Good Morning, Everyone. I hope you have a drama-free day.
I Heard It Through the Grapevine
In October 1968, Gaye’s recording of “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” was released and became Gaye’s first to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and also reached the top of the charts in other countries, selling well over a million copies. However, Gaye felt the success was something he “didn’t deserve” and that he “felt like a puppet — Berry’s puppet, Anna’s puppet…”[49][50][51] Gaye followed it with songs such as “Too Busy Thinking About My Baby” and “That’s the Way Love Is”, which reached the top-ten on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1969. That year, his album, M.P.G., became his first top-40 pop album as well as his first number-one R&B album. Gaye, who was one of the few Motown artists to write his own material, produced and co-wrote two hits for The Originals including “Baby I’m For Real” and “The Bells”.
What’s Going On and subsequent success
On June 10, 1970, Gaye returned to the Hitsville U.S.A. studios where he recorded his new composition, “What’s Going On”, inspired by an idea from Renaldo “Obie” Benson of the Four Tops after he witnessed an act of police brutality at an anti-war rally in Berkeley. Gaye later played the song to Berry Gordy, who refused to release it due mainly to its jazz-oriented sound, which Gordy labeled “outdated”.[56] Gaye refused to record unless Motown released the song.[57] The song was released on January 17, 1971 and quickly shot to number-one on the R&B charts within a month staying there for five weeks, also reaching number-two on the Billboard pop chart and number-one on Cashbox’s pop chart for a week, selling over two million copies.[58][59]
Emboldened by its success, Gaye spent ten days recording the What’s Going On album after Gordy gave him an ultimatum of completing the album by the end of that March.[60] Though the album’s subject matter again led to Gordy advising to Gaye of its potential of damaging his core fan base, Motown issued the album that May.[57] The album became Gaye’s first million-selling album and featured two more top-ten hits, “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)” and “Inner City Blues”. The album became one of Motown’s first autonomous works, without the help of Motown’s staff producers. Its themes and segue flow brought the concept album format to rhythm and blues music. The album was later hailed as “the most important and passionate record to come out of soul music, delivered by one of its finest voices”.[61] Gaye won several music industry awards following the album’s success including Billboard’s Trendsetter of the Year while Rolling Stone named it the “Album of the Year”. He won several NAACP Image Awards including Producer of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year while the album won Album of the Year.[62] The “What’s Going On” song was nominated for two Grammy Awards including Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. Following a couple of performances, one at the Kennedy Center in his native Washington, and for a non-profit organization dedicated to end the plight of urban poverty, Gaye signed a $1 million (US$5,556,086 in 2012 dollars[43]) new deal with Motown, making it the most lucrative deal by a black recording artist at the time.[63] Gaye first responded to the new contract with the soundtrack and subsequent score, Trouble Man, released in late 1972.
“Let’s Get It On” was written by Gaye and producer Ed Townsend, originally as a gospel song, and later as a protest song before eventually turning into a funk-oriented love anthem. It became Gaye’s second number-one hit in 1973.
The following year, Gaye released the Let’s Get It On album. Its title track became Gaye’s second number-one single on the Billboard pop chart. The album subsequently stayed on the charts for two years and sold over three million copies. The album was later hailed as “a record unparalleled in its sheer sensuality and carnal energy.”
This BEY-OTCH RIGHT CHERE
VIDEO: Romney Aided Fringe Utah College Founded by Right-Wing Conspiracy Theorist
In 2009, the GOP candidate introduced Glenn Beck at a fundraiser for a school that promoted the work of a conservative “nutjob” eschewed by the Mormon church.
In 2009, Mitt Romney, who is now trying to campaign for president as a moderate, lent his star power to an unusual charitable project: celebrating right-wing talk show host Glenn Beck to raise money for an unaccredited Utah-based college, which was founded by acolytes of the late W. Cleon Skousen and promoted the work of this fringe conservative figure. Much-touted by Beck, Skousen was an anti-communist crusader, a purported political philosopher, a historian accused of racist revisionism, and a right-wing conspiracy theorist. He contended that the Founding Fathers were direct descendants of the Lost Tribes of Israel, claimed that a global cabal of bankers controlled the world from behind the scenes, and wrote a book that referred to the “blessings of slavery.” Skousen, who died in 2006, taught Romney at Brigham Young University.
