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REAL WORLD EVENT DISCUSSIONS
The Politics of Sandy
Tuesday, October 30, 2012 10:23 PM
NIKI2
Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...
Quote:Romney held an event at an arena here Tuesday that was initially scheduled as a rally, but the campaign insisted it was now a "storm relief" event. Still, it bore a very strong resemblance to the rallies he has conducted across the country — complete with a biopic of the Romneys that has been a campaign staple.
Quote:Attendees were encouraged to bring disaster relief supplies, and Romney helped bag them for shipping to affected areas of New Jersey. Romney has urged supporters to bring supplies to campaign offices and promised they will be delivered to the affected communitie.
Quote:Mitt Romney is sending the supplies he asked supporters to bring to his “non-political” campaign event today — to which Romney invited NASCAR driver Richard Petty — in the battleground state of Ohio, only to victims of Hurricane Sandy in swing states that the GOP candidate has a chance of winning: Virginia, North Carolina, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania — not the two areas hardest hit by Hurricane Sandy: New Jersey and New York.
Quote:Romney’s campaign told reporters that a Red Cross warehouse in New Jersey was accepting the donation, and distributed a statement they attributed to the Red Cross: “The American Red Cross appreciates the support from the Romney campaign and is working with the campaign to process this donation of supplies,” the statement read. “We are grateful that both the Obama and Romney campaigns have also encouraged the public to send financial donations to the Red Cross. We encourage individuals who want to help to consider making a financial donation or making an appointment to give blood.” http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/10/30/romney-on-storm-aftermath-people-are-hurting-this-morning/] Too late, of course, it's all over the place, but just in case anyone misunderstood. Nonetheless, the irony of this? The Red Cross doesn't WANT these supplies;Quote:Romney’s urging to supporters to bring supplies, like blankets, water, and canned goods — instead of donating directly to the Red Cross — actually impedes relief efforts. The Red Cross will not even accept hard supplies, as they have no method to properly distribute them, and accepts financial donations only, because it’s easier to manage and less costly. http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/romney-donating-sandy-supplies-only-to-gop-swing-states-not-nj-or-ny/politics/2012/10/30/52648 problem is simply logistics: in the midst of a disaster like Hurricane Sandy, the last thing the Red Cross wants is to sort through a hodge podge of donations and figure out where things should go.-Romney-lines-everybody-up-to-give-him-stuff-the-Red-Cross-says-it-doesn-t-want From the Red Cross FAQ on their website:Quote:“The American Red Cross does not accept or solicit small, individual donations of items for emergency relief purposes. Small items such as collections of food, used clothing, and shoes often must be cleaned, sorted, and repackaged which impedes the valuable resources of money, time, and personnel that are needed for other aspects of our relief operation.“ http://www.redcross.org/support/donating-fundraising/other-ways-to-give/donating-goods] By searching around, I found this fuller explanation:Quote: Some donations, though well-intentioned, have hidden costs and pose many complications. These include such items as clothing, furniture, toys and canned goods or small, individual donations of items of any sort. The Red Cross can’t accept these unsolicited, spontaneous donations because: • There needs to be enough of a particular item supplied for it to be distributed equitably. Small donations and collections don’t meet these criteria. • The Red Cross makes every attempt to procure items locally to help the economy of the area affected, ensure the cultural appropriateness of the items, save transportation and storage costs and keep the roads clear for priority items and travel. • The Red Cross can’t guarantee the usability and safety of such products. We don’t know the origins, conditions and expiration dates of collected items. • Collections require time, money and personnel to process, all precious resources in disaster relief. Following disasters, all relief workers and resources focus on the people affected and meeting their emergency needs. There are no resources available for examining, sorting and cleaning. If you have collections of goods and individual items, these have the greatest impact when they are donated to charitable organizations within your own community. Local agencies not operating in disaster relief will have the time to sort, clean and repair goods and identify how and where they can be most beneficial. http://www.redcross.org/images/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m8140120_Harrisburg_Gifts_in_Kind.pdf] Now, there are only two ways to view this. Either nobody in the Romney camp has ever tried to donate something besides money or blood to the Red Cross (which is certainly not impossible) and didn't know this (we found out by trying to donate "things")--or knew it and didn't tell him (which would be strange)--or else they knewe it and did it deliberately anyway, knowing it would make a good photo op and a way to have a campaign rally which they hoped they could make not LOOK like a campaign rally. Unfortunately, except for the determined right wing, it didn't work:Quote:But soon, reporters poked holes in the campaign’s explanation for staging the rally. First, the relief event was scheduled for the same time and location as a recently canceled political rally. Then, photos emerged, showing that donors were asked to wait to drop off their goods until Romney arrived to accept them himself, suggesting a photo op not unlike the one his running mate Paul Ryan staged earlier this month in a soup kitchen. And Salon noticed that the targeted recipient of all of the donations — the Red Cross — doesn’t even accept most of what the Romney campaign collected in Ohio. But just in case there were any lingering questions over the political nature of the relief rally, Romney’s staff left no room for doubt when they aired a biographical video that was part of the Republican National Convention in August (and used by the campaign at political events since). http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/10/30/1152457/-Mitt-Romney-attends-storm-relief-event-In-Ohio-Sponsored-by-his-campaign] Anyone remember the Ryan event? http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57532807/charity-president-paul-ryan-did-nothing-at-soup-kitchen-photo-op/ "Ryan and his wife Jenna wash pots at St. Vincent DePaul dinning hall, Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012, in Youngstown, Ohio" Quote:Brian J. Antal, president of the Mahoning County St. Vincent De Paul Society in Youngstown Ohio, where Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan and his family were photographed cleaning dishes over the weekend, said Monday that Ryan was not authorized to be on the premises. He said that he runs an apolitical faith-based organization which has bylaws barring it from hosting political candidates, and that the visit jeopardized donations from private individuals. "They showed up there and they did not have permission," he said. "They got one of the volunteers to open up the doors." Antag added that Ryan and his family "did nothing" while on the premises. "He just came in here to get his picture taken at the dining hall," he said. While television cameras rolled and photographers snapped pictures, the Wisconsin congressman discussed washing dishes while he was younger. He said he would get calluses on his fingers due to the heat from the industrial machine. When Ryan arrived on the site in the early afternoon, the kitchen was clean and the dining area was empty, according to a pool report. After his time in the kitchen Ryan spoke to homeless people outside the soup kitchen, but reporters were kept from monitoring the conversation. UPDATE: The Vinidicator, in Youngstown, reports that according to Juanita Sherba, the coordinator who gave Ryan permission to come to the soup kitchen, Ryan did wash dirty dishes while he was there. The newspaper reports that Ryan's staff asked volunteers "to leave some pots and pans unwashed so the VP nominee and his family could do something when he arrived." "We had to save dishes," she said. "We would have gone home by the time he arrived. We didn't need him to do the dishes. It was getting late, and I said that we were closing in five minutes. I waited longer than that, and he finally arrived." Sherba expressed regret that she had allowed the visit to take place. "It was the phoniest piece of baloney I've ever been associated with," she said. "In hindsight, I would have never let him in the door." Brian Antal, meanwhile, has rescinded his claim from Monday that Ryan did not clean any dirty dishes. He told NBC News he had been erroneously told that was the case by a volunteer. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57532807/charity-president-paul-ryan-did-nothing-at-soup-kitchen-photo-op/] Yeah, that one. Of course, the right took a swing at those pointing out that the Romney "storm relief event" might not have been quite as altruistic as advertised. I will now do Rap's job for him and quote the view he and his buddies probably have of Romney being called out about the event:Quote:This one is really hard to believe, even for the most biased so-called "news network" in the nation. MSNBC on Tuesday totally trashed Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney for collecting food and supplies at a storm relief rally in Ohio to be sent to victims of Hurricane Sandy. Bashir said, “Mayor Reed, so the Red Cross knows what it’s doing. Did he, did you detect perhaps a subtle dig there on Mr. Romney who spent today going against the guidelines established by the Red Cross and holding a campaign rally in Ohio that was dressed up like a charity drive collecting food and other supplies when the Red Cross expressly asked people not to do that?” Imagine that. A presidential candidate who gives millions of dollars a year to charity does a storm relief event in Ohio, and an MSNBC anchor is disgusted by it because the Red Cross would prefer people donating cash. So having a storm relief event with tables “piled high with flashlights, batteries, diapers, toothbrushes, mini-deodorants, fleece blankets, cereal, toilet paper and canned goods” along with two large television screens calling for donations to the Red Cross demonstrates a lack of compassion on MSNBC. Yet the network didn’t end there. About a half hour later, Bashir brought GQ’s Ana Marie Cox on to trash Romney’s event. “I found that sort of fake, relief rally, whatever it is, to be pretty offensive, and also wrong-headed,” said Cox. She actually called Romney “craven” for doing it. I’m not kidding. This was followed by MSNBC contributor Karen Finney saying, “when you have a platform or an opportunity to communicate a message particularly in a time like this, I think it's incumbent on you to make sure that you’re communicating what is the most effective, helpful thing. As a former governor, I would think that he would know that what the Red Cross needs in times like this is money and blood. Of course, it is human nature to want to help your fellow American that’s in trouble and to think “Oh, I'll buy food or I’ll buy clothes.” But again, as we’ve been doing here on MSNBC and I hope other networks are doing, sort of helping, being a part of helping direct people to websites where they can donate or find out exactly what's needed. I mean, that really should be the role. If they wanted to do something helpful, that would actually be the thing they could have been doing that would be helpful."Excerpts from http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2012/10/30/msnbc-trashes-romney-collecting-food-and-supplies-sandy-victims#ixzz2AqwmpK2y] Note that the Romney "storm relief event" did have two large TV screens at the front of the venue bore the logo of the American Red Cross and the message: 'Sandy: Support the Relief Effort. Text ’REDCROSS’ to 90999 to make a $10 donation.' You're welcome, Rap. Oh, by the way, another one making the rounds of the internet (tho' not nearly as loudly) is this one:Quote:And how did the Obama campaign react to the storm? According to a tip sent to Fox News, it’s calling for volunteers to call voters from a phone bank at its Annapolis, Md., offices late afternoon to early evening on Monday, which was when the storm was scheduled to hit the area. The email asking for volunteers was sent Sunday at 4 p.m. At that time, the storm’s path was well-known. http://www.bizpacreview.com/desperate-obama-campaign-puts-its-own-workers-in-jeopardy/] And if you believe that, I have this bridge I'd like to sell you...although that one might be under water at the moment... Then of course everyone's playing the video of Romney's opinion on FEMA and government assistance in a disaster. Awwwwkwaaaard. I guess it depends on your definition of "immoral"... Hey, privatize disaster relief. Look how well it worked with Blackwater! By the way, if nobody'd noticed, there was your October Surprise. And:Quote: 03.35 The New York Times's Maureen Dowd has been mulling Gov Christie's praise for the president in the aftermath of Sandy. She says even White House officials are "flummoxed by Christie's bearhug." "The dramatic homestretch ad for President Obama, running on every network and in all media markets, is a home run, devastating for Mitt Romney. And, best of all, the president didn’t have to pay for it, or even say, “I approve this message.” It was a total gift — and from a Republican and top Romney surrogate." Even on FauxNews (notice they cut the end of what he said):
