Money and Religion – Obama Campaign in the Red, Romney Ups Donors in July, Obama “Supporters” Question Paul Ryan’s Catholicism – Dems Desperate

Latest Romney Ryan Crowd - Manchester New Hampshire Rally - image iconicsurrealism

The focus on Presidential Campaigns and fundraising prowess as “proof” that a candidate would win a race has been part and parcel of news articles and television news broadcasts for decades. The last Presidential election was a litmus test of sorts, as the constant drumbeat on the millions upon millions of dollars brought in by the Obama Campaign sent the general message that no-one would be able to best the candidate with the most cash. The most money, so the logic follows, equals the most popularity and given the number of individual donations one must receive, not including those corporate, “Hollywood”, Wall-Street or National Union donations, surely then candidate Obama would see success. Now, one finds that the tables have turned on the President. His campaign is running a deficit while the Romney Campaign is bringing in more cash and individual donations. In addition, the Obama Campaign is over-spending on negative advertising and staffing, in what is, in actuality the early stages of the Presidential Campaign. The Romney Campaign brought in $25 million more than the Obama Campaign for the third month, according to USA Today’s report on recent FEC Filings. It is to the point where actor George Clooney has to hustle to Europe to hold fundraisers for the President(USA Today).

Therefore, at the moment, given the sheer fundraising prowess of Mitt Romney, one would think that given 2008 reporting, Romney is a shoe-in – Not so fast – a Reuter’s report suggest that the Romney Campaign is Battling for Cash ignoring hard numbers, the report suggests that somehow Obama is in a stronger position – which is generally the case for an Incumbent regardless of the cash on hand. That said, very few incumbents actually manage to see a second term, recent exceptions being William Jefferson Clinton and George W. Bush, one must keep in mind, both political parties, as a rule, are subject to the variances in economic conditions, or poor management (Carter (Both), Ford (Neither(Nixon), George H. Bush(Economy) – With a President’s ability to handle the job at hand, coupled with extremely poor economic conditions, one could raise more money than Midas and still find themselves out of a job.

There is also smart campaign management and the laws of governing Presidential candidates, The Romney Campaign has been run like a business, and as Romney is not yet the nominee (officially that takes place at the RNC Convention), he has not yet had the financial support of the RNC available. Knowing when to hold them, and knowing when to fold them is of import, given the fact that most voters aren’t even paying attention to the election now, tuning out rather than tuning in, or simply not all that interested. One should see an increase in Romney advertising after the Republican Convention in late August, a fact that the Obama Campaign is surely aware, and therefore, taking potshots at Romney’s tax returns, and grasping at the straws of desperation when it comes to his running mate, Paul Ryan.

A recent article in US News and World Report headlines:”Why Obama Supporters Question Paul Ryan’s Catholicism” – which goes toward Ryan’s plan to overhaul and save Medicare and Medicaid for those in need. Of course, the Obama supporters (and campaign) suggest otherwise, that the plan will hurt everyone from the elderly to those on disability, however, stretching the truth about the plan apparently did not sway both Ryan’s Bishop nor a Cardinal, both whom have more knowledge of Catholicism than an “Obama Supporter” who is blinded by political partisanship first, their religion second. The fact that Ryan is pro-life is also of issue with those who call themselves Catholic, yet suggest that abortion is perfectly fine. Perhaps, it is convenient to suggest, as a Catholic, that one can hold these views, as one gets to run to confession at the end of the week and restore one’s good standing. However, what this does suggest is that the Obama campaign desperately wants to hold onto the majority of the 70million plus voting bloc of U.S. Catholics. That’s not always an easy task, given that Catholics overwhelmingly supported George W. Bush over John Kerry in 2004 – as a group, Catholics are no different than – any other voter. When personal swipes at someone’s religion begin, and that includes questioning President Obama’s Christianity, or Mitt Romney’s Mormonism, it is a ploy by the political strategists to sway voters doubts, or by those so blinded by religious zeal, to negate the worth of a candidate based solely on their religion of choice, no matter how pious or non-pious one is perceived to be. It may or may not work, depending upon a number of factors, including how vested individuals are in their religion, rather than their political party, or if one is able to divest the two, being religious and voting as a citizen as a separate act.

There is also that nagging document, the Constitution, which gives each and every U.S. citizens the right to practice their religion as they see fit, whatever religion that may be – with safeguards in place that ensure that no one religion will be put in place as a national religion. (The real gist behind Church and State).

