Republican Primary News, Republican Primary Pictures
A new analysis finds that Mitt Romney outspent his Republican rivals in order to secure the nomination, spending a whopping $126,000 per delegate.
CNN Money crunched the numbers from the Republican primary campaign and found that Romney spent $18.50 per vote, gaining 4.1 million votes and 607 delegates as a result.
While Romney swept all five primary states on Tuesday night, a significant percentage of Republican voters still voted against the de facto nominee, showing that he still has some work to do in order to assure the conservative base of his party.
Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum is leveling the bombshell claim that Mitt Romney secretly manipulated the GOP primary process in his favor. Appearing on NBC’s Meet The Press on Sunday morning, Santorum claims that “Governor Romney’s been doing this for four years and he worked very hard to make sure that states moved up that were very advantageous to him.”
Santorum goes on to note that he may make an appeal to Republican “superdelegates” to sway the nomination back towards him. Santorum points out that while the Massachusetts millionaire has “outspent [him] about 10 to one,” Romney “can’t close the deal.”
Santorum recently beat Romney in the Kansas primary, while Romney won several delegates from U.S. territories.
The Republican party’s primary process is wreaking havoc with the party’s brand, according to a new poll from NBC and the Wall Street Journal. The poll finds that 40% find the ongoing war between Romney, Gingrich, and Santorum is giving them an unfavorable view of the GOP. Only about 10% think the primaries have been good for George W. Bush’s party.
When asked to describe the fight, Republicans responded: “Unenthusiastic,” “discouraged,” “lesser of two evils,” “painful,” “disappointed,” “poor choices,” “concerned,” “underwhelmed,” “uninspiring” and “depressed.”
The poll found that President Obama’s approval rating has rebounded to 50% and he leads Romney by 6% in a head to head matchup.
VIA NBC
Mitt Romney has a favorability problem, especially with the conservatives he needs to win the Republican nomination. A new poll from ABC News/Washington Post finds that Romney has suffered a major drop in favorability with very conservative voters, down 14% to just 38% favorable — in a week.
It is the lowest level of favorability the organization has polled for the Massachusetts millionaire.
With Democrats, President Obama has an 83% favorable rating in this poll.
VIA ABC News
On the campaign trail for his father, Mitt Romney’s son Matt is promoting the racist birther conspiracy theory about President Obama.
Speaking to voters in New Hampshire, Matt Romney responded to a question about why Mitt Romney is hiding his tax returns by saying, “as soon as President Obama releases his grades and birth certificate and sort of a long list of things then maybe he’d do it.”
President Obama has of course already released his birth certificate, a document ratified by the U.S. congress. [Think Progress]
Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign is already measuring the drapes on the Republican nomination, according to a senior strategist for the campaign.
Speaking to New York Magazine’s John Heilemann, the senior strategist boasts, “The dynamics couldn’t be better for us, I don’t see any scenario where we’re not the nominee.”
Romney has stayed steady at around 20 percent support, though a series of Romney alternatives have moved ahead of him — temporarily — in the polls.
A video from 1995 shows then Speaker Newt Gingrich supporting President Clinton’s effort to bailout Mexico.
In response to a financial crisis in Mexico between 1994-5, President Clinton led a global effort to prop up the Mexican economy with a $50 billion financial package. Mexico’s economy soon stabilized as a result of the global effort.
As a Fox News pundit and as a presidential candidate, Gingrich has repeatedly criticized the economic stimulus passed by President Obama and the Democratic Congress that halted the decline in the failing economy inherited from the Bush administration.
Mitt Romney’s latest campaign ad doesn’t tell the full story about the Republican presidential candidate’s past. In the ad, “Conservative Agenda,” Romney labels himself as a “Conservative Businessman” but his most recent position wasn’t in private industry, but as governor of liberal Massachusetts.
The ad also fails to mention Romney’s implementation of “Romneycare” in Massachusetts, cited by President Obama and others as the inspiration behind the national health care program.
Romney’s previous positioning as a “progressive” and his attempt to distance himself from Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush when he ran for the U.S. Senate in Massachusetts are also not mentioned.
Romney’s tenure in the private sector at Bain Capital was marked by large layoffs at the companies Bain acquired, layoffs that Romney continues to profit from.
Romney’s ad:
Mitt Romney appears to have made a campaign promise he’ll likely be unable to keep.
The former Republican frontrunner, who has had a hard time convincing the Republican base that he’s their man, promised that all college students would have a job if he’s elected president.
ABC News recorded Romney’s comments in New Hampshire while speaking to a 21 year old about why college students should support him over Obama.
Incredibly, Romney said, “What I can promise you is this – when you get out of college, if I’m president you’ll have a job. If President Obama is reelected, you will not be able to get a job.”
Romney didn’t say job prospects would be better if elected, but made a blanket statement that college graduates would all have jobs if he’s elected president — a promise that Romney simply cannot keep.
Sarah Palin could possibly enter the Republican presidential nomination process. In comments to Fox Business, the half-term governor, failed vice-presidential candidate, and Fox News employee said it’s not too late for “folks” to jump in to the race.
Palin asked, “Who knows what will happen in the future?”
Palin famously decided against running for president in 2012, a decision some attribute to a steep drop in favorability for her in national polling. Palin was reportedly reprimanded by Fox boss Roger Ailes for her “blood libel” comments after the Garbielle Giffords shooting.
Mitt Romney is still making millions of dollars from layoffs engineered by Bain Capital, the private equity firm he helped to start.
As revealed by the New York Times, Romney negotiated a backroom deal with Bain that gave the already wealthy former governor a share of Bain’s profits even after he left the firm.
One of the ways Bain makes its money is from buying up companies then shredding the jobs of many employees in a scheme designed to cut costs. Romney profited when Bain bought KB Toys and laid off thousands of employees.
The funds for one of Romney’s summer homes could have come from the money Bain made when they facilitated a deal that cut 2,500 jobs from radio broadcaster Clear Channel.
On the campaign trail, Romney has not disclosed his financial records or how he has profited from Bain’s buzzsaw. He has claimed that his time in private industry qualifies him to lead the nation.
A 2002 video of Mitt Romney has been revealed showing him distancing himself from the Republican party.
In the clip taken from a Democratic ad, Romney says, “The R doesn’t stand for Republican as much as it does reform,” “”I’m not running as the Republican view or a continuation of Republican values.”
In what is likely to be a burden on his 2012 campaign for the Republican nomination, Romney says, “It’s always a burden for someone to run with R for Republican after their name.”
She may not be a witch, but Christine O’Donnell is backing Mitt Romney for President and Romney wants you to know. In a press release from the Romney campaign just out, the campaign is announcing that O’Donnell, who lost the Delaware senate seat in a landslide, is backing Romney.
O’Donnell’s 2010 senate campaign became the butt of jokes around the country as her campaign was frequently revealed to be a disorganized affair often used to pay her personal expenses.
In the release Romney, currently being leapfrogged by Newt Gingrich says, “Christine has been a leader in the conservative movement for many years” and goes on to say, “Christine recognizes that excessive government threatens us now and threatens future generations, and I am pleased to have her on my team.”
O’Donnell notes that, “I am endorsing Governor Romney because I trust him to do the right thing. He has the strength of conviction to do the right thing regardless of opposition.”
Touting the support of a fringe figure like O’Donnell seems to be an admission by the Romney campaign that they see a very real danger from the Gingrich campaign. If Romney were to make it to the national campaign, Democrats would likely relish the chance to use the O’Donnell endorsement against him.
VIDEO: O’Donnell appeared on Fox News’ Hannity on Tuesday night in order to tout her endorsement:
The Restore Our Future, Inc. Super PAC, who supports Mitt Romney in the Republican primaries, is paying the same ad firms that created the racist Willie Horton ad in 1988. The PAC also uses the services of a firm that received $18 million to buy advertising spots for the false Swift Boat Veterans for The Truth ads that attacked John Kerry in 2004.
According to the Center For Public Integrity, McCarthy Hennings Media, Inc. received $44,666 from Restore Our Future. McCarthy Hennings created the Willie Horton ad in 1988. The PAC paid Mentzer Media Services $782,052 — they bought ad time for the Swift Boat ads that had a huge impact in 2004.
A video from 2002 has resurfaced showing Mitt Romney describing himself as “progressive.” The video could seriously hurt Romney’s ailing campaign for the Republican presidential nomination. Already perceived by many conservative activists as not conservative enough, the new video published at Talking Points Memo gives them more fodder to doubt his bonafides.
Appearing on Meet The Press, Rep. Ron Paul was not impressed by Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich. Paul described Romney and Gingrich as faux conservatives, coming from what he views as the “same mold” as other establishment policitians.
The Democratic party has released a new video stressing Newt Gingrich’s ties to the Tea Party movement.
The Democrats explain: “Newt Gingrich showed last night why he’s the Tea Party front runner for the GOP Presidential nomination: He’s the original Tea Partier. Newt Gingrich was the Tea Party before there was one. Shutting down the government over his plan to slash Medicare and education spending to fund tax breaks for millionaires to supporting massive tax breaks for Wall Street financiers and corporations – all while telling the middle class to fend for themselves.”
Newt Gingrich Original Tea Partier Video
Democrats went on the attack Saturday night after multimillionaire candidate Mitt Romney attempted a $10,000 bet during the Republican presidential debate in Iowa. After Romney bet Texas governor Rick Perry on whether he had changed the content of his book, Democrats sent a blast e-mail to the press listing what $10,000 could buy for the average American. From the Democratic e-mail:
* $10,000 Is More Than Four Months Pay For Most Americans (Median Income Was $26,197 in 2010) [Census.gov, accessed 12/10/11]
*$10,000 Is More Than The Average Public In-State Four-Year College Tuition ($8,244) [CollegeBoard, accessed 12/10/11]
* $10,000 Is Almost Three Times What The Average Family Spends On Groceries In A Year ($3624) [BLS.gov, accessed 12/10/11]
*$10,000 Would Cover More Than A Year’s Worth Of Mortgage Payments For The Typical American Home Purchased Today ($8,376) [National Association of Realtors, 10/6/11]
Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich damaged American attempts at diplomacy in the Middle East with his recent comments attacking Palestinians. Appearing on the Jewish Channel, Gingrich referred to “the invented Palestinian people.” The disgraced former speaker of the House’s comments have been condemned by Saeb Erekat, an advisor to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, as “despicable” and “the lowest point of thinking anyone can reach.”
The official stance of the Obama administration is that there should be a two-state solution in the Middle East, negotiated by Palestinians and Israelis. [Reuters]
Republican Party chairman Reince Priebus, perhaps worried about the optics of his party pandering to Donald Trump, came out against the reality tv star’s debate today. Speaking on Fox News, Priebus said it would be “malpractice” for him to support the debate while Trump supposedly mulls a possible independent presidential run. Priebus said, “the issue here is whether the moderator should still be a person who’s still batting around the idea of running as an independent. I think that should give some of these candidates some concern.”
Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum have already agreed to attend the debate.
A video showing Newt Gingrich supporting the economic stimulus and health care reform has been released on YouTube. In the video Gingrich notes that he “applauds” President Obama for the stimulus and increased spending on Medicare. Gingrich also announces in the video that he wants to help Obama in creating health care reform, “so that every American can have health insurance coverage.”
Newt Gingrich has serious momentum going into next month’s Iowa caucuses as a new poll shows him leading the pack there. The Des Moines Register poll shows Gingrich in the lead with 25% support, followed by Ron Paul at 18% and Mitt Romney a disappointing third with 16%. As of now Romney is in a worse position than he was in 2008 when he came in second in the Iowa cacuses to Mike Huckabee.
Gingrich could also benefit from the recent suspension of Herman Cain’s campaign, as many expect those supporters could more easily shift to Gingrich than Romney. [Des Moines Register]
Herman Cain announced today that he is “suspending” his troubled presidential campaign. Cain, who has been dogged by allegations of sexual impropriety and incompetence, made the announcement at his campaign office in Georgia. Cain attacked the media and announced a “plan b” which involved a website he would use to promote conservative principles.
In response to Cain’s announcement, Newt Gingrich said, “I am proud to know Herman Cain and consider him a friend and I know he will continue to be a powerful voice for years to come.”
Jon Huntsman said, Cain added a “unique and valuable voice to the debate”
Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign just keeps on taking hits this week. Now he’s being attacked with the language of Occupy Wall Street in a new ad from MoveOn.org. The ad details Romney’s vast wealth and corporate sympathies, eventually labeling him “Mr. 1%.”
A new video highlights Mitt Romney’s angry responses to simple questions. The video from the Democratic Party comes in the wake of news that Romney complained to Fox News’ Bret Baier after he was asked about his record of flip flopping.
Mitt Romney complained to Fox News anchor Bret Baier after his disastrous interview on Tuesday, according to Baier. Speaking to Bill O’Reilly on The O’Reilly Factor on Wednesday night, Baier explained that when the cameras were off, Romney came back into the interview room and complained to him about the tone of the interview.
Most observers felt Romney performed poorly in the interview, some describing the encounter as a disaster.
A brutal new ad from Ron Paul’s presidential campaign shreds Newt Gingrich for lack of loyalty to the conservative cause. In the ad Paul highlights Gingrich’s work with Nancy Pelosi, his attack on conservative poster boy Paul Ryan, his lobbying for Freddie Mac, ties to the health care industry, and his record of flip-flopping.
Michele Bachmann is the latest Republican presidential nominee to get tripped up over basic foreign policy. Speaking to a Waverly, Iowa, crowd Bachmann said that if she were president, “we wouldn’t have an American embassy in Iran.” The United States has not had diplomatic ties with Iran since the 1980s revolution there.
Recently the British embassy was overrun and their ambassador recalled. France also recalled their Iranian ambassador. [NBC]
Mitt Romney’s uncomfortable interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier is going viral. In a new video the Democratic Party compiles press reaction to Romney’s terse and combative response on the conservative news network. Romney is described by conservative pundit Jonah Goldberg as an “android politician,” one of the more negative comments cited in the clip:
Yesterday Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign held several conference calls in order to respond to the Democratic ad labeling him a flip flopper, but did not refute the main charge.
Romney’s campaign chose to describe the ad as a distraction from President Obama’s economic record (without noting that the economy is still suffering the after-effects of the Bush Recession), but did not deny that the candidate flip-flops on numerous issues.
As MSNBC reported, “As the conference call and email marathon wore on, it became apparent that the subject matter of the ad itself — and the fact that President Obama frequently talks about the economy, as he did last week in New Hampshire — was almost secondary to the Romney campaign’s response strategy.”
Similarly, the Star Tribune reported, “[Tim] Pawlenty did not directly address the flip-flopping allegation.” Gov. Tim Pawlenty was the Romney campaign’s point man in response to the Obama ad.
Texas governor Rick Perry made another memorable gaffe on the campaign trail today when he stated that the voting age in America is 21. It is 18.
Perry made his mistake when speaking to college students at New Hampshire’s Saint Anselm’s College. Perry said, “Those who are going to be over 21 on November 12th, I ask for your support.”
Perry has experienced a massive drop in the polls, largely attributable to his poor performance in several Republican debates. [Washington Post]
Bombshell video from 2005 has surfaced showing Newt Gingrich supporting the invidivual mandate he now opposes. Gingrich claims that he wants to repeal health care reform, but in 2005 he was a backer of the individual mandate, which requires citizens to purchase health insurance.
Watch:
Another video, from 2003, shows Gingrich explaining that, “I think government has to lead” the case for health care reform and that he sees himself as a Republican in the mold of progressive Teddy Roosevelt.
Mitt Romney’s popularity has fallen an average of 15% in 13 different states as the Republican nomination process has proceeded. According to Public Policy Polling, Romney’s numbers have continued to fall as his name recognition has increased. PPP reports that “the more GOP primary voters across the country have been exposed to him, the less they’ve liked him.”
