IT’S ALWAYS better to have the media buzzing about a bounce after your convention, but it doesn’t mean much. National polls are irrelevant, because of the Electoral College. There are a few states that matter starting with Ohio and Virginia, add Colorado, Florida, Iowa (if you’re being generous), Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire (not really a swing state, but…), North Carolina (a must win for Mitt Romney), Wisconsin. If you must follow polls, these are the states to watch.
The next big chance for Mitt Romney to move the needle doesn’t come until the debates in October, unless one of the candidates actually makes news.
It’s why you’ll see a lot of confusion from media quarters as people throw all sorts of stuff at you to see what will stick.
Jon Stewart nailed Fox News Channel, comparing their coverage of the two conventions, which is revealing.
Politico has had a lot of trouble lately getting their editorial message straight, so I captured a couple of the dueling stories as examples. The first is the front page banner. The next two headlines are top stories that don’t quite match what recent polling, which the headline shown at the top of this post, reports.
Oh, and as for this first headline, it’s been “advantage Obama” since last year and right now looks like it will stay that way until the debates.
Meanwhile, the candidates aren’t really talking specifics about anything and the voters don’t really seem to care. The political super bowl has begun and everyone but a small sliver of the country is hunkered down in their chosen corner.
There’s nothing much President Obama can do to move anyone, which now becomes about Mitt Romney being untrustworthy to have the job.
The only thing that matters now is what Mitt Romney can do to change the current dynamic. He’s the guy to watch. It’s just one reason he’s going on shows like “Meet the Press,” which he’ll be on today. He needs a game changer.
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Meanwhile, the candidates aren’t really talking specifics about anything and the voters don’t really seem to care.
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I’m starting to wonder what would happen if the candidates ever did. Would we be gripped by a nationwide sense of cognitive dissonance? Or would we just be annoyed?
Politics has become one of those things that are discussed among like-minded people only. Groups reaffirming the group think. It is totally understandable that people don’t seem to care or perhaps just don’t want to be bothered with it.
Maybe some day — maybe even in my lifetime, but I’m not counting on it — enough people will move beyond disgust, apathy, exhaustion, boredom, weary or cheery acceptance with the whole ridiculous electoral college, campaign / governance system and do something about it. To this point, the Elites and Electeds have no need to do anything but repeat predictable talking points and trade places in the WH and Congress.
I agree the burden is on Romney’s side, but disagree that lack of “specifics” is his biggest failing in this campaign. Like Bush the elder, he has failed to convey a “vision”, or more in the context of your language, the ” goal” to which “specifics” attach. If you look at his big picture, he is mostly arguing to change the rate at which we pursue the current ideological goal.. What real motivation is the choice to move the welfare state from the present 100 million people, either down to 80 or up to 120. Incremental specifics inspire only blog wonks.
“…he is mostly arguing to change the rate at which we pursue the current ideological goal.. What real motivation is the choice to move the welfare state from the present 100 million people, either down to 80 or up to 120.”
I may argue the numbers you propose but your point is very well-taken.
Can I just stray from the subject for a moment, since I couldn’t give a flying damn about Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, or any of the other bloviators?
Chris Hays this morning shows a clip of a reporter asking people (I believe at the Dem Convention) if they feel “comfortable” with the President having a hit list and the legal power to order the extrajudicial killing of American citizens IF THAT PRESIDENT IS MITT ROMNEY. Hays then tells his panel that Americans should be very concerned about the President having this power “PARTICULARLY IF THAT PRESIDENT IS MITT ROMNEY.”
I called this. I knew that when the President agreed to give himself this power, the so-called Progressives would quickly abandon any weak-kneed opposition- which would probably result in parades and marches on the White House if a Republican lived there- and focus on the line that “this power is so dangerous, so un-Constitutional, so outrageously Un-American, it’s VITAL that it remain in the hands of a Democrat we can trust not to abuse it.” And never you damn mind that it’s already been abused.
Do I want Romney to have this power? NO. Do I want Obama to have this power? NO. Is this the full-throated argument put forward by “Progressives?” HELL no. More like “we must leave the power in the hands of Obama, who has already abused it- because Romney will be MUCH, MUCH worse!!” WTF-ever.
