News Will past personal issues affect Obama's 2012 campaign?

  • Thread starter Thread starter WhoWee
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Strategy
AI Thread Summary
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs is stepping down after serving since 2004, and will continue to support President Obama as a consultant during the upcoming 2012 campaign. This transition raises questions about the campaign's strategy, particularly the potential relocation of headquarters to Chicago to project an anti-Washington image. Speculation surrounds the Democratic Party's future, with discussions about candidates for the 2016 election and the impact of current approval ratings on Obama's re-election chances. The economy, particularly unemployment rates, is highlighted as a critical factor influencing the election outcome. Overall, Gibbs' departure marks a significant shift as the administration prepares for the challenges ahead in the political landscape.
  • #601
ThinkToday said:
For example, the scale of the negative coverage of the Tea Party is far greater than the negative coverage of OWS, even though OWS protests have been far more violent, costly and disruptive (e.g. Port shutdown).

You say media coverage of the Tea Party is more negative than that of OWS. What proof do you offer?

You can't just make blanket claims here - you will be called out on it. We're a bit different than most places on the web, in that respect. We tend to take a more analytic, less emotional approach.

Please become familiar with our rules.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #602
lisab said:
You say media coverage of the Tea Party is more negative than that of OWS. What proof do you offer?

You can't just make blanket claims here - you will be called out on it. We're a bit different than most places on the web, in that respect. We tend to take a more analytic, less emotional approach.

Please become familiar with our rules.

Oh, like your commments on Trump?

I'll get the analysis that was done on the subject when I get some time. It was something like 50:1 positive storys OWS v. TP
 
  • #603
ThinkToday said:
Oh, like your commments on Trump?

I'll get the analysis that was done on the subject when I get some time. It was something like 50:1 positive storys OWS v. TP
Don't post again until you do.
 
  • #604
  • #605
Apparently Joe Biden was really excited about Solyndra?

http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFN1E7A81B120111109

"In a Feb. 27, 2010 email, Ken Levit, executive director of the George Kaiser Family Foundation, described reaction from unnamed officials in Vice President Joe Biden's office during a meeting about stimulus funding to Steve Mitchell, managing director of Argonaut.

"They about had an orgasm in Biden's office when we mentioned Solyndra," Levit wrote."

I wonder of Biden will be excited to discuss Solyndra in a VP debate hopefully with Newt (IMO)?
 
  • #606
Evo said:
Don't post again until you do.

WTF? Are you acting as an objective moderator, or are you abusing you moderator status in an attempt to subvert reasonable and articulable opinion contrary to your own into the mix?

This smacks, big time. PF is no longer ruled by reason. It's ruled by domination.

Yeah...
 
  • #607
DoggerDan said:
WTF? Are you acting as an objective moderator, or are you abusing you moderator status in an attempt to subvert reasonable and articulable opinion contrary to your own into the mix?

This smacks, big time. PF is no longer ruled by reason. It's ruled by domination.

Yeah...

*Evo requests that new poster get some analysis and facts behind him before he posts again*

*DoggerDan exclaims that PF is no longer ruled by reason*

lol :rolleyes:
 
  • #608
I guess there are limits to "transparency"?

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/white-house-faces-solyndra-deadline/story?id=14923385#.Tr0ZEfQoExw

"The White House today failed to comply with a noon deadline set by Congress to produce all communications related to Solyndra, part of an escalating battle between Republicans and Democrats over the direction of a Congressional investigation into the failed solar firm, which went bankrupt despite a $535 million federal loan.

Asked about the deadline by Jake Tapper of ABC News this afternoon, White House press secretary Jay Carney referenced White House counsel Kathryn Ruemmler's earlier response to the Congressional subpoena demanding the documents. "As the White House counsel made clear," said Carney, "this is something we view as overbroad, unnecessary, and, I think in my words, when something seems partisan, it probably is."

Carney said that the White House had already been "enormously cooperative with legitimate oversight in this area and others," turning over more than 85,000 pages of documents, and would continue to cooperate with investigators."

My question is this - couldn't ANYONE figure out this was a bad deal given 85,000 pages of due diligence and communication?
 
