U. N. Ambassador Susan Rice Under Attack

A group of 97 House Republicans sent a letter to President Barack Obama on Monday, saying that U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice misled the nation about the attack on the U.S. consulate in Libya, making her unfit to be a candidate to succeed Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

The letter, organized by South Carolina freshman Jeff Duncan, said Rice's "misleading statements" about the attack that led to the deaths of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans "caused irreparable damage to her credibility both at home and around the world."

It was the latest GOP effort to single out Rice for the mixed signals sent out by the administration in the immediate aftermath of the September attack in Benghazi. Republican Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham have led criticism in the Senate, saying Rice is unqualified and untrustworthy and promising to block her nomination if Obama picks her to take over the State Department after Clinton steps down.

Election 2012-Did Education Matter?

Election 2012 has finally been completed. The final tally of electoral votes marked 332 for President Barack Obama and 206 for Governor Mitt Romney.  The media is having a field day and analysts are examining the data in every possible way.  I stumbled upon some information from the U. S. Census Bureau-American Community Survey. It collected information on  the best and worst educated states measuring the per cent of residents over 25 with college degrees and matched the winner of the states' electoral votes.  Here's how the states voted:

Best Educated States: Voted for President Obama

Massachusetts (39.1)
Maryland (36.9)
Colorado (36.7)
Connecticut (36.2)
Vermont (35.4)
New Jersey (35.3)
Virginia (35.1)
New Hampshire (33.4)
New York (32.9)
Minnesota (32.4)


Worst Educated States: Voted for Gov. Mitt Romney (except Nevada)

West Virginia (18.5)
Mississippi (19.8)
Arkansas (20.3)
Kentucky (21.1)
Louisiana (21.1)
Alabama (22.3)
Nevada (22.5)
Indiana (23.0)
Tennessee (23.6)
Oklahoma (23.8)


Got any thoughts on this data?

Memory Lane: Obama's First Four Years

Well, Election 2012 is history and Republicans are still scratching their heads figuring out "how Romney lost". I'd rather focus on President Obama's hard won, meticulously planned and executed victory. He put his faith in a diverse coalition of African Americans, Latinos, young people, women and white folks. He maintained a superior ground game that found likely voters, persuaded them to his side and turned out the vote, despite voter suppression efforts. The President asked for four more years so that he could finish the job he started. Many folks do not know or may not remember what Barack Obama accomplished during the first four years. The list is long, impressive and well worth a second look.

New York Times and Washington Post Endorse President Obama

The New York Times editorial board endorsed President Barack Obama for president this weekend.
The venerable newspaper applauded the president’s role in rescuing the U.S. economy and passing health care reform while slamming Republican Mitt Romney for linking up with ultraconservative forces that control the Republican Party and embraced their policies, including reckless budget cuts and 30-year-old, discredited trickle-down ideas.”
The editorial added that Romney “has gotten this far with a guile that allows him to say whatever he thinks an audience wants to hear.”
The newspaper endorsed Obama in 2008.

The Washington Post endorsement said:
We come to that judgment with eyes open to the disappointments of Mr. Obama’s time in office. He did not end, as he promised he would, “our chronic avoidance of tough decisions” on fiscal matters. But Mr. Obama is committed to the only approach that can succeed: a balance of entitlement reform and revenue increases. Mr. Romney, by contrast, has embraced his party’s reality-defying ideology that taxes can always go down but may never go up. Along that road lies a future in which interest payments crowd out everything else a government should do, from defending the nation to caring for its poor and sick to investing in its children. Mr. Romney’s future also is one in which an ever-greater share of the nation’s wealth resides with the nation’s wealthy, at a time when inequality already is growing.