Despite his constant campaigning since 2008, Romney has yet to wrap up the GOP nomination, as a series of challengers have become the “not Romney” and experienced support putting them ahead of the former governor. [PPP]
New Hampshire voters are bashing Mitt Romney’s ad that fakes a quote from President Obama. In a new ad from the Democratic party, numerous New Hampshire voters decry the Romney ad as a “fraud”. WATCH:
Ginger White, an Atlanta area businesswoman is claiming she had a 13 year long affair with Herman Cain. Appearing on CNN, Cain denied the affair and insisted he was only friends with White.
White told Atlanta’s Fox station that, “I was aware that he was married. And I was also aware I was involved in a very inappropriate situation, relationship.” [MyFoxAtlanta]
UPDATE: Video of Ginger White interview:
Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign reacted furiously Monday to a new Democratic ad that attacks him as a flip flopper. In response to the video, which paints a portrait of Romney as an opportunist who will say anything to get elected, Romney’s campaign held multiple conference calls attempting to push back on the ad.
Leading the charge for Romney’s pushback has been Minnesota governor Tim Palwenty, whose own run for the presidency ended in disaster. He has been aided by some House Republicans and state legislators.
Romney’s campaign hasn’t strongly rebutted the central point of the online videos — that Romney is a flip flopper — preferring instead to describe the ads as an attempt to distract from President Obama’s record on financial matters.
The ad shows Romney holding multiple positions on abortion, the bailout, helping the auto industry and support of President Reagan. [NY Times]
Mitt Romney is racking up support from his fellow super-wealthy investors, now gaining the support of Blackstone Group chairman Stephen Schwarzman. Schwarzman, head of the top private equity firm, is slated to hold a fundraiser for Romney at his Park Avenue apartment. In 2010, billionaire Schwarzman compared a plan by President Obama to slightly raise taxes for the wealthy to Adolph Hitler’s invasion of Poland.
The Democratic party is rolling out a new ad showing Mitt Romney again flip flopping on issues. The ad, scheduled to air in New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Ohio and Washington, D.C., also promotes a new website showcasing Romney’s flip flops. MittvMitt.com showcases what it calls “the story of two men trapped in one body.”
The Democratic party has released a new web ad taking Mitt Romney to task for his ad utilizing a faked Obama quote. In the ad, a montage of negative reaction to the deceptive Romney ad is shown, ending with by labeling the Romney campaign as “Deceiving America.”
There he goes again. Appearing in Miami’s little Havana, Herman Cain asked the crowd “how do you say delicious in Cuban?” There is, of course, no “Cuban” language. Spanish is spoken in Cuba.
Herman Cain made a fool of himself responding to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel‘s editorial board. Cain stumbled, unclear on what President Obama’s policy on Libya was. Cain asks the board for details about the situation, noting, “Nope, that’s a different one.”
Newt Gingrich, the disgraced former Republican speaker, has taken the lead in a new national poll of Republicans. Gingrich leads the field with 28% of the vote, followed by 25% for Herman Cain and 18% support for Mitt Romney.
Gingrich is up 13% since Public Policy Polling’s last survey, while Cain’s favorability ratings have decreased since allegations of sexual harassment against him surfaced. Gingrich’s base of support is among those in the far-right Tea Party movement, and the pollster believes that a loss of support for Cain would increase Gingrich’s league.
Gingrich’s campaign has run into numerous roadblocks since he announced his candidacy. His entire senior campaign staff quit, while a six-figure line of credit at upscale jeweler Tiffany was revealed.
Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney often cites his years heading up private equity firm Bain Capital as evidence that he has the business acumen missing from the presidency. But when Romney was at Bain that firm often cut jobs for middle class people in pursuit of profit.
When Bain took over Dade International, a shoe maker, records show that Romney’s firm laid of 1,700 people in pursuit of the profit that gave Romney the money to own multiple luxury mansions. The Dade deal was one of the biggest acquisitions during Romney’s tenure at Bain.
In 2007, Romney was asked by the New York Times about his work and the job losses he caused. He said, “Sometimes the medicine is a little bitter, but it is necessary to save the life of the patient.” [NY Times]
Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich made the claim that God forgave him for cheating on his wife in the 1990s. In an interview with Christian Broadcast Network, Gingrich claims that, “I found that I felt compelled to seek God’s forgiveness. Not God’s understanding, but God’s forgiveness. I do believe in a forgiving God… And I do feel, in that sense, that God has given me, has blessed me with an opportunity as a person.”
Gingrich also said his extramarital affair was “partially driven by how passionately I felt about this country, that I worked far too hard and things happened in my life that were not appropriate.”
In 1998, while he was involved in his affair, Gingrich orchestrated campaign ads attacking President Clinton for the Lewinsky scandal. At the time, Gingrich told supporters, “I will never again, as long as I am speaker, make a speech without commenting on this topic.”
Gingrich is currently married to his wife Callista, his third marriage. [Political Wire]
Michele Bachmann’s speech in South Carolina was interrupted by protesters using a “human mic”. WATCH:
[video src="http://www.nationalconfidential.com/images/2011/11/bachmann-occupy.mp4" poster="http://www.nationalconfidential.com/images/2011/11/bachmann-occupy.jpg" width="360" height="240"]
Rick Perry flubs a debate answer in epic fashion. Perry claimed that he would eliminate three government agencies if elected President, then fumbles and bumbles all over the answer. This is just Perry’s latest debate gaffe, and probably a sign that he will not get the Republican presidential nomination.
VIDEO: Rick Perry Debate Epic Fail
Jon Huntsman is intensifying his campaign against frontrunner Mitt Romney, with a new web video and site. The “Scared Mitless” video shows Romney running away from questions and press conferences, evading the issues of the day. A companion website also slams the Romney camp for failing to take a stand on issues.
Scared Mittless Video
Sharon Bialek is the 4th woman to accuse Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain of sexual harassment. Bialek worked at the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. Attorney Gloria Allred claims that Cain “provided her with his idea of a stimulus package.”
Bialek claims in 1997 Cain arranged a “palatial suite” for her at a hotel when she came to DC to see him about helping her to look for jobs.
Bialek says Cain “reached for my genitals” and maneuvered her head toward his crotch. When she protested, Bialek claims Cain said, “you want a job, right?”
Bialek said she was revealing her case to give strength to other women who have also been sexually harassed. She said she wants Cain to “come clean” and “admit what you did.”
Allred told reporters that Bialek has “no plans” to file a lawsuit versus Cain.
Cain’s campaign categorically denied Bialek’s allegations.
VIDEO: Sharon Bialek details sexual harassment allegations versus Herman Cain (via TPM)
A new woman is scheduled to come forth on Monday with allegations that Republican presidential candidate sexually harassed her. Radar Online reports that the woman has secured the services of celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred and will claim that she “sought Cain’s help with an employment issue and was allegedly sexually harassed by him.” [Radar Online]
The Democratic Party has just released a video showing Mitt Romney on both sides of the flip-flop issue. In one video Romney claims his positions have been consistent, in the other he admits that his positions change. Flip-flopping is likely to be a major issue in the 2012 campaign if Romney secures the Republican nomination. The charge was seen as fatal to John Kerry’s campaign in 2004.
The NY Times is reporting that one of the women at the center of the controversy around Herman Cain claimed that he sexually propositioned her. The Times reports that witnesses claim that while at the National Restaurant Association, one night Cain made “propositions that she leave with him” one night after drinking. One person said the woman was about twenty years younger than Cain, turned down his advance but he insisted. [NY Times]
Herman Cain’s besieged presidential campaign is blaming Rick Perry for the sexual harassment revelations rocking his campaign. In an appearance on Fox News, Cain’s campaign manager Mark Block alleged that, “The actions of the Perry campaign are despicable.” He added, “Rick Perry and his campaign owe Herman Cain and his family an apology.”
There are at least three women now connected to sexual harassment allegations against Cain during his tenure at the National Restaurant Association. [Fox News]
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is holding a big ticket fundraiser in Nevada with a hedge fund manager who profited from the foreclosure crisis. Romney, who is a multimillionaire, is slated to attend an event Wednesday night with John Paulson, who made over $3 billion for his company by betting on the collapse of the real estate market.
Democrats are blasting Romney for the event. He recently told the Las Vegas-Review Journal that government shouldn’t “try to stop the foreclosure crisis.” Nevada Democratic Party spokesman Zach Hudson said that, “Romney came to Las Vegas and told struggling Nevada homeowners they are on their own but he eagerly raises campaign donations with someone who made huge profits from Americans losing their homes.”
In an interview on the conservative Fox News, Herman Cain has denied that he sexually harassed anyone while head of the National Restaurant Association. Cain said he was “falsely accused” of the offense and that the complaints were “baseless.”
Cain also claimed he had no idea that the NRA offered the two accusing women a financial settlement.
A speech given by Gov. Rick Perry in New Hampshire this past Friday is causing an online stir. In the video, Perry is unusually expressive and slurs his words. WATCH:
Herman Cain’s presidential campaign was rocked Sunday night with rumors of a sex scandal. Politico has revealed that Cain has been accused in the past by two women of sexually inappropriate behavior. The alleged incidents occurred while Cain was the head of the National Restaurant Association. The women left the NRA after the incidents and Politico reports that “both women received separation packages that were in the five-figure range.”
Cain’s campaign denounced the story, claiming that the story consisted of “unsubstantiated personal attacks” and flatly denied the report.
Rep. Michele Bachmann is leveling a bombshell allegation versus fellow Republican Rick Perry, claiming that he and his supporters are trying to push her out of the Presidential race. In comments to CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, Bachmann claims that a letter from a Tea Party group telling her to bow out of the contest “was a clumsy move” by “Perry supporters that came out.”
Bachmann went on to tell Blitzer that, “If Governor Perry has something to say to me, he can come out to the debates and he say it. But this was clearly – this egg on the face, unfortunately, for the Perry campaign. It certainly isn’t a blow to my campaign because I’ve had non-stop support coming out of the woodwork from Tea Partiers all across the country ever since this came out.”
Bachmann has steadily dropped into the lower tier of candidates, polling in the single digits since she won the Ames, Iowa straw poll. Her entire New Hampshire staff recently quit.
Herman Cain gets the bad lip reading parody treatment in this new video. WATCH:
Republican Presidential candidate Jon Huntsman describes Mitt Romney as a “perfectly lubricated weathervane” in an interview with CNN. Huntsman, a longshot for the GOP nomination, tells CNN that “Romney has been missing in action in terms of showing any kind of leadership.”
Mitt Romney has been attacked from both left and right for his habit of flip flopping on issue after issue. [CNN]
Texas Governor Rick Perry has a reputation of being soft on big business, but the top tier Republican presidential candidate may have gone overboard by describing the regulation of Wall Street before the economic collapse as “adequate.”
In an interview with CNBC’s John Harwood, Perry also argues that laws passed to stress strong oversight of business should be scrapped, including provisions enacted after the Enron scandal.
