents, meanwhile, are begging for a suggestive glance from across the room. http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2012/08/i-just-flirted-with-the-potus-132398.html?hp=r2

From Today's White House Briefings: Separately, Earnest was asked when Obama might take questions from reporters at an official White House press conference. Obama hasn't fielded a question from a White House reporter at an official press conference in two months. Earnest said he didn't have any scheduling announcements, but argued that Obama has “spent a lot of time answering questions from reporters all over the country” including a “wide range of outlets.” Obama has done a series of interviews lately. But reporters complain that he has fielded softball questions from the likes of People Magazine and Entertainment Tonight.

The White house press corps is fuming over the Obama administrations insistence of Obama not giving personal press briefings. It's been months. What makes them really upset is that he is only doing puff interviews with Peoples magazine and interviews with radio stations like this. Their calculation from what I've read is that he is popular in light hearted settings, and that they are wary of him answering tough questions.

I've made this point a few times, and I suppose I'll say it again. How many of you have ever brought a cheat sheet with you to school or knew of someone who did and used it? I knew of a lot of kids that did, literally hundreds of times and I don't recall ever someone getting caught. What I'm saying is just because there haven't been thousands of people that hadn't been caught doesn't mean that thousands of people still aren't cheating the system. In any case, it's good policy, and most Americans overwhelmingly agree.

That's ok, If not this year sometime very soon, GOP continues with same immigration policy that it has today, will never ever win another presidential election, and the whole country will become a Progressive Utopia like California. Yep, that will be awesome!

According to the Medicare actuary: cuts to provider payments will cause 15 percent of Medicare Part A providers to become unprofitable within the next 10 years, according to the Medicare Actuary. He explains, “Over time, a sustained reduction in payment updates, based on productivity expectations that are difficult to attain, would cause Medicare payment rates to grow more slowly than, and in a way that was unrelated to, the providers’ cost of furnishing services to beneficiaries.” As Medicare providers begin to operate at a loss, they will be unable to stay afloat, leaving seniors with less access to care. Richard Foster, has explained that the ACA Medicare cuts could make unprofitable 15 percent of hospitals serving Medicare patients. “It is doubtful that many [hospitals and other health care providers] will be able to improve their own productivity to the degree” necessary to accommodate the cuts, Foster has written. “Thus, providers for whom Medicare constitutes a substantial portion of their business could find it difficult to remain profitable, and, absent legislative intervention, might end their participation in the program (possibly jeopardizing care for beneficiaries. [Our] simulations…suggest that roughly 15 percent of [hospitalization] providers would become unprofitable within the 10-year projection as a result of the [spending cuts].” http://budget.house.gov/uploadedfiles/fostertestimony1262011.pdf Its a matter of semantics. What it does is cut payments to Medical Providers. What do you think those providers will do? Eat the cost? Or give less care as a result of less payment? Obviously it leads to a rationing of care. Hence IPAB

Who's got the best plan for bringing America's economy back from the doldrums? Well, according to more than 400 prominent economists—including five Nobel laureates—it's Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan. The economy has been in the tank since before Barack Obama became president, as he cheerfully reminds everyone at every available opportunity. Under his leadership, however, things have gotten worse by almost every available measure. Unemployment has exceeded 8 percent for 42 straight months, a post-war record. Somewhere between 3 and 4 million people have given up looking for work entirely, making the "real" unemployment number something close to 13 or 14 percent. The economy is barely growing. Middle-class incomes are down. The price of gasoline and the number of Americans living in poverty are both up. Now Obama likes to say his economic plan is working--which is true if what it was supposed to produce was more unemployment, more poverty, higher gas and food prices, more people on food stamps, and more federal debt. [see a collection of political cartoons on the 2012 campaign.] Real economists, however, differ on what the objective of economic policy should be. The economists who signed on to the pro-Romney statement said, "We enthusiastically endorse Governor Mitt Romney's economic plan to create jobs and restore economic growth while returning America to its tradition of economic freedom." Romney's plan, they said, "is based on proven principles: a more contained and less intrusive federal government, a greater reliance on the private sector, a broad expansion of opportunity without government favors for special interests, and respect for the rule of law including the decision-making authority of states and localities." Among the positions they endorse: Reduce marginal tax rates on business and wage incomes and broaden the tax base to increase investment, jobs, and living standards. End the exploding federal debt by controlling the growth of spending so federal spending does not exceed 20 percent of the economy. Restructure regulation to end "too big to fail," improve credit availability to entrepreneurs and small businesses, and increase regulatory accountability, and ensure that all regulations pass rigorous benefit-cost tests. Improve our Social Security and Medicare programs by reducing their growth to sustainable levels, ensuring their viability over the long term, and protecting those in or near retirement. Reform our healthcare system to harness market forces and thereby reduce costs and increase quality, empowering patients and doctors, rather than the federal bureaucracy. Promote energy policies that increase domestic production, enlarge the use of all western hemisphere resources, encourage the use of new technologies, end wasteful subsidies, and rely more on market forces and less on government planners. http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/peter-roff/2012/08/16/nobel-economists-back-mitt-romneys-plan In that same poll, you omitted this"The result was different among respondents in the United States, where a slim majority thought Romney would be better for their businesses than Obama."

K.I.S.S

The whiteboard was Genius! It's mainly being criticized by loony leftist circles. The point was, and rather effectively, current seniors are affected by Obamas plan. Current seniors not affected under Romneys. This is exactly what they need to do to help seniors understand their plans.K.I.S.Sat the end of the day, any seniors who saw this, understood a little bit better that they aren't affected. And thats all they wanted to achieve.

I can't see it from this pc, can you put up a link to a website with the description of it?