Read on
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/10/mitt-romney-video-wythe-glenn-beck-cleon-skousen
Way to go, Romney; touting this RACIST, nutjob, POS Beck, who got boycotted off the air, only to resurface online to promote his bullshit for $$$.
Posted at 09:07 AM ET, 10/11/2012 TheWashingtonPost
The Morning Plum: Romney still hasn’t solved his ‘47 percent’ problem
By Greg Sargent
Mitt Romney has clearly received a larger-than-expected polling bounce from his strong debate performance. But it’s still unclear whether he is in the process of solving one of his candidacy’s most fundamental problems — the perception that Romney is disconnected from, or indifferent to, the needs and experiences of ordinary Americans, and that his policies wouldn’t protect the middle class’ interests and are skewed towards the rich.
Today’s New York Times/CBS/Quinnipiac polls, which show Obama leading in Virginia and Wisconsin, are getting a lot of attention because they show a big jump in the number who think Romney has strong leadership qualities. And indeed, he is now beating Obama in that department.
But arguably the more important findings concern the “empathy” and “middle class” questions. On the question of whether Romney cares about the needs and problems of “people like you,” his numbers remain upside down in Wisconsin (46-50) and Virginia (46-49). Obama’s numbers remain above 60 percent. The key is that Romney’s numbers on this question have not moved significantly since before the debate.
What’s more, Obama still leads by big margins in both states on who would do a better job helping the middle class (Virginia, 55-42; Wisconsin, 53-43). All of this is in spite of the fact that Romney is judged overwhelmingly to have done the better job in the debate. (On these questions, Romney fares significantly better in Colorado.)
Meanwhile, a new NBC/WSJ/Marist poll, which finds Obama ahead in Ohio, also finds Romney’s favorability ratings upside down, at 44-50. This, too, has barely moved since before the debate.
This is only one batch of polls, and we need a lot more data before reaching any final conclusions about what Romney did or didn’t accomplish at the debate. But one thing that bears watching is whether Romney is moving the needle when it comes to his basic image problems on empathy and the middle class. Romney’s debate performance probably reassured a lot of voters by persuading them that he has the temperament, competence, and leadership qualities a president needs. But that doesn’t mean he’s solved his “47 percent” problem — and that could continue to loom large.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/the-morning-plum-romney-still-hasnt-solved-his-47-percent-problem/2012/10/11/e79a1074-138e-11e2-be82-c3411b7680a9_blog.html
Posted at 12:42 PM ET, 10/11/2012
TheWashingtonPost
Elizabeth Warren shows Obama and Biden how it’s done
By Greg Sargent
Women are critical in this election, and the gender gap is currently closing in the wake of Mitt Romney’s debate performance. So Barack Obama and Joe Biden should take a moment to watch Elizabeth Warren’s hard hitting attack on Scott Brown over women’s issues at last night’s Massachusetts Senate debate. Take careful notes, guys:
Warren said: “He’s had exactly one chance to vote for equal pay for equal work. And he voted No. He had exactly one chance to vote for insurance coverage for birth control and other preventive services for women. He voted No. And he had exactly one chance to vote for a pro-choice woman from Massachusetts to the United States Supreme Court. And he voted No. Those are bad votes for women. The women of Massachusetts need a Senator they can count on not some of the time, but all of the time.”
A bit later, Warren referenced her own daughters and granddaughters, and pulled it all together: “This is about their future — and I want to be blunt. We should not be fighting about equal pay for equal work, and access to birth control, in 2012.”
Joe Biden and Barack Obama might consider saying the same thing. Paul Ryan voted against the Lily Ledbetter Act. Romney has said he supports equal pay in principle but has refused to say whether he’d have signed that law. Ryan and Romney supported the Blunt Amendment, which would allow insurers and employers to deny coverage for birth control if they find it morally objectionable. Romney does not oppose birth control, but he would defund Planned Parenthood, which provides reproductive health care to millions of women. Romney has vowed to govern as a “pro life president,” which would presumably impact his choice of Supreme Court nominees.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/elizabeth-warren-shows-obama-and-biden-how-its-done/2012/10/11/ac3642d4-13b9-11e2-be82-c3411b7680a9_blog.html
Nancy Pelosi’s Debate Advice to Joe Biden: “One Word–Women”
ouse Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi says she distilled her advice to Vice President Joe Biden for tonight’s debate with Rep. Paul Ryan into one word: women.
