With just less than a week before the first presidential debate, it looks like Mitt Romney is trying to tamp down expectations—big time.
Romney's senior adviser Beth Myers sent a memo to surrogates on Thursday, writing, "It's clear that President Obama will use his ample rhetorical gifts and debating experience to one end: attacking Mitt Romney. Since he won't, and can't talk about his record, he'll talk about Mitt Romney. We fully expect a 90-minute attack ad aimed at tearing down his opponent. "
She continued, “This will be the eighth one-on-one presidential debate of his political career. For Mitt Romney, it will be his first."
MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell said Republicans are "desperately trying to lower expectations for Mitt Romney in the debate to the point where if he can just stay standing for the 90 minutes it will be considered a victory."
MSNBC political commentator Krystal Ball agreed, arguing the real challenge for Romney is for him to "not look scared, not look defensive."
O'Donnell added that in presidential debates the pressure is usually on the incumbent to defend the last four years of their term, whereas in this year's face-off, 100 percent of the pressure is on Romney and how he handles the 47 percent question.
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I have been on some discussion sites before and it always seems to become a one-sided attack, but can anyone here tell me why I should vote for President Obama again or Mr. Romney in 2012? Please keep it simple and impartial.
Thanks in advance
Miketheplumber, should we as Americans vote to support those who want and work hard to make the POTUS (i.e the USA itself) fail? I think we should vote to reject them so that with such a clear message they will never try it again.
Now let me explain. The Republicans in the Congress ever since Obama took office were determined to make him fail, to make sure that he will have nothing good to point at as his achievement at the end of his term as POTUS. In a democracy like ours they are well placed to hinder or prevent the president in order to achieve their evil goal. But the fact that the GOP members of the US Congress are ONLY wishing and working to make POTUS fail is the same as wishing the US to fail, because the responsibility of the POTUS is to make the US to succeed and thrive. In order to have their way, the GOP have reversed their positions on the things they stood for and perceived as good for the nation before, arguing now that it is bad, just to make Obama fail, and America with him.
So I think every American that wants America to succeed and thrive should vote AGAINST the GOP agenda to make the POTUS fail by voting for President Obama and other Democratic candidates. ALSO because, as the POTUS, Obama, despite the unbelievable odd, hard, consistent and persistent opposition and obstruction of the far right conservatives and GOP members of the US Congress, has succeeded in pulling America out of the ditch, and put us back on the path to prosperity again.
I think the objective was to make his socialist, antibusiness, tax and spend, entitlement driven type of government fail, not the man himself. When he cannot get a budget passed even when the dems controlled Congress, it shows that something is wrong with his agenda. Thankfully, even some of the dems in Congress can see his wrong mindedness, although they would never admit it. Votes speak for themselves.
it's really siimple mike. romney and his minions have told so many lies they can't keep track of them all.
romney is dishonest and dishonorable. his campaign admitted that they would not be constrained by the facts.
romney has lied about president obama's policies to extend medicare with the $716 billion lie and about his policy to allow states more flexibility to help the states move people from welfare to work with the no work for welfare lie. and there are so many more lies that i can't list them all.
romney's supporters tell outrageous lies about how they think the president's objective is to make his socialist, antibusiness, tax and spend, entitlement driven type of government. if they don't realize that these moronic conspiracy theories are absolutely false, they are either the stupidest people on earth or they are completely insane.
the bottom line is that romney and his supporters are completely immoral and amoral and we certainly don't need people like that in positions of leadership.
the choice is yours. mike, if you are honest and honorable the choice is obvious.
'nuff said.
If such were truly the case, then explain why so many Republicans voted against policies they had once championed and supported...as long as they came from Republicans. But when the administration pushed some of those very same policies, Republicans suddenly equated them with leprosy.
And then there's Mitch McConnell...want to take a stab at explaining away his comment about his number one priority during the first 4 years of Obama's presidency?
So, let him not show up for the debates. He can claim non-Fox media bias, pollsters bias, fact-checkers bias, etc. Then Fox News can easily declare him the winner to the cheering of Tea-party extreme conservatives.
