the most important election of your lifetime: 2012 american general election thread

what this whole bain episode is driving home to me is that not once this summer has romney been on the offensive and obama has been driving the news cycle. with the bush admin, rove always seemed to be pimp slapping the dems in the face left and right and they spent their lives coming up with rambling and weak comebacks. all romney has been doing so far has been similar and all he can come up with is 'I know you are but what am I'

Romney campaign has nothing to go on really. They want Romney to sell his "business" expertise without discussing his actual business. They want to go negative against Obama's record while complaining when Obama goes negative etc. they have no narrative to run on. they're fucked.

and on top of that dude is awkward and impersonal

And a robot.

http://www.salon.com/2012/07/12/mitt_romneys_unnecessary_lie/

and still at 47-47 in da polls

no

http://i.imgur.com/cKBZk.jpg

how is he going to work Sarah Palin into this

By linking to Maryaland Governor's assertion that McCain passed on Rmoney for Palin after perusing his tax returns.

and still at 47-47 in da polls

― Pangborn to be Wilde (Dr Morbius), Friday, July 13, 2012 3:34 PM (4 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/general_election_romney_vs_obama-1171.html
http://polltracker.talkingpointsmemo.com/contests/us-president-12
http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/

still at 47-47 in da polls

As most political observors have figured out, this election is a referendum on Obama, based largely on how voters feel about their immediate past and immediate prospects.

Romney's just there for the ride and his only job is to stir up those emotions on the negative side. He has a whole lot of assistance from FOX and a host of Republican surrogates. Obama can go both positive and negative as he tries to enagage the voters's emotions. Romney has no incentive to go positive.

The New Yorker article suggests that 'ceo and not ceo' is going to be reasonably easy, but the "not ceo but paid $100,000 a year" might be otherwise.

it's so great how Romney's desperation to be Prez couldn't overtake his desire to be as rich as humanly possible

I think Aimless has it right, which is why I haven't put much faith in these minor poll advantages for Obama. (The electoral map looks more promising, but the one tends to catch up with the other anyway.) The precariousness of the economy, and the two or three jobs reports left before the election, would still seem to be what will ultimately determine the outcome, as much as I might wish otherwise.

(Obviously this post not aimed at Morbius or anyone hoping Obama loses...or just reverse everything: "The electoral map looks less promising," etc.)

election as referendum on the incumbent is a gross over simplification, the opponent matters

How Bain issues get discussed on Fox:

When Williams went after Romney on the issue of offshore accounts, Sununu brushed it aside and claimed over 90 percent of Democrats in Congress have them too, and so they're hypocrites for bashing Romney for it.

Hannity backed up Sununu's point by citing several Democrats who have offshore accounts, but Williams rebutted this point by saying "they're not running for president!"

limousine liberals are hypocrites, elect the limousine eh fuck it

“What kind of president would have a campaign that says something like that about the nominee of another party?” Romney said.

i knew he wouldnt be able to handle our chicago thug politics fellas high5

prefer to use "drone liberals" nowadays

you're such a riot

In news from parties that actually believe in things, it's Jill Stein/Cheri Honkala as the Green ticket:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/reliable-source/post/update-cheri-honkala--not-roseanne-barr--picked-for-green-party-vp-nominee/2012/07/11/gJQAxDMfdW_blog.html

I'll tell you what, Morbs - if Ohio is in any way considered "safe" for Obama a week before election day, I'll vote Green just for you.

if people joined the green party, it wouldn't get to believe in things anymore

oh youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

i'm not currently planning to vote for president btw

I would honestly suggest you vote green party, you have no reason not to

not that it, or anything, really matters, but why not, you're in ny

if people joined the green party, it wouldn't get to believe in things anymore

Good premise for a movie.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VZaVT03Q2G0/SJhKuVNdy_I/AAAAAAAACec/udoIyY9moVI/s400/thecandidate2.jpg

i need to see evidence the GP is expanding the audience for their message, which the Nader campaigns fumbled.

you are cynical, iatee. For about 40 years, the Democratic Party believed in things (relative to now) and won elections.

i don't much like the idea of Chief Justice Alito.

which 40 years is that referring to?

1933-75ish

is Chief Justice Roberts gravely ill? you dingbat.

do you really think the democratic party had a more consistent ideology during those periods than it does today? back when half of the party was opposing civil rights?

they got some shit done

sure, which is why I'm pro getting shit done w/o believing in things

so you voted for Cynthia McKinney but now you're concerned about "expanding the message?"

they got some shit done

― Pangborn to be Wilde (Dr Morbius), Friday, July 13, 2012 9:37 PM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

like Vietnam ...

the thing is the current democratic house is prob one of the most ideologically consistent - and left-wing - in recent history. it just doesn't matter because when you lose the crazy redneck dems you don't get to do anything anymore.

some of those crazy redneck Dems were OK with the New Deal and the Fair Deal ... at least when Negroes weren't beneficiaries.

the Warren Court was cool

prefer to use "drone liberals" nowadays

― Pangborn to be Wilde (Dr Morbius), Friday, July 13, 2012 8:53 PM (52 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

lol thats p good

So did Mitt really just spend a friday night saying Barack Obama is mean and that his secret secrets have no importance in this election?

also is there any precedent for a "apologize to me for saying mean things about my secrets" tack working for a politician?

Bears a weird resemblance to the plot of this season of Parks and Rec but maybe not real life.

“What kind of president would have a campaign that says something like that about the nominee of another party?” Romney said.

― Matt Armstrong, Friday, July 13, 2012 7:37 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

so basically mitt romney is bobby newport from parks & recreation.

"I guess my thoughts on abortion are, you know, let's just all have a good time." -- Mitt Romney

The "humblebrag"; drives me crazy too.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2012/07/barack_obama_told_charlie_rose_he_had_made_mistakes_but_it_was_really_a_humblebrag_.html

gah the term "humblebrag" is so fucking wretched