NRSC New Ad: Actions Speak Louder Than Words, Mr. President (Video)

This is good! Keep 'em coming NRSC

Hugo Chavez Says Surgery in Cuba Removed Cancerous Tumor

Cancer...


Associated Press

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez told his countrymen Thursday night that he underwent a second surgery in Cuba for the removal of a cancerous growth. Chavez said in a televised talk that the operation took out a tumor in which there were "cancerous cells."

He called it "this new battle that life has placed before us."

It was unclear when his message was recorded.

Chavez's appearance came as Venezuelans speculated that he may be seriously ill because of his long stay in Cuba, mainly in seclusion.

His aides and family had been seeking to assure the country that the socialist president was recovering well from his first surgery, an operation June 10 reportedly to remove a pelvic abscess. But the lack of details about his condition had fed widespread talk about his health

MSNBC Host Celebrates End Of Glenn Beck With Fake Tears And Goodbye Montage

The same montage we've heard over and over. Is this all MSNBC has got? Here's the video from tonight


OMG, Cenk has the audacity to bring up Glenn Beck's ratings?

You've got to be kidding Cenk
Total viewers Wednesday June29th (Last night)

Greenspan: Fed's Massive Stimulus Had Little Impact on the Economy

"There is no evidence that huge inflow of money into the system basically worked."

Wow.

Video below

cnbc

The Federal Reserve's massive stimulus program had little impact on the U.S. economy besides weakening the dollar and helping U.S. exports, Federal Reserve Governor Alan Greenspan told CNBC Thursday.

In a blunt critique of his successor, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, Greenspan said the $2 trillion in quantative easing over the past two years had done little to loosen credit and boost the economy.

"There is no evidence that huge inflow of money into the system basically worked," Greenspan said in a live interview.

"It obviously had some effect on the exchange rate and the exchange rate was a critical issue in export expansion," he said. "Aside from that, I am ill-aware of anything that really worked. Not only QE2 but QE1."

Greenspan’s comments came as the Fed ended the second installment of its bond-buying program, known as QE2, after spending $600 billion. There were no hints of any more monetary easing—or QE3—to come.

The former Fed chairman himself has been widely criticized for the low-interest rate policy in the early and mid 2000s that many believe led to the 2008 credit crisis.

Bernanke, who took over for Greenspan in 2006, began implementing the quantitative easing program in 2009 in an attempt to unfreeze credit and prevent a collapse of the US financial system

Here's the video of Greenspan on CNBC.

Poll: 4 In 10 Americans Think The U.S. Economy Is In Permanent Decline

Change we can believe in!

politico

Nearly 4 in 10 Americans say they think the economy is in permanent decline, a new polls shows as deep pessimism about the economy becomes more widespread.

Thirty-nine percent of those surveyed for a New York Times/CBS News poll released late Wednesday say they see the economy headed on a downward path - significantly worse than when the question was last asked in October and 28 percent of Americans said the economy was in permanent decline.

At the same time, fewer Americans see the economy as having the potential to eventually recover, with 57 percent of those surveyed saying they think things will, in time, be better. That’s down from 68 percent in October.

As the economy continues to sputter in the eyes of many Americans, President Barack Obama’s approval rating is at 47 percent and his disapproval is at 44 percent. In May, surging in the aftermath of the killing of Osama bin Laden, Obama’s approval rating in the same poll was 57 percent and his disapproval was 37 percent.

Rush Limbaugh: What If Mark Halperin Had Said This About George W. Bush? Would They Be Falling All Over Themselves to Apologize?

"Think of the grief I got for calling Obama a jackass back in the day." Rush plays the audio of Mark Halperin on Morning Joe today

Romney Campaign Hits Obama In New Ad: "Obama Isn't Working"

Romney looking way ahead and telling the people of Pennsylvania that Obama has failed. If the GOP can take Pennsylvania and its 21 electorale votes in 2012, that greatly increases the chance of winning the WH. (Obama won PA by 10 points over John McCain in 2008)

White House Rejects Senator Mitch McConnell's Invitation For Obama to Meet With Republicans

No surprise from this White House


thehill

The White House has rejected Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell's (R-Ky.) invitation for President Obama to meet Thursday with Senate Republicans about their position on the debt ceiling talks.

White House press secretary Jay Carney said McConnell was asking Obama to visit and "hear Republicans restate their maximalist position" in the negotiations to raise the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling.

"We know that position. That's not a conversation worth having," Carney said at his daily briefing.

McConnell made the invitation one day after Obama challenged Republicans to give up special tax breaks for corporate jets and major oil companies. Obama wants to include revenue from eliminating those breaks as part of a package to reduce the deficit, but Republicans are ruling out any tax increases.

“I’d like to invite the president to come to the Capitol today to meet with Senate Republicans. Any time this afternoon if he’s available, to come on up to the Capitol,” McConnell said. “That way he can hear directly from Senate Republicans … why what he’s proposing will not pass.”

The tough talk from Obama in Wednesday's press conference has led to a new round of criticism from GOP lawmakers, who weren't amused that Obama unfavorably compared them to his teenage daughters, who the president said do their homework on time.

VIDEO: Here's McConnell on the Senate floor this moring inviting President Obama to come to Capitol Hill and meet with Republicans. "Let me do something I think would be constructive" (This was a good move by McConnell)

Aviation Industry Assails Obama For Call to End Corporate Jet Tax Break

foxnews

General aviation employs 1.2 million Americans and generates $150 billion a year in revenue. President Obama praises it as one of America's industries that still maintains an advantage over other countries' manufacturers.

So it disappointed several in the aviation industry when the president on Wednesday held up an obscure tax break for corporate jet owners as an example of why Congress should close tax loopholes as part of any deficit reduction deal.

