So, which one is it? You sort of have to, you know, take a position on these things. source
Sesame Workshop is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization and we do not endorse candidates or participate in political campaigns. We have approved no campaign ads, and as is our general practice, have requested that the ad be taken down.A statement from Sesame Workshop • Requesting that the Obama campaign desist in airing an ad featuring Big Bird. Despite leaving the first presidential debate with strong winds at his back, the singular Mitt Romney line that has endured in the days after was his insistence that he’d cut funding to public broadcasting, which President Obama characterized as him “going after Big Bird.” This isn’t the only Obama ad that’s rankled some folks recently, either – a recent ad attacking Romney’s honesty used footage of NBC’s Andrea Mitchell, which the network has asked to be stopped. source
Stewart mocks O’Reilly’s stance on entitlements: “So what you’re saying is this: Barack Obama came into office and said, ‘Lord have mercy, I don’t have to work anymore!’”
So much for Mitt’s post-debate bump.
Can’t say we’re still over 8 percent anymore, but that job increase isn’t super-high. That said, this is good news: “The Labor Department said Friday that employers added 114,000 jobs in September. The economy also created 86,000 more jobs in July and August than first estimated.”
Romney did something last night that I didn’t expect him to do, and obviously Obama didn’t expect him to do. He suddenly became the moderate Massachusetts governor again.Michael Tomasky, chalking Romney’s success last night up to the adoption (or re-adoption) of a moderate political ideology. In returning to his circa-2002 policy positions, Romney “disavowed or contradicted virtually everything he’s been saying for the past 18 months,” Tomasky says, citing Romney’s stated positions on preexisting conditions, taxes, Medicaid and school funding. source
8 point uptick in Obama’s favorability amongst independents since the debate source
Meanwhile, Romney’s favorability didn’t change. Most of the numbers in the poll, however, are rather positive for Romney; this is somewhat of an outlier. Obama’s lead in a head-to-head got cut in half, from 8 to 4 points, though he does still lead. Also, just for kicks:
10% of respondents would rather literally watch paint dry than watch Romney and Obama debate each other.
That was actually polled, yes.
The first 45 minutes have been Mr Cool versus Mr Angry. Romney is delivering what Republicans hoped he would: a confident, aggressive approach to Obama. He has repeatedly denied outright claims by Obama from the start.
Obama has remained calm. His main line of attack is that Romnney would add $8 trillion in spending through tax cuts for the wealthy, also extend Bush era tax cuts and raising military spending. How then was Romney going to square this with cutting the deficit? Romney denied this outright.
Romney also denied he planned to cut taxes that would add $5 trillion to spending. Good comeback from Obama: Romney has been touting this tax plan for months and now five weeks before the election he has dropped it. Romney’s approach, as well as aggressive, is to patronise the president. At one point saying he has been in business for years and point Obama made no sense for anyone who knew anything about accountancy.
He gives the slight edge to Romney, for topping low expectations.
Seriously, did they get their debate prep from the Micro Machines guy?
You may keep referring to it as a $5 trillion tax cut, but that’s not my plan.Mitt Romney • Talking over Jim Lehrer as he was trying to switch topics to get this line in.
Mitt looks like he’s gnashing his teeth listening to Obama, like a young child forced to stay quiet while he’s at church.
I can’t add much to what’s already been (and will be) ...
One of the perks of being an early employee...
Over the last 90 days, the Digg...
#FMMDI (at 30 Rockefeller Plaza)
Thanks. I guess my thoughts are as follows:
1. I think...
Two Months Ago I set out to interview the principal cast...
20 years ago, I became the luckiest man on Earth because Michelle Obama agreed to marry me.Barack Obama • Laying it on thick due to his poorly-timed anniversary.
Jim Lehrer, doing that debate thing he does. No cheers, applause, boos or any of that fun stuff. Just two men talking about how great they are.
It reminds me of George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton in the first town hall debate. It was a format which Clinton was in favor of and Bush Sr. was horrified by, because he just didn’t feel comfortable in that setting. My sense is that Obama will be more comfortable.Center for Democratic Deliberation Director J. Michael Hogan, Ph.D. • Citing the best historical comparison for tonight’s debate. He thinks that we’ll see a more aggressive Romney and a more defensive Obama tonight. Regarding Romney, he says “this is really his last opportunity he’s going to have to turn the tide.” (Disclosure: This is from my new site at work, Associations Now, but I figured it was something you guys would dig. — E.S.)
If the election were held today, an Associated Press analysis shows Obama would win at least 271 electoral votes, with likely victories in crucial Ohio and Iowa along with 19 other states and the District of Columbia. Romney would win 23 states for a total of 206.
To oust the Democratic incumbent, Romney would need to take up-for-grabs Florida, Colorado, Nevada, North Carolina, New Hampshire and Virginia, which would put him at 267 votes, and upend Obama in either Ohio or Iowa.
The AP emphasizes, however, that the study is not meant to predict a victory, but to show where the election currently stands. (A president needs 270 electoral college votes to win, by the way.)
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