Today's installment of campaign-related news items that won't necessarily generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers:
* A new Associated Press-GfK poll shows President Obama leading Mitt Romney at the national level, 50% to 42%. On which candidate voters prefer on the economy, Obama's lead is only two points.
* In Florida, a new Suffolk University poll shows Obama with a one-point lead over Romney, 46% to 45%.
* In Ohio, a new Quinnipiac poll shows Obama leading Romney by just one point, 45% to 44%.
* On a related note, Quinnipiac also found an increasingly-competitive U.S. Senate race in Ohio, with incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown (D) leading state Treasurer Josh Mendel (R) by six, 46% to 40%. Far-right groups have already aired $6.3 million in attack ads targeting Brown. [updated]
* The Obama campaign's fundraiser with actor George Clooney apparently raked in about $15 million, which is rather extraordinary for one fundraiser.
* In Massachusetts' closely-watched U.S. Senate race, a new poll shows Elizabeth Warren (D) with a narrow lead over incumbent Sen. Scott Brown (R), 43% to 41%. The poll was conducted by the nonpartisan MassINC Polling Group, which conducts quarterly polls in the Bay State.
* In New Jersey, a new Fairleigh Dickenson/PublicMind poll shows incumbent Sen. Bob Menendez (D leading challenger Joe Kyrillos (R), 42% to 33%.
* And the Obama campaign unveiled a new ad on job creation this morning, using a chart that looks rather familiar. The spot is set to air in Florida.
Leave a Comment:
Why was the Mitt incident pulled from the blog?
Looks like it's still there - try going to the blog homepage and scroll down.
Yes, Steve, a post disappearing like that is what I'd expect from NRO or the AFA or some Republican backpedaling on criticism of Romney. After reading you almost daily for six years, it is the last thing I'd expect from you.
There are only three explanations I can see for your pulling the story. First, that it proved to be a hoax. Fine, pull the story, but at least replace it with something like "earlier we ran a story in this space that we have since found out was wrong." [Give details of the hoax, not the story, then apologize.]
Or you simply decided that discussing a story this old was inappropriate. Again, fine, but let us know. (I disagree, btw, because the key to the story was Romney's purported response today when asked about it. But that's certainly arguable, and it was your name on the story.)
Or the comments got so raunchy that you pulled the whole thimg -- very unlikely, but possible. Again, let us know, close the comments, but leave the story up.
But we do deserve, those of us who saw the piece, to know which it was, and whether we should pass the story along or warn other bloggers it is a hoax.
And my apologies to you for not including 'temporarily down to be updated' as an answer. (Actually, didn't know it worked like that.)
I actually can almost forgive the actual incident -- even as a bixesual proud of growing up in a lesbian family. If, a few months later -- I'm Romney's age -- I could go to orientation at Columbia University, a very liberal school, in fact one located in the district of the second Congressman ever to introduce a gay rights bill (William Fitts Eyan), and be forced to listen to every speaker making "Johnny Mathis is a f****t" jokes, the Romney incident is less shocking. (I don't know why the Mathis thing, maybe he had just been outed, but as someone who found his eyes, voice, and body equally attractive, they didn't have the expected result on me.)
But the two responses, first 'I don't remember it' and then the standard boilerplate Republican non-apology, are equally damning.
Ah yes, Elizabeth Warren, the Ward Churchill of Harvard University.
Don't worry too much: If the racist "Dick" Blumenthal can win in Connecticut, the racist Elizabeth Warren probably has a good chance in Mass. New Englanders like racists if they only hate Native Americans.
Rachel's comments on Thursday's show need clarification. The Eastern Band of Cherokee has a 1/16 blood quantum requirement for membership, and their principal chief is Michell Hicks.
Explain?
angeleno
Wasn't the Oklahoma band of Cherokee sited by Rachel? Maybe they have different requirements? Even before The Trail of Tears Cherokee inter-married a lot with people of European decent.
In listing Presidential polls, I'm sure it was just an oversight that you didn't mention the Gallup poll done at the same time showing Romney with a +3 lead and the Rasmussen showing a +4 lead by Romney. An oversight, I'm sure.
Source
The Obama campaign's fundraiser with actor George Clooney apparently raked in about $15 million, which is rather extraordinary for one fundraiser.
Given that the event doesn't happen until tonight (glad I don't have any running around to do in the Laurel Canyon district of Studio City - everything south of the boulevard is going to be sealed off from 8-10pm), aren't the Obama folks being a little bit premature?
TC
You do realize that these events are mostly paid for in advance? Thus the tally is not out of bounds. This event makes me glad I don't live in Laurel Canyon across from the Country Store anymore!
TC, glad you found my comment on the polls favorable to Romney that were accidentally left off the list above helpful. Oh, wait, your comment had nothing to do with the oversight, my bad.
A new Associated Press-GfK poll shows President Obama leading Mitt Romney at the national level, 50% to 42%.
Obama has been under such withering criticism since he first took office (if not before) that I wonder whether the barrage of negative ads the Republicans will run will have as much effect as in a normal election.
Republicans have been so relentless in their attacks that even the least involved potential voter has heard all of this stuff, at least as background noise. In a normal election, with normal levels of political attack by the opposition, people are more receptive to the attack ads because they're somewhat out of the ordinary.
With all the craziness and the off-the-wall charges leveled against Obama, it makes me wonder if attitudes haven't hardened at a much earlier stage. If so, Republicans may have less room to maneuver. There may well be much narrower swings in poll numbers between now and November.
One alarming and greatly important piece of news has been deliberately kept under wraps by our 'free' media.
Yesterday the US House of Rep. quietly, without debate or deliberation and keeping it away from public eyes passed a bill. US-Israel Enhanced Security Co- op Act 2012. Giving Israel a record military spending aid of $ 4 Billion in 2013. On top of billions already approved. The sponsors were Ilena Ros- Lehtinin (R-Fla) and Howard Berman (R-Fla).
Money right out of your and my pocket, desperately needed by Americans.
Are we slated forever as a nation to be bamboozled and exploited by those up on the Hill ? Or do we ourselves want to go that way?