Speaking to Current TV’s vivacious Jennifer Granholm, Pelosi said this:
“I just would say one word to the Biden people: Women,” said Pelosi on Tuesday night’s War Room.
“Whether you are talking about women’s health care, whether you are talking about Medicare, whether you are talking about equal pay, ending discrimination in the workplace, the rest of it,” said Pelosi.
She noted that President Barack Obama enjoys a large lead among all women, but that lead is larger among unmarried women. She said that the Obama/Biden ticket needs the support of a large percentage of married women as well in order to win in November.
http://www.iwf.org/blog/2789541/Nancy-Pelosi's-Debate-Advice-to-Joe-Biden:-%22One-Word–Women%22
Posted at 02:29 PM ET, 10/11/2012
Obama may be over-performing in the swing states
By Greg Sargent
Nate Silver and Nate Cohn both dig into the numbers today and suggest that there’s evidence Obama is now leading in the swing states while remaining even with or behind Mitt Romney nationally. Some of the polling models show Romney’s surge has left him narrowly ahead in national polling averages. But Cohn notes that this isn’t borne out in the battlegrounds:
On average, Romney gained 2.1 points in battleground state polls, even though he picked up an average of 5.5 points in the 11 national surveys conducted after the first presidential debate. Given Obama’s pre-debate leads in the key battleground states, a 2.1 point gain would leave Romney well short of 270 electoral votes.
Why might this be happening? Cohn suggests this explanation:
Simply put: campaigns might matter. There hasn’t been a campaign where the battleground states have endured so many advertisements for so long before the rest of the country even began to tune in. This was also a campaign where the conventional wisdom has long held that attacks on Romney did a lot of damage, especially in Ohio. While most of the country tuned in and saw Romney unadulterated by months of advertisements, voters in the battleground states might have more entrenched and cynical views of the Republican nominee.
Indeed, despite all the headlines you’re seeing this morning, the real story in today’s NBC/WSJ and NYT/CBS swing state polls is how little movement there has been in key battlegrounds, not how much. Today’s NBC/WSJ polls found that Obama leads in Ohio by 51-45, after leading by 51-43 before the debate. Obama leads in Florida by 48-47, after leading by 47-46 before the debate. Obviously, neither of those are big shifts. (The biggest movement came in Virginia, where Romney now leads by 48-47 after a shift of three points.)
Meanwhile, the NYT/CBS polls show Obama leading in Virginia by 51-46, after leading 50-46 before the debate. And Obama is leading in Wisconsin by 50-47, after leading 51-45 before the debate. Even in Colorado, where Romney now leads by 48-47, the shift was all of two points, from 47-48 before the debates.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line
Sorry Greg; there’s no such thing as “OVER PERFORMING” when it comes to this President.
PublicPolicyPolling@ppppolls
Elizabeth Warren leads Scott Brown 51-45 in our new Massachusetts poll. Full results soon
Tee hee hee
serious fun@seriousfun8309
If #MSNBC spent half as much time reporting Romney’s lies as they did Obama’s performance, Obama would be up 15 points in the polls
There you go! *looking@youTweetybird*BigEddieSchultz!*
http://twitter.com/amk4obama/status/256427458650329089/photo/1
If ‘the L-word’ fits…
By Steve Benen
–
Thu Oct 11, 2012 10:55 AM EDT.
14
Officials with the Obama campaign have been a little less reluctant in recent weeks to accuse Mitt Romney and his campaign of “lying.” In each instance, folks like David Plouffe, David Axelrod, and even Stephanie Cutter just last night talking to Rachel, were referring to obvious falsehoods that the Republican campaign surely knew to be untrue.
Today, however, Daniel Henninger has a provocative piece in the Wall Street Journal today, raising concerns about the “sleazy political pedigree” of “the L-word.”
The Obama campaign’s resurrection of “liar” as a political tool is odious because it has such a repellent pedigree. It dates to the sleazy world of fascist and totalitarian propaganda in the 1930s. It was part of the milieu of stooges, show trials and dupes. These were people willing to say anything to defeat their opposition. Denouncing people as liars was at the center of it. The idea was never to elevate political debate but to debauch it.