"While such talk may appear to some as good politics, the reality is that it hurts one of the leading manufacturing and exporting industries in the United States," wrote the General Aviation Manufacturers Association and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers in a letter sent to the president

In a lengthy press conference, Obama repeatedly cast the debate over the deficit as a choice between ending tax breaks for jet owners and jeopardizing children's education and safety

French President Nicolas Sarkozy Grabbed by Assailant while Shaking Hands; Manages to Break Free (Video)

The man was taken down by security officers

freedomslighthouse

Raw video from French TV showing France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy being grabbed by an assailant as he shook hands in the French city of Brax. The man grabbed Sarkozy by the shoulder and tried to pull him over a barricade. Sarkozy quickly escaped the grasp of the man and security officials tackled the assailant

Mark Halperin Suspended From MSNBC After Saying This About Barack Obama On 'Morning Joe' (Video)

From today's Morning Joe, Watch the video

Statement from MSNBC:

Mark Halperin’s comments this morning were completely inappropriate and unacceptable. We apologize to the President, The White House and all of our viewers. We strive for a high level of discourse and comments like these have no place on our air. Therefore, Mark will be suspended indefinitely from his role as an analyst.

Statement from Mark Halperin:

I completely agree with everything in MSNBC’s statement about my remark. I believe that the step they are taking in response is totally appropriate. Again, I want to offer a heartfelt and profound apology to the President, to my MSNBC colleagues, and to the viewers. My remark was unacceptable, and I deeply regret it.

46% Think America’s Best Days Are in The Past

Only 37% feel the country's best days are in the future

rasmussenreports

U.S. voters continue to be largely pessimistic about the country's future.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that a plurality of Likely Voters (46%) think America’s best days are in the past. Thirty-seven percent (37%) feel the country’s best days are in the future. Sixteen percent (16%) are not sure.

Optimism about the nation’s future has ranged from 31% to 48% since late 2006 but has generally been in the mid- to-high 30s for much of the Obama presidency. Those who think America’s best days are behind us have ranged from 37% to 53% since November 2006.

With a number of economic indicators hitting new lows in recent days, it's perhaps not surprising that voters also continue to favor a smaller government. Sixty-five percent (65%) prefer a government with fewer services and lower taxes over one with more services and higher taxes.

Twenty-five percent (25%) like a government with more services and higher taxes instead. These findings have changed little for several years now.

Report: Pakistan Ends U.S. Use of Air Base To Launch Drone Strikes

Reuters

Pakistan has stopped the United States from using an air base in the southwest of the country to launch drone strikes against militant groups, the defense minister was quoted as saying, as ties remain strained between the two countries.

Pakistan has long publicly opposed the missile attacks as a violation of its sovereignty, but has in private given support including intelligence to help target members of al-Qaida and the Taliban in the northwest region along the Afghan border.

The Financial Times quoted Defense Minister Ahmed Mukhtar as saying that Pakistan had ended U.S. drone flights out of Shamsi base in the southwestern province of Baluchistan, long reported to have been used for the covert war against militants.

"No U.S. flights are taking place from Shamsi any longer. If there have to be flights from the base, it will only be Pakistani flights," Mukhtar told the newspaper

John Bolton: Obama Just Doesn't Care About National Security

"It makes him very different from every other president since Franklin Roosevelt"

breitbart.tv

Reuters: U.S. To Resume Formal Contacts With the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt

"The political landscape in Egypt has changed" a senior U.S. official said Wednesday. The hits just keep on coming from this bunch.

reuters

The United States has decided to resume formal contacts with the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, a senior U.S. official said on Wednesday, in a step that reflects the Islamist group's growing political weight but that is almost certain to upset Israel and its U.S. backers.

"The political landscape in Egypt has changed, and is changing," said the senior official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "It is in our interests to engage with all of the parties that are competing for parliament or the presidency."

The official sought to portray the shift as a subtle evolution rather than a dramatic change in Washington's stance toward the Brotherhood, a group founded in 1928 that seeks to promote its conservative vision of Islam in society.

Under the previous policy, U.S. diplomats were allowed to deal with Brotherhood members of parliament who had won seats as independents -- a diplomatic fiction that allowed them to keep lines of communication open.

Where U.S. diplomats previously dealt only with group members in their role as parliamentarians, a policy the official said had been in place since 2006, they will now deal directly with low-level Brotherhood party officials

Mark Levin Blasts Barack Obama's Propaganda Press Conference

"A display in demagogic socialism"


therightscoop

Fox News Poll: Romney Remains Top GOP Preference as Texas Governor Rick Perry Draws Close Behind

Pawlenty and Santorum way down in this poll

foxnews.com

While former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney remains the preferred 2012 Republican presidential nominee, three rivals are close behind -- including two who haven’t announced they are running.

In a Fox News poll released Wednesday, Romney received the backing of 18 percent of GOP primary voters. He’s followed by Texas Gov. Rick Perry at 13 percent, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann at 11 percent and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani at 10 percent. Perry and Giuliani have not declared their candidacies.

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, also undeclared, is now in single digits at 8 percent support, and Texas Congressman Ron Paul garners the support of 7 percent.

All other candidates receive the support of 5 percent or less.

Romney officially announced his run on June 2, and Bachmann announced that she had filed the paperwork to run during a Republican presidential debate in New Hampshire on June 13.

In the new poll, Romney’s support dropped 5 percentage points from 23 percent in early June. Since then, Bachmann’s support almost tripled from 4 percent to 11 percent, while Palin’s support dropped 4 points. Perry makes his Fox News poll debut very near the top of the field.

Palin supporters splinter when asked their second choice, with many undecided. Without Palin in the race, Romney increases his edge by 2 points, and Perry, Bachmann and Giuliani all gain 1 point each.

If Perry decides not to run, Bachmann gets a 5-point bump and Romney gains 2 points

GOP 2012
Romney 18%
Perry 13%
Bachmann 11%
Giuliani 10%
Palin 8%
Paul 7%
Cain 5%
Pawlenty 3%
Gingrich 3%
Huntsman 3%
Santorum 2%

Obama Asked About Operation 'Fast and Furious' At Presser, Calls It 'Inappropriate'

"We got to find out how that happened." Once again, the White House, the Justice Dept. knew nothing. Someone at Justice had to authorize it.