Money and Religion – is that truly what this election is about? Hardly, this election is about the State of the Union as it relates to the economy, and how little each individual has at the end of the week, or when one leaves the grocery store. It will be a decision based on whether or not a voter feels that the President is capable of fixing the economy, or if perhaps his challenger Mitt Romney would do a better job. That, and that issue alone, will decide this election – no matter how much the Obama Campaign attempts to distract from the issues that people care about, jobs, taxes, security in finding, and keeping a job and affordable groceries. The distractions are nothing more than obvious desperation and it shows. Which might explain the huge discrepancies in crowd size at rallies.

Mitt Romney & Paul Ryan in New Hampshire Today – Stadium Erected at St. Anselm College Begins at 10:00 AM – Romney’s 100th Town Hall Meeting

Crowds joined rally for Ryan in his hometown in WI, however, smaller crowds In New Hampshire (3800 for Obama) are anticipated given the size of the Romney Staging and Seating Area. Image:Iconicsurrealism.com



The Boston Globe: news this morning is brief on a Romney-Ryan Campaign event that is taking place in Manchester New Hampshire at the Quad on St. Anselm’s College. The President was in New Hampshire late last week, drawing a crowd of 3800- he was greeted by small business owners who protested along the President's campaign route, holding signs that said “We did build it/”. Traffic advisories out of New Hampshire appear, at 6:28 am, to show no signs of stoppage, however, The Union Leader is suggesting that students and teachers get there early to avoid traffic and find parking.

How large will the event be?

According to the examiner : "The workers already had in place portable metal bleachers on three sides that frame a center cockpit filled with individual seats. The quadrangle in front of the Alumni Building where commencement and graduation ceremonies are staged and the Romney-Ryan rally will take place was cordoned off with a six-foot tall chain-link fence metal fence. The area in front of the bullpen. The structure is said to be able to seat 3, 025 people." However with several acres of the quad available, there should be room outside of the structure for those supports, or protestors who care to witness the Town Hall.

The Program is slated to start at 10:00 a.m. – and coverage will be on c-span.org/Campaign2012/Events/Mitt-Romney-and-Paul-Ryan-Hold-New-Hamhsphire-Town-Hall To check Traffic, if attending or simply curious: at 6:42 Traffic is Moderate going into the campus according to local conditions.com.

With New Hampshire latest polling on the Granite State showing a statistical ties (includes WMUR-UNH polling), it will be interesting to see crowd size, given NH is a swing state. Although, for both the Obama Campaign and the Romney Campaign, crowd size in New Hampshire, also includes residents from all surrounding state (MA,CT, VT, and ME). It is not often that a political event takes place in the aforementioned states, so this is, for all intents and purposes, a New England Political Rally.

Obama Blasts Romney-Ryan Medicare Plan - Ryan on Medicare Speech to Seniors in Florida 2012 – Flashback: 1999 Ryan Bill to Protect Seniors

2012 VP Candidate Paul Ryan with Mother, Betty, speaks before huge crowd in FL on Medicare! - Crowd size visible on Real Clear Politics Video in link Paragraph 3 - image csmonitor.com


President Obama, on the stump for re-election has charged that the Romney-Ryan Medicare plan would hurt seniors due to the voucher system that is included in the plan. (AP) That may be news to Romney and Ryan as that has not been the intent of either man – rather, they are proposing a plan that would insure those 55 and older continue to receive benefits without any changes, while those under 55 would have a choice of either staying with traditional Medicare, or buying insurance that would be subsided, based on income, in an open market (where one would have the choices that Federal employees have as to health care providers, not limited by states). As the DNC talking points continue to insist that the Romney Ryan Plan is going to cut Senior Benefits, Ryan is talking to seniors about how the Obama Health Care Act includes drastic cuts to Medicare (Billions), and also includes the installation of a panel of bureaucrats which will decide further cuts, as well as care decisions. (Which is true under the Health Care Affordability Act).

In general elections Medicare is generally brought up by Democrats in mailings and advertisements telling seniors that if they vote for a Republican, they will lose their benefits, and in general elections of the past, politicians, including Bill Clinton, have avoided the big issue of Medicare in elections Philadelphia Inquirer Archives Sept.15, 1996., based on polling data – the same was true of Bob Dole, the GOP candidate who ran unsuccessfully against Clinton that year.

