August 31, 2012

Bernanke: QE has and can work more

Bernanke: 'QE' has worked to support U.S. recovery; Fed stands ready to act as required

Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke called the stagnation in the U.S. labor market a grave concern and said he was open to using more quantitative easing as needed to help. In a speech at the Fed's Jackson Hole retreat, Bernanke did not pre-commit to taking action. But he did reinforce the case for more asset purchases. He downplayed the costs of quantitative easing and said the program has worked to "provide meaningful support" to the recovery. Bernanke called current growth "tepid" and said the economy was "far from satisfactory." "Taking due account of the uncertainties and limits of its policy tools, the Federal Reserve will provide additional policy accommodation as needed to promote a stronger economic recovery and sustained improvement in labor market conditions in a context of price stability," Bernanke said.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/bernanke-qe-has-and-can-work-more-2012-08-31

August 31, 2012

Bill Kristol: No Mention of Afghanistan (What War?)

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2012/08/31/no_mention_of_afghanistan.html

"Mitt Romney said not a word about the war in Afghanistan. Nor did he utter a word of appreciation to the troops fighting there, or to those who have fought there. Nor for that matter were there thanks for those who fought in Iraq, another conflict that went unmentioned."

"Leave aside the question of the political wisdom of Romney's silence, and the opportunities it opens up for President Obama next week. What about the civic propriety of a presidential nominee failing even to mention, in his acceptance speech, a war we're fighting and our young men and women who are fighting it?"




http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/what-war_651279.html

August 31, 2012

This Seats Taken

:large


smaller
https://twitter.com/BarackObama/status/241392153148915712/photo/1

August 31, 2012

Partial list of Democratic convention speakers released

An hour after Mitt Romney stepped off of his party's convention stage, crowned as the Republican presidential nominee, organizers of the Democratic convention announced several speakers who will appear onstage in Charlotte, North Carolina next week.

The partial lineup released Friday highlights Democratic women, Latinos, African-Americans, and congressional leaders.

(snip)
Among the speakers announced Friday are House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, the convention announced.

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Charlie Gonzalez, Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Emanuel Cleaver, Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, and Judy Chu, who is among the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, will also speak, the convention announced.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/08/31/partial-list-of-democratic-convention-speakers-released/

August 31, 2012

Al Gore Calls for End of Electoral College

Source: National Journal

Many Americans are disenfranchised and some states are ignored because of the Electoral College, and it's time to abandon it, former Vice President Al Gore said on Thursday night as part of Current TV's coverage of the Republican National Convention.

"I really do now think it's time to change that. It's always tough to amend the Constitution and risky to do so, but there is a very interesting movement under way that takes it state by state, that may really have a chance of succeeding. I hope it does," Gore said.

Asked to describe the movement, Gore was vague, saying it "started in California and it's gained a lot of momentum."

(snip)
"I supported the idea of the Electoral College because the logic is, it knits the country together, prevents regional conflicts, and it goes back through our history with some legitimate concerns," he said. "But since, I've given a lot of thought to it and I've seen how these states are just written off."


Read more: http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/al-gore-calls-for-end-of-electoral-college-20120830

August 31, 2012

Rachel Maddow: Clint Eastwood RNC Speech Was 'The Weirdest Thing I Have Ever Seen

Rachel Maddow: Clint Eastwood RNC Speech Was 'The Weirdest Thing I Have Ever Seen At A Political Convention'

Rachel Maddow was at a loss for words on Thursday after Clint Eastwood finished what was largely considered a bizarre and awkward GOP convention appearance.

"I don't -- I don't -- I don't know what was going on there," Maddow said seemingly tongue-tied. "Clint Eastwood is 82 years old and I think that -- I don't know if that's what was going on there."

(snip)
"That was the weirdest thing I've ever seen at a political convention in my entire life, and it will be the weirdest thing I've ever seen if I live to be 100. Here's Marco Rubio."