Quote:Romney’s urging to supporters to bring supplies, like blankets, water, and canned goods — instead of donating directly to the Red Cross — actually impedes relief efforts. The Red Cross will not even accept hard supplies, as they have no method to properly distribute them, and accepts financial donations only, because it’s easier to manage and less costly. http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/romney-donating-sandy-supplies-only-to-gop-swing-states-not-nj-or-ny/politics/2012/10/30/52648 problem is simply logistics: in the midst of a disaster like Hurricane Sandy, the last thing the Red Cross wants is to sort through a hodge podge of donations and figure out where things should go.-Romney-lines-everybody-up-to-give-him-stuff-the-Red-Cross-says-it-doesn-t-want
Quote:“The American Red Cross does not accept or solicit small, individual donations of items for emergency relief purposes. Small items such as collections of food, used clothing, and shoes often must be cleaned, sorted, and repackaged which impedes the valuable resources of money, time, and personnel that are needed for other aspects of our relief operation.“ http://www.redcross.org/support/donating-fundraising/other-ways-to-give/donating-goods] By searching around, I found this fuller explanation:Quote: Some donations, though well-intentioned, have hidden costs and pose many complications. These include such items as clothing, furniture, toys and canned goods or small, individual donations of items of any sort. The Red Cross can’t accept these unsolicited, spontaneous donations because: • There needs to be enough of a particular item supplied for it to be distributed equitably. Small donations and collections don’t meet these criteria. • The Red Cross makes every attempt to procure items locally to help the economy of the area affected, ensure the cultural appropriateness of the items, save transportation and storage costs and keep the roads clear for priority items and travel. • The Red Cross can’t guarantee the usability and safety of such products. We don’t know the origins, conditions and expiration dates of collected items. • Collections require time, money and personnel to process, all precious resources in disaster relief. Following disasters, all relief workers and resources focus on the people affected and meeting their emergency needs. There are no resources available for examining, sorting and cleaning. If you have collections of goods and individual items, these have the greatest impact when they are donated to charitable organizations within your own community. Local agencies not operating in disaster relief will have the time to sort, clean and repair goods and identify how and where they can be most beneficial. http://www.redcross.org/images/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m8140120_Harrisburg_Gifts_in_Kind.pdf] Now, there are only two ways to view this. Either nobody in the Romney camp has ever tried to donate something besides money or blood to the Red Cross (which is certainly not impossible) and didn't know this (we found out by trying to donate "things")--or knew it and didn't tell him (which would be strange)--or else they knewe it and did it deliberately anyway, knowing it would make a good photo op and a way to have a campaign rally which they hoped they could make not LOOK like a campaign rally. Unfortunately, except for the determined right wing, it didn't work:Quote:But soon, reporters poked holes in the campaign’s explanation for staging the rally. First, the relief event was scheduled for the same time and location as a recently canceled political rally. Then, photos emerged, showing that donors were asked to wait to drop off their goods until Romney arrived to accept them himself, suggesting a photo op not unlike the one his running mate Paul Ryan staged earlier this month in a soup kitchen. And Salon noticed that the targeted recipient of all of the donations — the Red Cross — doesn’t even accept most of what the Romney campaign collected in Ohio. But just in case there were any lingering questions over the political nature of the relief rally, Romney’s staff left no room for doubt when they aired a biographical video that was part of the Republican National Convention in August (and used by the campaign at political events since). http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/10/30/1152457/-Mitt-Romney-attends-storm-relief-event-In-Ohio-Sponsored-by-his-campaign] Anyone remember the Ryan event? http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57532807/charity-president-paul-ryan-did-nothing-at-soup-kitchen-photo-op/ "Ryan and his wife Jenna wash pots at St. Vincent DePaul dinning hall, Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012, in Youngstown, Ohio" Quote:Brian J. Antal, president of the Mahoning County St. Vincent De Paul Society in Youngstown Ohio, where Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan and his family were photographed cleaning dishes over the weekend, said Monday that Ryan was not authorized to be on the premises. He said that he runs an apolitical faith-based organization which has bylaws barring it from hosting political candidates, and that the visit jeopardized donations from private individuals. "They showed up there and they did not have permission," he said. "They got one of the volunteers to open up the doors." Antag added that Ryan and his family "did nothing" while on the premises. "He just came in here to get his picture taken at the dining hall," he said. While television cameras rolled and photographers snapped pictures, the Wisconsin congressman discussed washing dishes while he was younger. He said he would get calluses on his fingers due to the heat from the industrial machine. When Ryan arrived on the site in the early afternoon, the kitchen was clean and the dining area was empty, according to a pool report. After his time in the kitchen Ryan spoke to homeless people outside the soup kitchen, but reporters were kept from monitoring the conversation. UPDATE: The Vinidicator, in Youngstown, reports that according to Juanita Sherba, the coordinator who gave Ryan permission to come to the soup kitchen, Ryan did wash dirty dishes while he was there. The newspaper reports that Ryan's staff asked volunteers "to leave some pots and pans unwashed so the VP nominee and his family could do something when he arrived." "We had to save dishes," she said. "We would have gone home by the time he arrived. We didn't need him to do the dishes. It was getting late, and I said that we were closing in five minutes. I waited longer than that, and he finally arrived." Sherba expressed regret that she had allowed the visit to take place. "It was the phoniest piece of baloney I've ever been associated with," she said. "In hindsight, I would have never let him in the door." Brian Antal, meanwhile, has rescinded his claim from Monday that Ryan did not clean any dirty dishes. He told NBC News he had been erroneously told that was the case by a volunteer. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57532807/charity-president-paul-ryan-did-nothing-at-soup-kitchen-photo-op/] Yeah, that one. Of course, the right took a swing at those pointing out that the Romney "storm relief event" might not have been quite as altruistic as advertised. I will now do Rap's job for him and quote the view he and his buddies probably have of Romney being called out about the event:Quote:This one is really hard to believe, even for the most biased so-called "news network" in the nation. MSNBC on Tuesday totally trashed Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney for collecting food and supplies at a storm relief rally in Ohio to be sent to victims of Hurricane Sandy. Bashir said, “Mayor Reed, so the Red Cross knows what it’s doing. Did he, did you detect perhaps a subtle dig there on Mr. Romney who spent today going against the guidelines established by the Red Cross and holding a campaign rally in Ohio that was dressed up like a charity drive collecting food and other supplies when the Red Cross expressly asked people not to do that?” Imagine that. A presidential candidate who gives millions of dollars a year to charity does a storm relief event in Ohio, and an MSNBC anchor is disgusted by it because the Red Cross would prefer people donating cash. So having a storm relief event with tables “piled high with flashlights, batteries, diapers, toothbrushes, mini-deodorants, fleece blankets, cereal, toilet paper and canned goods” along with two large television screens calling for donations to the Red Cross demonstrates a lack of compassion on MSNBC. Yet the network didn’t end there. About a half hour later, Bashir brought GQ’s Ana Marie Cox on to trash Romney’s event. “I found that sort of fake, relief rally, whatever it is, to be pretty offensive, and also wrong-headed,” said Cox. She actually called Romney “craven” for doing it. I’m not kidding. This was followed by MSNBC contributor Karen Finney saying, “when you have a platform or an opportunity to communicate a message particularly in a time like this, I think it's incumbent on you to make sure that you’re communicating what is the most effective, helpful thing. As a former governor, I would think that he would know that what the Red Cross needs in times like this is money and blood. Of course, it is human nature to want to help your fellow American that’s in trouble and to think “Oh, I'll buy food or I’ll buy clothes.” But again, as we’ve been doing here on MSNBC and I hope other networks are doing, sort of helping, being a part of helping direct people to websites where they can donate or find out exactly what's needed. I mean, that really should be the role. If they wanted to do something helpful, that would actually be the thing they could have been doing that would be helpful."Excerpts from http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2012/10/30/msnbc-trashes-romney-collecting-food-and-supplies-sandy-victims#ixzz2AqwmpK2y] Note that the Romney "storm relief event" did have two large TV screens at the front of the venue bore the logo of the American Red Cross and the message: 'Sandy: Support the Relief Effort. Text ’REDCROSS’ to 90999 to make a $10 donation.' You're welcome, Rap. Oh, by the way, another one making the rounds of the internet (tho' not nearly as loudly) is this one:Quote:And how did the Obama campaign react to the storm? According to a tip sent to Fox News, it’s calling for volunteers to call voters from a phone bank at its Annapolis, Md., offices late afternoon to early evening on Monday, which was when the storm was scheduled to hit the area. The email asking for volunteers was sent Sunday at 4 p.m. At that time, the storm’s path was well-known. http://www.bizpacreview.com/desperate-obama-campaign-puts-its-own-workers-in-jeopardy/] And if you believe that, I have this bridge I'd like to sell you...although that one might be under water at the moment... Then of course everyone's playing the video of Romney's opinion on FEMA and government assistance in a disaster. Awwwwkwaaaard. I guess it depends on your definition of "immoral"... Hey, privatize disaster relief. Look how well it worked with Blackwater! By the way, if nobody'd noticed, there was your October Surprise. And:Quote: 03.35 The New York Times's Maureen Dowd has been mulling Gov Christie's praise for the president in the aftermath of Sandy. She says even White House officials are "flummoxed by Christie's bearhug." "The dramatic homestretch ad for President Obama, running on every network and in all media markets, is a home run, devastating for Mitt Romney. And, best of all, the president didn’t have to pay for it, or even say, “I approve this message.” It was a total gift — and from a Republican and top Romney surrogate." Even on FauxNews (notice they cut the end of what he said):
Quote: Some donations, though well-intentioned, have hidden costs and pose many complications. These include such items as clothing, furniture, toys and canned goods or small, individual donations of items of any sort. The Red Cross can’t accept these unsolicited, spontaneous donations because: • There needs to be enough of a particular item supplied for it to be distributed equitably. Small donations and collections don’t meet these criteria. • The Red Cross makes every attempt to procure items locally to help the economy of the area affected, ensure the cultural appropriateness of the items, save transportation and storage costs and keep the roads clear for priority items and travel. • The Red Cross can’t guarantee the usability and safety of such products. We don’t know the origins, conditions and expiration dates of collected items. • Collections require time, money and personnel to process, all precious resources in disaster relief. Following disasters, all relief workers and resources focus on the people affected and meeting their emergency needs. There are no resources available for examining, sorting and cleaning. If you have collections of goods and individual items, these have the greatest impact when they are donated to charitable organizations within your own community. Local agencies not operating in disaster relief will have the time to sort, clean and repair goods and identify how and where they can be most beneficial. http://www.redcross.org/images/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m8140120_Harrisburg_Gifts_in_Kind.pdf] Now, there are only two ways to view this. Either nobody in the Romney camp has ever tried to donate something besides money or blood to the Red Cross (which is certainly not impossible) and didn't know this (we found out by trying to donate "things")--or knew it and didn't tell him (which would be strange)--or else they knewe it and did it deliberately anyway, knowing it would make a good photo op and a way to have a campaign rally which they hoped they could make not LOOK like a campaign rally. Unfortunately, except for the determined right wing, it didn't work:Quote:But soon, reporters poked holes in the campaign’s explanation for staging the rally. First, the relief event was scheduled for the same time and location as a recently canceled political rally. Then, photos emerged, showing that donors were asked to wait to drop off their goods until Romney arrived to accept them himself, suggesting a photo op not unlike the one his