Oh and BTW, Hays is back at it again with his game of inviting Democratic candidates for Congress to come on his show and get free advertising. MSNBC has lost the moral ground necessary to criticize Fox by becoming the Democratic Party’s version of that Not-News Network.
Melissa Harris-Perry, the night Romney gave his speech to his convention: “tonight the Republican party introduces to the American people a candidate we already know only all too well…”
Yeah, these guys are journalists. Right.
OWEbama ran his ghetto ass convention like he is running the country…
at a $15 Million deficit and the State Controlled Media” just ignores it.
The same media tried to put a positive spin on the dismal jobs report numbers however there are Democrats and Republicans who are underemployed, have dropped out of the work force, working longer hours and making less, can’t sell their underwater homes, have foreclosed on their homes, lost their savings over the last 4 years… I could keep going…
…and yet the media tells us OWEbama is ahead and will be reelected.
What a joke.
This is why the media is working overtime to help him out.
OWEbama is the Trojan horse that can keep America sleeping and when enough people wake up it will be too late. OWEbama has already implemented policies that take away the Constitution and all our rights to defend ourselves against the government.
We no longer have objective journalists who critically assess the policies of the administration, and are instead flooded with a pack of “journalistic groupies” who are hoping to get a picture with the president. They report on the “OWEbama Tingle”, Michelle’s dress and arms or the cute kids.
…And America continues to suffer.
“OWEbama ran his ghetto ass convention”. You showed your true colors with this statement. You are just another racist white redneck who can’t speak in anything but racist terms, full of hatred and bigotry. You defeat anything you where trying to convey by your hateful racist.
You are just another racist white bigot.
angels81 – the comment made by Sasha should have been deleted. This was out of line and absolutely virulent.
I wonder if Sasha just came out of a theater having watched “Obama 2016.” She actually makes a few decent points, too bad they are drowning in dopey “OWEbama” and “ghetto ass convention” smears.
There ARE “journalistic groupies” who are more interested in supporting the two party system than reporting the NEWS and getting to the bottom of our nation’s serious problems. There IS an obsession with the trivial- Mitt and Barack as family men, Who Is Better Michelle or Anne, etc. etc. Unfortunately Sasha lets her hate ruin what could have been a cogent argument.
If I remember correctly, Sasha is African-American/Caucasian (similar to Obama).
I was amused by the OWEbama tag since ObeyMeNow, ObaMAO, Obambi, and Obummer have lost their entertainment value.
And you know this how? Just because on some blog someone says they are this or that doesn’t make it so. Her comments where racist and hateful, and sounded like something some white racist would say. If she is truly of mixed race it makes her comments even all the more repugnant.
I don’t know that you’re a Biker and a Vietnam Vet, but I choose to give you the benefit of the doubt since to do otherwise would be a waste of time. Far be it for me to tell anyone what to do, but in my case, I’ll stick to debating the arguments.
Sasha may be of mixed race or white, but there is no question that by her statement she comes off as a racist.
Oh go run into a brick wall Sasha. “Ghetto ass convention”? First and foremost, as a black man that grew up in the Detroit ghetto, you have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA what a “ghetto ass convention” is. I tell you this, the Latin Counts (a gang) ran plenty of “ghetto ass conventions”. And frequently the end result was folks at the bottom of the Detroit River or stuffed into trash compacter.
The was nothing “ghetto” about the Democratic National Convention. It was a well-produced, well-organized political convention (just like the RNC’s as well). Why don’t you call the RNC a “ghetto ass convention”? Oh that’s right. Mitt Romney is white he can’t possibly run a “ghetto ass convention”.
So how about this funny person? Take you “ghetto worthy” introductory of comment and professionally stick it up your cerebral processing area that’s shape like the Gluteus maximus.