Many believe that deregulation enacted over the last twenty years was a key factor in allowing the wild west mentality that precipitated the mortgage crisis and the resulting near-collapse of the global economy.
Perry himself wrote a letter at the time urging the passage of TARP, more commonly known as the bailout that gave taxpayer money to the deregulated banks. [CNBC]
Rick Perry appears to be making a play for the 1% of wealth holders in America, proposing a “flat tax” plan that experts say amounts to a tax cut for the ultra-wealthy. Perry’s plan, which he debuted today, would cut taxes for the uber-wealthy from 35% to 20% – the same rate that would be paid by the middle class and poor.
Perry’s plan would also raise the retirement age for Social Security and raise the eligibility age for Medicare, plans that middle, not upper class, Americans largely depend on in their later years. [NY Times]
Texas Governor Rick Perry has exposed himself as a believer of the “birther” conspiracy theory. In an interview with Parade Magazine, Perry joins the fringe of the Republican party by telling the newspaper insert that “I don’t have a definitive answer” whether President Obama was born in the United States.
In fact, President Obama has released his long and short form birth certificates for public inspection, and the documents have been verified by congress before he was sworn in as President.
Conservatives have pursued the conspiracy theory that Obama is foreign born, despite the evidence that debunks the assertion. [Think Progress]
Mitt Romney and Rick Perry didn’t come to blows during Tuesday night’s debate, but it was close. The two top-tier Republican candidates yelled at each other during a public meltdown that cast a shadow over GOP efforts to retake the White House.
Perry accused Romney of employing undocumented workers, a charge Romney denied. Romney claimed that in preparation for his 2008 campaign, he directed a company working for him not to hire the workers, but they failed. Perry wasn’t buying the accusation and interrupted Romney’s rebuttal. This prompted Romney’s physical display, grabbing Perry’s shoulder in order to shut him up.
The move was reminiscent of US Senate candidate Rick Lazio’s menacing move across the stage during a 2000 debate against Hillary Clinton in New York. That move was seen by many as overly aggressive, and helped contribute to Lazio’s loss.
VIDEO of Romney Grabbing Perry
Democrats have released a new online ad cataloging even more flip flops from Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. The ad shows Romney switching his position on payroll taxes, China trade policy and the bailout of the auto industry.
Romney has been plagued with the allegation that he has flip-flopped on numerous issues, shifting with the wind in order to pander to voters.
Democrats have released a new web video that attacks Mit Romney for referring to a middle class payroll tax cut as just a “band-aid” despite the economic benefits.
GOP Frontrunners Attend Conference Where Homosexuality Is Called “A Threat To Public Health”
The top Republican presidential candidates attend a Washington DC conference where homosexuality was attacked as “a threat to public health.” The audience at the Values Voter Summit applauded the bigoted statement by Bryan Fischer of the American Family Association.
Mitt Romney and Rick Perry were both confirmed speakers for the event, along with House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, Gov. Bobby Jindal, Newt Gingrich, and Michele Bachmann according to the event’s website.
Fischer’s comments were not unprecedented. He has previously claimed that “homosexuality gave us Adolph Hitler.”
Top Republican donors are moving their money to Mitt Romney’s campaign in the aftermath of the GOP field narrowing. After both Chris Christie and Sarah Palin announced they would not be running for the Republican nomination, it is being reported that many of the big-dollar backers within the party are coalescing around Romney.
In a move reminiscent of past failed GOP campaigns like John McCain and Bob Dole, the party establishment appears to be behind the “safe” candidate who can be counted on to continue the types of policies seen during the Bush administration.
Romney, who has argued that corporations are people, is not being accepted by the entire conservative movement. His past support for abortion rights and the implementation of “Romneycare” in Massachusetts have made some Tea Party diehards suspicious of him. [NY Times]
Texas governor Rick Perry has raised $17 million for his presidential campaign in the most recent quarter. The fundraising total is more than the $11-13 million expected to be announced by Mitt Romney. Perry reports that he has $15 million on hand. [CNN]
Mitt Romney, the multimillionaire Republican presidential candidate, described the grassroots protests at Occupy Wall Street as “dangerous” and “class warfare.” Romney, who owns several multimillion dollar homes and has spent millions on his own presidential campaign made the comments to voters at a community center at The Villages retirement community in Florida. [NY Times]
Daily Show correspondent Wyatt Cenac makes fun of the racist name of Rick Perry’s hunting grounds. WATCH:
VIDEO: Daily Show Parodies Rick Perry’s Racial Controversy
Texas governor Rick Perry’s campaign appears to be in a tailspin as he drops 13% in a new poll by ABC/Washington Post.
Perry dropped from 29% support in September to 16% support now. Herman Cain has experienced a surge of support, increasing from 4% in September to 16% support.
Mitt Romney remains the frontrunner, with an unchanged 25% level of support.
Perry’s number seem to have come at the expense of a poor debate performance, in which the candidate badly fumbled an attack on Mitt Romney and did not bash immigrants like others in his party. [Washington Post]
Former Gov. Mitt Romney added his voice to those condemning the racially charged name of Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s hunting grounds – Niggerhead – as “offensive.” Romney told Sean Hannity that “I think it’s offensive. I think most people think it’s offensive.”