running mate Paul Ryan staged earlier this month in a soup kitchen. And Salon noticed that the targeted recipient of all of the donations — the Red Cross — doesn’t even accept most of what the Romney campaign collected in Ohio. But just in case there were any lingering questions over the political nature of the relief rally, Romney’s staff left no room for doubt when they aired a biographical video that was part of the Republican National Convention in August (and used by the campaign at political events since). http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/10/30/1152457/-Mitt-Romney-attends-storm-relief-event-In-Ohio-Sponsored-by-his-campaign] Anyone remember the Ryan event? http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57532807/charity-president-paul-ryan-did-nothing-at-soup-kitchen-photo-op/ "Ryan and his wife Jenna wash pots at St. Vincent DePaul dinning hall, Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012, in Youngstown, Ohio" Quote:Brian J. Antal, president of the Mahoning County St. Vincent De Paul Society in Youngstown Ohio, where Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan and his family were photographed cleaning dishes over the weekend, said Monday that Ryan was not authorized to be on the premises. He said that he runs an apolitical faith-based organization which has bylaws barring it from hosting political candidates, and that the visit jeopardized donations from private individuals. "They showed up there and they did not have permission," he said. "They got one of the volunteers to open up the doors." Antag added that Ryan and his family "did nothing" while on the premises. "He just came in here to get his picture taken at the dining hall," he said. While television cameras rolled and photographers snapped pictures, the Wisconsin congressman discussed washing dishes while he was younger. He said he would get calluses on his fingers due to the heat from the industrial machine. When Ryan arrived on the site in the early afternoon, the kitchen was clean and the dining area was empty, according to a pool report. After his time in the kitchen Ryan spoke to homeless people outside the soup kitchen, but reporters were kept from monitoring the conversation. UPDATE: The Vinidicator, in Youngstown, reports that according to Juanita Sherba, the coordinator who gave Ryan permission to come to the soup kitchen, Ryan did wash dirty dishes while he was there. The newspaper reports that Ryan's staff asked volunteers "to leave some pots and pans unwashed so the VP nominee and his family could do something when he arrived." "We had to save dishes," she said. "We would have gone home by the time he arrived. We didn't need him to do the dishes. It was getting late, and I said that we were closing in five minutes. I waited longer than that, and he finally arrived." Sherba expressed regret that she had allowed the visit to take place. "It was the phoniest piece of baloney I've ever been associated with," she said. "In hindsight, I would have never let him in the door." Brian Antal, meanwhile, has rescinded his claim from Monday that Ryan did not clean any dirty dishes. He told NBC News he had been erroneously told that was the case by a volunteer. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57532807/charity-president-paul-ryan-did-nothing-at-soup-kitchen-photo-op/] Yeah, that one. Of course, the right took a swing at those pointing out that the Romney "storm relief event" might not have been quite as altruistic as advertised. I will now do Rap's job for him and quote the view he and his buddies probably have of Romney being called out about the event:Quote:This one is really hard to believe, even for the most biased so-called "news network" in the nation. MSNBC on Tuesday totally trashed Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney for collecting food and supplies at a storm relief rally in Ohio to be sent to victims of Hurricane Sandy. Bashir said, “Mayor Reed, so the Red Cross knows what it’s doing. Did he, did you detect perhaps a subtle dig there on Mr. Romney who spent today going against the guidelines established by the Red Cross and holding a campaign rally in Ohio that was dressed up like a charity drive collecting food and other supplies when the Red Cross expressly asked people not to do that?” Imagine that. A presidential candidate who gives millions of dollars a year to charity does a storm relief event in Ohio, and an MSNBC anchor is disgusted by it because the Red Cross would prefer people donating cash. So having a storm relief event with tables “piled high with flashlights, batteries, diapers, toothbrushes, mini-deodorants, fleece blankets, cereal, toilet paper and canned goods” along with two large television screens calling for donations to the Red Cross demonstrates a lack of compassion on MSNBC. Yet the network didn’t end there. About a half hour later, Bashir brought GQ’s Ana Marie Cox on to trash Romney’s event. “I found that sort of fake, relief rally, whatever it is, to be pretty offensive, and also wrong-headed,” said Cox. She actually called Romney “craven” for doing it. I’m not kidding. This was followed by MSNBC contributor Karen Finney saying, “when you have a platform or an opportunity to communicate a message particularly in a time like this, I think it's incumbent on you to make sure that you’re communicating what is the most effective, helpful thing. As a former governor, I would think that he would know that what the Red Cross needs in times like this is money and blood. Of course, it is human nature to want to help your fellow American that’s in trouble and to think “Oh, I'll buy food or I’ll buy clothes.” But again, as we’ve been doing here on MSNBC and I hope other networks are doing, sort of helping, being a part of helping direct people to websites where they can donate or find out exactly what's needed. I mean, that really should be the role. If they wanted to do something helpful, that would actually be the thing they could have been doing that would be helpful."Excerpts from http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2012/10/30/msnbc-trashes-romney-collecting-food-and-supplies-sandy-victims#ixzz2AqwmpK2y] Note that the Romney "storm relief event" did have two large TV screens at the front of the venue bore the logo of the American Red Cross and the message: 'Sandy: Support the Relief Effort. Text ’REDCROSS’ to 90999 to make a $10 donation.' You're welcome, Rap. Oh, by the way, another one making the rounds of the internet (tho' not nearly as loudly) is this one:Quote:And how did the Obama campaign react to the storm? According to a tip sent to Fox News, it’s calling for volunteers to call voters from a phone bank at its Annapolis, Md., offices late afternoon to early evening on Monday, which was when the storm was scheduled to hit the area. The email asking for volunteers was sent Sunday at 4 p.m. At that time, the storm’s path was well-known. http://www.bizpacreview.com/desperate-obama-campaign-puts-its-own-workers-in-jeopardy/] And if you believe that, I have this bridge I'd like to sell you...although that one might be under water at the moment... Then of course everyone's playing the video of Romney's opinion on FEMA and government assistance in a disaster. Awwwwkwaaaard. I guess it depends on your definition of "immoral"... Hey, privatize disaster relief. Look how well it worked with Blackwater! By the way, if nobody'd noticed, there was your October Surprise. And:Quote: 03.35 The New York Times's Maureen Dowd has been mulling Gov Christie's praise for the president in the aftermath of Sandy. She says even White House officials are "flummoxed by Christie's bearhug." "The dramatic homestretch ad for President Obama, running on every network and in all media markets, is a home run, devastating for Mitt Romney. And, best of all, the president didn’t have to pay for it, or even say, “I approve this message.” It was a total gift — and from a Republican and top Romney surrogate." Even on FauxNews (notice they cut the end of what he said):