I wouldn't show up to a govt TV debate on a left wing racists news channel. For years we have been told how to think from the left wing leaning media, not anymore. Only minorities and young people are so easily controlled. But hey Obama will give you a free phone , so you better vote for him.
The phone help began in 1996 under Bill Clinton and Continued through Bush and Obama. To this day the government provides discounts on landline phones for financially disadvantaged people in the United States and U.S. territories to the tune of roughly ten dollars a month.
So, the subsidization of phones began under President Clinton, and has continued under Presidents Bush and Obama.
Over that time, the usage of cell phones rose and the costs came down. So, in 2008 the first application of this program for mobile phones began when a company called Tracfone started their Safelink Wireless service in Tennessee.
Aha, some say, that's the same year Obama was elected! Well, that's true. But the service in Tennessee was launched three months prior to Obama being elected. And that means the discussion and approval of the extension of the program to cell phones occurred under President Bush's watch. The Bush Phone, anyone?
Who pays for the phones?
There's another running argument about if the phones are or are not paid for by taxpayers. Yes and no, it depends how you look at it.
The money actually comes from a small fee added to most people's monthly phone bills, called the Universal Service Fund fee. For a complete discussion of this, please read, "Do Taxpayers Pay for Government Cell Phones for the Poor?"
And it's important to note that it does not cost any more to provide cell phones to people than it does landline. The government subsidizes both equally. In fact, landlines are often more expensive because the Link-Up portion is not always required for cell phones, depending upon the state.
"left wing racists"? wow, wipe off that fox koolaid mustache, BOY, and shut the @!$%# up while the adults are talking. LOL
Abba Ricky, I appreciate your response. Your first paragraph does make a very good point. I don't mean to offend you, but as I continued reading, I was left feeling that your opinion is strongly slanted towards a Party. I was hoping to get some impartial feedback.
Thank you again for your efforts.
Miketheplumber: If I were to be non-partisian, then I would have told you I based my decision more on the integrity of the candidates. As I looked at Romney and his inability to portray any conviction on any one subject. The fact that he has had changed opinions on almost everything from Roe v Wade to Healthcare. The fact that he does not even apologize for it, makes me think he belives the average voter to dumb to remember it. I began to ask myself, does this man have an opinion on anything, or does he mouth whatever side is posing the most pressure on him? I do not want that type of person to be the POTUS. I do not trust him, I do not respect him, I believe based on what he has shown us during the campaign that he is not in this to better anything but his own personal aspirations. That is how I decided.
mike, please read my response above. i assure you that everything in my response is true and provable.
Mike the plumber, when you claim Abba Ricky is "slanted " towards one party, that's like saying the police are slanted towards the law.
The GOP are puppets hired by corporate criminals. End of story. Pointing out a thief doesn't mean we're SLANTED, it means we're OBSERVANT.
Wake the @!$%# up , America. After 8 years of disgrace and suffering, you're gonna give the keys back to the thieves that put us here? I call that TREASON.
With intentionally killing every bill to get this country back on it's feet again strictly for political gain makes the teabaggers traitors and anti American.
Mike I am an independent , always have been and have voted for both parties over the years.
This year I will vote for Obama. There is much that goes into my decision. Mr Romneys statement the he doesnt care about the 47% of the country that thinks it is entitled to food and shelter and are basically moochers put a capstone on my choice this year.
You cannot be the president of this country and only concern yourself with half of the people in it ,
Also I do not appreciate that Mr Romney seems to think that storing his money in offshore accounts to avoid taxation is a great idea,. if you wish to lead this country and ask us to pay taxes , it would be more seemly if you actually had your own cash here too.
On the other hand the deficit is huge , and it needs work. But every good businessman knows that the optimum is to work with other peoples money, which we are doing right now .
Another little acknowledged fact is that the large majority of that deficit is owed to the American people , not some foreign govt . As such it is not such a hard fix as they are making it out to be.
Mr Romneys secrecy over his taxes is another concern , especially in the light of his father setting the standard for tax releasing .
President Obama also has done some things I am not too fond of , I am a conservative in a lot of ways . I dont believe in taxing small businesses more then they are now.
