Columbus Dispatch: Treasurer Josh Mandel Skips Board Of Deposit (Again)…And He's Just Fine With That
On February 23, The Columbus Dispatch reported:
Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel did not attend today's Ohio Board of Deposit meeting, the 14th consecutive such session he's bypassed since becoming the state's financial chief last year.
MSNBC: Worst. Surrogates. Ever.
On February 23, 2012, Steve Benen wrote on MSNBC's The Maddow Blog:
When compared against his Republican rivals, Mitt Romney enjoys far more support from his party's establishment, giving him a small army of GOP surrogates he can dispatch to get his message out to the public. Of course, this only works when the campaign's surrogates (a) aren't embarrassing, and (b) actually agree with Romney's message.
AP: Thompson Tells Opponents: Get Out
On February 23, 2012, the Associated Press reported:
Former Gov. Tommy Thompson said Thursday he didn't expect any Republican challengers in the U.S. Senate race and those who believe his time has passed should "get the hell out of my way."
Arizona Republic: McCain Trashes Romney (In Super PAC Ad)
On February 23, 2012, the Arizona Republic reported:
This being the video age, however, a pro-Democrat super PAC like American Bridge is not going to let McCain (or probably American voters) forget what the former senator said about the man he now says should be president. The PAC has released a video, which I’d guess will get a lot of TV exposure should Romney become the Republican nominee. The title is: “What does McCain really think about Mitt Romney?”
TPM: Joe The Plumber’s Campaign: ‘Rich Iott Is Not A Nazi’
On February 23, 2012, Talking Points Memo reported:
In an interview with TPM, Wurzelbacher’s deputy campaign director Phil Christofanelli vigorously defended Iott as a job-creating businessman who has helped the Toledo area — and denied the legitimacy of any negative associations. “He has a whole collection, it’s one of the thing he does. I don’t know all the costumes he does, but he has a whole wardrobe of different army costumes,” said Christofanelli, also adding, “Joe has actually seen his collection, I understand.”
TPM: Joe The Plumber Touts Endorsement Of Rich The Nazi Reenactor
On February 23, 2012, Talking Points Memo reported:
Joe “The Plumber” Wurzelbacher, who gained fame during the 2008 campaign when he met Barack Obama and subsequently campaigned for John McCain, is the likely Republican nominee for the House this year in his deep-blue Ohio district. This week he trotted out the endorsement of Rich Iott, who gained fame in 2010 when it was discovered he enjoys spending his weekends dressed up like a Nazi.
The New Republic: Candid Camera
On February 22, The New Republic profiled American Bridge:
But the project is also the test run of a novel idea. American Bridge is the latest invention of David Brock, the apostate conservative journalist turned mercurial liberal activist, and it bears some resemblance to his last project, the Fox News-hounding watchdog Media Matters for America. Media Matters’ signature innovation was using new broadcast-capturing technologies to publicize the incendiary ephemera that used to go unnoticed outside of conservative outlets’ target audience; it was an attempt to tame the partisan noise machine by saddling it with a publicly accountable record. American Bridge wants to apply the same logic to the 2012 race. The group’s operating theory is that the thousands of hours of footage it has compiled of Republican candidates tacking rightward during the primary can be fashioned into a weapon to wield against them in the general election. The question is whether information technology’s capacity to remember can overcome U.S. politics’ tendency to forget.
NY Times: In Arizona, A Romney Supporter Is Also A Critic
On February 21, 2012, the New York Times reported:
A former chairman of the Arizona Republican Party who endorsed Mitt Romney last year expressed dismay on Tuesday at the state of the Romney campaign and said urgent adjustments were needed to win the nomination. The former chairman, Randy Pullen, said in an interview here that he was worried that there was “no enthusiasm” for Mr. Romney among party activists.
Romney Boldly Abandons His Own Economic Plan
Mitt Romney released a new economic plan a mere five months after he rolled out his 59-point, 87-page (available in e-book!) "Believe In America" economic plan. Why the policy reboot? Just another desperate attempt to win over the conservative base of the Republican Party. Point 1 of 59 in Romney's last plan was to maintain current tax rates on personal income. This proposal was heavily criticized by conservatives. As the Wall Street Journal editorial board noted, “But on other taxes, Mr. Romney shrinks from a fight. He says he favors tax reform with lower individual tax rates but only 'in the long run.'" So what does Romney do? What he has done for 17 years: he shifts positions to try and win over voters. The conservative base wanted bold? He went bold, proclaiming that his plan was “a bold, pro-growth proposal to cut taxes." But will this be enough to convince the base that Romney is authentically conservative? Doubtful. Will it show primary voters, and voters across the country, that Romney will say anything to get elected? Absolutely.
Rodell Mollineau On MSNBC's Daily Rundown
On February 22, 2012, American Bridge 21st Century's President Rodell Mollineau appeared on MSNBC's "The Daily Rundown with Chuck Todd" to discuss the 2012 presidential election: