In the news...

Donald Trump will receive the 2012 “Statesman of the Year” award from the Sarasota Republican Party in August.

Trump has been tapped to receive the award on the day before the Republican National Convention, just 60 miles south of the festivities in Tampa Bay.

The move, however, is not meant to upstage the convention, according to Trump spokesman Michael Cohen.

“It would seem obvious that Donald Trump will play a role in the Tampa convention, as his massive popularity, reflected in this recent award, shows what an asset he would be in making the convention into an even greater success.”

Haley Barbour received the award in 2011, at an event that also featured remarks from Herman Cain.

No state exemplifies what happens when wingnuts take control as much as Arizona, where right wing Gov. Jan Brewer is now asking the Supreme Court to let her take away the health insurance of state employees’ same-sex partners.

"Arizona Governor Jan Brewer (R) has requested that the Supreme Court overturn a ruling that allows state employees to keep their same-sex partners on their benefits, including health insurance.

Brewer filed a petition for a writ of certiorari on July 2, requesting that the high court overturn the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit’s September 2011 ruling in Diaz vs. Brewer. The pushback comes three months after the Ninth Circuit denied a request by Arizona state lawyers to re-hear the case with an 11-judge panel.

Last September, the Ninth Circuit’s ruling prevented Arizona from implementing a law that would have barred state employees’ same-sex partners from remaining on their health plans. The ruling affirmed a lower court’s decision to place a preliminary injunction on the law."

Los Angeles Times reporter Maeve Reston was at Mitt Romney’s fund-raiser at the home of far right billionaire David Koch in the super-exclusive Long Island community of East Hampton, and interviewed one of Romney’s wealthy donors — who had some interesting remarks about the “common people.”

EAST HAMPTON, N.Y. – As protesters assembled on a beach in advance of Mitt Romney’s evening event at the home of conservative billionaire David Koch, the candidate slipped to East Hampton for his first of three fundraisers on this tony stretch of Long Island.

The line of Range Rovers, BMWs, Porsche roadsters and one gleaming cherry red Ferrari began queuing outside of Revlon Chairman Ronald Perelman’s estate off Montauk Highway long before Romney arrived, as campaign aides and staffers in white polo shirts emblazoned with the logo of Perelman’s property — the Creeks — checked off names under tight security. …

A New York City donor a few cars back, who also would not give her name, said Romney needed to do a better job connecting. “I don’t think the common person is getting it,” she said from the passenger seat of a Range Rover stamped with East Hampton beach permits. “Nobody understands why Obama is hurting them.

“We’ve got the message,” she added. “But my college kid, the baby sitters, the nails ladies — everybody who’s got the right to vote — they don’t understand what’s going on. I just think if you’re lower income — one, you’re not as educated, two, they don’t understand how it works, they don’t understand how the systems work, they don’t understand the impact.”

Comments

[sparky]

KS, in another thread, you said we needed to have a "thicker skin" in response to the breathtakingly arrogant comments these people made. What you, and Mitt, don't get is that if he wants to appeal to the 98%, his friends and financial supporters need to keep their mouths shut. But, he is too far removed from the average person, as are all the people who were quoted, and they come across as the stereotypical rich snobs. That won't get him needed votes from the blue collar crowd.

[Montego]

Those comments reek of "let them eat cake"

[Hedge Fund Hal, Halyard Pierce Throckmorton the Third]

lower income people ARE not as educated and they Don't understand how it works.

[dwbh]

AZ governor Brewer is a fine outstanding American who believes in the basic powers of the States as was envisioned in the Constitution. She, along with Sheriff Joe exemplify the fiber that is America but the fiber that is slowly slipping away. Very sad.

[KS]

Whatever, Sparky - and as Montego said. Still waiting for your evidence that all Canadians that come here for surgery in the US are all reimbursed by the Canadian Government.

I like Canada and would much prefer their leader over someone else we know. Their economy is doing better than ours - they have made good adjustments, but I am seriously skeptical about their single payer health care system, although I am at least as skeptical about the ACA aka the Healthcare Redistribution Tax.

It is evident that AZ has received the short end of the stick from the Federal Government. I am for states rights and it is interesting that almost all states with Republican Governors have better economies than other states almost entirely across the board. It has to do with policies that stemmed the tide of increasing deficits and brought about economic growth. Unemployment rates in states like WI, OH, NJ, IN and MI and TX (all with Republican Governors) are lower than the national averages. Just sayin'

[Puget Sound Blathers]

WTF? All Canadians that come here for surgery are reimbursed by the Canadian Govt?
I'd love to see the data that supports that.