  • #609
Here's one of those speed bumps - looks like it might be a political decision to wait until after the 2012 election? Unfortunately, the will delay job creation and not help to lower energy cost - bad things for a struggling economy - but good for environmentalists.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/11/u...delay-pipeline-decision-past-12-election.html

"The move is the latest in a series of administration decisions pushing back thorny environmental matters beyond next November’s presidential election to try to avoid the heat from opposing interests — business lobbies or environmental and health advocates — and to find a political middle ground. President Obama delayed a review of the nation’s smog standard until 2013, pushed back offshore oil lease sales in the Arctic until at least 2015 and blocked new regulations for coal ash from power plants."
 
  • #610
Now this- from the labor union.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/job-killers-win-american-workers-lose-133649553.html

"Job Killers Win, American Workers Lose"

"Environmentalists formed a circle around the White House and within days the Obama Administration chose to inflict a potentially fatal delay to a project that is not just a pipeline, but is a lifeline for thousands of desperate working men and women. The Administration chose to support environmentalists over jobs – job-killers win, American workers lose.
Environmental groups from the Natural Resources Defense Council to the Sierra Club may be dancing in the streets, having delayed and possibly stopped yet another project that would put men and women back to work. While they celebrate, pipeline workers will continue to lose their homes and livelihoods.
We had hoped the decision would have been made on the basis of economics, facts and the best interests of the nation, not on the basis of a political calculation."

****

Worse yet - the Canadian finance minister is talking to China.my bold

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-11-11/keystone-pipeline-may-not-survive-u-s-delay-flaherty-says.html

"The U.S. State Department’s decision to delay its review of TransCanada Corp.’s $7-billion Keystone XL pipeline until after next year’s presidential election may doom the project and accelerate Canada’s efforts to ship crude to Asia, Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said.

“The decision to delay it that long is actually quite a crucial decision. I’m not sure this project would survive that kind of delay,” Flaherty said yesterday in an interview at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Honolulu. “It may mean that we may have to move quickly to ensure that we can export our oil to Asia through British Columbia.”"
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #611
The Obama admin is claiming executive privileged in refusing to comply with a subpoena (where have I heard that before...?). I'm not sure that is going to play well during the campaign for re-election of a President who campaigned heavily on a platform of transparency/openness the first time.
The White House on Friday turned over internal e-mails demanded under subpoena by a House panel investigating the collapse of Solyndra, but stopped short of releasing the full cache sought by the Energy and Commerce Committee, officials said.
The e-mails provided fell within what one administration official described as "what we believe are legitimate areas of oversight for the committee."

White House Counsel Kathy Ruemmler explained the decision to send only a portion of the subpoenaed e-mails in a letter that accompanied the release, writing that the committee issued an "overbroad and overreaching subpoena to the White House that encroaches upon important and longstanding Executive Branch prerogatives."
http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/11/politics/solyndra-probe/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
 
  • #612
Bowing to public pressure, the Obama administration said Thursday it will delay a decision on the controversial Keystone oil sands pipeline expansion until at least 2013.

Citing concern over the proposed route through Nebraska's Sand Hills region and over the Ogallala Aquifer, the State Department said it needs more time to study the issues and look at possible alternative routes.
http://money.cnn.com/2011/11/10/news/economy/keystone_pipeline/index.htm

Convenient for him, I guess, but again, Obama is a President who was supposed to change how business is done in Washington. I don't think this will play well during the election, looking like a politically motivated buck-passing, job-killing, increasing Middle Eastern oil dependency decision. Sorta like his handling of the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository.
 
  • #613
russ_watters said:
http://money.cnn.com/2011/11/10/news/economy/keystone_pipeline/index.htm

Convenient for him, I guess, but again, Obama is a President who was supposed to change how business is done in Washington. I don't think this will play well during the election, looking like a politically motivated buck-passing, job-killing, increasing Middle Eastern oil dependency decision. Sorta like his handling of the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository.
Agreed. That pipeline is dead if Obama is reelected.
 
  • #614
mheslep said:
Agreed. That pipeline is dead if Obama is reelected.

Good news!

My 16 year old removed the notation from her FB page that previously claimed Obama was the greatest along with some photos of his motorcade we snapped in DC last year - because she doesn't want to pay high gasoline prices. When I quizzed her (she just bought a car with money saved from working last summer) - she said "I work hard for my money - it's stupid not to try and lower gas prices - what's wrong with him?".

I told her she made a good point and that I'll be sure to vote for someone (anyone) else.:biggrin: She said she was going to make sure her older brother and sister won't vote for him either.
 
  • #615
I've come to believe that a major difference between Democrats like Obama and Bill Clinton is that while Clinton went along with the political shakedowns from the various collectivist groups, he still understood American rambunctious private enterprise is the goose that lays the golden egg, is what makes the country prosper, and therefore like a sane Mafioso he reined in threats to the system (e.g. exploding welfare costs) when they were "bad for business." Obama on the other hand really believes that it is the various entitlements that http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2011/04/13/text-of-obama-speech-on-the-deficit/?mod=WSJBlog" while private enterprise is some kind of overblown t-shirt vendor that would be better off installing government financed solar panels.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #616
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/11/15/obama-says-here-in-asia-but-where-exactly-is-hawaii/"

During his press conference in Hawaii, President Obama referenced being "here in Asia." As Americans know, Hawaii is the 50th state, admitted to the Union on Aug. 21, 1959. Mr. Obama also lists Hawaii as his birthplace, which makes his reference even more curious. So, is Hawaii part of Asia?

Is Hawaii part of Asia?
No. Of course it's part of North America. 26.44% (923 votes)
No. It's a Polynesian island chain and not part of either Asia or North America. 64.97% (2,268 votes)
Not sure. But I know you don't need a passport to get there. 4.7% (164 votes)
Yes. It's the only state that's part of another continent. 3.9% (136 votes)


Hmmm?...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #617
Oltz said:
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/11/15/obama-says-here-in-asia-but-where-exactly-is-hawaii/"



Is Hawaii part of Asia?
No. Of course it's part of North America. 26.44% (923 votes)
No. It's a Polynesian island chain and not part of either Asia or North America. 64.97% (2,268 votes)
Not sure. But I know you don't need a passport to get there. 4.7% (164 votes)
Yes. It's the only state that's part of another continent. 3.9% (136 votes)

Hmmm?...

Maybe the Chinese bought it - I remember when the Japanese tried.:wink:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #618
Oltz said:
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/11/15/obama-says-here-in-asia-but-where-exactly-is-hawaii/"



Is Hawaii part of Asia?
No. Of course it's part of North America. 26.44% (923 votes)
No. It's a Polynesian island chain and not part of either Asia or North America. 64.97% (2,268 votes)
Not sure. But I know you don't need a passport to get there. 4.7% (164 votes)
Yes. It's the only state that's part of another continent. 3.9% (136 votes)


Hmmm?...

I like how they say "as Americans know", because Fox News just can't get over the fact that Obama really is American.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #619
How will the White House spin this story? The alleged shooter was also reported to have been spending time with the Occupiers. This Conservative site needs to be labeled IMO - but it provides a background.

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=47568
"Another day, another “isolated incident” from a “rogue element” within the Occupy Wall Street movement. This one opened fire on the White House with an AK-47:

Police believe the suspect, 21-year-old Oscar Ramiro Ortega of Idaho, is mentally ill. Ortega has an extensive record, ranging from domestic violence to drug charges. Sources say a police investigation has uncovered evidence suggesting Ortega has a fixation on the White House.

At 9:30 p.m. Friday, police received reports of shots fired in the bustling area of 16th street and Constitution Ave."

******
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/16/white-house-shooter-arrested_n_1097824.html
 
  • #620
Why would they need to spin i? The dude is (apparently) off his rocker. Lots of people are off their rocker.
 
  • #621
daveb said:
Why would they need to spin i?

The why is immaterial. WhoWee's point is valid - the White House will spin it. The question is how they'll spin it.
 
  • #622
DoggerDan said:
The why is immaterial. WhoWee's point is valid - the White House will spin it. The question is how they'll spin it.

In that case I would say WhoWee made a prediction, not a point.
 
  • #623
daveb said:
In that case I would say WhoWee made a prediction, not a point.

Actually, I asked a specific question. "How will the White House spin this story?"
 
  • #624
WhoWee said:
Actually, I asked a specific question. "How will the White House spin this story?"

Yes, but by asking it that that way, the unspoken assumption (at least as I read it) is that they will spin it. As for how they will, assuming they will, again, why would they need to? I don't see any reason they would need to. They guy is (as far as the reports have said that I read) a tad loopy.
 
