President Obama took it to the GOP in a speech Wednesday and showcased his connection with average Americans. Bob Shrum joins the show to discuss the difference between the President and Mitt Romney when it comes to connecting with voters.
Puyallup Girl: I have read in the paper the 46% number for both Obama and Romney. This number is within the margin of error. Also I never get too concerned about polls until after the convention. At this early stage we will see swings in polls go up or down. I think gas prices will peak by Memorial Day and start going down so this will help Obama because it will focus people's minds on other issues. President Obama and the Democrats have to focus hard on economic plans for the future that will create jobs.
Our economy is creating jobs but it is still too slow. I think slow job growth is just the new normal. Neither party likes talking about this but outsourcing and automation in industrial factories mean fewer workers produce more goods and services. We have not come to terms with these problems yet. We live in an interdependent global economy with the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) becoming real drivers in world economics. I have blogged many times how we should improve the economy in the long term but with a GOP House won't pass much of anything other than continuing funding resolutions that get cut a little bit each time. We need investments in public education, green energy, infrastructure, and ultimately a Medicare for all public option if we are going to compete in the world economy. We can pay for some of this by downsizing the active duty military, closing nearly all overseas bases, while expanding the Guard and Reserve forces. This is a strategy to defend America while letting the BRICS feel the burden of international military involvement to take up the areas where we withdrawal from.
The use of polls at this stage can be quite useful for dissecting the views of particular constituencies for identifying strengths or weaknesses of candidates. Here the numbers are more telling. Mitt Romney has huge problems with two groups he must win over to win the general election. Independent women and Hispanics are those two groups. Romney has to win about 40% plus and he has to get pretty close to a majority of those independent women voters if he is going to have a chance at winning the presidency. The GOP has alienated these two groups by opposition to the Dream Act and their absurd war on family planning and birth control/Planned Parenthood. President Obama can also use the auto loans to GM and Chrysler to help him win in Ohio and Michigan.
Democrats have to work hard and can not sit on their laurels. No doubt the election will be close but I think barring some major international incident President Obama commands a strong advantage. The GOP is on a suicide mission with their attacks on women's reproductive rights and healthcare. As a middle aged white male with a college education I can not remember in my lifetime a political party being so damned stupid and suicidal. The GOP has infuriated women across the country and the polls show it. These numbers will not be made up by Romney on the campaign trail. The damage is already done and it will prove fatal for the GOP. Also many people who are against the Affordable Healthcare Act like specific provisions that benefit them. So I think this election cycle is one that Democrats will do quite well in if they campaign on what they want to do for the future. I do not know if President Obama will carry every state he won in 2008 but barring a major catastrophe he enjoys many advantages come this November over his GOP opponent.
Bob Bobonde, Minto ND.
4/19/2012 8:29:49 PM
Good job Obama, I LIKE MY CHANGE!
Puyallup Girl
4/19/2012 7:41:24 PM
I have stated before that I don't like polls, but a new one puts Obama and Romney in a tie at 46%. I would like to know who are the people who they contacted, because some of the poll data doesn't make any sense, for instance, Romney leads on the economy. Obama leads with Women by over 20 points, and leads in likeability by over 19 and leads in who would be better for the middle class by 20 points. If you say that a guy is better for the Middle class, then it doesn't make any sense to say that his rival is better for the enonomy, when things are getting better, and retail is on the up swing, and he saved a major car company, when his rival wanted to let it go bankrupt. But I guess McConnells strategy of lets all say no to everything we can to try and destroy this President worked-EH-McConnell, and Beohner? That can be the only answer to this. It just doesn't make sense. But we are dealing with a good portion of the country who are stupid anyway, and wouldn't know something good if it hit them in the head. Or most people want someone to wave a magic wand and everything is suddenly fixed "just like Magic" What more can you say!
Mr. Fargo
4/19/2012 7:07:38 PM
The Republican War Against the Middle Class!!!
The Republican Party declared War on the Middle Class a long time ago!
Off Topic:
I was listening to the jiggyjaguar show podcast from Wed because a friend of mine was supposed to be on & as a guest interview about her debut album. While listening they had an interview with Tea Party Matt Bruce from the Captains America talk radio show. Bruce was giving Sen John Thune credit for all of North Dakotas success such as oil & low unemployment & kept talking about ND & Thune. @ Tea Party Matt Bruce; John Thune is a South Dakota Senator "you have no clue to what your talking about"; he is not from ND you idiot!
ron mariposa
4/19/2012 4:35:52 PM
Pat I have a running talk with some of the democrats here. I am an independent and at one time a democrat. I am the type of person who looks at what is going on and make my choice not by what a person will say, but what action they have taken. The right lost me big time when they started the bs in 2008 and then 2010. I didnt mind the people who had reasonable views, but when they come up with the radical views and just start the bs of waving the flag and consitution it makes me sick. Most of these people havent and still dont do a thing for their country but take, take and more taking while saying others a bad. I know if these fools get in we are screwed for ever and a day. This wont be the america I grew up in but an america that is a corportion. The ones who support these idiots will wake up with nothing and no freedoms and the cant see it coming because of the hate for the balck man in "white" house.