The purpose of calling someone a liar then was not merely to refute their ideas or arguments. It was to nullify them, to eliminate them from participation in politics…. This Obama campaign is saying, We don’t want to compete with Mitt Romney. We want to obliterate him.
Henninger goes on to blame Paul Krugman’s influence on the discourse, at least in part, for the unsettling turn of events.
It’s worth noting that Henninger’s piece is a little over the top. OK, more than a little. I’ll gladly concede that “the L-word” is harsh, and isn’t too common at the presidential level, but those who haven’t heard it used in national politics since “fascist and totalitarian propaganda in the 1930s” need to get out more.
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2012/10/11/14368982-if-the-l-word-fits?lite
Memo to WHO IT MAY CONCERN:
MITT ROMNEY LIES; THEREFORE HE IS A LIAR.
The wrong kind of revelations
By Steve Benen
Thu Oct 11, 2012 11:30 AM EDT.
Despite congressional Republicans’ role in slashing funding for security at U.S. diplomatic outposts abroad, congressional Republicans held a hearing yesterday on security lapses at the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya. The point was to shine a light on what transpired during last month’s attack, but lawmakers may have disclosed more than they bargained for.
Dana Milbank noted that House Republicans apparently “accidentally blew the CIA’s cover.” After Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) “alerted potential bad guys that something valuable” was in a photo shown during the hearing, Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) “attempted to lock the barn door through which the horse had just bolted.”
It was hard to miss that they were talking about the CIA.
All of this, incidentally, could have been part of a closed-door hearing, in which administration officials and committee members explored images, maps, timelines, and related intelligence in detail, without fear of disclosing classified information. But that would have defeated the purpose.
——————————————————————————–
Issa and congressional Republicans are trying to create an election issue, and a legitimate hearing, dealing with sensitive, classified information out of public view and away from the cameras, wouldn’t have had the kind of political impact the GOP wanted.
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2012/10/11/14369652-the-wrong-kind-of-revelations?lite
Issa eyes hearing over BLS conspiracy theory
By Steve Benen
Thu Oct 11, 2012 2:30 PM EDT.
When I first heard that House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) was considering hearings on the September jobs report, in all sincerity, I assumed it was a joke. Issa’s capable of some nutty stunts, but he’s not that far gone.
Or maybe he is.
http://youtu.be/VpOSwhVmxrM
For those who can’t watch clips online, the video, posted by ThinkProgress’ Igor Volsky, shows a report on Fox Business in which the host says Issa actually intends to hold congressional hearings to investigate how the Bureau of Labor Statistics compiles its reports. On camera, Issa told Fox:
“The way it’s being done with the constant revisions — significant revisions — tells us that it’s not as exact a science as it needs to be and there’s got to be a better way to get those numbers or don’t put them out if they’re going to be wrong by as much as half a point.”
Let’s pause here to note that much of this is gibberish. For example, publishing preliminary data, then clarifying it with revised data, is a standard and uncontroversial practice. Realizing that the process relies on the best information available, but it’s not an “exact science” is just part of the process.
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2012/10/11/14372445-issa-eyes-hearing-over-bls-conspiracy-theory?lite
Darrell Isa & Co. are BATSHIT CRAZY.
Romney sticks to ridiculous emergency-room argument
By Steve Benen
Thu Oct 11, 2012 12:36 PM EDT.
Just three weeks ago, CBS’s Scott Pelley asked Mitt Romney, “Does the government have a responsibility to provide health care to the 50 million Americans who don’t have it today?” The Republican didn’t answer the question directly, but instead suggested there’s no cause for alarm — the uninsured can rely on emergency rooms.
The exchange was widely panned for being both callous and ignorant, and yet, as Rebecca Leber noted, Romney apparently can’t help himself.
Sigh.
It’s disconcerting to see Romney stick to such a ridiculous position, but my greater fear is that the Republican candidate actually believes what he’s saying.
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2012/10/11/14370826-romney-sticks-to-ridiculous-emergency-room-argument?lite
Oops! Wonder what Mittens has to say about what this FOUNDING FATHER said. Oh that’s right, the Constitution is for Mitten to mold and shape as he so pleases/SNARK
President Obama talks to Diane Sawyer | Video – ABC News
http://abcn.ws/RizNXa
Robin Roberts Released From Hospital
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/11/robin-roberts-home-hospital-transplant_n_1957352.html#comments
Robin Roberts was released on from the hospital on Wednesday afternoon after receiving a bone marrow transplant.