However Ryan, in his speech to seniors in Florida, suggested that the plan he and Romney proposed is based on one similar to Bill Clinton’s.video here at realclearpolitics.com. In fact, in 2011 there was a brief meeting between President Clinton and Paul Ryan in which the dire situation of Medicare was discussed as Clinton hoped the Democrats would not “do anything” Watch on You-Tube.com here

Ryan is not new to the Medicare Debate, and has been trying to protect seniors since entering Congress – from the Milwakuee Journal Sentinel Headline February 7 1999 “Janesville Republican’s Bill Would Shield Current Benefits from Cuts” - Ryan stated: “No matter what other reforms need to be made to make the program solvent in the future, there will be no change to current or soon to be retirees” he said..

Although in most general elections this would be political suicide, regardless of party, to bring up any changes to entitlement programs, even if they are designed to save a program – it is so much easier for those running for office, or those in office, to use it as a political football, and then kick it down the road. In this election there is more at stake, as the Medicare Program is gutted under the current Health Plan and melded with Medicaid, furthermore, that panel of bureaucrats who would cut services to seniors, does so without consent of Congress. For those seniors on Medicare or those 55 and older, this cannot be comforting. Individuals who have paid into Medicare all of their lives, should have some benefits at the least when they retire and are booted off traditional insurance. In this election, Romney and Ryan are at least proposing ideas to salvage the system and replace what is surely unfair to seniors with a program that protects them.

What is normally not ground for discussion on a GOP ticket, or even a DNC ticket, has come to the forefront – with Ryan’s understanding of policy and budget structure, his warnings, if unheeded may have dire consequences ten years from now. It remains to be seen if the millions of seniors that vote each year, as well the millions of baby-boomers nearing retirement, will take the chance that the Democrats will “protect” their benefit, while Republican’s will take the benefits away. If Seniors are paying attention, then the unthinkable may happen and the Democrats stand to lose yet another “group” that normally is in their back pocket.

2012 Reality Change - Arthur Davis - 2008 Obama Campaign Co-Chair – Joins Romney Team – Jewish Journal Editor – Paul Ryan Courageous - The Moderates

Arthur Davis, Conservative Democrat (Moderate) - image: CNN

From CNN Arthur Davis, the former Obama 2008 Campaign Co-Chair and the Democrat who seconded Obama’s nomination at the Democrat Convention in 2008, has left the Democrat Party and will now campaign for Mitt Romney. CNN (and oddly to date, only CNN) reports that the Democrat Party has swung too far to the left, and that, as a result, Southern Conservative Democrats are less welcome. Davis switched political parties in May of this year (CNN). In addition, Davis is one of a number of Conservative (or, in reality moderate) Democrats who have in recent months have noted they were either supporting or voting for a Republican. This is happening with some frequency in the Massachusetts Senate Race between Scott Brown and Progressive Democrat, Harvard Professor, Elizabeth Warren. Brown’s running ads across Massachusetts featuring high profile state Democrats who are supporting Brown’s reelection.(Scott Brown Campaign Site – Videos)

Although some in the media recently noted the choice by Romney of Paul Ryan as his running mate, has turned the campaign to one of ideological choices, those choices have already been made and Davis is a perfect example. The new sport of extreme mud-slinging on the part of the Obama campaign, and specifically those recently made by Joe Biden, the Vice President and Obama’s running mate, are making those who are in the middle, and more moderate (Conservative) Democrats more than a bit leery of the Obama Campaign. (A definition of a Conservative Democrat is one who is fiscally conservative, maybe pro-life, and is strong on labor and civil rights issues.) Again, from CNN, a report on Arthur Davis and his take on Joe Biden’s recent remarks using a “metaphor” of putting “ya’ll back in chains” (with heavy Southern accent for emphasis) in reference to Mitt Romney at a campaign event, as racial viciousness. The fact that Davis is not alone in understanding that the mantra from the left painting the GOP in general as a bunch of “angry old white men” is no more than hypocritical hyperbole. They apparently excludes the “angry old white man” who is in the number 2 position at the White House and was chosen to be in that position by Barack Obama. The statement was racist, remains racist, and Biden has a history of such remarks – see, again of all places, About.com who calls Biden’s remarks “political humor”, but includes these racist gems:

You cannot go to a 7-11 or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent.... I'm not joking." --Joe Biden, in a private remark to an Indian-American man caught on C-SPAN, June, 2006
And
"I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that's a storybook, man." –Joe Biden, referring to Barack Obama at the beginning of the 2008 Democratic primary campaign, Jan. 31, 2007

Davis is right to take umbrage at Biden’s remarks as well as the left of center wing that runs his former political party. What is disturbing, in the extreme, is the fact that Biden’s remarks are regarded by the general media as either excusable and or a “joke”. Of course, most of the media, academia and labor bosses (There is a degree is labor relations at UMASS for wanna-be Union bosses) believe that this is just fine, ignoring Joe Biden, as well as that fact that they’ve got high profile Democrats, those who may be more moderate, jumping ship. If these high profile Democrats are jumping ship, what are the odds that there are millions of rank and file, who may be less than enthused about the march to the left, doing the same?

