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Entries in Election '12 (155)

Wednesday
Sep142011

Poll: GOP Voters Don’t Consider Social Security A Ponzi Scheme

The majority of Republican voters disagree with Texas Governor Rick Perry’s assertion that Social Security is a “ponzi scheme,” according to new data put out by Public Policy Polling.

A survey released Wednesday found that 53 percent of likely Republican primary voters say that the entitlement program isn’t how Perry described it, whereas only 33 percent say it is. 14 percent replied that they were not sure.

Perry and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, who is Perry’s closest rival among GOP candidates, butted heads Monday night over Perry’s rhetoric, with Romney accusing the Texas Governor of scaring senior citizens.

Still, despite apparent disagreement over Perry’s description, the same poll found that Perry still holds a double-digit lead over Romney, via a 31-18 percent margin. Texas Congressman Ron Paul, who made headlines over his response to a question of whether the government should help sick people who can’t afford insurance, received 11 percent of the vote. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich came in fourth, with 10 percent.

In a hypothetical two-way race between Perry and Romney, the former leads 49-37 percent.

Among Tea Party voters, the poll found that a third of them backed Perry. At 33 percent, the Texas Governor has a huge lead on the rest of the field in that department. However, Romney leads Perry 28-26 percent with non-Tea Party Republicans.

The poll was conducted September 8th through the 11th among 500 usual Republican primary voters.

Wednesday
Sep142011

Analysis: Warren's Consolation Prize Would Be Senator From Massachusetts

By Kenneth R. Bazinet

Harvard Law professor Elizabeth Warren, who could not get past the Senate confirmation process to get the job she was truly cut out for, the Wall Street watchdog, today jumps into a big field of Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate.

Warren has a strong story to tell about a Middle Class under siege by an emerging oligarchy whose religion is greed, but the question is can she tell it in way that appeals to the blue-collar voters who likely will decide the outcome of a close election?

On paper, she is probably much smarter than incumbent Republican Scott Brown and knows a thing or two about the new economic norm the U.S. is facing (in which workers are toast). The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was her brainchild, but its top job could never become hers in the pro-Wall Street climate that even permeates the Democratic ranks.

Brown is somewhat popular in Massachusetts and knows how to campaign (he was so good on the stump that the Bay State Tea Party thought he was one of them until he arrived in Washington and started voting like the moderate senators from Maine).

So Warren may need a perfect storm to make this work: First she needs to get through a crowded primary field, and then she needs coattails from President Obama (who politically speaking does not even own a coat at this point). She probably could use the carpetbagger ex-Gov. Mitt Romney, widely hated in Massachusetts, on the ticket as the GOP presidential nominee, but what she really needs is Bay State voters to break their habit of giving the thumbs-down to women candidates for statewide office.

Months ago a source very close to Warren told me she did not have the fire in the belly to run, and what she really wanted was the top job at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Since then she apparently has had an epiphany (she was talked into running) and is indeed serious about taking a shot at Brown’s seat.

Warren has done well in small coffee meet-and-greets and she can grow into a candidate who can connect in the rusting industrial cities that have been forsaken by manufacturers who ship their jobs overseas, my intellectually blessed leftist sources tell me.

The problem is when you look at her announcement video released today she says all the right things, but it sure looks like she still does not have that fire in the belly. That needs to change, if she is going to win in a state that loves to describe its politics with sports metaphors.

In other words, this is not the Head of the Charles Regatta, Professor Warren. It is third down in the snow on the Patriots one yard line and you need to fill the hole with some real red meat, or you lose.

Read more by Kenneth R. Bazinet at The Baz File

Wednesday
Sep142011

Dems Lose Weiner’s House Seat  

In a major upset for Democrats, Republican candidate Bob Turner won the Congressional seat once held by Anthony Weiner in Tuesday evening’s special election.

The district, New York’s 9th, has historically been heavily Democratic. Prior to Anthony Weiner, now-New York Senator Chuck Schumer and former Vice Presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro both represented the district.

The race, which pitted Turner against Democrat David Weprin, has been interpreted as a referendum on President Obama, particularly the administration’s policies on Israel.

“Israel is America’s only dependable democratic ally in the Middle East,” Turner’s campaign site states.Obama is wrong to pressure Israel to accept the indefensible pre-1967 war borders.”

The New York election wasn’t the only blow for Democrats Tuesday evening. A special election for a house seat in Nevada yielded a landslide victory for Republican candidate Mark Amodei.

Both parties have scrambled to spin what the elections might mean for 2012.

In a statement, Steve Isreael, the chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said the results were “not reflective of what will happen in November 2012 when Democratic challengers run against Republican incumbents who voted to end Medicare and cut Social Security while protecting tax loopholes for big corporations and the ultra wealthy.”

Meanwhile, the RNC issued a release warning of “serious implications.”

Tuesday
Sep132011

Jindal Says No To Being Perry's VP

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal told reporters Monday night that he will not accept a spot on Rick Perry’s ticket if the Texas Governor secures the GOP nomination.

“No, I will not be his VP,” Jindal flatly said following Monday’s debate in Tampa, Florida. “I want to be Governor of the great state of Louisiana.”

Jindal, once considered a White House contender himself, indicated that he was also not interested in helping Perry find a Vice Presidential candidate.

The Louisiana Governor’s denial came on the same day that he had offered Perry his endorsement.
“Rick Perry is the candidate who can lead our party to victory in 2012,” Jindal said in his endorsement statement. “His record on job creation simply cannot be beat, and the one million jobs he’s helped create as governor is a stark contrast to the 2.4 million jobs lost on President Obama’s watch.”

The announcement marked the second big endorsement among the GOP field. Just hours before Jindal made news, former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, who dropped out of the race following a poor performance in the Iowa straw poll, backed former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.

Monday
Sep122011

Live Blog: Republicans Square Off In Tampa

TAMPA — Good evening, politics fans. I’m in hot, sunny Tampa, Florida where tonight, the eight Republican candidates for President will face each other in what promises to be an interesting debate. Most eyes will be on presumptive frontrunner, Texas Governor Rick Perry, who will certainly be in the spotlight thanks to his solid poll numbers of late.

(Click here to see photos from the debate)

Perry’s primary challenger, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, will likely attempt to launch attacks against Perry’s position on Social Security, which he modified this week to ease the minds of older voters, concerned about Perry’s remarks in his book, “Fed Up!,” in which he labeled the program “an illegal ponzi scheme.” Perry now insists that he’s against doing away with the popular entitlement, and would rather work to preserve it for future generations. Social Security is a huge issue here in the state of Florida, where almost a fifth of the total population is comprised of seniors.

Romney, meanwhile, may have earned some momentum today by picking up a key endorsement from former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, who dropped out of the race after a poor showing in Iowa last month.

The others participating in tonight’s debate include Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.), former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) and businessman Herman Cain. With President Obama just having sent Congress his jobs plan, look for moderator Wolf Blitzer to give the candidates plenty of opportunities to respond.

The debate is being co-sponsored by CNN and the Tea Party Express, and you can watch all the action live on CNN starting at 8:00 pm eastern. However, if you really want to be cool, you should keep your web browser open to this page, as I’ll be posting updates all night long.