Roberts tweeted a message to her fans on Thrusday morning, sharing the news that she was finally home.
_______________
Thank you, Lord!
May the Blessing Be, Ms. Roberts. God is good.
Romney ‘We Don’t Have People Who Die Because They Don’t Have Insurance’ http://thkpr.gs/Q199AT
No, mittens, because you believe folks should just go to the EMERGENCY ROOM. and if they die there; OH WELL!
seriously.
seriously.
you know…SG2, you need to find a SERIOUSLY W-T-F GRAPHIC
Will this do for now?
How about this one?
OR
Good one, Ametia!
Hey NOW!
LOL
Go, Joe!
ME TOO!
US unemployment aid applications plunge to 339K, fewest in 4 ½ years; hopeful sign for hiring
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/weekly-us-unemployment-benefit-applications-plunge-to-lowest-level-in-4-12-years/2012/10/11/630ea8e4-13a0-11e2-9a39-1f5a7f6fe945_story.html
WASHINGTON — The number of Americans seeking unemployment aid plummeted last week to seasonally adjusted 339,000, the lowest level in more than four years. The sharp drop, if sustained, could signal a stronger job market.
Sweet! Wonder how far the GOP is going to move the GOALPOST now.,hummmm?
President Barack Obama views the office of César Chávez before the dedication ceremony for the César E. Chávez National Monument in Keene, Calif., Oct. 8, 2012. Pictured with the President, from left, are: Arturo S. Rodriguez, President, United Farm Workers; Helen Chávez, César Chávez’ widow; Dolores Huerta, Co-Founder of the United Farm Workers; and Paul F. Chávez, César Chávez’ son and President of the César E. Chávez Foundation. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Bearded Stoner@beardedstoner
Prediction: Joe Biden will mispronounce a word tonight, leading Ed Schultz to destroy the MSNBC set and renounce God.
_____________________
BWA HA HA HA Spot on! here’s Ed & Tweety Bird Matthews after last week’s debate:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ZQoHiL15gmU
Minute 4, sec 10 to 15: “The Romney campaign is training the country not to believe this guy when he is talking.”
House Republicans, aiming for Obama, blow the CIA’s cover in Libya. http://wapo.st/SSIRRw
Issa has to go!!!!!!!!!
…Like yesterday!
HA HA HA HA This is how you beat those MOFOs over the head. Go Deb Butler!
See this mofo here. He gets riled up and testy, when he doesn’t get his way. He literally BROW-BEAT that women.
REPOSTING HERE
That’s what Joe needs to hit over and over again. Ryan can lie all he wants, just don’t let him get away with it.
GOP Outed CIA BASE in LIBYA
Letting us in on a secret
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dana-milbank-letting-us-in-on-a-secret/2012/10/10/ba3136ca-132b-11e2-ba83-a7a396e6b2a7_story.html?hpid=z7
When House Republicans called a hearing in the middle of their long recess, you knew it would be something big, and indeed it was: They accidentally blew the CIA’s cover.
The purpose of Wednesday’s hearing of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee was to examine security lapses that led to the killing in Benghazi last month of the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three others. But in doing so, the lawmakers reminded us why “congressional intelligence” is an oxymoron.
Through their outbursts, cryptic language and boneheaded questioning of State Department officials, the committee members left little doubt that one of the two compounds at which the Americans were killed, described by the administration as a “consulate” and a nearby “annex,” was a CIA base. They did this, helpfully, in a televised public hearing.
TREASONOUS SONS OF BITCHES…
Election Blues
By John Cole October 10th, 2012
Every time I try to write about this election, I get about two sentences finished and say “Oh, fuck it” and go watch tv or walk the dogs or do something else. It’s not that I am unmotivated- I will again crawl over glass to vote for Obama, it’s that I just can’t figure out why the election is even close. It appalls me that the debate, in which Obama offered reasonable, cogent responses to debate questions while Romney just basically lied about everything, might have lost the election. I had a dream last night that Romney won, and I yelled at my 71 year old parents (mom will fact check me on this, because she does not technically turn 71 until October 15th, so please do not call me tomorrow morning at 7 am to tell me you are not yet 71, mom. I know. You are 70.98 years old as of this post.) and said “thank you for using one of the last few Presidential votes you have left making sure that none of your children have the safety and security of medicare and social security that you currently enjoy, even though I have been paying into medicare and social security since I was 16, long before you and dad.”I woke up because Rosie bit my god damned foot again, so I don’t know what their dream response was, but since I am sure they are both voting for Romney despite his being a total fraud, I probably wouldn’t want to know what it was anyway.