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell endorsed President Barack Obama for a second term Thursday.
"You know, I voted for him in 2008 and I plan to stick with him in 2012, and I'll be voting for he and Vice President Joe Biden next month," he said on CBS' "This Morning."
Powell praised the president's handling of the economy and ending of the Iraq War.
"I think we ought to keep on the track we are on," he said.
Powell said he had the "utmost respect" for Mitt Romney, but criticized his tax plan.
He said Romney's foreign policy was a "moving target." "One day he has a certain strong view about staying in Afghanistan, but then on Monday night he agrees with the withdrawal. Same thing in Iraq. On every issue that was discussed on Monday night, Gov. Romney agreed with the president with some nuances. But this is quite a different set of foreign policy views than he had earlier in the campaign."
Powell, a Republican who served in President George W. Bush's first term, backed Obama in 2008. He was frequently mentioned as a potential Republican challenger against Bill Clinton in 1996, but decided against it.

"There's only one way to succeed
in anything and that is
to give everything."
- Vince Lombardi

Armstrong Cable To Air Anti-Obama Film for Free

The Republicans continue to use every underhanded means at their disposal to garner votes for Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney. They seem to think that they can buy the election with their money and positions of power. In addition to the scandalous voter suppression efforts of Republican legislators, Romney supporters are telling their employees how to vote and threatening them to make campaign donations to their candidate.  No lie is to audacious for the candidate and his minions to tell and re-writing his past positions on issues occurs on a daily basis. Here's the latest effort to influence voters in swing states as reported in the Grio:

Christian Churches and Election 2012

Our country has distinct rules on the separation of Church and State, but to a large degree these rules seem to be clearly disregarded in some cases and grossly misunderstood in others.

"The American President" Speaks: Movie Wisdom

Here's one of President Obama's remarks from the Democratic National Convention:
"I'm not the same man I was four years ago. I'm no longer just a candidate, I'm the President."

I immediately thought of a scene from one of my favorite movies The American President. Briefly, the 1995 comedy-drama is about a widowed US president (Michael Douglas) and a lobbyist (Annette Bening as Sydney Ellen Wade) who fall in love. Don't worry. It's all aboveboard, but "politics is perception" and sparks fly anyway, stirred by the opposition candidate Senator Bob Rumson (Richard Dreyfuss).

In an important speech, President Shepherd says "America isn't easy. America is advanced leadership."  "America has serious problems to solve and we need serious people to solve them." He says his opponent "simply doesn't understand it".

Since the film's speech addresses issues all right out of the current media headlines, flag burning and all, take a minute to view the clip, them let me know your thoughts.

Cast Your Vote: It Does Matter

I was listening to a Michael Baisden radio program yesterday, and heard a 20 year old African American woman tell the show host that she wasn't going to vote in the coming election.  In fact, the caller said she wasn't even registered. While she supported President Barack Obama, she said that her vote didn't matter. The host and his sidekick George Wilborn went back and forth with the caller, recalling those who died to gain the vote for African Americans, and reminding her of how close the 2012 election is forcasted to be. I never heard a valid reason why the caller felt as she did and I felt sorry about her indifference. After the back and forward discussion, the caller promised the host to register and cast her vote in the coming election.

Paul Ryan's Black College Girlfriend

Deneeta Pope

In 2005, Ryan revealed in a statement to Milwaukee Magazine that he dated a black woman when he was in college. “I have a sister-in-law who’s African-American. My college sweetheart was black,” he said. “I just experienced some ugly comments; some racist views from people who I thought were friends of mine.”

Ryan’s campaign spokesman, Michael Steel, confirmed to the Daily Mail yesterday that “Mr. Ryan dated Ms. Pope in college. They dated in the mid-1990s, and broke up several years before Mr. Ryan met Mrs. Ryan [in 1999].”

Deneeta Pope, an African-American former cheerleader, that Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan reportedly dated in college, spoke exclusively to the Daily Mail and provided insight into claims that she was his “college sweetheart.”

First Lady Depicted As A Partially Nude Slave

Althea Legal-Miller, Clutch Magazine wrote the following:
On newsstands across Spain, Michelle Obama can be seen gracing the August 2012 cover of Magazine Fuera de Serie, a lifestyle supplement to the newspaper Expansión. She is seated on a chair draped in the American flag, partially nude in slave attire, complete with one of Aunt Jemima’s chicer headscarves. Perhaps because it seems so obviously offensive, the mind attempts to rationalize; “Did this get lost in translation, or is this as racist as I think?"