However Walmart is not a small business, Exon mobile is not a small business and some of these massive corps have actually received govt support for years. Obama has not stopped this and it needs to be stopped.
I dont see how or why we should continue to send massive aid to all these countries when we are supposedly broke ourselves either. That needs to be curtailed.
So stuck between a rock and a hard place , however I dont trust the Republicans to do a better job , they were elected last time to do it and did nothing.
I do trust Obama to be a president for all the people not just 47% so he gets the vote this time .
I wouldnt vote for a President who Lies all the time. Obama lied to all of America about the Embassy terrorist attack , he knew it was alquada , but still claims its the video. What kind of leader is that. Plus Obama statements on Bankrupting Coal companies and wanting americans to pay 8.00 a gallon of gas. Obama actions are not good for this country.
Ignorant fox puppet. LOL, it's pathetic watching sheep like you regurge the lies written by the wealthy criminals that control the GOP.
TRUST, BENGHAZI and the PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES
Definition of TRUST
1. a : assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something
b: one in which confidence is placed
As Romney begins to receive the overwhelming tidal wave of debate advice from both Democratic and Republican pundits, some as silly as Peggy Noonan saying, “Once he steps on the stage with the President he will “LOOK” Presidential, people will be able to imagine him as President…..REALLY? Charles Krauthammer, “Go Big”…
Ms. Noonan and Mr. Krauthammer let me explain something to you, since this seems to be the miscalculation that the GOP has made. FOX Noise is the number one News Station in the ratings so therefore there must be more Republicans. No, I know you have problems with ARITHMETIC, but the Liberal and Independent viewers are split between MSNBC, CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS and Comedy Central (this one sad but true) LOL Fox Noise has a lock on the LOW, VERY LOW information viewers, but if you add up all other viewers there are more of us.
My point being is that the American Public is not that stupid or low information as those that watch FOX Noise. “Anyone but Obama” was your first miscalculation. Your second is that all Mitt Romney has to do is stand next to the President and he will be elevated. That might be true in other years, but this year, with so much hanging in the balance. “WE” the American People, the caveat being FOX NOISE VIEWERS, have been doing our research and sharing “OUR” opines online, for the first time since the Printing Press was invented and information could be shared with the masses, democracy has gotten a boost from the World Wide Web.
“WE” have seen every flip flop and “LIE” your candidate Mitt Romney has told for the past 20 years. We know more about Mitt Romney than any other Presidential Candidate ever. Because we see his record or lack of and read about it on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, MSNBC comment blogs, MSNBC online, YAHOO News, ABC News.com, NBC news.com, Huffington Post, Mother Jones, the Nation, theGRIO.com and Politico etc. etc.
Mitt Romney is going into the debates with a “TRUST” deficit. We “KNOW” he lies and lies and lies. We know he has no conviction. We know he changes his views on policy from day to day, from hour to hour and from minute to minute. We know what he said in the debates with Kennedy, in the Republican Primary Debates, everything is in a loop. We see it over and over and over again…
The GOP is pinning all of its hopes on Mitt Romney looking Presidential and being able to deliver some good quotes and quips…LMAO The Press is complicit with Style over substance and the truth versus how well fiction is delivered. The Press and the GOP underestimating the viewer and reader of the 21st Century; information is at the tip of our fingers….or our smart phones….we can look something up in an instant.
Which brings me to my final thought, Benghazi….This sad and tragic event is not a political tool to be used by an amateur candidate for President. The Press is all in a frenzy thinking they have something on our President….No you don’t, because we “TRUST” the President, he has proven himself over the last three and half years to be a thoughtful, competent, confident and TRUTHFUL leader. “LIAR” is not the first word that comes to mind when you think of Barack Obama….unfortunately it is the first word that comes to mind when you think of Mitt Romney.
Whatever we find out about Benghazi, I “TRUST” the President did his best and that his team made the best decisions they could…after three and a half years I have not seen deception or incompetence….I TRUST the PRESIDENT and TRUST is very important. He will make mistakes, we are not voting for a GOD the only one who is perfect. I cannot “TRUST” Mitt Romney in the same way or as our Commander in Chief and that is the BOTTOM-LINE isn’t it?