  • #625
Will charges of a lack of leadership stick to President Obama with the failure of the Super Committee?
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/21/8932192-romney-assails-obama-for-super-committees-failure
""What's most disappointing about that is that our president has had no involvement with the process," Romney said. "I find extraordinary that there would be set up a committee with such an important mission as finding a way to provide fiscal sanity in America and with the penalty if that fiscal sanity is not found of a $600 billion cut to our military."
He added, "I would have anticipated that the president of the United States would have spent every day and many nights working with members of the Super Committee trying to find a way to bridge the gap, but instead he's been out doing other things -- campaigning and blaming and traveling. This is, in my view, inexcusable.""

my bold
Does candidate Romney have a point?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #626
Why would Obama have to work with the supercommittee daily? Last I heard, his job was to be in the Executive branch, not the Legislative branch.
 
  • #627
Char. Limit said:
Why would Obama have to work with the supercommittee daily? Last I heard, his job was to be in the Executive branch, not the Legislative branch.

I think Romney's point was that President Obama has been on the campaign trail (mostly).
 
  • #628
Are the strategies in the Romney vs Obama battle starting to gel?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/21/obama-campaign-romney-tv-ad_n_1106832.html

"Obama Campaign Blasts Romney's First TV Ad As 'Deceitful'"

""While the President brought us back from the brink of another depression and is fighting everyday to restore economic security for the middle class, Mitt Romney opposes the President's plan to create 2 million jobs and instead proposes a return to the same economic policies that led to the recession," Labolt said in an email to The Huffington Post."

I'm looking forward to the head to head debates.
 
  • #629
DoggerDan said:
The why is immaterial. WhoWee's point is valid - the White House will spin it. The question is how they'll spin it.

I'm still not seeing any spin on this.
 
  • #630
lisab said:
I'm still not seeing any spin on this.

I haven't noticed ANY news reports the past few days regarding this story - had forgotten about it to be honest.
 
  • #631
WhoWee said:
Does candidate Romney have a point?
He would have a point had the Republicans not explicitly asked Obama to keep his nose out of the process. Now that the super committee has failed, Obama should stick his nose in the process. Romney will have a point if that doesn't happen.
 
  • #632
D H said:
He would have a point had the Republicans not explicitly asked Obama to keep his nose out of the process. Now that the super committee has failed, Obama should stick his nose in the process. Romney will have a point if that doesn't happen.

I think you're giving the Republicans too much credit.:rolleyes:
 
  • #633
WhoWee said:
I think you're giving the Republicans too much credit.:rolleyes:
'Way too much credit, IMO. They are a party desperately in search of a candidate. The major problem is that they have been hijacked by the Tea Party, and if we can gauge by the major media, they have nobody that is electable in the primaries, apart from the loons, and none of those nuts are electable in the general election. Elections are transitory, and the GOP is ceding this one, IMO. I don't know why, but the GOP has folded.
 
Last edited:
  • #634
turbo said:
Way too much credit, IMO. They are a party desperately in search of a candidate. The major problem is that they have been hijacked by the Tea Party, and if we can gauge by the major media, they have nobody that is electable in the primaries, apart from the loons, and none of those nuts are electable in the general election. Elections are transitory, and the GOP is ceding this one, IMO. I don't know why, but the GOP has folded.

It is pretty remarkable, the weakness of the field. But I think Romney has a chance of winning the general -- assuming he can win the primary.
 
  • #635
lisab said:
It is pretty remarkable, the weakness of the field. But I think Romney has a chance of winning the general -- assuming he can win the primary.
Romney might have a chance in the general, but are the GOP primary-voters going to get behind a Universal Health-Care, tax-raising, NE liberal? I predict that Newt's supporters are going to scream "liberal" all the way to the caucuses, to the point at which Mitt is too tainted to get the nomination. Romney has been cautious and has kept his head down in the Republican debates, but he'll have to break that pattern to have any chance of getting the nomination.
 
  • #636
Romney has (both)-Bush-like Neo-con qualities. He is the 'comprimised' version of what conservatives will accept, mostly because I think the GOP is smart enough to know that classic republican austerity-platformed candidates will never win the general. Voters are just too greedy and follow along with the bread-crumb trail that washington has provided the past few century. Compassionate conservativism and the neo-con mentality resonates with those seeking austerity with some egalitarian measures. I think most voters recognize the practical 'non choice' in picking a moderate candidate against the current manchurian President.

I think Newt Gingrich is too ugly and too muddied to be a successful candidate. His past scandals and 'entrenched' Washington mentality are going to be his downfall. He's playing the game well, but that's about it. Herman Cain is the opposite in nearly every regard - he's not playing the game well enough and is getting buried by the career politicians.
 