Ku Klux Klan Monument to Hate in Selma, AL

Can you believe it?

In Selma, Alabama, a monument to the first leader of the Ku Klux Klan is under construction on public land.

The statue of Confederate General Nathan Forrest -- infamous as the first Grand Wizard of the Klan and for massacring black Union soldiers at the Civil War battle of Fort Pillow -- even has the blessing of the Selma City Council.

Fear of a Black President: Ta-Nehisi Coates

Art Work by Bill Sanderson

Ta-Nehisi Coates begins his recent Atlantic article "Fear of a Black President" as follows:

As a candidate, Barack Obama said we needed to reckon with race and with America’s original sin, slavery. But as our first black president, he has avoided mention of race almost entirely. In having to be “twice as good” and “half as black,” Obama reveals the false promise and double standard of integration.
 

Coates explores the plight of the first African-American President in dealing with the country's attitudes and beliefs about race. Follow the link above, read the article and share your thoughts with me.

Ta-Nehisi Coates talks with Atlantic magazine editor Scott Stossel about the anger behind this article. Watch the video.

Ta-Nehisi Coats Talks about Anger

VIDEO: Ta-Nehisi Coates talks with Atlantic magazine editor Scott Stossel about the anger behind his article, Fear of a Black President.

A View From Another Side: A European Prespective on America

 

 

 

 

The video below has recently gone viral on You Tube and it fits right in with the issues Americans are discussing and mentions people who are making the nightly news.  It features a May 2010 exchange betwee Michael D. Harris (who was later elected President of Ireland) and Michael Graham, an American talk radio host, writer, and conservative political commentator. His daily talk show, The Natural Truth, airs on WTKK.

 

Although I know some Americans don't care at all how folks from other countries view America,  I found the video interesting on a number of different levels.  I'd love to hear your comments after you've viewed the video.

 

 

Michael D. Harris

Newsweek: "Hit The Road, Barack" Gets Blasted

Here's where we separate the men from the boys.  Here's a roadmap to the article and its critics.

For those who haven't read the controversial Newsweek article "Hit the Road, Barack, Why We Need A New President". Use the link to read Niall Ferguson's article against the President's re-election  for yourself.

Criticism was swift from a diverse group. Read the media's response.

JoAnn Reed, the Grio poses "Five Questions to Newsweek" about the article.

Naturally, Ferguson defends himself against his critics in a follow-up article, telling "Stick It".

Dig into this controversy as deeply as you wish, then share your comments.

Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire:Romney-Ryan Campaign

The Daily Beast columnist Robert Shrum comments on  the Romney-Ryan Campaign, called by some "the lyingest campaign ever".

Reckless disregard for the truth is a habit at the heart of the Romney enterprise. From the beginning, the entire campaign has been a calculated exercise in deceit. Its central rationale was conceived in a falsehood, that Romney the financial manipulator at Bain was a prolific job creator. The suspiciously round number was 100,000 jobs. The evidence? Romney never did disclose any records to back up his boast, and he took credit for hiring at companies long after Bain was gone from them—and he was gone from Bain.
 

Then, when the Obama campaign’s Bain ads hit, similar to the ones that upended Romney in a Senate contest with Ted Kennedy in 1994, the former governor was still unprepared, presumably unable to disprove the criticism or prove his self-defining claim. He retreated first to bromides about free enterprise, and more recently to a cop-out plea for an “agreement between both campaigns” to declare that attacks on “business or family or taxes” are off-limits. What’s family got to do with job-crushing profiteering, offshore tax havens, or Swiss bank accounts? It was Romney who ran on his business experience. Suddenly it’s unfair to talk about it.
 

