TPMDC Morning Roundup
DNC Web Ad Blasts Republican "Angry Mobs"
The Democratic National Committee is expanding its public relations push against the Tea Party crowds that are interrupting town hall meetings, with this new Web ad tying the right-wing base to the GOP establishment:
"Now, desperate Republicans and their well funded allies are organizing angry mobs -- just like they did during the election," the announcer says. "Their goal? Destroy President Obama, and stop the change Americans voted for overwhelmingly in November."
Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will be traveling today to Warakusa, Indiana. He will arrive at South Bend Regional Airport at 11:10 a.m. ET, and will deliver remarks on the economy at Monaco RV in Warakusa at 11:55 a.m. ET. He will depart from South Bend at 1:35 p.m. ET, and will arrive back at the White House at 3:20 p.m. ET.
Biden's Day Ahead
Vice President Biden will travel today to Detroit, Michigan. At 12 p.m. ET, he will deliver remarks on the economy at NextEnergy. He will return in the evening to Wilmington, Delaware.
Poll: Public Closely Divided On Obama's Health Care Plan, Opponents More Intense
A new CNN poll finds 50% of Americans in favor of President Obama's health care plan, to 45% opposed. People under 50 are more likely to support it, and those over 50 are more likely to oppose it. And as CNN's Bill Schneider points out, there is also an intensity gap: "On issues like this, intensity of opinion matters as much as numbers. Opponents of the president's health care reform seem to feel more intensely about it than Obama's supporters."
Both Clinton Had Key Roles In Release Of Journalists
The New York Times reports that both Hillary and Bill Clinton were involved in Bill's negotiation with the North Koreans for the release of the two journalists: "Mrs. Clinton was deeply involved in the case, too. She proposed sending various people to Pyongyang -- including Mr. Clinton's vice president, Al Gore -- to lobby for the release of the women, before Mr. Clinton emerged as the preferred choice of the North Koreans, people briefed on the talks said."
WaPo: GOP Senators Seem Unconcerned About Hispanic Backlash To Sotomayor Opposition
The Washington Post reports that Republican Senators seem to have cast off concerns about Latino outreach in their wide-reaching opposition to Sonia Sotomayor. "Latinos see her as a symbol of Hispanic leadership in America," said GOP strategist Lionel Sosa, who has advised several presidential candidates on Hispanic outreach. "If they vote against Sotomayor, it's a vote against Hispanic leadership in America. That's the way Latino voters will see it."
Cash For Clunkers Extension Likely To Pass
Congress is on track to extend funding for the Cash For Clunkers program for an estimated additional month, transferring $2 billion from a separate stimulus program for renewable energy. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell predicted that Republicans in the Senate will not block the vote: "The matter will be completed."
Bush Staffers' Campaigns Could Test W's Legacy
The Hill reports that several former Bush White House staffers are running for office this year or next year -- which could amount to an early test of his political legacy. "President Bush's popularity rating is obviously very low, and I think the people in my district would probably not look favorably on that," said Tim Nank, a former Bush staffer who is running for the Virginia legislature. "I haven't had a lot of people ask me where I worked. They usually ask where I work."


















GOP Senators Seem Unconcerned About Hispanic Backlash To Sotomayor Opposition.
Latinos/Latinas aren't Real Americans, not like the Teabaggers.
The GOP's is in a hard place. They've mobilized latent and not-so-latent racism in this country. They just went for a little walk down the Dark Side and thought they could come back, or control what they have unleashed.
Hey GOP - welcome to your new masters.
With a reduced number of republican voters, and the leadership of Rush, Hannity & Beck, the teabaggers might be able to primary out Rep incumbents. Remember that these people think McCain is a RINO, a traitor for suggesting immigration reform.
August 5, 2009 9:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
To Protest Health Care Reform, Right Wingers Organize 'Colostomy Bag' Parties
http://satiricalpolitical.com/?p=8110
August 5, 2009 9:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
Congress is on track to extend funding for the Cash For Clunkers program . . . transferring $2 billion from a separate stimulus program for renewable energy.
This just adds insult to injury. And as an indication of national priorities -- giveaways to middle-class car buyers over funding R&D to develop new, green energy sources -- it suggests America really is doomed.
August 5, 2009 9:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
Why not take some of the repaid TARP funds for C4C?
August 5, 2009 10:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
Thank you! I was really hoping the Republicans would stop this stupid wasteful program. Yes, gas guzzlers are bad for the environment. You know what else is bad for the environment? Making cars we don't need!
August 5, 2009 11:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
i don't understand your math.
1-1=0
where are the cars we don't 'need'?
August 5, 2009 12:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
The economy still has minefields to overcome, but it should be clear by now to most reasonable people that the stimulus has been the only reason that we are no longer cliff diving, and as a result, the Republican philosophy has been shown to be an utter failure.
No one likes debt and deficits, but the only reason they are a problem is that Bush and the Republican Congress ran up a $10 trillion hole at a time when there was an insufficient basis to do it.
At this point, debt and deficits are the lesser of two evils.
August 5, 2009 10:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
Poll: Public Closely Divided On Obama's Health Care Plan, Opponents More Intense
After a month of intramural congressional games, this is hardly surprising
It's easier to say NO to Obama than yes to a plan which has yet to become final legislation much less a bill that Obama has actually endorsed
Same poll shows 70% favor massive changes to health care
By contrast a Quinnipiac Polls shows the "Obama Plan" ("from what you've heard" - same preface as CNN) taking a drubbing on personal cost, on quality of personal care, national care and the economy.
Not good news. There remains a huge gap between support for the "Obama plan as you know it" and the "Obama Plan" in broad strokes
That's the downside of letting Congress play with your political capital
August 5, 2009 11:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
Senators Miss McConnell and Grumpy McGramps
must have gotten a phone call from Mr. Tuttle
vis'a vis Cash for Clunkers.
August 5, 2009 2:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
some progressive(s) in Congress should introduce a measure to RESTORE the funding for alternative energy and find some other way to finance cash for clunkers
the reason for this terrible idea (seemingly -- a la Walter Karp's theory of supposed reformers having their primary agenda to defeat reform, like the Clinton Administration in 93-4 -- to hand ammunition to the GOP) might have been the time pressure problem. Well, with more time, TWO BILLION dollars should be possible to come up w/. I hate to sound TOO MUCH like a broken record (but of course, nothing makes any impression in the political arena if especially if you are in the 'limedark' of effective political visibility) but taxing particularly noxious pollutants like mercury emissions could finance this fairly tiny program (relative to the budget and other programs), and relative to the amount of complaining that repukes do about the costs.
August 6, 2009 10:21 AM | Reply | Permalink