A Map for Mittens

October 23, 2012

Posted  by AzBlueMeanie:

Willard "Mittens" Romney doesn't know his countries from his continents any better than did the Quitta from Wasilla, Sarah Palin, in 2008. Romney referred to Libya, Egypt and Mali as being in the Middle East — These are countries in North Africa. Romney also made this jaw-dropping statement:

“Syria is Iran’s only ally in the Arab world. It’s their route to the sea.” — Romney

The Washington Post's fact checker Glenn Kessler says "Romney says this a lot but it is an unusual statement, considering that Syria shares no border with Iran — Iraq and Turkey are in the way — and that Iran has about 1,500 miles of coastline along the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, leading to the Arabian Sea."

Sweet Jesus! This guy wants to be the leader of the free world and he can't even find the Middle East on a map? Let me educate you, Mittens.

Romney also repeated his oft-repeated favorite lie:

“The president began what I have called an apology tour, of going to various nations in the Middle East and criticizing America.” — Romney

Again, the Washington Post's fact checker Glenn Kessler says "Back in early 2011, this column awarded Romney Four Pinocchios for the “apology tour” claim, saying it was not borne out by the facts. Here’s a link to our lengthy look at this claim."

Romney’s new ad this morning features footage of him at yesterday’s debate attacking Obama for his fictional apology tour. He is a shameless pathological liar.

I helped make CNN’s “scientific survey” a little more (or less) scientific

October 22, 2012

by David Safier Whenever I get a phone call asking me to take a survey, I sit down, put my feet up and enjoy myself. Love telephone surveys! Even Republican push polls, which get me laughing uncontollably and giving exactly the answer they don't want. A few nights ago, half way through a phone survey, … Read more

Dr. Richard Carmona is the Best Democratic Political Return on Investment in Any Senate Race in the Nation

October 22, 2012

By Michael Bryan Here in Arizona we have a uniquely productive opportunity to invest in our own future. According to the uncannily accurate pollster, Nate Silver, the race for the open Senate seat here in Arizona represents the very best political ROI for Democrats in taking a Senate seat, and therefore in keeping control of … Read more

Romney’s latest ad: Four Pinnochios from WaPo Fact Checker Glenn Kessler

October 22, 2012

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

It's good to know that The Arizona Republic(an) editors do not care about the temperament, character and judgment of the candidates they endorse. How else could they endorse the shameless shapeshifter and pathological liar, Willard "Mittens" Romney? And what does that say about the character and judgment of the editors?

The Washington Post's fact checker Glenn Kessler takes a look at the new Romney ad "The Obama Plan" and captions his fact check A ‘greatest hits’ of misleading Romney claims:

As we enter into the final weeks of this bruising presidential campaign, we expect to hear all sorts of poll-tested, factually-challenged messages again and again — simply because the campaigns have data that shows these claims resonate with votes.

In that vein, a new ad released by the Romney campaign is almost a “greatest hits” version of claims that have been thoroughly debunked by fact checkers, including this column. Let’s spin the record once again!

The Facts

“The debt will grow from 16 trillion to 20 trillion dollars”

Here, the Romney campaign is using “gross debt,” which includes U.S. Treasury bonds held by Social Security and Medicare. Generally, what matters for the federal budget is the publicly held debt, particularly the percentage of debt compared to the overall economy (gross domestic product.) The House GOP budget plan authored by Romney’s running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan, for instance focuses on its impact on publicly-held debt, no gross debt.

Even taking the Ryan budget plan at face value, it would do little better than the Obama plan over four years — gross debt would rise to $19 trillion in four years. Moreover, as we have often noted, a good chunk of the increase in the deficit under Obama was due to the Great Recession.

The Arizona Republic(an) fails Arizona

October 22, 2012

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

I told you months ago that it did not matter whom the Republicans selected as their nominee. The nominee could be caught with a dead hooker or a live boy and The Arizona Republic(an) would still endorse the GOP nominee, just as it has always has.

The Arizona Republic(an) is, after all, the media arm of the Arizona Republican Party. This greatly diminishes the value of its endorsements. Its endorsements are not based upon thoughtful, reasoned consideration of the policy positions of the candidates nor which candidate posesses the best temperament, character and judgment to lead.

True to form, The Arizona Republic(an) endorsed Willard "Mittens" Romney on Sunday. You're shocked, I'm sure (not!) Romney can lead economy forward. The editors' reasoning is pure Robert Robb Goldwater Institute and Chamber of Commerce Ayn Rand "invisible hand of the free market place" utopian nonsense:

If the stock market is ‘the final arbiter,’ Obama is a major success

October 22, 2012

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Steve Benen today reminds us of a GOP talking point from the past that the GOP would just as soon have everyone forget in an Emily Litella moment — "Never mind." Worst. Socialist. Ever.:

In 2004, a Bush cabinet official said job creation and GDP numbers matter, but "the stock market is … the final arbiter" of economic success.

If that's true, eight years later, Republicans ought to be awfully impressed with President Obama.

Through Friday, since Mr. Obama's inauguration — his first 1,368 days in office — the Dow Jones industrial average has gained 67.9 percent. That's an extremely strong performance — the fifth best for an equivalent period among all American presidents since 1900. The Bespoke Investment Group calculated those returns for The New York Times.

The best showing occurred in Franklin D. Roosevelt's first term, when the market rose by a whopping 238.1 percent. Of course, that followed a calamitous decline. When his term started, the Dow had fallen to one-fourth of its former peak. In 2008, the year before Mr. Obama took office, the Dow declined by roughly one-third.

In the last half-century, the president who's overseen the strongest performance on Wall Street was Bill Clinton. The second best? Barack Obama, easily.

As we talked about in April, this also suggests Obama is the worst socialist of all time. A soaring stock market, record high corporate profits, private sector job growth … it's almost as if the president didn't listen to Karl Marx at all.

All joking aside, I don't consider major Wall Street indexes a reliable metric when it comes to measuring the health of the economy. Indeed, it's not even close.

But here's the kicker: Obama's detractors do consider major Wall Street indexes a reliable metric when it comes to measuring the health of the economy.

Win, Lose or Draw: Cartoon Humor in Campaigns

October 22, 2012

Posted by AzBlueMeanie: The Voices & Choices series of lectures continues this week with "Win, Lose or Draw: Cartoon Humor in Campaigns," featuring the Arizona Daily Star's cartoonist David Fitzsimmons, and conservative cartoonist Steve Kelley, moderated by UofA Communication Professor Kate Kenski.  

Obama campaign ad: ‘Rebuilding’

October 22, 2012

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The Obama campaign is up with a new ad today entitled "Rebuilding." Description:

Voiceover:

"A decade of war that cost us dearly and now for president a clear choice. President Obama ended the Iraq war. Mitt Romney would have left 30,000 troops in Iraq and called bringing them home tragic. Obama's brought 30,000 soldiers back from Afghanistan and has a responsible plan to end the war. Romney calls it Obama's 'biggest mistake'. It's time to stop fighting over there and start rebuilding here."

Video below the fold.