2012 Presidential Debate Moderators Cause Stir

Candy Crowley and Martha Raddatz

The Commission of Presidential Debates’ announced its selection of moderators for the 2012 debates: Jim Lehrer, Bob Schieffer, Candy Crowley and Martha Raddatz. 
Critics are dissatisfied with the decision not to include a single journalist of color. This announcement was slammed by the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) and the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies.  Representatives of the Spanish language network Univision have also expressed displeasure with the lack of debate moderator diversity.

Federal Court Restores Some Early Voting in Florida

The Associated Press reports that a federal court on Thursday gave five Florida counties four extra days of early voting in this fall’s elections.

The Republican-controlled Florida legislature last year cut the state’s number of early-voting days to 8 from 12. But the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia said the changes won’t happen in Collier, Hardee, Hendry, Hillsborough and Monroe counties, which are covered by Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

That section requires election changes to be cleared by federal officials or federal judges. The states covered under Section 5 are mostly in the South and all have a history of discriminating against blacks, American Indians, Asian-Americans, Alaskan Natives or Hispanics.

The three-judge panel said Thursday that the reduction in early voting days in those counties “would make it materially more difficult for some minority voters to cast a ballot.” But the 119-page ruling did say there were ways Florida could change its early voting practices that would not adversely impact minority voting rights.

A spokesman for Gov. Rick Scott, who signed the changes into law last year, called that part of the decision “encouraging.”

My message to Gov. Scott: "Beware. Wise men are watching."

Hey You! Register and Vote

While Republican legislators and Governors are disenfranchising many registered voters, don't you fall prey to their tactics.

People died so that we could vote. This year is critical, more than ever.  Here's a link to voter identification laws in every state.  Get the information and make sure you can vote! Then, check on your family and friends. They might need your help.

The G.O.P.: Seeds of Dysfunction and Obstruction

Republicans deserve the "credit" for sowing the seeds of obstruction and dysfunction that are apparent in the nation's political climate today. Washington's calm right now because the 112th Congress left town and went home, leaving the country stalled until a few weeks before the election.

If you review the record of their actions over the period since Ronald Reagan became president, you'll see the G.O.P.'s hand at work creating disharmony and stalling any opportunities for progress:

The Shame of the Unproductive 112th Congress

Rep. Eric Cantor and Speaker John Boehner

I can't tell you how surprised I was to hear that the 112th Congress was going home without addressing the important work that stands before them.This is what I heard on NPR:

Lawmakers are heading for the exits on Capitol Hill today. They're leaving Washington on a summer recess that stretches until mid-September. They're also leaving behind a big stack of unpaid bills. As a result, there may be no disaster relief for drought-stricken farmers and moves to shore up the nation's cyber security remain in limbo.

If House Speaker John Boehner had any misgivings today about the work Congress is leaving undone, he did not share them at his weekly news conference.

Boehner said "You know, as we head into the district work period, I want to say how proud I am of our members and the work that they've accomplished."

1968 Olympics in Mexico: A Political Protest That Rocked the World

Many are watching the XXX Olympiad Games which are being held in London. The Olympics have a rich history and many unforgettable moments of athletic performances. Some of these moments are non-controversial highlights are retold quite often, but some are seldom mentioned, as if they are shameful and unworthy of note. As the generations move farther and farther from a specific event, great moments may be lost due to the silence that surrounds them. We must be vigilant to recognize and appreciate the stories of great heroes and leaders who made their marks on the world during the Olympic games.

Revisit the 1968 Olympics and medal winners Tommie Smith and John Carlos. Here's their story reported in detail on Wikipedia:

Cheney: "Picking Palin For V. P. Was a Mistake"

I almost passed on this information, My thought was "we already know this, Mr. Cheney". But then I thought, write it down for the record and see what it says about Republicans selling a pig in a poke.


Former vice president Dick Cheney said in an interview with ABC News that Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) decision to pick Sarah Palin as his running mate in 2008 was “a mistake.”

Cheney becomes one of the few high-profile Republicans to say publicly what some inside the party say privately — that Palin was a bad choice. Palin’s time as the GOP’s vice presidential nominee was marked by an awkward interview with CBS’s Katie Couric, and since then, she has seen her unfavorable rating rise significantly. Today, she is one of the most unpopular politicians in the country.