So yes Sparky, please provide.

Cheers

[sparky]

So sorry about your vision problem. I already covered it. And I really do know better than to attempt it.

[sparky]

What I posted was from my Canadian teacher friend. Neither she nor I ever said that ALL Canadians get their health care paid for. That is your usual misquoting of what I say. What she told me was:
"Canadians are paying out of pocket to come to the U.S. for medical care.
Most patients who come from Canada to the U.S. for health care are those whose costs are covered by the Canadian governments. If a Canadian goes outside of the country to get services that are deemed medically necessary, not experimental, and are not available at home for whatever reason (e.g., shortage or absence of high tech medical equipment; a longer wait for service than is medically prudent; or lack of physician expertise), the provincial government where you live fully funds your care. Those patients who do come to the U.S. for care and pay out of pocket are those who perceive their care to be more urgent than it likely is."

So you two can perseverate over every syllable if you want to. Im heading out in the morning. Ciao.

[T-S]

Aren't you glad you asked, Sparky? If you're for states' rights, KS, how come your Supreme Court conservatives won't allow Montana to decide for itself whether to prohibit unlimited money into politics? Hmm?

Unemployment Rates for States - Republican Govs:

IN THE TOP 25:
N. Dakota 1 3.0
Nebraska 2 3.9
S. Dakota 3 4.3
Oklahoma 5 4.8
Iows 7 5.1
Wyoming 8 5.2
MI: 9 5.6
Virginia 9 5.6
Utah 11 6.0
Kansas 13 6.1
New Mexico 16 6.7
WI: 17 6.8%
TX: 20 6.9
Alaska 22 7.0
Louisiana 23 7.2
OH: 24 7.3%

IN THE BOTTOM 25:
Pennsylvania 27 7.4
Alabama 27 7.4
Maine 27 7.4
Idaho 30 7.8
IN: 32 7.9%
Tennessee 32 7.9
Arizona 35 8.2
Michigan 39 8.5
Florida 40 8.6
Mississippi 43 8.7
Georgia 44 8.9
S. Carolina 45 9.1
NJ: 46 9.2%
Nevada 51 11.6

I wonder if they'll reelect Christie? A junk mouth and really bad unemployment. That should spell doom for the guy - unless, of course, they can disenfranchise enough voters.

Why do you never check your facts first?

BTW, did you know that Obama cut small business taxes severnteen times according to Jonathan Turley, Bloomberg columnist. That's a real tax and spend kind of guy, isn't it?

[Coiler]

Gawd, all the bubba states and NJ suck on employment.

[BlackRhino]

Boy, oh boy, I love that picture of Rmoney.

[BlackRhino]

I loved the tiny proportion of the natives excusing their unfortunate comments with trite patronizing.
Sharon Zambrelli (alleged to have voted for him in 2008 & very disenchanted with him now) said of Obama. "Do you have an hour? ... All the ones in the city -- it was all of Wall Street." When she recalled how many of her class supported Obama.

It always starts out with, ‘I’m a military man but…’ I’m a small government type, or I not a homosexual.
It’s patronizing, we know you are not telling the truth.

[T-S]

I think the Wall Street crowd fancies themselves as merciful towards the little people and voting for a black man was quite exotic. They enjoyed that.

But now, even though Obama has thrown money at Wall Street and even though Wall Street has absolutely no logical reason to discard him, he's old news and "been there done that" with them. They might think he really will try to help the little people this time out. Besides, can't very well spit in the eye of one of your own: Mittens I mean. I get them. They're not hard to read.

You know, Romney is using "outsourcing" against Obama. I'm sure KS will fall for it. And, honestly, the dems don't have a lot to fall back on because they have allowed a lot of bad stuff to happen that they could have stopped. Now they are between a rock and a hard place. There is some truth to the claim. From trade agreements which hurt us but help billionaires to passing and maintaining tax advantages for moving jobs overseas. The dems are guilty.

So now we'll see the mud-slinging and most will understand that the Republicans are much worse but who knows, maybe it'll stick on both sides.