"My Attorney General has made clear that he certainly would not have ordered gun running to pass through into Mexico"

cnsnews

President Barack Obama declined to call for anyone to be held accountable in a Justice Department operation that allowed about 2,000 guns to flow into Mexico.

A reporter asked Obama during a White House news conference Wednesday, if the president would replace the leadership in the operation. Obama said the operation was under investigation and that it was not an appropriate investigative method.

“As you know, my attorney general has made clear he certainly would not have ordered gun running to pass through into Mexico,” Obama told reporters.

Attorney General Eric Holder, who asked the Justice Department’s Office of Inspector General to investigate the matter, told the House Judiciary Committee on May 3 that he “probably heard about Fast and Furious for the first time over the last few weeks

Darrell Issa responds, blasting Obama's comment on Fast and Furious

President Obama's remarks today on Operation Fast and Furious were disappointing,” Issa said in a statement.

“There was no sign of urgency to provide answers or explain why no one at the Justice Department has accepted responsibility for authorizing an illegal gunwalking operation six months after Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry's murder.

“The American people expect more from the President than unsubstantiated assertions that the Attorney General didn't know about this reckless program and no explanation about who authorized it,” Darrel Issa said in a statement

DCCC Fundraising Email Mocks John Boehner: "Let's Give Him Something To Really Cry About"

Contribute $35 and "Make Boehner Cry"


politico

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is circulating a fundraising pitch asking donors to "Make John Boehner Cry."

"We all know it doesn’t take much to make Speaker Boehner get teary-eyed. But let’s give him something to really cry about," writes DCCC Executive Director Robby Mook in the solicitation. "Just 24 hours from now marks the first mid-year Federal Election Commission (FEC) deadline of the 2012 campaign."

EMAIL:
"We all know it doesn’t take much to make Speaker Boehner get teary-eyed. But let’s give him something to really cry about.

Just 24 hours from now marks the first mid-year Federal Election Commission (FEC) deadline of the 2012 campaign.

This deadline is so huge that just last week Boehner announced he’s transferring $1 million of his own Big-Oil-tainted funds to our Republican counterparts to give the false impression that they are the ones with the momentum at this critical benchmark.

We can't let this stand.We absolutely must exceed Boehner’s cash infusion with over $1 million in grass-roots support of our own. But we need your help immediately.

Make John Boehner Cry: contribute $35 or more before Midnight Tomorrow and House Democrats will triple-match your gift.

If we want to show we’re serious about taking the speaker’s gavel away from John Boehner, we can’t wait until 2012.We have 24 hours left to raise the $92,023 more we need to beat Boehner's $1 million -- Act now.
Robby Mook
DCCC Executive Director

Bachmann Defends Medicaid Funds To Spouse's Mental Health Clinic

Associated Press

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Republican presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann is deflecting questions about federally subsidized health dollars that have flowed to her husband's mental health clinic.

As the tea party hero tours the nation attacking the size of federal government, the Minnesota congresswoman has come under heightened scrutiny over public dollars flowing to family business interests. That includes $137,000 that Bachmann and Associates has received for treating patients in Medicaid-backed programs.

Bachmann press secretary Alice Stewart issued a statement Wednesday contending that it "would be discriminatory" for the clinic to turn away Medicaid patients. She says Marcus Bachmann's business has the responsibility to provide the care "regardless of a patient's financial situation."

Poll Shows Alaskans Would Vote For Barack Obama Over Sarah Palin

And many on our side believe she is the one the White House 'fears.' I would say if you can't carry your home state of Alaska which has voted one time in its history for a Democrat (Johnson in '64) it's probably a good indication you wouldn't win the general, besides the fact that she's trailing by double digits in most of the battleground states.

Anchorage Daily

A new Hays Research poll shows Barack Obama would beat Sarah Palin among Alaskans if the presidential election was today.

The poll found 42 percent of Alaskan voters would pick or are learning toward Obama in a head to head race against Palin for the presidency, while 36 percent of the voters would choose or are leaning toward Palin over him.

Conservative Anchorage radio host Mike Porcaro paid for Hays Research to ask the question.

“Sarah Palin showcases her Alaska roots at every opportunity, but the surprising reality is she has become highly unpopular in her home state,” Porcaro said in an emailed statement.

“Whether it is the fact she left office after serving barely two years or that some Alaskans believe her tax policies have punished our vital oil and gas industry or the ‘rock star’ nature of her media coverage, these results show Sarah Palin would lose to Obama in Alaska, where voters overwhelmingly support conservative candidates,” Porcaro said.

Respondents who had “strong” views favored Obama 34 percent to Palin’s 25 percent.

Obama’s margin goes to 42 percent versus 36 percent to Palin when voters who described their views as “not so strong,” or just leaning a particular way were added in to the results.

Sixteen percent of the respondents said they were undecided and another 7 percent volunteered a different candidate.

In the 2000 election, Al Gore lost his home state of Tennessee by 4 points to George W. Bush and those 11 electorale votes cost him the presidency

Fox News Mike Emanuel To Obama: You Didn't Use The Word 'Victory' In Your Afghanistan Drawdown Speech (Video)

Obama's response? "I didn't use victory in my Westpoint speech either"

General Allen: Obama Afghan Withdrawal Plan Were Not Among Options Presented To Him by General David Petraeus

Ignoring the General's recommendations and then lying about it

dailycaller

President Obama’s troop withdrawal plan was not among the options presented to him by General David Petraeus, according to testimony given under oath by Marine Lt. General John Allen, seemingly contradicting statements made previously by a White House official.

When asked by South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham during a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee Tuesday whether the president’s withdrawal plan was “one of the options presented to the president by General Petraeus,” Allen responded, “It was not.”

But The Weekly Standard points out that in a background conference call with senior administration officials on the president’s withdrawal plan on June 22, a senior administration official said that Obama’s plan “was fully within the range of options that were presented to him and has the full support of his national security team.”