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I knew that when the President agreed to give himself this power, the so-called Progressives would quickly abandon any weak-kneed opposition- which would probably result in parades and marches on the White House if a Republican lived there- and focus on the line that “this power is so dangerous, so un-Constitutional, so outrageously Un-American, it’s VITAL that it remain in the hands of a Democrat we can trust not to abuse it.” And never you damn mind that it’s already been abused. JJAMELE
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I agree with you up to a point. There would also be “parades and marches on the White House” if Hillary Clinton lived there instead of Obama. The fake new progressives (who still don’t seem able to call themselves liberals, you know, that dirty word made so by Reaganites etal) hold a double standard when it comes to Obama and Clinton. Most reasonable people of good conscience know that. If Mrs. Clinton did what Obama has done with the drone program for example, the fake new progressives would have called for her head to roll as some of them did (they wanted her fired) when some of the Wikileaks cables were released and none asked for Obama to resign over those leaks.
And, they never will because they are afraid to criticize him for fear of being called a bad name or worse by the likes of Melissa Harris-Perry (which she had done already on several occasions) and/or for fear of admitting that they were wrong about Obama. Only a small number of liberals have critized Obama for his drone program among other misuses of his power.
Although I still watch Chris Hayes, I am tending to agree with your assessment of that program as well even if some of the discussions are engrossing. Hayes has had on a couple of people on recently who were opening critical of MSNBC for being partisan. Today it was Jeremy Scahill (who is one liberal who doesn’t pull his punches with Obama) who called MSNBC’s coverage of the Dem convention as if it was (paraphrasing here) a home party for the Obama for POTUS re-election campaign.
And, a couple of weeks ago it was Anne Marie Cox who also criticized MSNBC for being partisan whilst Hayes rolled his eyes for which she called him out and continued on with her criticism. But, these criticisms of MSNBC from guests who are not conservative is rare and that’s because the people who are regular guests on these shows are afraid they will not be invited back and/or afraid they will lose their paycheck.
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Maybe some day — maybe even in my lifetime, but I’m not counting on it — enough people will move beyond disgust, apathy, exhaustion, boredom, weary or cheery acceptance with the whole ridiculous electoral college, campaign / governance system and do something about it. To this point, the Elites and Electeds have no need to do anything but repeat predictable talking points and trade places in the WH and Congress. JOYCE
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I don’t know what the tipping point will be before the American people rise up en masse to protest what’s going on in this country which is slowing being stolen right from under our noses by the ruling class. The middle class has been devestated in this country and the number of Americans now in the middle class is at it’s lowest point since there was a solid middle class some 50 or 60 years ago. And, if things don’t change, it’s only going to get worse.
Here is a statistic from August of this year in USA Today:
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For the first time since at least World War II, middle-class families finished the first decade of the 21st century poorer and with lower incomes than they had 10 years earlier.
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I’m not ignoring the poor because it will only get worse for them as well but the middle classes given their once-huge numbers have been the fuel that has kept businesses running and thriving with their demand for more and more consumer products and services. As that demand has now been depressed, businesses are not hiring as they once did, people can’t find good paying jobs or are underemployed (working as a waitress when they have been trained to work as a public school teacher) and the middle class is shrinking to a very dangerous point. To the point where those who are in the ruling classes will have become the new King Georges wihch is not that are off. Will that be our tipping point?
Does it have to come to extremes before things change for the better? Especially extreme economic conditions which scare the hell out of me given historical examples of what happened when those economic extremes occurred.
I don’t have any answers NewDealDem.
What I do know is we are in very dangerous times; literally revolutionary times. The absolute decline in the numbers and wealth of the middle class is incredibly dangerous. With the Two Party System showing signs of endemic rot and the checks and balances of the Constitutions now gone, we are set up for a radical revolution. My fear is the most likely event would be a truly Fascist take over of the US.
I have no idea of who said it, but a commenter said that the only reason we have not had a Fascist takeover already is because all the possible leaders of such a take over were so obvious on the make that they are not credible candidates. The danger lies in a Sara Palin figure that has her political wiles; and is actually sincere in her beliefs. Plain failed ultimately because she was so obviously an empty-headed grifter that the fence sitters were turned off. Find a truly angry man or woman with a Palin-like charisma and our Democratic Republic is a goner.
