Florida Democrat Trusts Neither GOP Frontunner On Social Security

One day before Republican Presidential candidates return to Florida for the second debate in the state, Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) told reporters that he doesn’t believe either of the GOP frontrunners will protect social security.

Deutch pointed toTexas Governor Rick Perry’s description of the entitlement program as a ponzi scheme, a common complaint from Democrats, and added that former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney’s attempts to characterize himself as social security’s defender also fall flat.

“[Romney’s] privatization plans would turn … the American citizens’ money over to the stock market,” Deutch said during a conference call. “Imagine if retirement security depended on what has happened in the stock market over the last few months and years.”

The Florida Democrat added that neither candidate came to the table with agendas that would appeal to latino voters, a key constituency in Florida. Deutch explained that not only would both candidates stances on social security appeal to Latino seniors, nearly half of whom rely on the program as their sole source on income, but that Perry and Romney both declined to support the DREAM Act, which would have granted citizenship to immigrants who joined the armed services or succeeded in college.

Perry Scolds Obama's Foreign Policy

Texas Governor Rick Perry held a news conference on Tuesday to criticize President Obama’s management of America’s diplomacy efforts abroad.

Speaking in New York, where Obama is this week attending the United Nations General Assembly, the GOP presidential hopeful characterized Obama’s foreign policy — particularly regarding the Middle East — as being guided by “appeasement.”

Perry, who leads the rest of the Republican field in most polls, blasted an attempt by the Palestinian Authority to gain statehood through the UN, arguing that Obama has lent the Palestinians momentum.

“We are indignant that certain Middle Eastern leaders have discarded the principle of direct negotiations between the sovereign nation of Israel and the Palestinian leadership,” Perry said. “And we are equally indignant that the Obama administration’s Middle East policy of appeasement has encouraged such an ominous act of bad faith.”

Rangel Crashes Perry's Panhandling Party Uptown

By Kenneth R. Bazinet

Forget the sleazy Salahis, Rep. Charlie Rangel is the new king of the gatecrashers.

The Harlem Democrat showed up last night at what was supposed to be a hush-hush, off-the-record fundraiser for Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s bid for the GOP presidential nomination at the Papasito Mexican Grill uptown in Manhattan.

“I wanted to make him feel comfortable,” Rangel said, according to Politico’s Ben Smith and Maggie Haberman.

The cowboy candidate is spending a couple of days away from his Tea Party base of supporters, panhandling in New York City with a more mainstream set of GOP backers.

The fundraiser at the Papasito restaurant and bar was for two dozen or so Hispanic businessmen, reportedly raising $50,000 for Perry’s campaign.

Read more by Kenneth R. Bazinet at The Baz File

Obama Gets Boost From Jobs Plan

Just days after proposing a $447 billion jobs plan, President Obama’s approval rating has risen to 47 percent, according to the results of a new Reuters/Ipsos poll.

However, nearly 70 percent of those surveyed said they believe that the nation is headed in the wrong direction. Nonetheless, the poll found that if the next election were held today, registered voters would favor Obama over former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney by a 49-43 percent margin.

Moreover, the poll showed that registered voters would choose Obama over Texas Governor Rick Perry by a 50-42 percent margin.

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T-Paw Endorses Romney

Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty (R), who withdrew from the Republican presidential race last month, announced Monday that he will support Mitt Romney’s campaign.

“Romney is running for president because he is deeply committed to our country, troubled by its current condition, and I believe he can turn it around,” Pawlenty said in a statement released by the Romney camp.

The endorsement is interesting, given that Romney seemed to be Pawlenty’s nemesis during his brief stay in the race. However, no matter what he did, Pawlenty could never eclipse Romney in the polls, and eventually called it quits after a poor showing in the Iowa straw poll in August.

Now, Romney will need all the help he can get, after recently being replaced as the presumptive GOP frontrunner by Texas Governor Rick Perry. According to reports, Pawlenty will serve as a national co-chair of the former Massachusetts Governor’s campaign.