The speech was gracious and it’s goal was to unify the nation…Good luck with that Mr. President. For the sake of this Republic, I hope we can get over our partisanship.
Daily Archives: November 7, 2012
Meet The Nation’s Five Worst Election Officials
The sheer number of Obama supporters who showed up at the polls thwarted their carefully planned prospects to aid Mitt Romney in winning the 2012 election.
Think Progress
Despite long lines, voter suppression laws and Republican efforts to discourage voting, President Obama won reelection last night. Many of these roadblocks to voting did not happen by accident. Meet five of the Republican state elections officials who spent this election cycle thwarting the franchise:
- Jon Husted
Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted is the Katherine Harris of 2012. Few, if any officials in the country did more to skew a state’s vote to increase Mitt Romney’s chances of winning this election. Husted advocated firmly and repeatedly to cut early voting in Ohio, potentiallydisenfranchising thousands of voters who lack the job flexibility to vote on election day. Heopenly defied a court order requiring early voting hours to be restored, although he eventually backed down after a federal ordered him to attend a court hearing regarding this refusal to comply with the law. And he retaliated against his opponents by firing them. To top it off, Husted issued a last-minute directive that directly conflicts with Ohio law which could lead to thousands of provisional ballots being trashed.
- Ken Detzner
Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner is Tea Party Gov. Rick Scott’s (R) hand-picked chief elections official, so he played a leadership role in Scott’s discredited plan to purge thousands of Florida voters from the state’s voter rolls. According to the Tampa Bay Times, “Hispanic, Democratic and independent-minded voters [were] the most likely to be targeted” by this purge. About 58 percent of the voters targeted by the purge are Hispanic, a demographic that overwhelmingly favored President Obama. The list of supposed non-citizens proved unreliable, however, and the purge was eventually shut down after the state’s local elections supervisors refused to move forward with it. Nevertheless, Detzner vowed to restart the purgeat one point saying it was his “moral duty” to purge people from the voter rolls. To date, Florida’s purge caught just one non-citizen voter.
- Scott Gessler
Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler is currently under investigation for allegedly misusing taxpayer dollars to travel to a Republican National Lawyers Association event. Even if these allegations prove false, however, Gessler has still distinguished himself through his efforts to restrict the franchise. As a candidate for his current job, Gessler campaigned on a promise to fight the wildly exaggerated problem of election fraud. As Colorado’s chief elections official, Gessler spearheaded a voter purge targeting thousands of alleged non-citizens on his state’s voter rolls. He was eventually forced to largely abandon this purge, however, after his efforts revealed that non-citizen voting is a virtually non-existent problem.
- Carol Aichele
As Pennsylvania’s Secretary of the Commonwealth, Carol Aichele played a key role in defending that state’s voter ID law — despite her admission during court testimony that shedoes not “know what the law says.” After state officials released data indicating that 9 percent of the state’s voters lacked the ID required by the law, Aichele claimed that the real number was actually closer to 1 percent. When the Pennsylvania Supreme Court expressed skepticism that the voter suppression law would not disenfranchise voters, Aichele announced minor tweeks to the requirements to obtain an ID in Pennsylvania. The judiciary deemed this dodge insufficient, and largely suspended the law. Nevertheless, Pennsylvania continued to run misleading ads suggesting that voters must show ID in order to vote.
- Matt Schultz
Like Colorado and Florida, Iowa attempted its own voter purge targeting the illusionary problem of non-citizen voting, with Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz spearheading this purge. An Iowa court temporarily blocked this purge, however, warning that it “created confusion and mistrust in the voter registration process [and] have created fear that new citizens will lose their right to vote and/or be charged with a felony and [have] caused some qualified voters to feel deterred from even registering to vote.”
- Bonus: Charlie White
Indiana’s Republican former Secretary of State Charlie White was removed from office last February after he was convicted of six felony counts of perjury, theft and election fraud.
Filed under U.S. Politics
The guy POTUS called first
President Barack Obama embraces former President Bill Clinton onstage after Clinton nominated Obama for re-election during the second session of Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., September 5. (Photo: Reuters/Larry Downing)
Last night Chris Matthews was visibly upset after President Obama’s victory speech because he felt the POTUS fell short in thanking the people who helped get him there. What Matthews did not know was the actual scenario that played out hours before the President’s speech:
MSNBC Staff
After winning a second term, President Obama placed a call to one of his biggest supporters and most high-profile surrogates this election cycle: former President Bill Clinton.