Quote:But soon, reporters poked holes in the campaign’s explanation for staging the rally. First, the relief event was scheduled for the same time and location as a recently canceled political rally. Then, photos emerged, showing that donors were asked to wait to drop off their goods until Romney arrived to accept them himself, suggesting a photo op not unlike the one his running mate Paul Ryan staged earlier this month in a soup kitchen. And Salon noticed that the targeted recipient of all of the donations — the Red Cross — doesn’t even accept most of what the Romney campaign collected in Ohio. But just in case there were any lingering questions over the political nature of the relief rally, Romney’s staff left no room for doubt when they aired a biographical video that was part of the Republican National Convention in August (and used by the campaign at political events since). http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/10/30/1152457/-Mitt-Romney-attends-storm-relief-event-In-Ohio-Sponsored-by-his-campaign] Anyone remember the Ryan event? http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57532807/charity-president-paul-ryan-did-nothing-at-soup-kitchen-photo-op/ "Ryan and his wife Jenna wash pots at St. Vincent DePaul dinning hall, Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012, in Youngstown, Ohio" Quote:Brian J. Antal, president of the Mahoning County St. Vincent De Paul Society in Youngstown Ohio, where Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan and his family were photographed cleaning dishes over the weekend, said Monday that Ryan was not authorized to be on the premises. He said that he runs an apolitical faith-based organization which has bylaws barring it from hosting political candidates, and that the visit jeopardized donations from private individuals. "They showed up there and they did not have permission," he said. "They got one of the volunteers to open up the doors." Antag added that Ryan and his family "did nothing" while on the premises. "He just came in here to get his picture taken at the dining hall," he said. While television cameras rolled and photographers snapped pictures, the Wisconsin congressman discussed washing dishes while he was younger. He said he would get calluses on his fingers due to the heat from the industrial machine. When Ryan arrived on the site in the early afternoon, the kitchen was clean and the dining area was empty, according to a pool report. After his time in the kitchen Ryan spoke to homeless people outside the soup kitchen, but reporters were kept from monitoring the conversation. UPDATE: The Vinidicator, in Youngstown, reports that according to Juanita Sherba, the coordinator who gave Ryan permission to come to the soup kitchen, Ryan did wash dirty dishes while he was there. The newspaper reports that Ryan's staff asked volunteers "to leave some pots and pans unwashed so the VP nominee and his family could do something when he arrived." "We had to save dishes," she said. "We would have gone home by the time he arrived. We didn't need him to do the dishes. It was getting late, and I said that we were closing in five minutes. I waited longer than that, and he finally arrived." Sherba expressed regret that she had allowed the visit to take place. "It was the phoniest piece of baloney I've ever been associated with," she said. "In hindsight, I would have never let him in the door." Brian Antal, meanwhile, has rescinded his claim from Monday that Ryan did not clean any dirty dishes. He told NBC News he had been erroneously told that was the case by a volunteer. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57532807/charity-president-paul-ryan-did-nothing-at-soup-kitchen-photo-op/] Yeah, that one. Of course, the right took a swing at those pointing out that the Romney "storm relief event" might not have been quite as altruistic as advertised. I will now do Rap's job for him and quote the view he and his buddies probably have of Romney being called out about the event:Quote:This one is really hard to believe, even for the most biased so-called "news network" in the nation. MSNBC on Tuesday totally trashed Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney for collecting food and supplies at a storm relief rally in Ohio to be sent to victims of Hurricane Sandy. Bashir said, “Mayor Reed, so the Red Cross knows what it’s doing. Did he, did you detect perhaps a subtle dig there on Mr. Romney who spent today going against the guidelines established by the Red Cross and holding a campaign rally in Ohio that was dressed up like a charity drive collecting food and other supplies when the Red Cross expressly asked people not to do that?” Imagine that. A presidential candidate who gives millions of dollars a year to charity does a storm relief event in Ohio, and an MSNBC anchor is disgusted by it because the Red Cross would prefer people donating cash. So having a storm relief event with tables “piled high with flashlights, batteries, diapers, toothbrushes, mini-deodorants, fleece blankets, cereal, toilet paper and canned goods” along with two large television screens calling for donations to the Red Cross demonstrates a lack of compassion on MSNBC. Yet the network didn’t end there. About a half hour later, Bashir brought GQ’s Ana Marie Cox on to trash Romney’s event. “I found that sort of fake, relief rally, whatever it is, to be pretty offensive, and also wrong-headed,” said Cox. She actually called Romney “craven” for doing it. I’m not kidding. This was followed by MSNBC contributor Karen Finney saying, “when you have a platform or an opportunity to communicate a message particularly in a time like this, I think it's incumbent on you to make sure that you’re communicating what is the most effective, helpful thing. As a former governor, I would think that he would know that what the Red Cross needs in times like this is money and blood. Of course, it is human nature to want to help your fellow American that’s in trouble and to think “Oh, I'll buy food or I’ll buy clothes.” But again, as we’ve been doing here on MSNBC and I hope other networks are doing, sort of helping, being