just my humble view
Rex, Moorhead
4/19/2012 4:32:07 PM
The GOP has been waging a relentless vile campaign against women. ALEC has ginned up the conservatives at the state level, to try and erase women's healthcare across the country. ALEC appears to be against Planned Parenthood, family planning and birth control, and is on record to be against the Affordable Care Act. The ACA has many provisions that will help women with their healthcare needs by expanding coverage for cancer screenings and other types of cancer screenings that are vital for women's healthcare like pap smears and other tests. The GOP also is in favor of the Ryan budget that will decimate Medicare as we know it. Older women rely on Social Security and Medicare programs. The GOP is out to strip away funding for these programs and turn Medicare into a voucher program that turns towards privatization. The GOP does all of this so that the rich can get more tax cuts on the back of Seniors, women, and the poor who rely on government social services.
Any woman needs to ask herself: "Who stands with me to protect my right to healthcare and family planning and birth control programs?" Who stands with me on a woman's right to choose? Who would treat my daughter with compassion if she ends up needing an abortion after being raped? The answer to all of these questions are simple: President Obama.
Pat, Grand Lake Co
4/19/2012 12:22:06 PM
Ron, I know what you're talking about. My county is heavily Republican and many of them are card carrying tea baggers or, as i like to say, completely batshit crazy! In 2008, I attended the local Democratic caucus. In my 17 years of living here, I'm ashamed to say it was the first time, although I have always supported the state party.. I was pleasantly surprised at who was there. A local business owner and her husband ran the caucus. Several of my daughter's teachers and parents of her friends, and a few folks I thought were righties! It was a good experience and and I've been to several meetings since. We are still outnumbered, but we are here!
TAX THE RICH, something we all agree on!!
ron mariposa
4/19/2012 10:49:01 AM
You are both right about the gop=tea baggers. The sad part is where I live people are so entrenched in their conservative views you could run hoddy doddy for president and they would vote for him. When they have come up with something that is just a wrong and the lack of facts they have to prove it is correct they just call me names or say I dont know or say the democrats did it too because I come back with not left wing points, but independent facts which they cant deny. Romney looks stiff and not a ease listening to so call everyday people. He doesnt know how to connect to anybody that isnt in his class. I have been saying as others the gop=tea baggers are trying to buy the election not for the good of the people, but for the good of their buddies. I just wish when Romney and the others on the right say tax breaks for the job creators are needed why dont they say Mr. Romney we have had tax breaks for 11 years and 8 were under GW Bush where are the jobs. If he says it is President Obama's failed policies then ask why didnt the gw bush policies create the jobs promised, and under President Obama he has created jobs 26 months now. I am waiting for this....
I have been trying to tell people of ALEC, citizens united, and how the kochs, rove, and others are buying the election. I tell people of this and they look at me like I some sort of crazy person, and I just tell them when the poop hits the fan with the gop=tea baggers in control I tell them dont complain when they lose everything. The Ryan plan is one thing I keep bringing up and I cant believe that these people dont see what is at stake as all they see is cutting of funding for what they call big government take over and the stopping of socialism.
I keep asking myself what the heck is going on are these people just stupid or just so set in their conservative views they are unwilling to believe what is right in front of them. One person told me that the people here are so conservative and entrenched that if they were driving on a dead end road that ended in a rock wall they would drive into it just because they feel the wont be hurt or die...
just my humble views
donnajoy
4/19/2012 9:31:58 AM
We have to be vigilant at making sure that our families and neighbors understand why we have to re-elect President Obama. As evident by the legislation enacted in GOP controlled states and in the US House and attempts in the US Senate (i.e. Blunt Amendment), these conservatives without consciences want to move this country in the direction of a libertarian society. The Koch brothers, Bob Perry, Karl Rove, Grover Norquist and other wealthy self-centered individuals are pouring unimaginable amounts of monies (Thanks to the Citizens United ruling) into negative ads against the President. They will do whatever it takes to elect Mitt Romney. I believe this includes distorting poll results. Just look at the sample size and demographics of many of the current polls to see how slanted they really are and how they do not really represent the country as a whole. For his part, Mitt is willing to lie or distort the truth to get people to like him so that they will be fooled into voting for him. As we saw in Bush's re-election, this strategy can work. Our country as we know it, is at risk. These uncaring and greedy individuals want to take monies and rights from the middle and lower class, That is why, with the help of ALEC, the GOP are pushing laws against women's health and pay, public schools, unions, voting rights for minorities and the elderly, and the poor, many who are young children. These actions are taking place on the state and federal level. To keep our democracy alive, we all have to fight back against these extremists by doing our due diligence so we elect people who will really represent our best interests which includes re-electing President Obama. We are our brothers and sisters keepers.
Puyallup Girl
4/19/2012 6:50:00 AM
Its just clear to see, that Barack Obama knows how to talk to ordinary people, and Republicans do not. "The GOP doesn't know how"! Its not just Romney, its all of them.
