July Panic for Obama — For Good Reason

washingtonpost.com ^ | 07/15/2012 | Jennifer Rubin

[BarnacleCenturion]

Why has the Obama team been publicly wailing about losing out to Mitt Romney in the money race? Why would the president accuse his opponent of not merely being wrong or unqualified but criminal? After all, the polls are tied, so why so much worry in Obamaland?

...

The Associated Press reports: “President Barack Obama’s campaign has spent nearly $100 million on television commercials in selected battleground states so far, unleashing a sustained early barrage designed to create lasting, negative impressions of Republican Mitt Romney before he and his allies ramp up for the fall.” Think of it like the Confederacy’s artillery barrage on the third day of Gettysburg before Pickett’s charge — you have to in essence disable the other side before the charge begins or its curtains.

Virtually all of the ads were viciously negative, and judging from the number of Pinocchios they’ve racked up, continually and materially false.

But it didn’t work. Romney and Obama are still deadlocked.

...

It’s not too early to say that Obama’s vital signs look dicey. Over the past 33 months, his job approval has been lower than George W. Bush’s at a comparable time in his presidency for all but one week. Bush averaged above 50 percent in the quarter before his successful reelection campaign, while Obama has been stuck in the 46-48 percent range for months. And the famous “wrong track” measure now stands at 63 percent, versus 55 percent in the days preceding the vote in 2004. If these two numbers don’t improve for Obama, his presidency will be in jeopardy. And they probably won’t — unless the economy perks up noticeably.

[cookcounty]

"I think the tax records deal is a ploy by Romney.

He will release them later, perhaps announcing the release at the first debate. That would be a good plan, stand there on stage with the country watching and then demand Zero release all the records he is hiding.

That's the only thing that makes sense to me...a rope-a-dope in which tax returns become the big deal, and then ....pffft.

---Plus, as a bonus, a chance to talk (finally) about Joe Biden being the cheapest man in America (according to his own records of charitable giving).

[PastorBooks]

“I have high school students who do not know the difference between a city and a state. ... Yes they are that dumb.
I showed Gladiator one day. They asked how they made a moved so long ago?????””

I know you said you were not kidding, but... YOU’VE GOTTA BE KIDDING!?

That is beyond ignorant; that is shocking. Simply shocking.

Politically incorrect question here, but do you teach in the inner city or suburbs? Are these kids from middle class homes or impoverished?

[AZLiberty]

Sheesh, do you actually think it works this way?

Um, no. "Obama's stash" has been a long-running joke. Too long for some, I guess.

What's interesting is that not enough is flowing back from his crony friends -- other than the free celebrity publicity -- to keep up with the Republican candidate's crony friends.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Not only that but history shows that no incumbent president has ever won reelection by a smaller margin than their first election!

Signifying, of course, that all incumbents have won by becoming more popular as they have governed (at least more popular than the first time around) -- not by becoming less. At least Romney is fighting, too. This isn't an utterly passive Pillsbury dough boy like McCain.

[prof.h.mandingo]

I am not kidding.
I do teach at an alternative school. Kids kicked out of regular schools for drugs, fighting, etc. Many are on house arrest. Actually we are in a semi-rural area with blacks and whites from different economic backgrounds. Some of the kids are pretty well off. They just are dumb as rocks. Some kids live a lifestyle we cannot begin to comprehend.
One kids father told him, (my hand on the Bible)”if you want something steal it”. Good role model. I honestly don't know how I would have turned out if that was what was raising me.
Many families like to smoke pot together.
There is a HUGE entitlement mentality here.
But given all the problems most of the kids are really not that bad or cannot be helped.
I have had some come back and tell me I was the reason they stayed in school.
That makes it worthwhile. It ain't the money. Non union in the deep south. I am blown away at what Yankee teachers make.
I hope this gives you a better picture of what we have, at least down here.
We do have some good,bright students.
I just look at the numbers.
I honestly feel my cohort and perhaps the next one (which would be the period from the late 50’s to the early 70’s) was the last, best educated class this country had in terms of overall numbers.
I went to public schools almost my entire life.
My granddaughters will never set foot in one.

[PastorBooks]

Thank you for your efforts. I read these reports of the state of education and despair at the disrepair of this once-great nation. The Founding Fathers knew an ignorant people would not long remain free. We are there.