If the economy keeps stripping away good jobs and the middle class keeps shrinking I can see people in the US opting for a radical solution, a TEA Party uprising on steroids. Sinclare Lewis wrote about this a long time ago, about how Fascism could come to the USA. We barely dodged the bullet in the Great Depression; this Great Recession could be a deal breaker. The Middle Class is out of all options. The Political Duopoly is rotten. The Press is broken. The Police State is in place. The Unitary Executive(IE dictatorship) only awaits a man or women with the ideological determination to make Dead Eye Dick Cheney’s nightmare a reality
“ghetto ass” might have been a touch recrementitious, but “owebama” was actually a very clever pun. Well done.
recrementitious
…you know I had to look it up… lol
I am more Black than most of the posters in here.
And even if I wasn’t I would still say the same thing.
I am offended that the descriptive words ‘ghetto ass’ are being immediately tied to Black people.
You guys sound like Chrissy Mathews. Jeez!
Too many BSNBC watchers.
Some of what I saw was ghetto and I was embarrassed.
That is my personal opinion and even if you disagree with me, it won’t change how I feel.
I apologize for using the word ‘ass’ as that word may be offensive.
I want to remind you that just like the word welfare is not directly connected to Black people neither is the word ghetto.
Marinate on that for a bit before you attack me for my word choice.
Ghetto is running up the bill and leaving without paying.
some things never change.
Well I marinated on your choice of words and have come to the conclusion that you don’t have a clue what ghetto means. Ghetto doesn’t mean running up a bill and leaving without paying. You can’t just makeup meanings to words and expect anyone to understand what the hell you are talking about.
yes it is ghetto behavior.
He could have asked all of his Hollywood and Media elite buddies to dip into their coke stash and he would have had more than enough to pay off the local vendors.
he left hanging.
in a recession.
his recession.
Liken it to inviting friends to meet you for dinner and getting up and leaving before the bill comes.
It’s even worse when you leave with an American Express Black Card in your wallet and your friends are living paycheck to paycheck.
I could go on, but some of you are so sensitive… lol
You’re getting very tiresome Sasha. This nasty, pointless and childish name calling is not moving anyone. In point of fact it is totally counter productive.
Do you really think you are actually making any headway with these puerile missives? Do you really think your toxic and asinine use of racially loaded terms is clever or cute?
I really worry about you sometime, seriously. For someone who claims to be half black you really do seem to have some serious issues.To trade in racially charged invective; to toss it out so gleefully and carelessly shows either massive Cognitive Dissonance or intense self loathing.
At the very least you are a wearisome internet troll who only contributes chaos and confusion to the site. But keep it up Sasha, take all the rope you want, because eventually you’re going to hang yourself with that rope.
Oh Sasha stop it. YOU know the term “ghetto ass” gets attached to black folks. In fact, I’ve seen some fringe blogs comment about Michelle Obama’s backside with that term along with unsavory comments. There a porn movies that use that term all the time for describing black females’ behind. AND in the black community, as you SHOULD know, the term “ghetto ass” applied in front of anything describes the WORST in “black folks behaving badly”. So don’t get all cute with the “running up the bill and leaving without paying” remark.
Yes, “ghetto” is technically not exclusive to black folks but it IS attributed to black folks the VAST majority of the time in popular and unpopular culture. And screw the whole, “too sensitive” notion too. I’m not voting for Obama or Romney (Stein 2012) but yes, I’m sensitive to certain language to describe any politician. I’ll defend Romney if stupid things are said about his Mormonism.
But hey, you succeeded in getting your reaction. Kudos…
@ T-Steel, yes there are some who exclusively identify the term ghetto with Black people. That doesn’t make it right.
I was talking about behavior. Specifically behavior not acceptable by mainstream society.
I never even hinted at the suggestion of physical appearance.
He knowingly left the local business community on the hook for $15 Million.
…he has it in his war chest. which he refuses to share.
…he raised $114 Million in AUGUST.
If that isn’t the WORST of behaving badly, I don’t know what is.
Look Sasha. You’ve been cool, and funny many times, and I respect what you have to say. BUT “ghetto ass” to is LOADED (pun not intended). You throw those two words in front of anything with a black person around, it can get RAN with forever and a day. And in the end, it takes away from the overall point.