GOP presidential candidate, Herman Cain, who is black, has also condemned the name of the land. [The Hill]
Texas governor Rick Perry hunted on his family property named “Niggerhead,” it has been revealed. According to the Washington Post, Perry’s father and he owned the property but neglected to immediately change the racially charged name. When asked about the name, Perry provided a shifting story at odds with the recollection of seven people associated with the property. [Washington Post]
Rick Perry’s poor debate performances may be having an effect. The former Texas governor now polls at 19% in a new Fox News poll, 10% lower than he polled a month ago. Mitt Romney retakes the lead with 23%, followed by Perry at 19% and Herman Cain at 17%. [Political Wire]
Republicans face a problem with the audiences for their presidential debates as the reaction of right-wing tea party activists threaten to alienate mainstream voters. A new video from the Democratic party highlights the lack of leadership from GOP candidates, as extremist outbursts occur without condemnation.
The ad shows debate audiences cheering executions, supporting the death of those without insurance, and most recently booing a gay soldier. In each case, no Republican candidates rebuke the unruly audience members.
The actions could turn off mainstream voters, causing problems in the general election for the eventual Republican candidate.
Rick Perry’s campaign has released a new video attacking Mitt Romney for changes he made to his book. The video shows Romney changing how he characterizes health care reform in Massachusetts, a program that reportedly served as a template for national health care reform.
Hustler founder Larry Flynt has put up a $1 million bounty to find sexual sleaze about Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry. Flynt has placed ads in Texas publications asking “Have you had a gay or straight sexual encounter with Governor Rick Perry?”
Flynt has previously offered money for sleaze about Republicans who were impeaching President Bill Clinton. [Reuters]
Republican outreach to the military suffered a setback Thursday night when audience members at the Fox News/YouTube debate booed an active duty soldier. The outburst came when a gay soldier, Stephen Hill, asked the GOP presidential candidates if they would turn back the clock on the recently repealed “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” rule.
The audience then booed the serviceman, in an incident reminiscent of the tea party crowd cheering the death of someone for lack of insurance.
Former Senator Rick Santorum described equal rights for gay soldiers as a special privilege. [Huffington Post]
Bob Murray, an Ohio-based mining operator with a safety record that includes at least six dead miners, is set to raise money for Texas Governor Rick Perry. Murray sent out a letter asking for contributions of $2,500 for Perry at White Palace Ballroom in Wheeling, West Virginia, on September 29.
In 2008 Murray was fined $1.85 million for safety violations after a mine collapse that killed six miners. Murray was also fined $700,000 at a mine that racked up over 3,400 safety violations from the government over a two year period. CNN found that the rate of violations at Murray’s mine exceeded the national average.
Another investigation found that Murray had been fined over $18 million dollars between 2000-2009 for safety violations, and that 10 miners had died. [Politico]
Texas Governor Rick Perry seems to be a flip-flopper on bailouts. Perry has criticized bailout policies, but in 2008 he co-signed a letter asking then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi to pass the $800 billion TARP bailout package. Supporting the Bush administration, Perry’s letter said “We strongly urge Congress to leave partisanship at the door and pass an economic recovery package.”
Perry’s TARP bailout letter can be seen below:
Rick Perry TARP Letter
Rick Perry’s debate performance may not have hurt him in the GOP, but a new poll shows he has lost ground versus President Obama. The conservative-leaning Rasmussen poll previously had shown Perry leading Obama by 3 percent, but in the latest release, Obama now beats the Texas governor 46% to 39%.
Perry has backtracked some on his anti-Social Security comments, but is on record describing the popular pension program as a “criminal enterprise.” If Perry is the Republican nominee, those words are sure to be on the lips of many Democrats. [Rasmussen]
Rick Perry says Social Security is a Ponzi scheme, but Americans disagree. A new poll from Gallup shows that while respondents feel the popular government program needs changes, most do not agree that it is a lie and a failure. 72% disagreed with Perry’s characterization of the program as a “monstrous lie.”
Another poll from Public Policy Polling (PPP) showed that 70% disagreed with Perry’s position that Social Security is a Ponzi scheme, while only 20% agreed. PPP’s poll also showed that Perry’s extreme position has hurt him in the polls against President Obama. [CNN] [PPP]
Rick Perry claimed in last night’s CNN/Tea Party debate that “zero jobs” were created by the 2009 stimulus bill. The claim is untrue.
Politifact, the website from the St. Petersburg Times that fact checks claims rates Perry’s response their most negative: “pants on fire.” They found that research indicates that anywhere from 1.3 million to 3.6 million jobs were saved or created as a result of the stimulus. [Politifact]
It sounded cold, but the Tea Party was out for blood. The crowd at the CNN Tea Party debate audibly cheered when moderator Wolf Blitzer asked if the uninsured should just die, without help from fellow citizens.
Speaking at the CNN/Tea Party Republican Debate, former Senator Rick Santorum confused the words “latino” and “illegal.” Talking to Rick Perry, Santorum said, “What what Gov. Perry has done is he provided in-state tuition for illegal immigrants, maybe that was an attempt to attract illegal —- I mean Latino —- voters.”
Rick Perry is apparently retreating on his attack against social security. After attacking the popular program as a “Ponzi scheme,” Perry backed down in an op-ed in USA Today. Perry only discussed the program’s “financial condition,” a far milder term.
His rival Mitt Romney and the Democratic Party have both beat up on Perry for his antagonistic attitude. [ABC News]
Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign is distributing a flier that says Rick Perry wants to kill Social Security. The flier also describes the Texas governor as “reckless and wrong” on the issue. Here it is:
In an email to supporters, failed Republican candidate Tim Palwenty endorsed Mitt Romney for president. Pawlenty’s endorsement is expected to have little effect, as Pawlenty had little support during his short time in the Republcan campaign.