Mitt Romney can take the stage, look Presidential, say funny quips and quotes, have a killer comeback or a gaffless performance….The press will say, “Mitt Romney looked Presidential, he gave a great performance, his opening joke gets rave reviews, he was SYALISTICALLY perfect”…unfortunately NONE of that will erase the LOOPS of LIES and DECEPTION that are forever memorized by technology of the 21st Century.
There is nothing he can do or say that will undo his online trail. On the day after each debate the ravenous dogs of fact checking will feast on his every word….GOP jubilation will melt away like the “TRUST” for the Republican Party and their UNTRUSTWORTHY Candidate Mitt Romney! The Fox Noise strategy of lies has come back to bite them….DOUBLE DOWN GOP! DOUBLE DOWN! LOL
Best check your calculations again. Several recent polls, including the usually heavily skewed with oversampling Registered Democrats and inflating expected turnout of voters Quinnipiac/CBS/NY Times poll shows that Romney is leading Obama with INDEPENDENT VOTERS, Yahoo Thom.
I believe you will find that the Independents will line up more frequently with the Republican candidates than the Democrat candidate, and they will watch their share of CNN and Bloomberg News and the National Broadcast News networks and the PBS news and commentary network, as well as FOX News.
As far as the "Progressives", it is true that they gravitate almost exclusively to MSNBC, but then as we know that network is at the bottom of the ratings for all news and commentary networks. So that is quite alright. There just aren't that many "progressives" to amount to a hill of beans!
What was that line young Ron Reagan used on Dick Morris on Hardball the other day?
Oh yeah... Something about Bogart and a crack pipe... I don't think Grandpa inhales, but you'd never know it from his posts...
Even the right-wing slanted Rassmussen has Obama up by a point. Fox Noise has the President leading by five...
http://pwtenny.newsvine.com/politics
39 Days: Obama leads in every single tossup/battleground state
Regardless, I've expanded my sources by five of varying credibility. For credible sources, between Real Clear Politics, CNN, and Talking Points Memo, Obama leads Romney 278 to 191, with 270 needed to win. Those sites still have tossup states undecided. Between Nate Silver/538 and Pollster, Obama leads 324 to 317 without any tossups.
http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/28/14137872-first-thoughts-after-nine-battleground-polls?lite
We've now released nine battleground state NBC/WSJ/Marist polls in the last three weeks, and what have we learned? President Obama is ahead of Mitt Romney in all nine, with his biggest leads being 7 and 8 points (in Ohio, New Hampshire, and Iowa) and his smallest edge at 2 points (in Nevada and North Carolina).
What the heck are you talking about Keith? As always you are wrong. MSNBC is the second highest rated news network. Matthews, Maddow Ed and Lawrence are all the second highest rated news shows except when they are first. Additionally the third highest rated network doesn't even come close. Did you forget again that we're all on computers and we can use "Google?" Ha Ha Ha!
Further a huge amount of Progressives watch DemocracyNow and Thom Hartmann and other such shows on Link TV and FSTV. Seriously, your CluePhone is ringing, you really should pick it up. Ha Ha Ha!
It's hilarious how you right wingers just make stuff up! Ha Ha Ha!
I love you're "new" oversampled poll theory too! Ha Ha Ha! Do you honestly believe these polling companies (which include Fox, Fox owned Wall Street Journal and other right wing outlets), who are paid for neutral results would somehow deliver inaccurate results? Ha Ha Ha! If they did it amuses me that a few weeks ago when you guys liked the polls 75% of conservatives didn't like Mitt now that you don't like the polls 54% of conservatives don't like Mitt. What does that say about you and what you think of yourselves? Ha Haa Haaaaa!
You really can't think critically at all can you Keith?
GObama!
Quinnipiac/CBS/NY Times poll
Hummm - well I guess the Independent vote doesn't count for much it the same poll (Quinnipiac/CBS/NY Times) is showing Obama with a 10 point lead overall. Even I think that's high - in which case the numbers suggesting Independent support for Romney may be over stated also. Though I agree that the Independent voters should be more conservative than they were in 2008 - there are more of them.