“In terms of General Petraeus, I think that, consistent with our approach to this, General Petraeus presented the president with a range of options for pursuing this drawdown,” the senior administration official said, conceding, “there were certainly options that went beyond what the president settled.”

“That said, the President’s decision was fully within the range of options that were presented to him and has the full support of his national security team,” the official continued

General John Allen: Obama's troop drawdown "a more aggressive" option than what was presented and it was not an option from General Petraeus. Here is the exchange between Republican senator Lindsey Graham and the General

Cuba Airs Images of Hugo Chavez To Quell Health Rumors

There were reports Saturday that Chavez was in 'critical condition' after surgery. These are images and video from Cubavision of Chavez and fellow tyrant Fidel Castro showing Hugo standing and walking. No one really knows when the video was taken

Venezuelan state television broadcast videos and photographs Tuesday night showing a convalescing President Hugo Chavez meeting with Fidel Castro two weeks after undergoing urgent surgery in Cuba.

An aide to Venezuela’s president said the encounter in Cuba took place earlier in the day.

“We see him recovering,” Information Minister Andres Izarra said on state television as the short video clips and photographs were shown of Chavez standing and talking outdoors with Castro. Cuban state TV also broadcast pictures of the get-together (via AP)

Vacationer-In-Chief To Return To Martha's Vineyard in August

The president will take a much need break from fundraising and spend 7 to 10 days at Martha's Vineyard

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — For the first family, their Vineyard haven is taking on the flavor of a summer White House. President Obama, for the third straight year, is planning to return to Martha’s Vineyard for vacation this summer, according to a White House official.

The Obamas are scheduled to spend seven to 10 days on the island in mid- to late August, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of security concerns.

Arrangements for White House staff members and Secret Service personnel who travel with the Obamas have been made.

The family is expected to stay at Blue Heron Farm in Chilmark, the same 28-acre estate the family rented in 2009 and 2010. The farm overlooks Tisbury Great Pond and includes a basketball court, pool, and boat house.

Last year, White House officials told the Globe that the Obamas like Martha’s Vineyard in part because of its natural beauty, beaches, and food.

“And it’s someplace that the president went before he was president and likes to go back because it’s a comfortable place where he can rest and recharge the batteries a little bit,’’ said Bill Burton, Obama’s deputy press secretary at the time.

During past vacations on the Vineyard, the president spent much of his time on the farm but ventured out sporadically for golf and for family jaunts for ice cream and shopping.

Bill Clinton: Obama Will Win Despite 9% Jobless Rate

That's quite amazing coming from a man who won the presidency by attacking George H.W. Bush for "the worst economy in the last 50 years" when the unemployment rate was 7.3% in October 1992. But today, a 9.1% unemployment rate? That's nothing President Obama can't overcome...

usatoday

Former president Bill Clinton says he would be "surprised" if President Obama doesn't win re-election next year, even given today's 9% unemployment rate.

In an upbeat assessment of Obama's political future and the U.S. jobs picture, Clinton told reporters Tuesday afternoon that several years worth of economic stimulus, bank and auto bailouts, and business incentives are paying off.

The ex-president is trying to do his part. His Clinton Global Initiative will hold two days of meetings in Chicago Wednesday and Thursday in an effort to get hundreds of new commitments from the public and private sectors for job-creating endeavors.

"There is enough money in the banks and the corporate treasuries to get not just the United States but the entire world out of the economic doldrums that we're in," Clinton said during a conference call. "There's more than enough there to stimulate not only an American recovery but a global recovery."

On the 2009 Economic Stimulus:

Clinton said the law signed by Obama prevented the jobless rate from being 1.5% to 2% higher. "I think the stimulus did as well as it could have done .There just wasn't enough of it" Clinton said

'Red light Cameras' Being Outlawed After Claims They Actually Cause Accidents

Drivers seeing red light cameras are slamming on their breaks and getting hit in the back by other drivers. It is causing many to ask if the cameras are actually making things worse. A video report from ABC News has the stats on red light cameras

Media Not Wasting Any Time Going After Republican Michele Bachmann

Headline late tonight on MSDNC


Michael Isikoff National investigative correspondent msnbc.com

While Rep. Michelle Bachmann, R-Minn., has forcefully denounced the Medicaid program for swelling the "welfare rolls," the mental health clinic run by her husband has been collecting annual Medicaid payments totaling over $137,000 for the treatment of patients since 2005, according to new figures obtained by NBC News.

Other political news of note Bachmann's husband got $137,000 in Medicaid funds. A health clinic run by the husband of presidential candidate Michelle Bachmann has been collecting annual Medicaid payments totaling over $137,000 since 2005, according to new figures obtained by NBC News.

The previously unreported payments are on top of the $24,000 in federal and state funds that Bachmann & Associates, the clinic founded by Marcus Bachmann, a clinical therapist, received in recent years under a state grant to train its employees, state records show. The figures were provided to NBC News in response to a Freedom of Information request.

The clinic, based in Lake Elmo, Minn., describes itself on its website as offering "quality Christian counseling" for a large number of mental health problems ranging from "anger management" to addictions and eating disorders

Here's the video. BTW, Lawrence O'Donnell calls this 'Breaking News' tonight on the Last Word

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Libs at Media Matters Hold Event in Celebration of Glenn Beck's Departure From Fox News

David Brock says "we changed that story and changed Beck into a huge embarrassment for Fox." They play video mocking Beck. Paul Begala follows up mocking Beck wearing glasses.

"This is a warning to them. Watch out, because if we can bring down Glenn Beck, you are next buddy" Video from politico:

Boehner: 'Dealing With This Debt Problem Is Far More Important Than Meeting Some Artificial Date Created By the Treasury Secretary'

**UPDATE** Complete video added

John Boehner says 'we cannot miss this opportunity' on Hannity tonight

Department of Health and Human Services Cancels 'Mystery Shopper' Proposal

"Now is not the time to move forward with this research project"-HHS

thehill

The Obama administration late Tuesday announced that it was abandoning a proposal to have "mystery shoppers" try to make doctor's appointments after Republicans and some doctors called it "spying."

The proposal was aimed at studying Medicare and Medicaid patients' access to primary care. The proposal has gotten a deluge of criticism since the New York Times reported on it Sunday.

"On April 28th, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services submitted a notice to the Federal Register regarding a proposed study that would examine access to primary care. After reviewing feedback received during the public comment period, we have determined that now is not the time to move forward with this research project," an HHS official said in a statement. "Instead, we will pursue other initiatives that build on our efforts to increase access to health care providers nationwide."

The proposal's dismissal comes after Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) called on his colleagues to sign onto a letter to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius urging her to nix the idea.

Olbermann on TSA Pat-Down of 95-Year-Old: TSA's John Pistole "Needs To Be Fired and We Need To Get a Human Being In There To Do His Job" (Video)

"The agency is really going to defend abusing 95-year-old leukemia patients on the incomprehensible premise that they might be suicide bombers?"

Olbermamnn: "That attitude has only been growing in the last year since the feel ups began at the airports and if it’s not going to change, the agency is really going to defend abusing 95-year-old leukemia patients on the incomprehensible premise that they might be suicide bombers, then this John Pistole, the head of the TSA, he needs to be fired and we need to get a human being in there to do his job. John Pistole TSA chief. Frisk this buddy.

Obama: My Economic Policies Pulled The Country Back From The Brink (Video)

9.1% unemployment, a $14.4 trillion debt, a $1.65 trillion deficit, record foreclosures, near record gas prices, 13 million unemployed, underemployment at 24 million and Barack Obama tells us his decisions have pulled the economy back from the brink. Here's a man who is really no different than the sham-wow guy. Barack Obama in Bettendorf, Iowa today

City of Eugene, Oregon Says Saying the Pledge of Allegiance is Divisive

City Council will not be saying the pledge of allegiance before every city council meeting but will limit the pledge to just 4 times a year. Here is why


foxnews

An Oregon town's City Council voted down a proposal to say the Pledge of Allegiance before every council meeting, but later passed a compromise that seemed to make no one happy.

The approved measure allows the pledge to be recited at just four Eugene City Council meetings a year, those closest to the Fourth of July, Veterans Day, Memorial Day and Flag Day.

It was supposed to be simple, but Councilman Mike Clark soon found out when you’re dealing with God and country, nothing in Eugene is easy.

Clark says all he wanted to do was unite the council and show his more conservative constituents that in this city where diversity is celebrated, their more traditional values also are important.

“It’s a little ironic to see those who have championed the idea of tolerance be less tolerant on this question,” Clark Said. Mayor Kitty Piercy called the Pledge of Allegiance divisive. “If there’s one thing the flag stands for,” Piercy says, “it’s that people don’t have to be compelled to say the Pledge of Allegiance or anything else

GOP Primary 2012: Bachmann Leads In Oregon and Montana

If Sarah Palin is not included, Bachmann leads Romney in 2 states

publicpolicypolling

We've never found her leading one of our state polls until now but Michele Bachmann's been on fire for the last two weeks and we find her at the top of the GOP field in both Oregon and Montana when Sarah Palin's not included. That's just more indication that if Palin ends up not running Bachmann will pretty instantaneously vault to co-front runner status with Mitt Romney, provided she can continue her current momentum.

In Oregon Bachmann gets 29% to 28% for Romney, 10% for Ron Paul, 9% for Newt Gingrich, 7% for Herman Cain, 6% for Tim Pawlenty, and 2% for Jon Huntsman. In Montana she leads with 25% to 22% for Romney, 11% for Gingrich, 10% for Paul, 9% for Pawlenty,8% for Cain, and 4% for Huntsman.

In both states Bachmann's support is built on strong support from the far right. In Oregon moderates prefer Romney over her by a 39-15 margin and 'somewhat conservatives' ones favor him by a 29-22 margin as well. But with 'very conservative' voters, which constitute the largest share of the primary electorate at 44%, Bachmann leads 37-26 and that fuels her small overall lead. It's a similar story in Montana. Romney leads 21-13 with moderates and 26-22 with 'somewhat conservative' voters. But Bachmann is up 34-19 with 'very conservative' voters and with their constituting 39% of Republican voters that gives her the upper hand overall.

Oregon GOP 2012


Montana GOP 2012

"It Was a Hostile Situation" Glenn Beck & Family Harassed During Outdoor Movie Night in NYC Park

"Somebody kicked a cup of wine intentionally on my wife's back." Glenn Beck talks about going to a movie in NYC's Bryant Park with his family

theblaze.com reported

There are those who love freedom of expression, as long as it’s not conservatives who are doing the expressing. Just ask Glenn Beck. On radio Tuesday, he told the stunning story of how he and his family were harassed during an outdoor movie in New York City’s Bryant Park.

For those unfamiliar with Bryant Park, it hosts weekly showings of classic films during the summer months. Attendees bring blankets and picnic dinners and sprawl out on the park’s great lawn while watching the films on a giant screen.

As Beck explained, he attended Monday night‘s public showing of Alfred Hitchcock’s “The 39 Steps” with his wife and daughter. During the film, he was ridiculed, had someone “kick a cup” of wine on his wife and on his blanket, and even witnessed another person stand up and yell, “We hate conservatives here"

Only 37% Approve of Obama's Handling of the Economy, An All-Time Low

60% of Independents, 91% of Republicans disapprove

mcclatchydc

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is in a fragile position as the 2012 campaign begins: Only 37 percent of registered voters approve of his handling of the economy, his lowest rating ever, according to a new McClatchy-Marist poll.

Another ominous sign for Obama: By nearly 2-1, voters disapprove of how he's handling the federal budget deficit, expected to hit a record $1.5 trillion this fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.

"It's a real caution sign ... the four-year lease on the White House is very much dependent on how people end up looking at the economy," said Lee Miringoff, the director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion, which performed the survey

Obama's political stature, like that of most modern presidents, largely rises and falls with the economy. He's been singed lately by gasoline prices that reached $4 a gallon, a May unemployment rate of 9.1 percent and an economy that grew at a modest 1.9 percent pace in this year's first quarter

The economic numbers tell why: Fifty-eight percent of voters disapprove of Obama's handling of the economy, comprising 60 percent of independents, 31 percent of Democrats and 91 percent of Republicans

Now for the stunner. Here we are 2 1/2 years into the Obama presidency

'Project Gunrunner' Whistleblower Says ATF Sent Him Termination Notice

Agent Vince Cefalu, a 24 year veteran spoke out about the ATF's gunrunner scandal and says he was served with termination papers last week. House Oversight and Reform Chairman Darrell Issa warned the TSA last week not to retaliate against whistleblowers

foxnews

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is being accused of retaliating against an agent who helped publicize the agency’s role in allowing thousands of guns to cross the U.S. border and fall into the hands of Mexican drug gangs.

The agent, Vince Cefalu, who has spoken out about the ATF's so-called "Project Gunrunner" scandal, says he was served with termination papers just last week, and he calls the move politically motivated.

Cefalu first told FoxNews.com about the ATF’s embattled anti-gun smuggling operation in December, before the first reports on the story appeared in February. “Simply put, we knowingly let hundreds of guns and dozens of identified bad guys go across the border,” Cefalu said at the time.

Since then, Cefalu’s claims have been vindicated, as a number of agents with first-hand knowledge of the case came forward. The scandal over Project Gunrunner led to congressional hearings, a presidential reprimand – Obama called the operation “a serious mistake” – and speculation that ATF chief Ken Melson will resign.

Yet last week, Cefalu, who has worked for the agency for 24 years, was forced to turn in his gun and badge. Cefalu’s dismissal follows a string of allegations that the ATF retaliates against whistleblowers

Tom Petty To Bachmann Campaign: Don't Use Our Song Anymore

Michele Bachmann used the song 'American Girl' from Tom Petty following her announcement today that she's running for president.


NBC's Kelly O'Donnell reported:

"When Bachmann left the stage (today in Waterloo), her campaign played the Tom Petty hit song 'American Girl,' turns out Petty isn't pleased, his manager says they will ask the Bachmann campaign to not to use that song, they also asked George Bush not to use any of his music. But Hillary Clinton did use 'American Girl' throughout her campaign in 2008"

Flashback September 2008: The group 'Heart' asks Sarah Palin to no longer play their music after 'Barracuda' was played at the Republican National Convention

Karl Rove: "The American People Are Sick and Tired Of The President Blaming Everything On His Predecessor"

Rove on the O'Reilly Factor with Juan Williams. Rove is on to talk about Crossroads GPS, the group that is hitting Obama hard with great ads on the economy.



This is the latest ad from Crossroads GPS

Charges Dropped Against Woman Who Was Arrested For Videotaping Police In Her Own Front Yard

Remember the woman who recorded this from her front yard as was told by police to go inside? A update to the story

Prosecutors dismissed a charge Monday against a community activist who was arrested while filming a police encounter with her iPod camera because she was concerned it was initiated by racial profiling.

"I'm feeling vindicated, I'm feeling energetic" Emily Good, 28, of Rochester, New York, said of the decision to have the charge dropped.

Good had been charged with obstruction of governmental administration when she began videotaping the interrogation of a black man by three white officers in front of her house on May 12, she said.

"Based upon the evidence, we could not make out the elements of the crime charged," Monroe County First Assistant District Attorney Sandra Doorley said. via cnn

Video report:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Mrs. Obama’s South Africa Trip Cost Taxpayers Over $500,000

Possibly in the range of $700K to $800K

US First Lady Michelle Obama, daughters Sasha and Malia, mother Marian Robinson, niece Leslie Robinson and nephew Avery Robinson tour Madikwe Game Reserve in South Africa, on June 25

whitehousedossier

First Lady Michelle Obama’s trip to South Africa and Botswana last week cost taxpayers well over half a million dollars, possibly in the range of $700,000 or $800,000, according to an analysis by White House Dossier.

Many of the trip’s expenses cannot be obtained with specificity, including the cost of local transportation for the first lady, Secret Service protection, the care and feeding of staffers, and pre-trip advance work done by administration officials in South Africa.

But it is possible to estimate some of these costs and put a price tag on one of the major expenses – her transportation to and from southern Africa and her trips between cities there.

While the goals of her journey – “youth leadership, education, health and wellness” in southern Africa, according to the White House – are laudable, many may question whether such an expensive outreach overseas by the president’s wife is worthwhile given the threat of the ballooning federal debt to the economy.

Based on the plane’s tail number and a description of it in a press pool report, it’s clear Mrs. Obama flew over and back on a C-32, a specially configured military version of the Boeing 757 that also ferries the vice president on occasion and is sometimes known as “Air Force Two.”

According to publicly available Defense Department figures, DOD charges other federal agencies $12,723 an hour to cover expenses for the use of a C-32. Based on the distance traveled and the flight speed of the plane, this adds up to about $430,000 for use of the aircraft alone more at WH dossier link

McConnell: "If Government Spending Were The Answer to an Economic Slowdown, We'd Be In a Boom-Time Right Now"

Senator Mitch McConnell on the senate floor today says increasing spending and raising taxes is off the table.

"We've seen the consequences of giving Washington a blank check. It's the reason we're in the mess to begin with. My message to the president is really quite simple, it's time for Washington to focus on fixing itself. It's time for Washington to take the hit, not the taxpayers"

Rod Blagojevich Found Guilty on 17 of 20 Counts

via wgn television:
1-10 count guilty
11th count no verdict
12-15 guilty
16th count no verdict

Patti Blagojevich collapses into brother's arms during following verdict (via WGN)
Rod Blagojevich showing no emotion (WGN)

abclocal wlsvideo

June 27, 2011 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- Former governor Rod Blagojevich was found guilty on 17 of 20 counts in his second corruption trial. The jury found him not guilty on one count and was hung on two others

The foreman of the jury read the counts, one-by-one. Jurors were hung on counts 11 and 16; and Blagojevich was found not guilty on count 17.

Blagojevich, 54, faced 20 counts ranging from conspiracy to soliciting a bribe to wire fraud. Jurors were hung on two of those counts.

Before the verdict was read, Blagojevich said, "It's in God's hands," as he left his Ravenswood Manor home. He then quoted an Elvis song, "All Shook Up," saying, "My hands are shaking, my knees are weak. I can't seem to stand on my own two feet."

Blagojevich, who was with his wife, Patti, greeted court watchers outside the Dirksen Federal Building with hugs and handshakes. Crowds gathered to hear the verdict, and a second overflow room was set up because so many people showed up Monday afternoon.

Obama Campaign Says a Bachmann Presidency Would ‘Erode the Path to Prosperity for Middle Class Families’

Obama campaign responds directly to Bachmann?

Last week the Obama campaign spokesman did the same to Jon Huntsman. I think the Bachmann campaign probably is pretty happy when the president's spokesman issues a statement directly following your announcement for president.


ABC News

ABC News’ Devin Dwyer reports: Signaling its messaging operation has kicked into gear, the Obama campaign today directly responded to Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann’s bid for the presidency, saying her economic policies would devastate the middle class.

“Congresswoman Bachmann talks about reclaiming the American Dream, but her policies would erode the path to prosperity for middle class families,” Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt said in a statement.

“She voted for a budget plan that would extend tax cuts for the richest Americans on the backs of seniors and the middle class while ending Medicare as we know it,” he said.

“Congresswoman Bachmann introduced legislation to repeal Wall Street oversight -- risking a repeat of the financial crisis -- and while she voted to preserve subsidies for oil and gas companies, she opposes making the investments necessary to enhance America’s competitiveness and create the jobs of the future

The criticism of Bachmann is the second time in as many weeks that the Obama campaign has directly addressed a member of the 2012 Republican field. Last week, LaBolt responded to Jon Huntsman’s presidential announcement, saying the former Utah governor was “proposing a return to the failed economic policies that led us into the recession

Tim Pawlenty Downplays Poor Showing in Iowa Poll: "These Early Polls Aren't a Good Predictor of How The Race is Going To Come Out"

PAWLENTY: "Iowans decide late"..."Mike Huckabee was at 6% in the polls and ended up winning the Iowa caucuses"

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

International Criminal Court Issues Arrest Warrant For Moammar Qaddafi

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants Monday for Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi and two of his relatives.

ICC Judge Sanji Mmasenono Monageng read aloud the decision to issue warrants for Gadhafi, his son Saif al-Islam Gadhafi and brother-in-law Abdullah al-Sanussi.

Saif Al-Islam Gadhafi is a close adviser to his father. His arrest warrant came two days after his 39th birthday. Al-Sanussi serves as Gadhafi's head of intelligence.

The warrants are "for crimes against humanity," including murder and persecution, "allegedly committed across Libya" from Feb. 15 through "at least" Feb. 28, "through the state apparatus and security forces," the court said in a news release.

In Misrata, a critical city for Libyan rebels in which fighting has raged, a crowd cheered Monday following the news from the court.

The announcement at The Hague came as fighting inside Libya inched closer to the capital. A rebel fighter, Hassan al-Jiwali, told CNN the rebels were 80 kilometers (50 miles) from Tripoli on Monday via CNN International

Video: Obama's Winning the Future-WTF?

"If Obama wins, we all lose"

rightchange.com

73% Say Woman President Likely in Next 10 Years

82% willing to vote for a woman president

rasmussenreports

Voters are more willing than ever to elect a woman president, and most think there’s a good chance a woman will win the White House in the next 10 years.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 82% of Likely U.S. Voters say they are willing to vote for a woman president. Just nine percent (9% are not))

In December 2006, 78% of voters said they were willing to vote for a woman president, but that number fell slightly to 71% in February 2008 as Hillary Clinton battled Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Sixty percent (60%) of voters say their family, friends and coworkers would be willing to elect a woman to the White House, up from 49% in April 2005. Fourteen percent (14%) say they would not, and a sizable 27% are not sure.

Nearly three-out-of-four voters (73%) now think it’s at least somewhat likely that a woman will be elected president in the next 10 years, although that includes just 26% who say it is Very Likely. Twenty-four percent (24%) feel a woman president is unlikely in the next decade, but only three percent (3%) say it’s Not At All Likely

Bachmann Launches Presidential Campaign, Says Nation 'Cannot Afford Four More Years of Barack Obama''

foxnews.com

WATERLOO, Iowa – Rep. Michele Bachmann, stressing her Iowa roots and appealing directly to Tea Party voters, came out punching Monday as she formally launched her campaign for president.

Buoyed by a strong showing in several recent polls, the Minnesota congresswoman cast her campaign as the voice for "constitutional conservatives" looking for a government that lives within its means while giving the private sector the room to grow. She launched a broadside against President Obama for racking up too much debt while stimulating too little job growth and vowed to make him a "one-term president."

"We cannot afford four more years of Barack Obama," she declared, later adding: "We can win in 2012 and we will win."

In her announcement, Bachmann described a special bond with Iowa, the nation's leadoff caucus state. She held the kickoff in her hometown of Waterloo, Iowa, and called herself a "descendent of generations of Iowans," saying the state is where she learned "everything I needed to know." She also appealed to another vital primary constituency, calling herself part of the Tea Party movement and defending it as a cross-section of Republicans, independents and disaffected Democrats.