Clinton was the first person the president called after he received a concession call from Republican challenger Mitt Romney, a campaign official told NBC News.
Clinton, whose wife Hillary Clinton ran against Obama in 2008, stumped aggressively and frequently for the president in 2012. He delivered a speech at the Democratic National Convention in August that many said provided a jolt to the Obama campaign as a whole.
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Filed under President Bill Clinton, President Obama
Too Bad, So Sad! Donald Trump Rants On Twitter After Obama Win
Dear Donald Trump…The American People spoke last night, they had a message for you:
Go away! You’re Fired!
NewsOne
Real estate mogul, devout friend to the Republican party, and now all-round bellyacherDonald Trump should be eating crow right about now but instead, he chose to lambast President Barack Obama on Twitter forwinning his consecutive bid for the presidency on Tuesday night.
The offensively coiffed trillionaire’s Twitter meltdown was a juvenile display of sour grapes after Obama decisively defeated the Republican candidate Mitt Romney:
We can’t let this happen. We should march on Washington and stop this travesty. Our nation is totally divided! Lets [sic] fight like hell and stop this great and disgusting injustice! The world is laughing at us. Thiselection is a total sham and a travesty. We are not a democracy!
The disgruntled Don continued…
Our country is now in serious and unprecedented trouble…like never before. Our nation is a once great nation divided! The electoral college is a disaster for a democracy. Hopefully the House of Representatives can hold our country together for four more years…stay strong and never give up! House of Representatives shouldn’t give anything to Obama unless he terminates Obamacare.
For Trump’s foolishness, Hollywood celebs put “The Don” on blast.
Alec Baldwin tweeted:
You trust the voters when they choose The Apprentice. But not now?
“Modern Family” executive producer Steve Levitan tweeted:
Hey, Trump, did you see Mitt Romney’s concession speech? That’s what graciousness and good hair looks like.
While Bravo’s Andy Cohen tweeted:
“I’ma run a sedative up to Trump Tower!”
Actor and director Mark Ruffalo added:
Donald Trump just called for a Revolution. Doesn’t like democracy I guess.
Trump, here’s my tweet:
Take it like a man and suck it up!
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Filed under U.S. Politics
10 things you need to know today: November 7, 2012
The Week
1. OBAMA WINS FOUR MORE YEARS
President Obama won re-election on Tuesday, sweeping the crucial swing states of Colorado, Iowa, Ohio, New Hampshire, Virginia, and Wisconsin to defeat Mitt Romney. Obama also holds a narrow lead in Florida, although officials there haven’t declared awinner. Romney delayed conceding for a tense 90 minutes after the major TV networks called the race, with his aides ready to fly to close states to contest the results. When Obama’s victory became undeniable, Romney went on stage in Boston and wished him well. “This is a time of great challenges for America,” Romney said, “and I pray that the president will be successful in guiding our nation.” Obama overcame brutal economic headwinds, asking Americans to give him four more years to complete the recovery from the Great Recession he inherited. “We know in our hearts that for the United States of America, the best is yet to come,” Obama told supporters early Wednesday. [New York Times]
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2. CONGRESS REMAINS DIVIDED
Democrats maintained a surprisingly strong hold on the Senate. The Dems dashed GOP dreams of retaking the majority with a string of key wins: Democrat Chris Murphy body-slammed Linda McMahon in Connecticut, Democrat Tim Kaine beat George Allen in Virginia, and progressive hero Elizabeth Warren thumped Scott Brown in Massachusetts. Democrats in Indiana and Missouri also defeated two Republican candidates who recently gained infamy after making unpopular statements about rape: Joe Donnelly defeated Richard Mourdock in Indiana, and Claire McCaskill held on to her seat in Missouri, claiming victory over Todd Akin. Republicans, however, held onto a strong majority in the House, preserving their 2010 mid-term gains and bolstering their push for spending cuts. The split leaves no clear sign of how Congress will avoid the so-called fiscal cliff of automatic tax hikes and spending cuts that hits at year’s end if lawmakers can’t reach a debt-reduction deal. [New York Daily News]
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3. GAY MARRIAGE MAKES BIG GAINS
Maine and Maryland on Tuesday became the first states to approve same-sex marriage in statewide votes. The controversial issue had put to the test at the ballot box 32 times before, and got rejected every time. Public opinion has been shifting in favor of gay marriage since 2008, when California amended its constitution, which had reserved marriage for heterosexual couples only. In 2010, a poll found that a majority of Americans supported same-sex marriage for the first, time, and President Obama added his support in May. “When the history books are written, 2012 will be remembered as the year when LGBT Americans won decisively at the ballot box,” said Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign. [Los Angeles Times]