Quite a few Republicans jumped ship and became Independents. If you no longer want to be associated with the Republican Party - do you still vote for them in November, stay home, or change your mind at the last minute and vote for Johnson.?At least you know exactly where Libertarians stand - even if you don't agree with them on all issues.
Thank you to all that offered your help to my request.
jes33- You make some very strong arguments for not believing in President Obama if all is true. Thank you.
marvilus- I do appreciate your input, but it's not my honesty and honorability I need to be concerned with during a Presidential election. My concerns are who will improve our Country. Thank you for your opinion though.
debrow2- I agree with you completely in regards to basing your decision of choice on integrity. I wished it were that easy to know this about both of them, but in all honesty, in watching all news channels this year I have noticed both President Obama and Mr. Romney tending to lean their word choices towards the present audience. Thank you.
Another Protagonist- I also appreciate your words, but actually I didn't claim the opinion of (Abba Ricky) was slanted. I stated that I was left feeling like his/her opinion was slanted towards one particular Party, and that I was hoping for some impartial feedback. Thanks.
Thanks to All.
aster-3534305- I can truly appreciate your willingness to vote with an Independent mindset. Maybe this is how we all should approach not only this election, but in all other situations too.
Regarding the subject about the secretly recorded video/audio where Mr. Romney mentions the "47 percent", I have watched the edited portion of it and have tried to analyze it and the context when and where it was recorded. I may be way off, but it kinda appears that he was talking campaign strategy and to whom he could reach when mentioning his "tax breaks". As if talking about tax breaks wouldn't be important to anyone not currently paying income taxes.
In regards to Mr. Romney sending his money oversees for financial benefit, I don't think it's illegal. It's not important to me how he handles his personal finances, but most important how he would handle ours.
I feel much more strongly about this huge deficit we are burdened with right now and how it will affect my grandbabies, etc.
About whom I should trust as President, I will continue to get educated to better make a decision. I am committed to keep an open mind up until that point.
Thank you again aster-3434305
You are right on with the aspects of the answer to the question that had been put to Romney on the strategy he would deplpy to win election, Mikethelumber. The issue that the Obama skewed liberal press has siezed on and blown out of all proportion is that Romney juxtaposed his statment that 47% of all earned income recipient are exempt from paying federal income taxes and another statement of the Big Government of Obama and the Denocrat Party playing to the entitlement dependant amongst the population are two separate groups that would not most likely not respond to his message of tax reforms that cut nominal rates for all, especially corporations and small businesses, in order to promote economic group. It was the media that blurred the distinction between the two distinctly differenct groups.
As to the Romney's Blind Trust overseas investments, they comprise only 2.5% of his millions, and are fully reporatable and legal, and taxable too, and are there for diversity purposes and to make higher yields on cash equivalents and serve as a hedge against a declining dollar (US dollar down 10% in the past quarter, by the way). I get the same percentage from my investments in several common Fidelity Corporation of Boston, MA mutual funds that have holdings in high yield funds in Cayman Island, Bermuda, and Luxumborg. And another investment in Permanent Portfolio mutual fund of San Antonio, Tx that holds besides stocks and bonds and precious metal mining company stocks and precious metals bullion Swiss Franks. All very much on the up and up!
Ha Ha Ha! Obfuscation. 47% of those people are paying federal taxes. Mittens himself isn't paying income taxes per se. He is paying capital gains taxes. Ha Ha Ha!
So tell me Mittens isn't working. The men and women actually putting their lives on the line in the military though...now that's working and they are part of that 47%. So I don't think anything is lost on the public!
The fact is Mittens believes he is better than them and most of us!
LOL....What chances would you give a presidential candidate that admits he has hidden money in the caymen islands and swtizerland just to name a few? I would say he has already lost 47% of the country. What say you?
NEWS FLASH!!! THIS JUST IN!!!
The country of Luxembourg has just issued a new financial directive that they are confiscating all foreign investment funds of anyone who doesn't know how to spell their country's name correctly.
Looks like Keith will be missing his weekly Happy Meal for a couple of months or so.
Usually none. But you know these guys with their voter suppression.