The Atlantic finds the Obama campaign’s Bain Capital attacks are resonating in the swing states.
Sneaky Pie for President
In the mail: Sneaky Pie for President: A Novel by Rita Mae Brown.
“Human candidates have had their chance in Washington, with dubious
results of late: nowhere does it say in the Constitution that the
president cannot be a cat.”
Obama Ahead in Florida
A new Survey USA poll in Florida finds President Obama leading Mitt Romney by five points in the important battleground state, 48% to 43%.
However, in the U.S. Senate race, Rep. Connie Mack (R) leads Sen. Bill Nelson (D) by six points, 48% to 42%.
Unemployment Rises in Six of Ten Swing States
Unemployment rose last month in six of 10 battleground states in the presidential election, the Wall Street Journal reports.
“The jobless rate climbed a 10th of a percentage point last month in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Iowa, New Hampshire and Virginia… The rate held steady in three other battleground states — Nevada, Florida, and North Carolina.”
“Ohio was the only battleground state where unemployment fell last month.”
There Is No Such Thing as “Politicizing” a Tragedy
Max Read: “There is no such thing as ‘politicizing’ tragedy. James Holmes did not
materialize in a movie theater in Aurora this morning, free of any
relationship to law and authority and the structures of power in this
country; nor did he exit those relationships and structures by murdering
12 people and injuring several dozen more. Before he entered the
theater, he purchased guns, whether legally or illegally, under a
framework of laws and regulations governed and negotiated by politics;
in the parking lot outside, he was arrested by a police force whose
salaries, equipment, tactics and rights were shaped and determined by
politics. Holmes’ ability to seek, or to not seek, mental health care;
the government’s ability, or inability, to lock up persons deemed
unstable — these are things decided and directed by politics. You cannot ‘politicize’ a tragedy because the tragedy is already political. When you talk about the tragedy you’re already talking about politics.”
Bush Will Not Attend GOP Convention
Former President George W. Bush will not attend the Republican convention next month in Tampa, Politico reports.
Said a spokesman: “President Bush was grateful for the invitation to the Republican National Convention. He supports Governor Romney and wants him to succeed. President Bush is confident that Mitt Romney will be a great President. But he’s still enjoying his time off the political stage and respectfully declined the invitation to go to Tampa.”
This seems like a classic Friday news dump.
North Carolina Remains Close
A new Civitas Institute poll in North Carolina finds Mitt Romney with a one point lead over President Obama, 49% to 48%.
Follow the Money
National Journal has an excellent page that tracks ad spending by the presidential campaigns, the parties and the Super PACs across the battleground states.
Worse than Watergate
Rick Hasen: “How does the brave new world of campaign financing created by the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision stack up against Watergate? The short answer is: Things are even worse now than they were then.”
“The 1974 scandal that brought down President Richard Nixon was all about illegal money secretly flowing to politicians. That’s still a danger, but these days, the biggest weakness of our campaign finance system is not what’s illegal, but what’s legal. As Dan Eggen of the Washington Post put it, ‘there’s little need for furtive fundraising or secret handoffs of cash.’ The rules increasingly allow people and corporations with great wealth to skew public policy toward their interests–without risking a jail time, or a fine, or any penalty at all. It’s an influence free-for-all.”
Bloomberg Bashes Obama and Romney on Guns
President Obama and Mitt Romney might be taking a somber break from politics today after the shootings in Colorado last night, but not New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the New York Observer reports.
Said Bloomberg: “You know, soothing words are nice, but maybe it’s time that the two people who want to be President of the United States stand up and tell us what they are going to do about it, because this is obviously a problem across the country. And everybody always says, ‘Isn’t it tragic,’ and you know, we look for was the guy, as you said, maybe trying to recreate Batman. I mean, there are so many murders with guns every day, it’s just got to stop. And instead of the two people – President Obama and Governor Romney – talking in broad things about they want to make the world a better place, okay, tell us how. And this is a real problem. No matter where you stand on the Second Amendment, no matter where you stand on guns, we have a right to hear from both of them concretely, not just in generalities – specifically what are they going to do about guns?”
Quote of the Day
“There are going to be other days for politics. This, I think, is a day for prayer and reflection.”
— President Obama, speaking about the tragic shootings early this morning in Colorado.
The Doing-a-Lot-of-Nothing Congress
A Businessweek infographic looks at the 54 “mostly-trivial” bills sent to President Obama for his signature this congressional session.
Insider Trading Ban Doesn’t Include Lawmaker Families
CNN reports that the law designed to ban insider trading on Capitol Hill — which passed with a rare show of bipartisanship — “isn’t exactly as advertised. A loophole could still allow family members of some lawmakers to profit from inside information.”
Cain PAC Spending Raises Questions
Herman Cain is using a political action committee created in his name in unusual ways, the Washington Times reports.
Though the PAC raises money by sending multiple solicitations weekly to supporters making pleas to help fund ads, new disclosures filed with the Federal Election Commission show no payments to advertising firms or advocacy groups running ads for any candidate or cause.
Mark Block, who runs the PAC, said the primary way it supports the candidates is “by endorsing them,” adding, “We put out a press release.”
Cuomo Defends Not Using Email
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) defended his admininstration’s use of the Blackberry’s personal identification number instead of emails in order to avoid a paper trail, YNN reports.
Said Cuomo: “Hacking is a problem and if you have a secure communication or a confidential communication or information that you don’t want disseminated, than you have a find a secure means to communicate it.”
Romney Ready for Trip Abroad
Mitt Romney “plans to depart next week for a visit to Britain, Israel and Poland, and the Republican presidential candidate hopes the trip will help him project the aura of a statesman and signal to voters back home that he would make a plausible commander in chief,” the Washington Post reports.
“He will listen to leaders of important U.S. allies, make symbolic appearances at historical sites and build personal relationships. He plans to meet with British Prime Minister David Cameron at 10 Downing St. and catch up with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, an old friend from their days as business consultants, while aides are preparing speeches for him to give in Israel and Poland. Romney is not trying to replicate the dramatic scene that unfolded when then-candidate Barack Obama addressed an estimated 200,000 Germans at Berlin’s Victory Column four years ago, but his trip will inevitably draw comparisons.”
David Brooks: “It won’t help him win many votes this year, but it should be noted that Barack Obama has been a good foreign policy president.”
The Billion Dollar Campaign
USA Today:
“Less than four months until Election Day, the battle for the White
House already has crossed the $1 billion mark — as the presidential
candidates, political parties and the two super PACs closely aligned
with President Obama and Republican rival Mitt Romney race to collect
political cash.”
A Break from Politics Today?
First Read: “The tragic shooting in Colorado means that politics and the Obama-vs.-Romney presidential race will take a back seat today — and probably throughout the weekend… For now, the Romney campaign says the candidate’s schedule will go on. As for the president, his first public event is scheduled for later this morning where he’s likely to speak about the tragedy for the first time on camera.”
Obama statement: “Michelle and I are shocked and saddened by the horrific and tragic shooting in Colorado. Federal and local law enforcement are still responding, and my administration will do everything that we can to support the people of Aurora in this extraordinarily difficult time… As we do when confronted by moments of darkness and challenge, we must now come together as one American family.”
Romney statement: “We are praying for the families and loved ones of the victims during this time of deep shock and immense grief. We expect that the person responsible for this terrible crime will be quickly brought to justice.”
Update: Politico reports the Obama campaign has pulled down it’s negative ads through the weekend. The Romney campaign quickly followed.