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4. VULNERABLE NEW YORKERS EVACUATE BEFORE STORM
Officials evacuated hundreds of people from nursing homes in New York City’s storm-ravaged coastal Rockaways section ahead of a nor’easter expected to hit on Wednesday. The storm isn’t expected to pack anything like the punch of Hurricane Sandy, the superstorm that hammered New York and New Jersey last week. The nursing homes and other severely damaged buildings are already running on emergency generators, and emergency workers already have their hands full, so city and state officials don’t want to take any chances. They’re also closing parks and beaches, and stopping outside construction work as the region braces for high winds, rain, and sleet. [Associated Press]
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5. TWO STATES LEGALIZE RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA
Voters in Washington state and Colorado have approved ballot measures legalizing recreational marijuana. A similar initiative lost in Oregon. The votes made Washington and Colorado the first states to authorize pot salesto non-medicinal users, regulating it like alcohol. “The significance of these events cannot be understated,” says Erik Altieri, a spokesman for the marijuana advocacy group NORML. The vote put Colorado to the left of the Netherlands on marijuana policy. “It’s unprecedented,” said Jonathan Caulkins, a Carnegie Mellon University professor. [Los Angeles Times]
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6. SYRIAN REBELS TARGET ASSAD
Syrian rebels fired mortars at President Bashar al-Assad’s Damascus palace on Wednesday, but missed, hitting a residential neighborhood occupied by members of Assad’s minority Alawite sect. The government, calling the shelling a “terrorist attack,” said three people were killed and seven injured. British Prime Minister David Cameron, urging President Obama to join him in stepping up efforts to oust Assad, suggested Tuesday that the embattled leader could be allowed safe passage out of the country if that’s what it takes to end the nation’s civil war. [Reuters]
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7. BANGLADESHI MIGRANTS DIE AT SEA
A boat carrying about 110 Bangladeshis and Rohingya Muslims sank in rough seas on the way from Myanmar to Malaysia, the second such disaster in 10 days. Bangladeshis and Rohingya Muslims face persecution in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar, and frequently flee in overloaded boats seeking work. “We were heading to Malaysia for jobs but the boat suddenly went upside down and sank,” survivor Jamir Hossain said. “I floated for several hours before a fishing boat picked me up.” [Reuters]
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8. LONG LINES FRUSTRATE VOTERS
Voters had to wait in long lines in several big swing states, including Florida and Virginia, and in storm-ravaged parts of New York and New Jersey. Both parties urged people to stick it out, fearing their supporters would give up and go home without casting a ballot. Watchdog groups said they received complaints from people who claimed they were turned away because they lacked identification cards in Pennsylvania, a state where ID isn’t required. “I want to thank every American who participated in this election, whether you voted for the very first time or waited in line for a very long time,” President Obama said in his victory speech. “By the way, we have to fix that.” [Reuters]
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9. SUZUKI GIVES UP ON SELLING U.S. CARS
American Suzuki Motor says it will stop selling new automobiles in the U.S., and focus on motorcycles, ATVs, and outboard engines for boats. The U.S. subsidiary of the Japanese automaker filed for bankruptcy protection this week, after failing to bounce back from the recession. Suzuki’s North American sales have plummeted from a peak of 107,000 in 2008, hitting 30,000 in the fiscal year that ended in March. “They have low-margin, low-priced cars with small volume,” one analyst said. “That’s far from the ideal combination.” [Los Angeles Times]
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10. NHL NEGOTIATORS MAKE PROGRESS
NHL team owners and players plan to return to the bargaining table at a secret New York location on Wednesday, after reportedly making progress in seven hours of talks the day before. A 52-day lockout has already forced the cancellation of 327 regular-season professional hockey games. The main sticking point is how to split the league’s record revenue, which was more than $3 billion last season. [Associated Press]
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- Legal Marijuana, Same-Sex Marriage Advanced by U.S. Voters – Bloomberg (bloomberg.com)
- Maine, Maryland approve gay marriage, while Colorado legalizes marijuana (nj.com)
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Filed under President Barack Obama, Uncategorized
Democrat firebrand Alan Grayson returning to Congress
Rep. Alan Grayson, was defeated in 2010 by a Tea Party newcomer, Steve Southerland. Alan Grayson and Rep. Anthony Weiner of NYC were the loudest voices of the Democratic left prior to the 2010 sweep by the GOP.
