Jim, Dave has a point here. Romney really passed a golden opportunity to make his healthcare case after the Court ruling and basically has been mute. If the GOP or Romney has an alternative, now might be a good time to let the rest of us know about it. I beginning to sweat a little. I'd like to go head to head with Obama but I'm not sure Romney is up to it. He needs to start kicking this loser's ass yesterday. I not sure he's up to the kind of low-down dirty tricks that the Chicago boys will employ. God, I wish Christie was running or at least the VP. Within 30 days Obama would look like a skid mark.
I agree with George....Romney needs to make a strong case as why his very specific and feasible plan would be much better for the American public....especially the middle class who are bearing the burden of the high cost of healthcare. He really could get somewhere if he had something compelling and believable. In the interim just the standard and incessant "we're gonna repeal Obamacare" refrain is going to alienate voters who are expecting more.
I've done a 180 on Christie. I like him, BUT......IMO if he was the VP candidate, he would become a lightning rod and would distract from whatever message Romney was trying to convey. His Jersey toughness is admirable and refreshingly unconventional, but he likely would slip up somewhere along the line and end up being caricatured a la Sarah Palin, which probably would contribute to sending Romney's hopes down the tubes.
:idea: I'm not a fan of Christie. He's one of those guys who talks too much when he should be listening. re: Romney Romney and his wife are taking a break. They've earned it and they have no more planned. This show is just getting started.
As I've said all along, I have no faith in Obama being defeated. There are no breaks. Nothing has been earned. You'll note that every time there's a break, Obama fills the silence with his velvet lined ******** for the masses to choke on gleefully. I like Christie. I don't mind him being a talker. Look where he's from. Look what he has to compete with. If you aren't putting your message out there, someone else is. One thing I like about Christie is that he's a guy who can cut you down on the spot. He's not a teleprompt queen. He's sharp. If you look at the damage that a half-wit like Palin was able to do simply by staying active, it should make you wonder what someone who knows what they are talking about could do if they took on that same role.
Corey nailed it. Christie does not need teleprompters. He is not even comfortable standing at a podium. It is a testimony to how much we, as a people, have compromised our principles that a man who "tells it like it is" is considered pompous or rude. He would provide a stark contrast to Obama-Biden and that is what voters are looking for. Romney so far has been hanging on to a couple of soundbites like a teddy bear.
Don't get me wrong. I also like Christie for the same reasons mentioned by Corey and George. I just don't think he's the appropriate choice for VP in this particular election for the reasons I described above. IMO Christie has strong appeal to the guys here on Skybox, including me, but to other reasonable voters, like it or not, his Jersey style does come off as pompous and rude. I hope I'm wrong. It certainly would be a gutsy move by Romney to choose him.
Obama: “I’ve tried real hard” <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zD6b2wfTPwg?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0"></iframe> Look at the blank face of a man who conned his entire way through life, making one excuse after another, and who has now run out of excuses. There is no excuse for Obama.
Obama To Hold Two $40,000-Per-Head Fundraisers Today, Numbers 173 And 174 Since Filing For Reelection 15 Months Ago… Meaning he spends nearly 3 out of every 7 days fundraising.
Romney Campaign Demands Apology From Obama Over “Felon” Comments — Update: Obama Camp Says They Will Not Apologize… The phrase “when hell freezes over” comes to mind. Via Weekly Standard: Mitt Romney’s campaign manager, Matt Rhoades, issued the following statement after Barack Obama’s campaign suggested Romney might be a criminal: “President Obama’s campaign hit a new low today when one of its senior advisers made a reckless and unsubstantiated charge to reporters about Mitt Romney that was so over the top that it calls into question the integrity of their entire campaign. President Obama ought to apologize for the out-of-control behavior of his staff, which demeans the office he holds. Campaigns are supposed to be hard fought, but statements like those made by Stephanie Cutter belittle the process and the candidate on whose behalf she works.”
GAO Report: White House Intentionally Delayed Obamacare’s Cuts To Medicaid Until After 2012 Election… Via WFB: A recent report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has laid bare the Obama administration’s effort to delay the impact of Medicare cuts in the health care law until after the 2012 election. Under the new law, cuts to Medicare Advantage funding would force many seniors off their preferred health plans. This aspect of the law was originally intended to go into effect before the election in November, but fearing the political backlash, the administration launched an $8.35 billion “demonstration project” that would effectively delay the cuts until after the election. The GAO report urged the administration to cancel the project, citing its numerous “design shortcomings” and noting that the program fails to “conform to the principles of budget neutrality,” meaning the $8.35 billion is not offset by spending cuts or other revenue, and will have to be borrowed.
CNN: OBAMA’S BAIN PUSH ‘DOESN’T APPEAR TO BE TRUE’ Yesterday, based on proven falsehoods, the Obama campaign floated the idea that Mitt Romney might be a “felon.” That is appalling behavior coming from a sitting United States President and, had Romney done the same to Obama, the media would’ve created a perfect storm demanding he either back it up or walk it back — and rightfully so. Obama’s entire Bain spree has been nothing but lies and irresponsible, outrageous charges. Negative campaigning is one thing; lying and hurling words like “felony” is something completely different. That the media will not hold Obama accountable for this reprehensible behavior is as much a black mark on them as it is on Obama. We saw a glimmer of hope for some accountability on CNN last night, but the question is: will CNN push a matter that demands to be pushed?
Surprise! IRS Employees Donating To Tax-And-Spend Liberal President Over Romney By Margin of 11 To 1… Of course they are, thanks to Obamacare the IRS is planning to hire thousands of new agents to enforce the law. Via NRO’s Jim Geraghty: According to a search of FEC contributor data, employees of the Internal Revenue Service have a strong preference in this year’s election. Donors who list their employer as “Internal Revenue Service” or “IRS” have donated $26,538 to President Obama’s campaign, and just $2,340 to Mitt Romney’s campaign.
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Obama Campaign Sues To Restrict Military Members From Voting… Just to clarify: Asking for ID before someone can vote is horribly racist. Making it harder for members of the U.S. military to vote is a-ok. Via Breitbart: Obama, like many Democrats, like to say that, while they may disagree with the GOP on many issues related to national security, they absolutely share their admiration and dedication to members of our armed forces. Obama, in particular, likes to be seen visiting troops and photos taken with members of our military. So, why is his campaign and the Democrat party suing to restrict their ability to vote in the upcoming election? On July 17th, the Obama for America Campaign, the Democratic National Committee and the Ohio Democratic Party filed suit in OH to strike down part of that state’s law governing voting by members of the military. Their suit said that part of the law is “arbitrary” with “no discernible rational basis.” Currently, Ohio allows the public to vote early in-person up until the Friday before the election. Members of the military three extra days to do so. While the Democrats may see this as “arbitrary” and having “no discernible rational basis”, I think it is entirely reasonable given the demands on servicemen and women’s time and their obligations to their sworn duty.