I have my big issues with President Obama. But these conventions and other big events around the country routinely leave a wake of “community disenchantment”. The Los Angeles and Atlanta Olympics. Lollapalooza (for all you music fans) every time. So on and so forth. Some of it’s BS by local businesses. Other times it’s legit. And we can argue the finer points of what big events do to the local community (positive and negative). I have friends in Tampa Bay who said they were shut out of MANY things around the RNC. And that Tampa Bay has some “unsettled financials”. But you don’t hear “ghetto ass convention” around THAT and many other big events that leave a “wake’.
And President Obama’s convention being called “ghetto ass” because he behaved badly? If that’s behaving badly, oh my oh my…. This planet in the endtimes already. END IT NOW!
Thanks for your response T.
I just have one last point and then we can put this to rest and I will make my best effort forth to never use ghetto-ass on this board again. It’s not my favorite ‘dig’ anyway.
Back in 2008 Hillary left the race with quite a bit of debt and the Obama-media went after her for it.
As the primary neared the end, they even interviewed vendors she owed and said if this is how she ran her campaign, how will she run the country. If you owe people money, you run the risk of being publicly chastised.
*whew, glad I never made a joke about the brother messing up the credit.*
I have no idea what Obama-media you are talking about Sasha. HRC debt was legitimate news, especially since a good portion of that amount was her writing a check to her campaign. It was news, and deservedly so.
I also know that this very site, as a reflection of Taylor’s deep commitment to all things Hillary, did hit up us readers to contribute to pay down HRC’s debt.
Many campaigns go deeply in the red Sasha, losing efforts tend to go more in the red than winning but that is no never mind. In 2008 Obama burned every dollar he got in one way or another. Sometimes the money was spent unwisely. ( Pennsylvania–HELLO!) But every dollar was spent. It is the nature of the beast, as is campaign debt.
If you are not reporting on the finances of a campaign, you might as well turn in your press card because now more than ever money is speech. The first sign that a campaign is going to hell in hand-basket is when the money dries up.
This year, money was even more of an issue with odd-ball hyper-wealthy billionaires with very murky motives supporting seriously weird candidates. Both Gingrich and Santorum’s campaigns lasted a lot longer than they should of because one really weird, really wild, really pasty white, really rich guy tossed boatloads of money at them. Money matters. How pols get money and for what reasons is critical. Debt, especially campaign debt; meh, not really an issue. Who pays of the debt? Now we’re talking!
So then Bush aka Torturer in Chief and the repugnantklan/teabaggers are Ghetto ass? Cool. Nice to know.
Personally, I think “ghetto” is:
- Using the word “marinate” when you really mean “ruminate,” “reflect,” or any of several other synonyms. “Marinate” is what people to do to meat.
- Using the term “ghetto ass.” Anyone can use the term “ghetto,” but the conjunction of the two – “ghetto ass” – is pure, unalloyed ebonics.
- Using cheap insults like “OWEBama and “BSNBC.” No explanation necessary.
- Making unsubstantiated allegations about someone’s sexuality, like “Ghetto Queen.” You keep dropping these salacious hints about Obama’s drug use and his sexuality. You think you’re being cute, or coy, but the only person you’re close to outing is – you. As a homophobe.
You can try this stuff here with people who don’t know any better, and so take your comments at face value. But, like the comedian DeRay, I speak fluent hoodrat. And you’re demeaning yourself, and us, by bringing this sort of language into this forum.
I meant what I said.
The use of the word “marinate” was slang, but I’m sure you already knew that.
Cheap insults fly around here all the time.
…although they usually lean Right.
I choose to use mine on Obama and the media, as unpopular as that may be.
In his own words Obama discussed his drug use.
It is clearly a significant part of his background.
I have my own personal opinion about his sexuality and will leave it at that.
Nothing I have said indicates that I have a problem with anyone being straight, gay or bisexual.
Demeaning language or respectful language?
I think the people here have no problem understanding language.
repugnantklan/teabaggers is used regularly here.
I’ll just say I never imagined I would read the words “ghetto ass” on a political blog. I couldn’t believe it. And, frankly, still can’t. That is really provocative language. And everyone here knows your opinion on Obama’s sexuality, because you keep stage whispering about it. Although what his sexuality has to do with anything, I’ll never know.