Video: Bachmann talks about her Iowa roots today in Waterloo

TSA Stands By Officer's Pat-Down of 95-Year-Old Woman Who Was Forced To Remove Adult Diaper At Airport

The 95-year-old woman was flying to Michigan from Florida to be with family during final stages of her battle with leukemia. The daughter says her mother was stopped at a TSA checkpoint for 45 minutes. During the pat-down, TSA agents "felt something suspicious" inside the adult diaper and "could not complete the security check without the Depends off." Here's another video report of PC insanity courtesy of the TSA

ABC's David Muir: Will 'Deeply Felt Criticism in Africa Melt Under the Glow Cast By Mrs. Obama and Her Girls?'

From Sunday's ABC's "This Week." Another puff piece from liberal media on Michelle's trip to Africa

newsbusters

MUIR: "There are many who wonder if Mrs. Obama’s visit will help soothe criticism that her husband has not done enough to reach out to Africa. Critics point out just one visit while in office. Some argue the HIV/AIDS effort was stronger under the Bush administration. But the Obama White House argues it has laid out a plan for Africa combating hunger and widening public health outreach beyond HIV.

The question now: will some of that deeply felt criticism in Africa melt under the glow cast by Mrs. Obama and her girls who came here to spread their own message that there is still work to be done:

Chris Wallace Apologizes For Asking Michele Bachmann if She's a "Flake" on Fox News Sunday

"I messed up"


Here's the video from Fox News Sunday this morning. Wallace asks Bachmann "You have a history of questionable statements, some would say gaffes...Are you a flake? You understand when I say that that's what the wrap on you is"

David Brooks: A Lot of Democrats are Saying to Obama "Lead Us On a Damn Charge Once in Your Life"

David Brooks on Meet the Press says Obama is like 'convener in chief' wanting to hang back and come in at the end. "As president he is proving he could be a really good Senate majority leader." He says Democrats are saying 'lead us on a damn charge once in your life'

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Obama Campaign Seeks 450,000 Donors, $60 Million Cash by June 30

abcnews

Less than a week before the first major fundraising period of the 2012 campaign comes to a close, the Obama campaign is making a final push for new grassroots donors.

“Of course we have a budget and financial goals,” said campaign manager Jim Messina in an email blast to supporters. “But we believe that the true strength of our campaign is the number of everyday people owning a piece of it.”

Messina said the campaign has set a target of 450,000 individual donors by the June 30 deadline. A meter on the campaign website showed 377,151 donors as of this writing.

Sources close to the campaign have previously said aides hoped to raise $60 million for the Obama Victory Fund during the second quarter –- a goal pegged to the amount raised jointly by President George W. Bush and the RNC for his reelection campaign during the same period in 2003.

A Democratic Party official said Friday that the Obama campaign is “close to the mark, but not there yet” on the fundraising goal. The fund is joint effort of the campaign and the DNC

Dem Senator Jim Webb on Libya: The Reasons The President Used For Going In 'Defy Historical Precedent'

"There's a very serious issue of precedent here"

WEBB: "The president did not come to congress...We weren't under attack, we weren't under an imminent attack, we weren't honoring treaty commitments, we weren't rescuing anyone"

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Pelosi on Deficit Reduction: "You Cannot Achieve What You Set Out To Do If You Say It's Just About Cutting"

"All this talk about tax cuts, in the Bush years the Republicans said that tax cuts would produce jobs, they didn't, they produced a deficit."


Should anyone listen to a word from Nancy Pelosi about deficit reduction? On Jan. 4, 2007, the Pelosi’s first day as Speaker, the national debt was $8,6 trillion The day she handed over the gavel on Jan. 5, 2011, the deficit $14.01 trillion, an increase of over $5 trillion.

"After years of historic deficits, this 110th Congress will commit itself to a higher standard: Pay as you go, no new deficit spending,” -Nancy Pelosi January 4, 2007

Iowa Poll: Mitt Romney 23%, Michele Bachmann 22%, Herman Cain 10%

At the bottom is Pawlenty, Santorum and Huntsman

desmoinesregister

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Minnesota congresswoman Michele Bachmann sit atop the standings in the year’s first Des Moines Register Iowa Poll on the Republican presidential field.

Romney, the national front-runner and a familiar face in Iowa after his 2008 presidential run, attracts support from 23 percent of likely Republican caucus-goers. Bachmann, who will officially kick off her campaign in Iowa on Monday, nearly matches him, with 22 percent.

“She’s up there as a real competitor and a real contender,” said Republican pollster Randy Gutermuth, who is unaffiliated with any of the presidential candidates. “This would indicate that she’s going to be a real player in Iowa.”

Former Godfather’s CEO Herman Cain, who has never held public office but has found a following among tea party supporters, comes in third, with 10 percent.

The other candidates tested register in single digits: former U.S. Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and Texas Rep. Ron Paul, 7 percent each; former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, 6 percent; former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, 4 percent; and former Utah Gov. and ambassador to China Jon Huntsman, 2 percent.

Pawlenty has spent 26 days in Iowa during this election cycle, has hired an A-list team of Iowa campaign operatives and was the first major candidate to air television ads in Iowa

Des Moines Register: Good news for Michele Bachmann, bad news for Tim Pawlenty (at 6%) who has the biggest campaign in Iowa and spent the most time in the state.

Report: Hugo Chávez in Critical Condition In Cuban Hospital

foxnews latino

Hugo Chávez extended stay in a Cuban hospital is because he is in critical condition, according to a report in El Nuevo Herald.

The Venezuelan president, who was last seen in public June 9 and last heard from on June 12, on a phone call with Venezuelan state television, was said to have been treated for a pelvic abscess in Cuba.

During the call Chávez said that medical tests showed no sign of any "malignant" illness.

Hugo Chavez's Inner Circle has Drug Ties, Venezuelan Drug Kingpin ClaimsBut according to the report in El Nuevo Herald, Chávez finds himself in "critical condition, not grave, but critical, in a complicated situation."

The Miami newspaper cited U.S. intelligence officials who wished to remain anonymous.

Chávez silence has led to chatter and speculation in Venezuela that the socialist leader is actually suffering from prostate cancer. Intelligence officials could not confirm a diagnosis of prostate cancer but Chávez family did go to Cuba in the last 72 hours, according to wire service EFE.