But, you know what? Everybody likes Obama. So he'll win anyway. :)

Providing they don't disenfranchise the whole country and providing that Ron Paul doesn't maneuver himself into the position of Presidential candidate representing the right. I think that could be real trouble.

[Hedge Fund Hal]

Lawrence O'Donnell, a silly, pompous little man, is now doing a silly little pro-Obama speech on his show. Many very smart, rich people are anti-Obama in 2012 and will now vote for the Governor, as this news piece clearly demonstrates. O'Donnell and the rest of the toadies on MSNBC believe that only stupid people would ever vote for Romney. They feel morally and intellectually superior to Romney, in their own snobby, deluded little world. Very similar to G.H.W. Bush versus Clinton. Bush the elder couldn't believe, just could not believe that the people would choose the rube over him. Hedge Fund Hal

[BlackRhino]

“Wall Street crowd fancies themselves as merciful towards the little people and voting for a black man was quite exotic.”

Posted by: T-S | July 10, 2012 at 10:11 PM

Na, I think they were backing what they thought was a winner. And someone similar to Harold Ford who would push their agenda. Obama proved them wrong. I think they are backing Rmoney because he has become a backstop.

[T-S]

I agree they thought he was a winner and he was. But I didn't hear in his rhetoric any hint that he'd do the bidding of the wealthy. Quite the contrary which is why I think he earned a mandate - a real mandate which went to waste. You know, don't you, that Summers argued to break up the banks, Geithner to bail them out and make them bigger and Geithner won. That's not snubbing Wall Street. His use to them is over. Romney will do more for them now.

[T-S]

I agree with you about Ford.

One of my least favorite people on the planet just said something with which I totally agree and admire: be yourself and people will trust you. He said that in a clip O'Donnell just played. That's why I liked George Jr. at first - he was himself always.

Then my intellect kicked in to what Georgie was saying and I knew for sure I would vote dem. I really like authenticity. KS, you are authentic. Always.

[BlackRhino]

I hear you, Harold Ford was one of his backers on Wall Street. Funny, it’s like Rmoney’s relationship the right. They think, due to his supporters, he’ll do what the right wants but he doesn’t have it in his political DNA.

[Hedge Fund Hal]

T-S , "everyone" does not like Obama pesonally, which i take it to be how you meant it. Even Bill Clinton, who will pull the lever for Obama in November, does not like Obama, personally , as a man. In fact he has loathed him for years. This is common knowledge among those in the know. Your statement is patently false, and frankly,silly.

[KS]

O'Donnell must believe his viewers are stupid with all of the outlandish propaganda he bloviates nightly. He puts up a good argument, but he is predominantly hot air - a self-admitted socialist and proud of it. Clinton by comparison is a real prince compared to the rube who wears the title of POTUS. Behind the scenes, these kool aid junkies on MSNBC are in a panic mode, because they see that there is a real possibility that their community organizer will lose to Rmoney in Nov. He is frustrating to Chicago pols because the Governor is squeaky clean and all they can do is spread lies and urban legends about him and continue to spread them even after the WaPo fact checker has found them to be false about his outsourcing, but hey that's the Chicago way.

O'Donnell's and other statists' attitude is that the people are too stupid to know how to spend their money, so the Guvernmint can do it much better -yeah - how's that working for us ? Rather shitty these days.

[BlackRhino]

Goodnight T-S, long day tomorrow. Nice to see you here by the way.

[BlackRhino]

Ha, you called it T-S, how did you know it was KS?

Nite

[KS]

Regarding T-S's crack about Owebama's outsourcing - yeah it's real. Do your research and you'll see and it will pain you although you selectively forgot it. Better yet, here's a summary of the interview of John Sununu with Owebama shill Andrea Mitchell on your favorite nutball network - MSNBC

(Source: Allahpundit)
Via Business Insider, your feelgood video of the day. "Think of it as a companion piece to Gallup’s new poll showing the steep decline in respect for the media over the past 20 years. Andrea Mitchell’s out to prove that Romney’s the real offshorer-in-chief despite ample evidence to the contrary; Sununu’s having none of it, and her reaction is so feeble that he can’t help but giggle. I don’t think he’s laughing to spite her either; he’s genuinely tickled by the transparency of the game being played. You can afford to laugh, I guess, when confidence in television news stands at a robust 21 percent nationally.

Question: Does Team Mitt’s offshoring counterattack have a real chance of sticking to The One? I like it a lot — and O’s not the only prominent Democrat who’s vulnerable on this point — but I suspect that stereotypes, partisan and otherwise, will make it a bigger electoral liability for Romney than O. The caricature of offshoring involves rich corporate execs sending blue-collar jobs overseas to pad their bank accounts. It’s unfair to Romney, but he’s closer to that caricature than Obama is. Which is not to say he shouldn’t push back, though: Pointing out The One’s offshoring practices is a way to blunt and muddle the Democratic attack. Especially since some people on their own side aren’t thrilled with Obama’s record on this either."

[T-S]

"common knowledge" - haha. Common knowledge is that Bill resented Obama taking the Presidency away from his wife. You silly person.

Obama is so likable. You wait . . . unless the GOP disenfranchises all the dems, Obama will sail through. But, the disenfranchisement monster can be a real problem. A table tonight on one of the news programs showed Obama losing older whites but gaining in every other category. The very people from whom the GOP wants to remove civil rights.

We're going backwards. Amazing.

KS: socialist, rube, bloviating, organizer, kool-aid junkies, Chicago pols, statists, stupid . . . see, KS, I've got your whole vocabulary down solid.

Goodnight.

[Hedge Fund Hal]

Wrong. When Obama popped upon to the Dem. primary scene in 2008, long before it became a one on one race between Hillary and Barack, the talk among more than one news network analyst was that Bill Clinton really did not care for Obama, personally. In fact "loathed" was the word they used, and this intense dislike went back years, according to those in the know. You clearly don't know what the true situation was.

[Puget Sound Blathers]

Hedge Fund Hal,
From the book Gamechangers as referenced in Daily News comes this story about Pres Clinton and Pres Obama (and a little Ted Kennedy):

"Bill Clinton told Ted Kennedy that Obama 'would be getting us coffee' a few years ago: 'Game Change'
BY HELEN KENNEDY
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Bill Clinton helped sink his wife's chances for an endorsement from Ted Kennedy by belittling Barack Obama as nothing but a race-based candidate.

"A few years ago, this guy would have been getting us coffee," the former president told the liberal lion from Massachusetts, according to the gossipy new campaign book, "Game Change."

The book says Kennedy was deeply offended and recounted the conversation to friends with fury.

After Kennedy sided with Obama, Clinton reportedly griped, "the only reason you are endorsing him is because he's black. Let's just be clear."

The revelations in "Game Change" are guaranteed to reopen the 2008 Clinton racial wounds that had been scabbing over amid his post-election public silence and his wife's high marks as Secretary of State.

Laden with potent pass-the-torch symbolism, the January 2008 endorsement of Obama by Kennedy and his niece, Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg was a pivotal campaign moment that allowed the Democratic establishment to abandon the Clintons.

Bill Clinton wasn't the only one to bungle handling the Kennedys - the book says Hillary Clinton managed to alienate Caroline by fobbing off a key request on staff instead of calling personally.

When a group of prominent New Yorkers headed to Iowa to campaign for Hillary Clinton, Caroline "dreaded" getting a call to join them because she "would have found it impossible to refuse," the book says.

When Hillary Clinton's staffer called, someone "who sounded awfully like" Caroline said she wasn't home.

Bill Clinton, whose stock with black voters was so high he used to be referred to as "America's First Black President," severely damaged his rep in his overheated drive to help elect his wife."

[T-S]

Obama 'would be getting us coffee' a few years ago...

I agree, that's gossipy and sounds a little racist doesn't it? Is that the Arkansas way?

January 2008 endorsement...to abandon the Clintons (by the Kennedys)

Yes, that's all about the election. He wanted his wife to be President.

Just what I said.

You know, you take these Gatsby-rich too seriously. They are just the very rich with thin veneers that most of us ordinary folk can't afford to have.

Is that it?

[Hedge Fund Hal]

oh dear. It's not "just what you said". I have submitted to you that I heard respected media political analysts in early 2008, with my own ears, talking about the disdain and "loathing" that Clinton had for Obama. They expanded on that by saying it was an enmity that preceeeded that year's current primary battles by several years. This has been confirmed in the book that PS just cited as well as other sources. T-S- Sir or Madam are you capable of being corrected? It's not as if you're admitting to be a bad person. You're just admitting to being factually wrong on something. You should really just try it. I think you'll find it liberating. Hedge Fund Hal

[Puget Sound Blathers]

T-S- Sir or Madam are you capable of being corrected? It's not as if you're admitting to be a bad person. You're just admitting to being factually wrong on something. You should really just try it. I think you'll find it liberating. Hedge Fund Hal

Posted by: Hedge Fund Hal | July 11, 2012 at 11:06 AM

Hedge Fund,

That is a great point. Let's hope T-S can give herself permission to say 'I was wrong' and then use the opportunity to grow.