As my daughter Krystal would say "Thanks Dick, we got that. She seems to resent being told something that's quite obvious.

The former vice president, in his first interview since a successful heart transplant, suggested that Palin’s selection wasn’t well-handled.

“The test to get on that small list has to be, ‘Is this person capable of being president of the United States?’” he said.

The Republicans are once again trying to sell us a "pig in a poke", but this time it's trying to sell us Mitt Romney for President of the United States.

Idaho Billboard Compares President Obama to Mass Murder James Holmes

Well, I haven't seen it in person. I only read about the billboard that compares President Obama to mass murderer James Holmes on the Internet. Here's the story:

The Huffington Post reports:

An electronic billboard in Caldwell, Idaho that compares President Obama to James Holmes, the 24-year-old man accused of killing 12 people in an Aurora, Colo., movie theater on July 20, has sparked outrage in the community, reports The Idaho Statesman.
The giant sign on Franklin Road and North 21st Avenue features a photo of Holmes with the words, “Kills 12 in a movie theater with assault riffle, everyone freaks out,” written under his picture, juxtaposed to a photo of Obama with the words, “Kills thousands with foreign policy, wins Nobel Peace Prize,” written below.

A Contrast in Black and White: Romney and Michelle in London

Michelle Obama formally opened her stint as leader of the U.S. Olympics delegation on Friday, attending a breakfast with Olympians and saying she was “just in awe” of their company.
The U.S. first lady mingled with the U.S. athletes afterward, posing for photos, shaking hands and sharing hugs with dozens who had signed up to attend.

Let My People Vote

The Department of Justice has launched an investigation into Pennsylvania's new voter ID laws. Vivian Applewhite, a 93 years old great-grandmother, has voted in every election since 1960 when she voted for John F. Kennedy, but she will not be allowed to vote in the 2012 election if state legislators have their way. Applewhite never drove and had her purse stolen years ago. Despite paying a fee to obtain a birth certificate she has never received one from the Commonwealth, she said.

“I think it stinks,” she said on a video aired at a recent news conference.“They are taking our rights away.”

Music Video to Mitt: "You're So Bain"

A musical tribute to the financial accomplishments of Mitt Romney.

J. J. Walker Slams Obama

Kid Dynomite Jimmie  "J. J. Walker" is looking for Good Times, but says he hasn't found them with President Barack Obama.

Joe Walsh: Foot in Mouth Again

Republican Illinois Congressman Joe Walsh put his foot in his mouth again. He's running against Democrat Tammy Duckworth, a former Blackhawk pilot in Iraq who lost both her legs and the use of her arm when her helicopter crashed.

In his remarks, Walsh referenced Arizona Sen. John McCain — and his reluctance to talk about his imprisonment in Vietnam in his presidential campaigns — as an ideal to which Duckworth should aspire.
“Finally he talked a little about it, but it was very uncomfortable for him,” Walsh said. “That’s what’s so noble about our heroes. Now I’m running against a woman who — I mean, my God — that’s all she talks about.”

Walsh made headlines last month for saying Democrats “want the Hispanic vote, they want Hispanics to be dependent on government, just like they got African Americans dependent on government.”

During his first months in Congress, Walsh emerged as a sharp critic of President Barack Obama, accusing him of lying, siding with the Palestinians, bankrupting the United States, and burdening younger generations with debt. During his 2010 campaign as a fiscal conservative and following his election to Congress, several media outlets reported on Walsh's personal financial issues, such as past due child support, a recent condo foreclosure, and tax liens from the 1990s. Walsh explained that these issues have made him more attuned to the struggles of the average voter.

We'll see if Walsh's loud mouth and crash comments get him re-elected or sent home with his hat in his hand. He's already known as America's most offensive congressman. He'll probably write a book.

Modern Lynching for Atty Gen Eric Holder-Stop the Madness

ABC News reports a House committee voted Wednesday along party lines to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress for failing to provide documents to congressional investigators from the "Fast and Furious" gun walking operation. All 23 Republicans on the committee voted for finding Holder in contempt, and all 17 Democrats voted against the resolution.
The full House voted on the contempt charges last week.

The House voted to hold Holder in contempt,  while Democrats led by the Congressional Black Caucus walked out f the proceedings. It was only the fifth time since 1980 that the House had taken such a step against a current or former administration official, but never before had this action been taken against a cabinet member.

Supreme Court Upholds Obamacare

"As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words."

A few hours after the United States Supreme Court upheld most of President Barack Obama's signature health care law as constitutional, a photo of House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) started making the rounds on Twitter."
Huffington Post.

When the Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), it was a victory, not only for President Obama, but also for the American people. Now the drama continues as Mitt Romney and Republicans use tactics to undermine implementation of the law while promising to try to repeal it, as President Obama and Democrats get about the business of rolling out the provisions of the law and making it a reality. Which side are you on?

Disgraced Congressman Pleads for His Second Amendment Rights

photo credit  Associated Press

A former Southland congressman and Navy veteran wants his right to bear arms reinstated when his time in federal prison is over.

Former San Diego Congressman Randy “Duke” Cunningham has asked a judge to allow him to regain his right to own a firearm upon his release from prison.

"I [sic] asking you to help restore my Second Amendment rights so I can earn a little money so I can eat,” Cunningham wrote in the letter dated May 2.

MSNBC launches "The Cycle" to Replace Ratigan

Dylan Ratigan

On Monday MSNBC will launch a new afternoon news and talk show called The Cycle, and journalist and pop culture commentator Touré will be one of new the hosts.


 The Huffington Post reports:

"MSNBC has found its replacement for Dylan Ratigan’s show: “The Cycle.”
The new program, which the network was set to announce on Thursday, will feature a permanent cast of four: conservative commentator S.E. Cupp, author and pundit Touré, Salon writer Steve Kornacki and former Congressional candidate Krystal Ball. All were previously contributors to the network. The show launches on Monday at 3 PM.
The outlines of the show were previously reported by Politico and TVNewser.
The four hosts and Steve Friedman, executive producer of “The Cycle,” spoke to The Huffington Post about the show on Thursday afternoon."

 

What Happens Without Obamacare?

The country is holding its collective breath awaiting the decision from the Supreme Court on the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare. Many believe the "individual mandate" will be struck down, thereby precluding the government from requiring its citizens to purchase insurance. The question is "what happens without  Obamacare"?

Internet Nonsense: Congressional Pensions For Life

The internet is great, but it is also dangerous. Many people gather information from shared emails and various internet sources, then take this information for the gospel truth. After they read the information, they share it with their family and friends, who in turn tell other friends. All is well if the information is correct, but many times information we receive is wrong, inaccurate and sometimes crafted to control our attitudes and beliefs.

Pundits Galore- Part 3 (R. Traynham/R. Wolffe)

In our continuing effort to get to know the political analysts, commentators, contributors and media pundits, meet Robert Traynham, former Communications Director for former 2012 Republican Presidential Candidate Rick Santorum and Richard Wolffe, author, journalist, diplomatic correspondent, and MSNBC political analyst.

MA Gov Patrick weighs in On Romney and "Bain"

MA Gov. Deval Patrick

After last week's buzz on Newark's mayor Cory Booker's comments about the president's "Bain Strategy", Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick weighed in on the subject. He says the political question isn't about Mitt Romney's business practices at Bain Capital. “Bain is a perfectly fine company. They have a role in the private economy, and I’ve got a lot of friends there,” said Patrick.  “I think the Bain strategy has been distorted in some of the public discussions.”

Is the Supreme Court Rethinking 'Citizens United' Decision?

Republican interest groups plan to spend about $1 billion to buy Mitt Romney a new house at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue between now and the end of this cycle.
Rumblings are beginning to surface that the Supreme Court may be rethinking their decision in "Citizens United" which opened the flood gates of unlimited money to enter the election process.