If Obama loses, we will be at war with Iran.
If Obama loses, the Republicans will lower taxes on the rich and continue to shift the burden to the middle class and poor, to the tune of 5 trillion dollars. That’s a fact, despite Romney lying about it in the debate. Because, you know, job creation. Just like we created NO jobs during the Bush years despite the massive tax cuts and turning a surplus into a massive deficit.
If Obama loses, the assault on women’s rights will continue.
If Obama loses, the EPA will be gutted.
If Obama loses, more corporate leaning and national security fanatics (all probably belonging to Opus Dei, as GOD WANTS IT) will be appointed to the Supreme Court and Roe will be struck down.
If Obama loses, we will spend 2 trillion more on defense, above and beyond what the Pentagon wants.
If Obama loses, Obamacare will be gutted. But in the worst way possible. They’ll get rid of the mandate, but keep all the things that will drive costs up.
If Obama loses, Medicare and Medicaid will be gutted. Medicare will go from the safety net it is for seniors into a target rich environment for insurance fraud, with elderly patients given a pittance in vouchers to get rogered by the free market. Nothing says success than having 70 year olds negotiate dozens of health plans and then get fucked. The market will correct it, I am sure, even though the reason we have Medicare in the first place is because of a failure of the free market
http://www.balloon-juice.com/2012/10/10/election-blues/
Not a Normal Person
by BooMan
Wed Oct 10th, 2012 at 04:11:48 PM EST
Why is it that every time Mitt Romney or a member of his family tries to tell a personal anecdote it’s always a freaking disaster. The unflappable Mitt knew exactly what to do when the family dog strapped on the roof of his car lost his bowels all over the back window. The fun-loving Mitt tripped his daughter-in-law rather than lose a race to her. And this latest one is just unbelievable. Let’s reconstruct it.
It’s either Christmastime 2009 or 2010, Mitt can’t remember which. Someone sticks a flier in the Romney family mailbox down in San Diego. It’s an invitation to a neighborhood Christmas Party. The Romneys read the flier but they had no intention of attending the party until they noticed a gathering of people practically across the street. “Well, now, if it’s not such a long walk, why don’t we pop in after all, Ann?”
So, off the Romneys go to attend the neighborhood Christmas Party. They show up, but it turns out that it isn’t the neighborhood Christmas Party and they haven’t been invited.
“Turns out, this wasn’t the neighborhood party. This was a family having a party with their friends,” Romney said as his audience laughed. “We were a little embarrassed but they treated us well nonetheless and I got to meet some really interesting people.”
Who knows how long it took them to figure out that they were party-crashers? At least they probably didn’t drink their beer.
http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2012/10/10/161148/18
Conspiracy Jack
By Felix Salmon
October 10, 2012
When someone of Welch’s stature accuses a sitting president of deliberately manipulating economic statistics for political purposes, just a month before an election, you have to live in a pretty astonishing bubble of flattery and denial not to know exactly what’s going to come next. The thing about Twitter is that it has a way of piercing such bubbles…
A humble man, in such a situation, might have backtracked, realizing that he had gone way too far. But Jack Welch is not a humble man, and so instead he decided to bluster his way through. Hence the bizarre references to Soviet Russia and Communist China, and the way in which he describes his critics as “mobs of administration sympathizers”. (In fact, of course, only in highly autocratic societies could a business leader expect respectful agreement at all times, no matter how stupid his statements.) Hence the brazen — and clearly false — declaration that the reference to “these Chicago guys” in his tweet was in no way about the Obama administration or the White House. And hence his decision to depart the reality-based outlets of Fortune and Reuters, and move instead to the editorial page of the Wall Street Journal, where he can offer up his opinions to the right-wing echo chamber rather than to the public at large. Welch’s choice to appear on the WSJ editorial page — underscored by a declaration that he’ll get better “traction” that way — is a demonstration that Welch is embarking on a new career as a mascot of the right, rather than trying to stretch out his fading post-retirement career as would-be management guru. Welch has chosen the WSJ editorial page much in the way that he hand-picked the Office of Thrift Supervision to supervise GE Capital back in the day: it’s the place where he’ll get maximum adulation and minimum pushback…
http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2012/10/09/conspiracy-jack/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+felix-all+%28Felix+Salmon+-+All+%28Reuters+%2B+FS.com%29%29
Ryan ally in Wisconsin: ‘Some girls rape easy’
By Steve Benen
Thu Oct 11, 2012 8:00 AM EDT.