[T-S]

respected media political analysts in early 2008,

But you can't name them? Early 2008 was the campaign for President. I've already dealt with the "gossipy" book and your allegation of "loathing."

Your mischaracterization of my response proves my point: you see things you want to see whether they are there or not. If you were more open-minded, you could admit that interpretations can differ.

You can be right in your own mind. That's fine with me.

[T-S]

I just realized our opinions may be based on who we listen to. Except for minor conflicts and the obvious competition between Hilary and Obama throughout 2008, the analysts and news reporters on the media to which I listen don't generally talk personality gossip. I never heard much about anybody's personal distaste or feelings about anybody else. And certainly nothing I trusted as being true or untrue either way. That's why it's called "gossip."

Your choice in media may emphasize that kind of stuff which is exactly why I wouldn't listen to or watch those people. That's not how I make my choices. That's not the kind of information I need.

Each to his/her own I guess.

[Mike D]

O'Donnell's and other statists' attitude is that the people are too stupid to know how to spend their money, so the Guvernmint can do it much better...

Posted by: KS | July 10, 2012 at 10:59 PM

Wrong, you're projecting again. What folks like O'Donnell know is that people DON'T HAVE MONEY TO SPEND, thanks to conservative policies put in place over the last several decades, and that they need help from the government, as does the economy. It's not about believing people are stupid - that's the GOP's job - it's about acknowleging that the country is in bad shape and people are hurting.

It's your side that relies on ignorance - as well as hatred and racism. Without it you'd lose a big chunk of your electorate.

[Hedge Fund Hal]

"But you can't name them?" hahahahahahaaa Good God how absolutely absurd! Do you remember the name of a particular network commentator that you heard MORE THAN FOUR YEARS AGO? "Early 2008 was the campaign for President!" Can you grasp this following point Mr. or Ms T-S?. It is a distinction WITH a difference. THE COMMENTATOR MADE IT CLEAR HE WAS NOT TALKING ABOUT HARD FEELINGS HELD BY CLINTON TOWARD OBAMA AS A RESULT OF OBAMA'S RECENT PRIMARY DEALINGS WITH HIS WIFE. the primaries were still in the early stages. HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT CLINTON THOROUGHLY DID NOT LIKE OR RESPECT OBAMA, IN GENERAL, AND IN FACT HAD "LOATHED" THE MAN SINCE DAY ONE, WHEN HE FIRST BECAME AWARE OF HIM AND HIS ENTOURAGE, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN AT LEAST 4 YEARS EARLIER.

[Walt]

Well I guess you weren't banned. LMAO

[KS]

Red Herring - Mike D. - who cares ?

That is a great point. Let's hope T-S can give herself permission to say 'I was wrong' and then use the opportunity to grow.

Posted by: Puget Sound Blathers | July 11, 2012 at 11:44 AM

That will be a cold day in hell, LMAO - if you said the sky is blue - when clear, she'd say it is purple. Contrarian without coherence, humility and generally obtuse is who she is - authentic ? oh yeah...

She has grown in one area, as she hasn't called anyone an idiot for a while- maybe she actually gets that there are some boundaries on this blog and she is merely a subservient commenter like the rest of us.

[Puget Sound Blathers]

i think she learned that name calling only gets her kicked off.
that's why you and i kept our original names, and she is on name number 4...
A cautionary tale indeed.
Behave or Begone!!!

[Hedge Fund Hal]

"I wouldn't listen to or watch those people?....oh...my God.....what "people"? It was almost certainly on CNN or MSNBC, definitely one of their regular political commentators, not Mr. Gossip, brought in from TMZ or Radaronline ...it was a left leaning guy i'm pretty sure...a really good chance it was Chuck Todd, that old gossip monger.....almost zero chance it was someone on Foxnews....I don't watch them for primary/Presidential coverage and the person had more gravitas than the ones you hear on there as a rule.....hahahahahahahaaha....you are funny.......