  • #637
mege said:
...
I think Newt Gingrich is too ugly and too muddied to be a successful candidate. His past scandals and 'entrenched' Washington mentality are going to be his downfall. He's playing the game well, but that's about it.
Obama had a 14 point lead over a theoretical Gingrich candidacy. Now the lead is 7 points.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/general_election_gingrich_vs_obama-1453.html
 
  • #638
lisab said:
It is pretty remarkable, the weakness of the field.

I remember similar sentiments about the 1992 Democratic ticket. Time Magazine referred to the candidates as the Seven Dwarfs. One of them went on to 8 years in the White House.
 
  • #640
It probably goes back to whenever the movie was released. But 1992 is maybe the most relevant example.
 
  • #641
Josh Kraushaar has a very interesting piece in the National Journal, titled "Team Obama's Pathway to 270".

It means that, despite the spin they're focused at winning every state, they feel that their best chance of securing 270 electoral votes is through the upscale, white-collar coalition that propelled Obama to victory in 2008 - one I outlined in my column earlier this month. It explains the administration's decision to punt on the Keystone XL pipeline, for fear of alienating environmentalists that make up an important constituency in many of these states.

Essentially, Kraushaar is arguing that the President needs to win VA, NC, NV, and CO at the expense of OH, PA, IA and IN: essentially, appealing to the White College-Educated slice and giving up on the White Working Class slice, which makes up about 25% of the voters. (Which he lost by 18 points in 2008.) This demographic, composed of bitter people who "cling to their guns and religion" has never really warmed to the President, and indeed the Democrats lost this demographic by 30 points in 2010.

This is Joe Biden's bread and butter. Unfortunately, the Vice-President can't open his mouth without sticking his foot in it, so I don't expect him to be any more (or less) help than he was in 2008 or 2010.

This group has not warmed to Mitt Romney either. On the other hand, Romney polls well in VA, NC, etc. and may be able to slice off some of the White College-Educated voters. If one accepts Romney as inevitable, a VP with appeal to the WWC would be a smart move. Someone like Walter B. Jones (R-NC3). The President won NC by only 14,000 votes in 2008.
 
  • #642
It's hard to see Romney or Huntsman capturing the nomination, since the Tea Party has driven the GOP so far right. I think all Obama has to do is sit tight, and campaign against the do-nothing Congress. Newt may be the flavor of the month, but he is unelectable against Obama, IMO. If he wins the nomination, I think women will defect the GOP in droves. He divorced his first wife while she was being treated for cancer, and he divorced his second wife after she was diagnosed with MS, all the while having affairs.

Michelle Obama is a pretty inspiring First Lady. Callista Gingrich? Not so much. I think these issues actually matter to women. We men don't always tune into this stuff all that well, but about 10 months from now we'll see how Newt deals with his baggage. I think it will sink him.
 
  • #643
Vanadium 50 said:
...
Essentially, Kraushaar is arguing that the President needs to win VA, ...
The President carried the Virginia in 2008. Now the state is as near to a 2012 GOP lock is it can be, for whatever my feel on the ground is worth. In 2008 an extraordinarily highly motivated Democratic leaning, college educated, and densely populated northern Va carried the remainder of the state. That Democratic fire has dimmed now, turned to melancholy. Actions like postponing the Keystone pipeline won't relight the fire. For actual evidence of trend, we have McDonnell (R) winning the governors race by 18 points in 2009, the highest margin since '61, switching the office from the Democrats in the prior term.
 

Similar threads

John Podesta's greatest regret - government silence on UFOs
2
Replies
69
Views
8K
News Obama Misspeaks on Egypt Relationship Or does he ?
2
Replies
55
Views
8K
News The Obama Administration is Violating the Law
Replies
4
Views
3K
News Clinton-Obama '08: Possible Historic Ticket?
4
Replies
154
Views
24K
News Was the White House Involvement in the Sestak Senate Race Legal or Bribery?
Replies
19
Views
4K
News Stop "Fox News North" - Avaaz.org 21M Global Campaign Network
Replies
6
Views
3K
News President's Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan
2
Replies
69
Views
9K
News Is George Bush Misusing Taxpayer Money for His Re-Election Campaign?
Replies
6
Views
3K
News Moon Mission: Obama's Panel Says No Go
Replies
4
Views
3K
News What were the top issues in the 2008 presidential election?
2
Replies
82
Views
20K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top