a part of helping direct people to websites where they can donate or find out exactly what's needed. I mean, that really should be the role. If they wanted to do something helpful, that would actually be the thing they could have been doing that would be helpful."Excerpts from http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2012/10/30/msnbc-trashes-romney-collecting-food-and-supplies-sandy-victims#ixzz2AqwmpK2y] Note that the Romney "storm relief event" did have two large TV screens at the front of the venue bore the logo of the American Red Cross and the message: 'Sandy: Support the Relief Effort. Text ’REDCROSS’ to 90999 to make a $10 donation.' You're welcome, Rap. Oh, by the way, another one making the rounds of the internet (tho' not nearly as loudly) is this one:Quote:And how did the Obama campaign react to the storm? According to a tip sent to Fox News, it’s calling for volunteers to call voters from a phone bank at its Annapolis, Md., offices late afternoon to early evening on Monday, which was when the storm was scheduled to hit the area. The email asking for volunteers was sent Sunday at 4 p.m. At that time, the storm’s path was well-known. http://www.bizpacreview.com/desperate-obama-campaign-puts-its-own-workers-in-jeopardy/] And if you believe that, I have this bridge I'd like to sell you...although that one might be under water at the moment... Then of course everyone's playing the video of Romney's opinion on FEMA and government assistance in a disaster. Awwwwkwaaaard. I guess it depends on your definition of "immoral"... Hey, privatize disaster relief. Look how well it worked with Blackwater! By the way, if nobody'd noticed, there was your October Surprise. And:Quote: 03.35 The New York Times's Maureen Dowd has been mulling Gov Christie's praise for the president in the aftermath of Sandy. She says even White House officials are "flummoxed by Christie's bearhug." "The dramatic homestretch ad for President Obama, running on every network and in all media markets, is a home run, devastating for Mitt Romney. And, best of all, the president didn’t have to pay for it, or even say, “I approve this message.” It was a total gift — and from a Republican and top Romney surrogate." Even on FauxNews (notice they cut the end of what he said):
Quote:Brian J. Antal, president of the Mahoning County St. Vincent De Paul Society in Youngstown Ohio, where Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan and his family were photographed cleaning dishes over the weekend, said Monday that Ryan was not authorized to be on the premises. He said that he runs an apolitical faith-based organization which has bylaws barring it from hosting political candidates, and that the visit jeopardized donations from private individuals. "They showed up there and they did not have permission," he said. "They got one of the volunteers to open up the doors." Antag added that Ryan and his family "did nothing" while on the premises. "He just came in here to get his picture taken at the dining hall," he said. While television cameras rolled and photographers snapped pictures, the Wisconsin congressman discussed washing dishes while he was younger. He said he would get calluses on his fingers due to the heat from the industrial machine. When Ryan arrived on the site in the early afternoon, the kitchen was clean and the dining area was empty, according to a pool report. After his time in the kitchen Ryan spoke to homeless people outside the soup kitchen, but reporters were kept from monitoring the conversation. UPDATE: The Vinidicator, in Youngstown, reports that according to Juanita Sherba, the coordinator who gave Ryan permission to come to the soup kitchen, Ryan did wash dirty dishes while he was there. The newspaper reports that Ryan's staff asked volunteers "to leave some pots and pans unwashed so the VP nominee and his family could do something when he arrived." "We had to save dishes," she said. "We would have gone home by the time he arrived. We didn't need him to do the dishes. It was getting late, and I said that we were closing in five minutes. I waited longer than that, and he finally arrived." Sherba expressed regret that she had allowed the visit to take place. "It was the phoniest piece of baloney I've ever been associated with," she said. "In hindsight, I would have never let him in the door." Brian Antal, meanwhile, has rescinded his claim from Monday that Ryan did not clean any dirty dishes. He told NBC News he had been erroneously told that was the case by a volunteer. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57532807/charity-president-paul-ryan-did-nothing-at-soup-kitchen-photo-op/] Yeah, that one. Of course, the right took a swing at those pointing out that the Romney "storm relief event" might not have been quite as altruistic as advertised. I will now do Rap's job for him and quote the view he and his buddies probably have of Romney being called out about the event:Quote:This one is really hard to believe, even for the most biased so-called "news network" in the nation. MSNBC on Tuesday totally trashed Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney for collecting food and supplies at a storm relief rally in Ohio to be sent to victims of Hurricane Sandy. Bashir said, “Mayor Reed, so the Red Cross knows what it’s doing. Did he, did you detect perhaps a subtle dig there on Mr. Romney who spent today going against the guidelines established by the Red Cross and holding a campaign rally in Ohio that was dressed up like a charity drive collecting food and other supplies when the Red Cross expressly asked people not to do that?” Imagine that. A presidential candidate who gives millions of dollars a year to charity does a storm relief event in Ohio, and an MSNBC anchor is disgusted by it because the Red Cross would prefer people donating cash. So having a storm relief event with tables “piled high with flashlights, batteries, diapers, toothbrushes, mini-deodorants, fleece blankets, cereal, toilet paper and canned goods” along with two large television screens calling for donations to the Red Cross demonstrates a lack of compassion on MSNBC. Yet the network didn’t end there. About a half hour later, Bashir brought GQ’s Ana Marie Cox on to trash Romney’s event. “I found that sort of fake, relief rally, whatever it is, to be pretty offensive, and also wrong-headed,” said Cox. She actually called Romney “craven” for doing it. I’m not kidding. This was followed by MSNBC contributor Karen Finney saying, “when you have a platform or an opportunity to communicate a message particularly in a time like this, I think it's incumbent on you to make sure that you’re communicating what is the most effective, helpful thing. As a former governor, I would think that he would know that what the Red Cross needs in times like this is money and blood. Of course, it is human nature to want to help your fellow American that’s in trouble and to think “Oh, I'll buy food or I’ll buy clothes.” But again, as we’ve been doing here on MSNBC and I hope other networks are doing, sort of helping, being a part of