And by the way, your original “ghetto ass” comment was about the convention, not the manner in which Obama did or did not pay for it. You said you were “embarassed” by some of what you witnessed. Do tell. And why on earth would the behavior of strangers embarass you? In that vein, I suppose you were also embarassed when Republican conventioneers threw nuts at a black CNN anchor, saying that’s how they feel animals. I’m sure you were just as discomfited then, if not more so. I haven’t even bothered to check to see if you posted about it, so sure am I of your finely-tuned sensibilities.
And, seriously, the faux outrage routine is so passe at this point. You knew exactly what you were doing. You’re just mad we’re not so dumb that we don’t know either.
I originally said:
OWEbama ran his ghetto ass convention like he is running the country…
at a $15 Million deficit and the State Controlled Media” just ignores it.
This IS about him not paying the bill.
Later I said:
Some of what I saw was ghetto and I was embarrassed.
I never said they were strangers either.
If I remember correctly, I believe I did comment on the CNN incident and stated wrong is wrong.
No outrage or anger here.
Not my style.
I have already apologized to anyone who was offended by the language.
However, I posted my opinion and I stand behind it.
He has a serious problem with financial management.
No worries. No need to belabor the point any more than I already have.
Fluent hoodrat? Well I will just have to add that to the list of your accomplishments ogenec. Color me dense for missing the drug / sexual innuendos as I did not pass go and went straight to racism. But then I really do not give a tinker’s damn what Obama does in the privacy of his bedroom, go at with a trapeze, a tub full of jello and a trained seal for all I care. I also don’t care about what drugs Obama snorted, smoked, ingested or even (shudder) injected into himself in his wayward youth. Almost everyone in Obama’s and Bill Clinton’s generation experimented with items a tad stronger than beer. I find the meme of Obama the drug fiend laughable. It’s just another way to paint the man as an out of control Hottentot bent on rape, rapine and revenge.
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Ghetto is running up the bill and leaving without paying.
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Then George W. Bush is the Ghetto King.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!! Very funny, and spot on.
Lol @ newdeal, l can’t believe there is something we actually agree on.
*whispers* that also makes Obama the Ghetto “Queen”.
Sasha, always good to know any of us who disagree heartily about almost everything can agree about one or two things and frankly, that’s how it should be because nothing is absolute including one’s opinions which are opinions and not truths unless we (you and I and all the other commenters on this blog) can back it up with hard, cold facts.
My comment about George W. Bush and his “running up the blll and leaving wihout paying” is the truth based in the hard, cold facts.
Your comment about Obama is just incorrect and is not backed up by any facts whatsoever.
So, here are those hard, cold facts. Obama and the Dems never “ran up the bill without paying for what they ran up the bill for” they did the opposite of what the Bush Adminisration did in “running up the bill without paying for the two wars” and including that devestating tax cut for more than a decade now.
Everything that Obama and the Dems put forth from Healthcare to the Stimulus was paid for in the annual budget which is proposed by the Executive Branch and approved by the Legislative Branch.
(And, btw, the Stimulus included 40% Tax cuts which was anything but stimulative but which the Republican Maine Sisters (Snowe and Collins) insisted on including or they refused to support the Stim which wo uld have killed it so Obama caved in and agreed to those huge tax cuts in a Stim Bill! But, even with those tax cuts which added to the deficit, the Stim worked. However, it was not enough to correct the economic downturn which was caused by various factors but mostly by the Credit Default Swaps and bad loans which Investment banks like Goldman Sachs bet against to make billiions while feeding on the government tit)
Everything Obama and the Dems put forth was paid for in the budget. And, this included those unpaid for military expenditures that Bush took “off the books” which Obama rightly put back on the books (these were expenditures from the Bush Administation) including everything going forward that the Obama Administration racked up in military expenditures for both wars.
Obama and the Dems paid for everything by including it in the annual budget.
If you don’t believe this fact, there is nothing I can say to change your mind which is not what I am here to do. However, there are FACTS and the TRUTH that is not subject to opinion. And, I will leave it there.
If anyone missed this on cpan today, this is one program worth watching.
http://tinyurl.com/cmm9rbz
I am not a fan of Juan Williams but that didn’t stop me from watching this interview with Donald Barlett & James Steele, who co-wrote “The Betrayal of the American Dream,”
It’s worth your time to take a listen.
Night all.