Grayson was defeated and Weiner resigned over a “sex” scandal on Twitter. Some say that both were targeted by the GOP/Tea party because they were outspoken about GOP policies that would hurt the middle-class and poor.
Tampa Bay Times
Outspoken liberal Alan Grayson won a return trip to Congress on Tuesday after a defeat two years ago, while freshman GOP Rep. Steve Southerland beat back a tough challenge. Democrats eyed several competitive seats in hopes of gaining clout in Florida’s heavily Republican congressional delegation.
Grayson won by a big margin, topping lawyer and conservative radio host Todd Long in Central Florida’s District 9. Southerland’s win was tighter, but still decisive, defeating Al Lawson, a longtime Democratic state lawmaker and former college basketball star for the Panhandle seat.
In Miami, Republican Congressman David Rivera is being sent home after one term amid accusations of ethics violations.
With 80 percent of District 26 precincts reporting, Democrat Joe Garcia led with 53.9 percent of the vote.
The embattled Miami congressman was out-fundraised more than 2 to 1, saw his district’s lines be redrawn in a way seen more favorable to Garcia and, more than anything else, was seeking re-election under a cloud of ethical lapses.
Incumbents were leading in most of the state’s 27 seats as early returns drifted in, but a handful of races remained tight, including the most high-profile of them all: Rep. Allen West’s battle against 29-year-old political neophyte Patrick Murphy.
Republicans outnumber Democrats in the state’s current House delegation 19 to 6, with the state adding two seats this election because of its population growth. The GOP will maintain a strong majority, but Democrats aimed at several seats that switched into GOP hands two years ago and are seen as vulnerable.
In Central Florida, freshman Rep. Daniel Webster edged Democrat Val Demings, a retired Orlando police chief. And in South Florida, former West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel, a Democrat, appeared to defeat Adam Hasner.
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Filed under Rep. Alan Grayson
Allen West Loses His House Seat
Former Rep. Allen West (R-FL)
This is the icing on the cake. Alllen West was an arrogant Tea Party backed Congressman from Florida who attacked President Obama and his supporters on a daily basis with vitriol even the staunchest Republican may have been shocked to hear. Good riddance.
TPMDC
Republican Rep. Allen West (FL), the bomb-throwing tea party darling elected during the 2010 tea party wave, was projected as defeated in a close race by Democrat Patrick Murphy.
NBC News projected the race for Murphy. With 99 percent of the vote in, he was up by some 1,500 votes.
The Floridian freshman quickly gained a national profile with his scorched-earth rhetoric against President Obama and his initiatives. He rankled many earlier this year when he claimed that dozens of congressional Democrats were closet communists — comments he repeatedly stood by.
West was a prime target for Democrats this cycle. He opted to run for a different House seat this cycle after his district was redrawn to include a larger fraction of Democrats. Despite his best efforts to soften his image, he was an imperfect fit for the evenly divided district.
And Democrats were gleeful about Murphy’s victory.
“We congratulate Congressman-elect Patrick Murphy on defeating Tea Party crony Allen West,” said Florida Democratic Party chair Rod Smith. “Murphy is a rising star in the party and will be a strong voice for the people of Florida in the United States Congress. Tonight, the people of this district rejected divisive, hateful rhetoric in favor a fresh-faced, bipartisan approach centered around the issues important to Florida’s middle class families.”
The race was hard-fought, with brutal attack ads from both candidates bankrolled in part by outside groups, who made their mark on the race.
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Filed under Rep. Allen West
The Conquering Hero…
Congratulations Mr. President – Four More Years…
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Filed under U.S. Politics