Don't get too happy about the prospects.  The Supreme Court’s calendar makes it all but certain that Citizens United will remain in effect until after the 2012 election.

Dept of Justice Blocks FLorida Voter Purge



Can you imagine getting a letter from a official in your state telling you that your name is being removed from the voter rolls. The letter would inform you that if you wished to vote, you must prove your citizenship. Well, that's what's happening to 182,000 registered voters in the state of Florida.

Mitt's Education Policy

Mitt Romney rolled out his Education policy, declaring “the gap in educational opportunity and achievement of people of color in this society, I believe, is the civil rights issue of our time.” In a speech Wednesday, Romney proposed expanding charter schools, which are privately run but funded by taxpayers, and creating a voucher-like system in which poor and disabled students could attend private schools, also using public money.

Cory Booker's Gaffe: Fact or Fiction

Newark, New Jersey Mayor Cory Booker stands in the middle of a major political controversy after his remarks on NBC's Meet the Press last Sunday. Going off message in an unscripted moment, Booker railed against campaign tactics on both sides of the political discourse in the presidential race.

President Obama is using Mitt Romney's tenure at Bain Capital to negate Romney's claim that involvement at Bain shows he can create jobs. Romney's campaign has been approached to revisit the Obama/Rev. Wright relationship as an issue during the 2012 campaign.

Questions About Catholic Suit Against Obama

Archbishop Wuerl and HHS Sec. Sebelius

More than 40 Catholic schools, hospitals, charities and dioceses, including the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. are going to court, ostensibly to fight a requirement that would force them to violate church teaching by including free contraceptive coverage for employees in their health plans by as soon as Aug. 1.

Pundits Galore –Part Two

Watching politics on the news programs exposes us to a variety of opinions and points of view.  It’s good to be aware the background of the people we are listening to, their experiences and qualifications in the subject matter they are addressing, so that we might put their comments in perspective. In keeping with that thought, let’s meet some interesting people who are popping up on the airwaves.

Will Jeremiah Wright Ride Again?

The media is buzzing about a new Republican super PAC which is considering an ad campaign linking President Obama to his former pastor Jeremiah Wright, a line of attack the party rejected by john McCain in 2008. The New York Times got hold of a proposed campaign playbook commissioned by TD Ameritrade founder Joe Ricketts, who has become increasingly involved in GOP politics.

The plan, called “The Defeat of Barack Hussein Obama: The Ricketts Plan to End His Spending for Good,” would “do exactly what John McCain would not let us do,” the strategists write, according to the Times report. The $10 million plan would include television and newspaper ads as well as outdoor advertisements and aerial banners, according to the Times report.

Ricketts’s Ending Spending Action Fund super PAC was a player in state Sen. Deb Fischer’s come from behind surprise victory in Tuesday’s Nebraska Republican Senate primary. His son Pete is a member of the Republican National Committee from Nebraska who ran against Sen. Ben Nelson (D) in 2006.

Mitt Romney’s campaign distanced itself from the idea.

Marriage Equality: The Week That Was

Everybody is talking about the events of last week as it pertains to marriage equality. The media has covered the stories ad infinitum and pundits comment morning, noon and night. Newsweek's cover calls Barack Obama "The First Gay President". The public buys into the hoopla, but, after all is said and done, there's only one policy change and policy is all that matters.

North Carolina joined 37 other states with a constitutional or statutory ban on gay marriage. That number could grow to 42 states with a ban on same-sex marriage dependent on the four state with the issue on the ballot this year. Voters in Minnesota, Maine, Maryland and Washington will cast their ballots to determine how their states will legislate the fate of citizens in the LGBT community. Only 4 states and the District of Columbia have held that gay marriage is legal within their boundaries. Interesting isn't it that 50% of the American public polled favor marriage equality.

The bottom line is that denying LGBT citizens the right to marry discriminates against them since they can not qualify for 1,138 federal benefits that are available to married couples. We therefore continue to have two classes of citizens in our country. That's about civil rights, not religion.