It is the ridiculous notion that political parties “own” specific ethnic, minority and or religious groups – such as all African-American, Women, Catholics and Jews belong to the Democrat Party, while the Republican Party has those angry old white men, NASCAR fans and right-wing Christian Evangelicals. The aforementioned sounds ridiculous, yet the mantra persist. No one political party owns a vote in this nation and Republican or Democrat, individuals make choices on the person when the policies of a particular elected official seem a bit extreme, or generally not working. In this case, whole “groups” switch their votes to a different party (“groups” for emphasis and media speak) however, the reality is that the individual is voting for the person/party on an individual basis, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity or religious affiliation.

A prime example is the “Jewish Vote”, which has been much discussed in the past month given Mitt Romney’s 4th trip to Israel, as well as his choice of Paul Ryan as V.P.. The Daily Beast (owned by Newsweek), headlined: “Romney Lost the American Jewish Vote by Picking Paul Ryan”. However, that narrative might not fly. An article from David Suissa, the President of Tribe Media, which owns the Los Angeles Jewish Journal, suggested that Paul Ryan is courageous, and will stand up and speak the truth about issues that affect all American’s, regardless of party – an excerpt appears below (Read the entire article: here.)

“Have any of you all met Paul Ryan? I’m telling you this guy is amazing. He is honest; he is straightforward; he is sincere; and the budget he came forward with is just like Paul Ryan. It is a sensible, straightforward, honest, serious budget.”
These words are not from a Tea Party accountant, but from Erskine Bowles, the Democratic co-chair of Obama’s National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility, praising Ryan and his budget plan during a lecture at the University of North Carolina last September.

…In any event, we can’t ignore other Jewish values, like living within our means and confronting difficult truths. You can disagree with Paul Ryan’s budget and ideology, but you can’t deny that this man has the courage to confront difficult truths.
That’s why I have some mud left for commentators who always grumble that politicians are serial panderers who tell us only what we want to hear, but then, when they finally meet a politician with the courage to tell us the truth, all they can say is: Dumb political move!

…Paul Ryan, the man Erskine Bowles calls honest, straightforward and sincere, is sticking his neck out and forcing America to confront its chronic illness.
(Jewish Journal of Los Angeles, 8-14-12)

Both David Suissa and Arthur Davis have individual points of view that reflect realistic values - they believe in the decency of treating those individual public servants who honestly want to put their neck on the line for the nation with respect, and letting those who are “protected” and go to new lows in order to further a political agenda or career, that they are not above board. It is one thing to politely agree to disagree, there should be heated debates, on issues alone, in order to reach the American people, rather than appeal to a “base” of a party that is extreme. To those in the middle or moderates in both major political parties, they know the difference between outrageous mudslinging and an opponent having had enough, fights back a bit. Compare and contrast policy, or ideas, or past political records – fine, but leave the slanderous, racial and ridiculous remarks out of the conversation as well as the news. If one disagrees or agrees with a political party, or individual candidate, then it belongs in an editorial, rather than: sports, lifestyle, main news, the weather, etc. The general public gets this, so do those in certain “groups”.

Biden’s “They’re going to put y’all back in chains” – “the conscience of our nation’s capital.” Obama Campaign – A New Norm of The Absurd – Opinion

Vice President Joe Biden Rails Racist Insanity Against the Inevitability of the Romney Ryan Machine at Danville, VA Progressive Democrat Campaign Event - image Gatewaypundit.com


The “story” broke yesterday from the Washington Free Beacon: , Vice-President, Joe Biden, speaking at campaign event in Danville, GA, blatantly distorting the GOP take on a budget proposal (which, to date, the Democrat controlled Senate and White House have not passed a sustainable budget in three years), stated: “They’ve said it. Every Republican’s voted for it. Look at what they value and look at their budget and what they’re proposing. Romney wants to let the—he said in the first 100 days, he’s going to let the big banks once again write their own rules–unchain Wall Street. They’re going to put y’all back in chains. He’s said he’s going to do nothing about stopping the practice of outsourcing…” – Biden was introduced by the Center for American Progress Action Fund president Tom Perriello, who called Biden “the conscience of our nation’s capital.” (Washington Free Beacon)

The remark, which is, in context, ridiculous and racist, was said to be immediately defended by the Obama Campaign. However, even as the statement had yet to get the worldwide, and local U.S. attention it is getting today (CBS Local, Charlotte), Obama’s Deputy Campaign Manager attempted to support, explain and distance the President from Biden:

Asked about the comments on MSNBC, President Obama's deputy campaign manager Stephanie Cutter said Mr.Obama 'probably agrees with Joe Biden's sentiments.
'I mean he's using a metaphor...He was making a point that if we repeal Wall Street reform which is what Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan want to do, we're going to go back to the days where they're writing their own rules, and we saw what happened.

(UK Daily Mail)

The fact that Biden is seen by the Progressive Democrats as the “the conscience of our nation’s capital”, coupled with the Obama’ Campaign’s statements that overall support the Vice President’s statement, is in itself proof of the new normal low that has defined Washington for the past three years. What is astounding is the feigned amazement and additional insults coming from the Obama Campaign as the competition, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, along with anyone in the nation with a scrap of decency left, called the remarks what they are, at face value - , “a campaign of division and anger and hate” –an apt description by Romney in response to the latest ridiculous and incendiary statements by Obama Campaign members and or their PAC’s. The reply by the Obama Campaign – “Governor Romney's comments tonight seemed unhinged, and particularly strange coming at a time when he's pouring tens of millions of dollars into negative ads that are demonstrably false”…(The Hill.com).

To which comments and advertising by the Romney Campaign is the Obama Campaign referring to?

This is the first week that Romney, in this phase of the campaign, has basically defended himself as well as his running mate – Congressman Paul Ryan, vocally. Calling out the President and his Campaign for Reelection over PAC ads that accused him of murder, and a variety of statements made by Campaign operatives, including Senator Harry Reid and, of course, the Vice President, Joe Biden, which were demonstrably false. The Romney campaign has, to date, been positive, using an uplifting message, and compare and contrast policy ads. Therefore, while the Obama Campaign, anemically attempting to rely on its economic record, is shocked that statements made that are hinging on slanderous, draw fire from the opposition – appears transparently desperate.

The older Biden has been gaffe-prone (charitably put) since the one-term Senator from Illinois chose the veterans Senator from Maryland as his running mate in 2008. One cannot even begin to characterize the latest statements made by Biden as being in the contest of the role of the V.P. as “attack dog” to the President, since it is considered by the base of the Party to be “the conscious of our nation’s capital”! It is hoped, by those who are in the middle – and not as blindly partisan as those on the far left and right of the political spectrum, that our nation’s capital has a better conscious than that displayed on behalf of the Presidents reelection efforts by the Vice President and Harry Reid, the man who literally controls the direction of the Legislation passed (or not as the case has been proven) in the United States.

There comes a time when those who are, on paper, Democrats, Republicans and Independents become so tired of the constant drumbeat of negativity, as it relates to the way Washington is run and the statements and ads made and run by Obama Campaign staffers, supporters and PAC’s – that a palpable shift begins to take place – similar to the elections of 2010, but somehow more urgent. This shift is to the middle – often referred to as “the far right”. It is understandable that both campaigns want the narrative that the race is “close” in the polls to continue for the moment. On the President’s side, it helps to frame an argument that he can win re-election. On the GOP side, a close elections fuels fundraising as those moderates in all parties cringe at the thought of current divisive, angry and hateful tone coming from the ”conscious of Washington” – specifically the Obama Campaign.

Although there are those on the right that would see Romney go on the attack (rather than answer the absurd with, frankly, a plain spoken common sense, rebuke), it is better that the Campaign continues its’ current messaging, and leaves the Obama Campaign to continue as “normal”. Romney has, to date, shown remarkable composure in the face of attacks from the Obama Campaign, and his literal “scolding” of the campaign, can hardly be characterized as “unhinged”, rather as Romney speaking for those who are sick of the negative, and false, jargon and the absurd. As the new normal continues to frame the Obama Campaigns messaging, it speaks to desperation, rather than confidence. What American’s need, as unemployment remains’ stagnant, food and fuel costs continue to rise, and the general feeling of “hopelessness” is evident in the faces of those who are lucky enough to be struggling under the burden of paying taxes to local, state and the federal government, (the shrinking number of employed Americans), is a President that leads with authority, is upbeat, yet tells the American’s people the truth about steps we can take to improve the economy, our health care delivery, save Medicare and Social Security for those over 55 while offering choices to those under 55 that would both protect those individuals and strengthen the economy - even if the result of that type of truth hurts the feelings of the current “conscious of Washington”. .