In the e-mail, Pawlenty wrote: “Mitt Romney is running for president, and I am proud to endorse him.”
Rick Perry lives like a king, and big name donors are footing the bill. A report reveals that fat cats have paid for all sorts of luxuries for the Texas governor, probably with an eye at political payback down the road.
Perry’s perk providers have flown him and his family around the world, secured stays in luxury hotels, showered them with tickets to sporting events and other entertainment, while also footing the cable bill at Perry’s luxury mansion.
Political benefactors don’t provide those sorts of gifts solely out of the goodness of their hearts, and they may be inclined to bankroll Perry’s run for president in order for him to return the favor from the White House. [Politico]
Rick Perry’s position that social security is a “Ponzi scheme” continues to create controversy. Former Republican governor Mitt Romney told conservative talk show host Sean Hannity that Perry’s position would cause the Republicans to “be obliterated as a party.”
After this week’s debate, Romney staffers also sent out research papers that said “Perry Does Not Believe Social Security Should Exist.” [Slate]
Rick Perry may be the GOP frontrunner, but it looks like some zingers from Rep. Ron Paul may have rattled him.
A picture has surfaced, reportedly taken during Wednesday’s Republican debate when a commercial break was underway, showing the Texas governor wagging his finger at Rep. Paul.
It is unknown what was said, but Paul has recently attacked Perry for his previous support of Al Gore, and has described Perry as just another member of the Republican establishment. Paul has also singled out Perry for a letter he wrote in favor of health care reform under then-First Lady Hillary Clinton. [Ron Paul Fan Site]
NMA TV, the infamous online animators, have struck again with a retelling of Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s life story. The animation shows Perry’s switch from Democrat to Republican, giveaways to big donors, and the influence of Karl Rove.
Instead of retreating, Texas Gov. Rick Perry decided to double down in his ongoing vendetta versus social security during tonight’s Republican Presidential debate. Confronted with his past rhetoric calling social security a “Ponzi scheme,” Rick Perry said he agreed with the characterization.
Perry continued his comparison of the old-age pension program beloved by millions to a criminal enterprise.
A new web video from American Bridge 21st Century shows comments on social security from Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s comments that would be too extreme for most Americans. The video shows Perry describing the popular program as a “Ponzi scheme” and blaming it for extending the great depression.
Rick Perry signed a bill promoted by community activist group ACORN and posed with members as he signed it. In July of 2005, Texas Gov. Rick Perry signed a bill making changes in home lending that community group ACORN had promoted. Perry signed the bill surrounded by ACORN members.
Rick Perry & ACORN
Perry later went on to attack ACORN in his 2009 campaign versus Kay Bailey Hutchinson, apparently willing to go against a group he had once worked with in order to protect his political ambitions. [Houston Chronicle]
Vin Weber, announced today by former Gov. Mitt Romney as part of his “economic policy team,” was involved in a major scandal in the early 1990s with the House of Representatives Bank.
Weber was a member of the House from Minnesota and overdrew his account with the bank, presenting 125 bad checks for a grand total of $47,987.
At the time Weber claimed, “I operated within the rules of the bank as I understood them, and I never used it in an abusive way.”
Weber resigned from congress after the scandal was revealed.
The scandal at the time involved the House bank not charging members an overdraft, but instead paid out money to House members in a way the average bank customer never could.
In 2006, Weber was paid $360,297 to lobby against regulation of Freddie Mac.
Maverick Republican Ron Paul has compared himself to Ronald Reagan in a new campaign ad released today. In the ad Paul highlights his historical endorsement of Reagan and his small government conservative philosophy. The ad then pivots to negatively highlight Rick Perry’s previous endorsement of Al Gore. WATCH:
A photo circulating online makes fun of Texas Governor Rick Perry and his close associations with the religious far right.
The picture, whose authenticity cannot be verified, tells Perry that the voice he’s hearing isn’t God, but is in his head and advises him to take his medication.
Republican presidential candidate Rep. Michele Bachmann apparently believe the super-rich don’t have it easy enough. Appearing on CBS’ Face The Nation today, Bachmann made the argument that corporate taxes should be eliminated.
Under Bachmann’s rule, megacorps like Exxon, Apple, BP, GE and beyond would escape taxation — an option not open to regular Americans. Even worse, the lack of tax revenue would likely make the already gigantic deficit larger.
WATCH:
Palin Promises Increasingly Unpopular Tea Party Will Fight Vs Problems That “Relentlessly Rage”
Sarah Palin spoke in front of an Iowa rally today, promising that she and the Tea Party movement would fight against the problems that will “relentlessly rage” in the months ahead. Palin, who quit her term as governor and has yet to show enough courage to officially join the presidential campaign, returned to the type of negative attacks on political figures like President Obama that resulted in her losing with John McCain in the 2008 election.
Palin currently works for Fox News as a pundit, and has seen her poll numbers tumble in the last few months. A recent poll showed 71% of Republicans would prefer for her not to run.
The Tea Party movement has also lost momentum and popularity, as many voters blame some of their strident ideology for the recent downgrade of America’s credit rating.
Palin’s appearance at the Iowa event was reportedly contingent on the event organizer cancelling a planned appearance by failed Delaware US Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell. O’Donnell’s crushing loss came even though Palin was a strong supporter of her campaign. [AP]
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