I read that earlier today. But yeah, the bailout was a complete "success"

This is an effective, simple political outline of how the message on Medicare will be rolled out from the Romney camp. http://thehill.com/video/campaign/244015-romney-uses-white-board-to-attack-obama-on-medicare-

I was commenting because the villages is standard GOP presidential territory, but I agree, going into a retirement community is important on many levels, one so that he can reassure GOP base seniors and two for the optics of reaching out to seniors. In regards to the narrative of "There goes Florida", it's a typical knee-jerk response, which is why I say conventional wisdom is retarded in this instance. As I mentioned before, Obamacare affects seniors, Romneys plan doesn't. And how hard is it to communicate "If you are age 55 or over, nothing changes and you remain on traditional Medicare" ? Btw, have you seen the new ad that is hitting Obama http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2012/08/14/romney-turns-medicare-attack-against-obama-in-new-ad/ Its very well made. I would say so far it's the most effective ad on Romneys behalf so far this cycle.

I'm not sure I'd consider the Villages unfriendly territory, but it is a retirement community and it's important that he reassures seniors that his plan doesn't affect them. Ironically, the only candidate that has passed or proposed a law that could affect seniors is Obama. Obama's law does impact seniors, through the reduction to the medical providers and IPAB, whereas Romney's plan doesn't have any impact whatsoever for those over 55. I believe Seniors will see this and conventional wisdom is retarded, because it doesn't make any sense. People really don't realize how unpopular Obamacare is and they really are underestimating how this will be a loser for them again in 2012.

I think what it says is that back in 2008, the opposition to Obama wouldn't of felt as emboldened as it does today, there is widespread feelings that Obama hasn't lived up to his promise and people aren't as afraid to show that like they did in 08.

GOP vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan took a shot at Vice President Joe Biden Thursday over his latest gaffe. "It is great to be here in North Canton, or as Joe Biden might say, it's great to be here in Nevada," Ryan said as he opened an address at Walsh University in North Cantor, Ohio. Biden on Tuesday mistakenly told a crowd in Danville, Va., that they could help President Obama win North Carolina in November. "We can win North Carolina again," Biden said. ZING!!!!!

Also, a new Franklin Marshall Poll out of PA, of RV shows Obama only up + 5 , which is Romneys best showing as of yet on this poll http://www.realclear...obama-1891.htmlbtw, in that poll Romney is up + 20 over Obama with independents

Here are other signs of troubles that aren't reflected in the RV polls: Turnout in Florida’s solidly Democratic Broward County, home to Fort Lauderdale, hit rock bottom in Tuesday's primary, leading to the questions about the level of Democratic enthusiasm in November. From the Miami Herald report: Broward posted by far the lowest county-wide turnout on Tuesday: 10.69 percent. That's pathetic even for Broward, which has a long history of civic indifference in primary elections. In 2010, the primary turnout there was 15 percent; in 2008, 11 percent; in 2006, 12 percent. The statistics, on the state Division of Elections web site, do not include provisional, overseas or military ballots, which in many cases have not yet been counted. The statewide turnout was 20.4 percent. Should such a low turnout concern President Barack Obama and U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson? Yes. Broward remains the biggest Democratic county in Florida, with more than twice as many D's (572,000) as Republicans (257,000). But, as is the norm, most of them stayed home Tuesday. If they don't show a little more enthusiasm on Nov. 6, it could be a very long night for Democrats.

What are you? Conner inversed?

This seemed to get no press whatsoever. Biden in Virginia, during his trip said "hey by the way, let's talk about social security. Number one, I guarantee you, flat guarantee you, there will be no changes in social security. I flat guarantee you" That is an utter failure of real leadership. I don't see how anyone who is younger than the age of 45 that could not see this irresponsible, cowardly statement from the Obama administration as deeply disconcerting.

New Polling data: In the immediate aftermath of Mitt Romney’s selection of Paul Ryan as his running mate, the GOP ticket has drawn even with the Democratic ticket. Today, Romney and Ryan lead the Obama-Biden ticket by a point (47% to 46%), an improvement from July when President Obama led Romney by 2 points, 47% to 45%. The Romney-Ryan ticket is fueled by an 11-point advantage among independents. This represents an increase from July, when Romney held a 5-point margin over Obama among that key group. In our Purple Predictor states, Ryan’s addition to the ticket has had a mixed impact on the race. Romney has seen the largest gain in Ohio, a state we have seen bounce between the campaigns over the last few months. Today, the GOP ticket leads by 2 points (46% to 44%), compared to July when President Obama led the state 48% to 45%. Romney also gained ground in Virginia — today, he and Paul Ryan hold a 3-point advantage in the race (48% to 45%), while Romney trailed by 2 points in July. However, President Obama has seen improvements in Colorado and Florida. In Colorado, the Obama-Biden ticket now leads 49% to 46%, an increase from a 1-point lead in July. In Florida, the Democratic ticket trails by just 1 point (48% to 47%), compared to a 3 point deficit in Jul y. Taken as a whole, these data indicate a small bump in the immediate aftermath of the Ryan announcement. Nonetheless, it is also the first sign of positive momentum for the Romney campaign that we’ve seen in the PurplePoll in the last few months.

There are three possible October surprises that I would EXPECT to see from the White House before the elections if they feel that the elections is beginning to slip away from them. 1) Support the Bowles Simpson Plan 2) Dump Ol stumblin bumblin crazy uncle joe for Hillary 3) Support an air strike very publicly on Iran

Again?Lame

He did it again: - Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday referred to Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), the running mate of GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney, as “Governor Ryan.” During a campaign stop at Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg, Va., Biden said, “Congressman Ryan and the congressional Republicans, as one person said, had all, have already passed in the Republican House what Governor Ryan is promising to give the whole nation. - Do we really feel comfortable that this guy is one heart beat away from being the next president?