More so than at any time in recent memory, political discussion of rape seems to have become quite common this year. We’ve discussed Todd Akin and “legitimate rape”; we’ve learned about Paul Ryan’s drive to redefine “rape” as it relates to Medicaid; and there have been related incidents involving Reps. Steve King (R-Iowa) and Roscoe Bartlett (R-Md.).
But even after these incidents, quotes like these are hard to stomach.
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2012/10/11/14364599-ryan-ally-in-wisconsin-some-girls-rape-easy?lite
Jobless claims show sharp improvement, drop to Obama-era low
By Steve Benen
Thu Oct 11, 2012 8:40 AM EDT.
We’ve seen a general swing in the right direction on initial unemployment claims over the last several weeks, but I don’t think anyone expected the new report from the Department of Labor to be this good.
To put this in perspective, today’s report is so good, jobless claims have now reached their best point of the Obama presidency, and haven’t been this good since February 2008 — nearly five years ago.
That said, to reiterate the point I make every Thursday morning, it’s worth remembering that week-to-week results can vary widely, and it’s best not to read too much significance into any one report. (This is especially true this week, since the number will need to be revised next week.)
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2012/10/11/14365761-jobless-claims-show-sharp-improvement-drop-to-obama-era-low?lite
@FoxBusiness:
Breaking: Weekly jobless claims fall to 339K from 369K. Lowest since February 2008.
Great news! Lemme guess; *CRICKETS* from the media.
Steve Kornacki, co-host of MSNBC’s “The Cycle” and senior writer for Salon, talks with Rachel Maddow about Mitt Romney’s strategy of denying his own record to say what’s popular and political observers aren’t letting him get away with it with his latest maneuverings on the issue of abortion.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#49367722
Sherrod Brown’s lessons for Obama
MORELAND HILLS, Ohio
If anyone can testify to the problem of giving really rich people a chance to tilt the political playing field, it’s Sen. Sherrod Brown.
A proud labor-populist, Brown seems to invite the hostility of wealthy conservatives and deep-pocketed interest groups. The amount they have spent to defeat him topped $20 million this week.
Brown can live with that. His uncompromising advocacy on behalf of workers, toughness on trade, and progressive policies on a broad range of other issues have allowed the Democrat to build a formidable organization across Ohio, and a large cadre of small donors.
“That organization is there,” he said in an interview before he spoke at a fundraiser in this Cleveland suburb, “because they have a candidate who stands for something and fights for something.” Brown has stayed ahead in his race against Republican state Treasurer Josh Mandel , although the polls tightened this week.
I spoke with Brown a few days after President Obama’s unfortunate first debate, and the contrast between Brown’s approach and the president’s was striking — even though Brown, a loyal Obama supporter, did not bring it up himself. Brown is not the sort to let down his guard in a debate.
Indeed, his analysis of why Democrats were routed in 2010 combines a clear-eyed view of the condition of the country at the time — “There was no evidence by the 2010 elections that things were getting better” — with a belief that his party must always be prepared to make its case. Leading into 2010, he said, “we let them get away with too much.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/ej-dionne-sherrod-browns-lessons-for-obama/2012/10/10/45c1e550-1308-11e2-ba83-a7a396e6b2a7_story.html?wpisrc=nl_opinions
she beat his ass!!
Scott Brown the morning after the debate:
Good Morning,, Everyone! :-) Loving Marvin this morning.
Good Morning, Ametia, SG2 and Everyone :)
Good Morning, everyone!
Eat up, ladies; we need our strength for the debate tonight!
I’ll have a little juice. SG2 isn’t feeling too good.
Take care & rest up Lady. Hope these will brighten up your day:
You’re so thoughtful. Thank you! I’m going to try a little chicken soup in a minute.
love, love, love.