Maddow was not the only journalist to wonder about Eastwood's comments. Brokaw tweeted that Eastwood became famous as being a man of few words. "As a surprise guest on the Tampa stage he had too many words (I say as a friend)," Brokaw wrote.

video at link
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/30/rachel-maddow-clint-eastwood-weirdest-thing-political-convention_n_1845231.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003

August 31, 2012

Someone just yelled “No no no don’t touch me,” as Romney shook hands on his wa

10:35: Someone just yelled “No no no don’t touch me,” as Romney shook hands on his way to the podium.
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2012/08/30/778781/rnc-thursday/

Rachel Maddow
I couldn't see who it was who shouted "No, No, Don't Touch Me!".

The Last Word
Who just said, "No, no, no! Don't touch me!" in the #RNC2012 crowd?

Brian Beutler
On C-SPAN feed, somebody just screamed a Mitt Romney not to touch him?

August 31, 2012

Clint Eastwood Delivers Bizarre, Rambling Speech To Empty Chair

Clint Eastwood opened up the prime time portion of the Republican convention with a rambling, mumbling and often incoherent address next to an empty chair that was meant to represent President Obama.

A creaky and mumbling Eastwood began by defending Hollywood’s notorious liberal reputation to the crowd, claiming that there were in fact many independents and Republicans in show business.

(snip)
Eastwood, who did not seem to use a prepared text of any kind, went on for about 12 minutes. A Romney campaign official told CBS that Eastwood was “ad libbing.”

(snip)
Obama deputy campaign manager Stephanie Cutter, who often brackets Republican speeches with fact checks and statements, offered a one word response to Eastwood’s performance on Twitter: “Wow.”

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/08/clint-eastwood-convention-speech-rnc.php?ref=fpnewsfeed

Eastwood surprises GOP convention - maybe in more ways than one
The Romney campaign planned a surprise guest to address the Republican convention here: Hollywood actor and director Clint Eastwood.

But it might have been more of a surprise than they bargained for.

http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/30/13577816-eastwood-surprises-gop-convention-maybe-in-more-ways-than-one?lite

August 31, 2012

Uh, Clint, Romney is an attorney too

10:10: “I never thought attorneys should be president,” Eastwood says. Romney has a dual law and business degree from Harvard.

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2012/08/30/778781/rnc-thursday/

John Aravosis ?@aravosis
https://twitter.com/aravosis
Uh, Clint, Romney is an attorney too
oh dear god there's more?

Jamil Smith
Mitt Romney has a law degree, too, Clint. #RNC2012

Ed Schultz
Clint Eastwood trashes lawyers & politicians before giving way to lawyer and politician Marco Rubio

David Axelrod
That screaming you hear backstage is poor Clint, when they told him Mitt wants U.S. to stay in Afghanistan INDEFINITELY.

August 31, 2012

ThinkProgress:John and Abigail Adams scholarship fund, supported by state funds

Once again ThinkProgress puts the facts out:
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2012/08/30/778781/rnc-thursday/



9:17: Healey ends her review of Romney’s record as governor of Massachusetts without mentioning the administration’s greatest accomplishment: Romneycare.

Jane Edmonds, Romney’s former Massachusetts workplace safety secretary, is touting his appointment of women to top positions in government. At that time, Romney also presented himself as a pro-choice governor with more moderate positions on women’s issues.
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/the_conversion/2012/02/mitt_romney_s_abortion_record_flip_flop_or_conversion_.html

9:19:
A video mentions the John and Abigail Adams scholarship fund, which Romney established. The program is supported by state funds.

9:32: Former Olympians take the stage to highlight Romney’s leadership during the 2002 Games. The Salt Lake City Olympics that Romney ran received $1.5 billion in government funds and cost taxpayers 1.5 times the combined inflation adjusted amount spent on all seven previous Olympics held in the United States.

9:30: Though he’s performing at the RNC, former American Idol Taylor Hicks declined to endorse Romney.

http://www.osfa.mass.edu/default.asp?page=adamsScholarship