helping direct people to websites where they can donate or find out exactly what's needed. I mean, that really should be the role. If they wanted to do something helpful, that would actually be the thing they could have been doing that would be helpful."Excerpts from http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2012/10/30/msnbc-trashes-romney-collecting-food-and-supplies-sandy-victims#ixzz2AqwmpK2y] Note that the Romney "storm relief event" did have two large TV screens at the front of the venue bore the logo of the American Red Cross and the message: 'Sandy: Support the Relief Effort. Text ’REDCROSS’ to 90999 to make a $10 donation.' You're welcome, Rap. Oh, by the way, another one making the rounds of the internet (tho' not nearly as loudly) is this one:Quote:And how did the Obama campaign react to the storm? According to a tip sent to Fox News, it’s calling for volunteers to call voters from a phone bank at its Annapolis, Md., offices late afternoon to early evening on Monday, which was when the storm was scheduled to hit the area. The email asking for volunteers was sent Sunday at 4 p.m. At that time, the storm’s path was well-known. http://www.bizpacreview.com/desperate-obama-campaign-puts-its-own-workers-in-jeopardy/] And if you believe that, I have this bridge I'd like to sell you...although that one might be under water at the moment... Then of course everyone's playing the video of Romney's opinion on FEMA and government assistance in a disaster. Awwwwkwaaaard. I guess it depends on your definition of "immoral"... Hey, privatize disaster relief. Look how well it worked with Blackwater! By the way, if nobody'd noticed, there was your October Surprise. And:Quote: 03.35 The New York Times's Maureen Dowd has been mulling Gov Christie's praise for the president in the aftermath of Sandy. She says even White House officials are "flummoxed by Christie's bearhug." "The dramatic homestretch ad for President Obama, running on every network and in all media markets, is a home run, devastating for Mitt Romney. And, best of all, the president didn’t have to pay for it, or even say, “I approve this message.” It was a total gift — and from a Republican and top Romney surrogate." Even on FauxNews (notice they cut the end of what he said):
Quote:This one is really hard to believe, even for the most biased so-called "news network" in the nation. MSNBC on Tuesday totally trashed Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney for collecting food and supplies at a storm relief rally in Ohio to be sent to victims of Hurricane Sandy. Bashir said, “Mayor Reed, so the Red Cross knows what it’s doing. Did he, did you detect perhaps a subtle dig there on Mr. Romney who spent today going against the guidelines established by the Red Cross and holding a campaign rally in Ohio that was dressed up like a charity drive collecting food and other supplies when the Red Cross expressly asked people not to do that?” Imagine that. A presidential candidate who gives millions of dollars a year to charity does a storm relief event in Ohio, and an MSNBC anchor is disgusted by it because the Red Cross would prefer people donating cash. So having a storm relief event with tables “piled high with flashlights, batteries, diapers, toothbrushes, mini-deodorants, fleece blankets, cereal, toilet paper and canned goods” along with two large television screens calling for donations to the Red Cross demonstrates a lack of compassion on MSNBC. Yet the network didn’t end there. About a half hour later, Bashir brought GQ’s Ana Marie Cox on to trash Romney’s event. “I found that sort of fake, relief rally, whatever it is, to be pretty offensive, and also wrong-headed,” said Cox. She actually called Romney “craven” for doing it. I’m not kidding. This was followed by MSNBC contributor Karen Finney saying, “when you have a platform or an opportunity to communicate a message particularly in a time like this, I think it's incumbent on you to make sure that you’re communicating what is the most effective, helpful thing. As a former governor, I would think that he would know that what the Red Cross needs in times like this is money and blood. Of course, it is human nature to want to help your fellow American that’s in trouble and to think “Oh, I'll buy food or I’ll buy clothes.” But again, as we’ve been doing here on MSNBC and I hope other networks are doing, sort of helping, being a part of helping direct people to websites where they can donate or find out exactly what's needed. I mean, that really should be the role. If they wanted to do something helpful, that would actually be the thing they could have been doing that would be helpful."Excerpts from http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2012/10/30/msnbc-trashes-romney-collecting-food-and-supplies-sandy-victims#ixzz2AqwmpK2y] Note that the Romney "storm relief event" did have two large TV screens at the front of the venue bore the logo of the American Red Cross and the message: 'Sandy: Support the Relief Effort. Text ’REDCROSS’ to 90999 to make a $10 donation.' You're welcome, Rap. Oh, by the way, another one making the rounds of the internet (tho' not nearly as loudly) is this one:Quote:And how did the Obama campaign react to the storm? According to a tip sent to Fox News, it’s calling for volunteers to call voters from a phone bank at its Annapolis, Md., offices late afternoon to early evening on Monday, which was when the storm was scheduled to hit the area. The email asking for volunteers was sent Sunday at 4 p.m. At that time, the storm’s path was well-known. http://www.bizpacreview.com/desperate-obama-campaign-puts-its-own-workers-in-jeopardy/] And if you believe that, I have this bridge I'd like to sell you...although that one might be under water at the moment... Then of course everyone's playing the video of Romney's opinion on FEMA and government assistance in a disaster. Awwwwkwaaaard. I guess it depends on your definition of "immoral"... Hey, privatize disaster relief. Look how well it worked with Blackwater! By the way, if nobody'd noticed, there was your October Surprise. And:Quote: 03.35 The New York Times's Maureen Dowd has been mulling Gov Christie's praise for the president in the aftermath of Sandy. She says even White House officials are "flummoxed by Christie's bearhug." "The dramatic homestretch ad for President Obama, running on every network and in all media markets, is a home run, devastating for Mitt Romney. And, best of all, the president didn’t have to pay for it, or even say, “I approve this message.” It was a total gift — and from a Republican and top Romney surrogate." Even on FauxNews (notice they cut the end of what he said):
Quote:And how did the Obama campaign react to the storm? According to a tip sent to Fox News, it’s calling for volunteers to call voters from a phone bank at its Annapolis, Md., offices late afternoon to early evening on Monday, which was when the storm was scheduled to hit the area. The email asking for volunteers was sent Sunday at 4 p.m. At that time, the storm’s path was well-known. http://www.bizpacreview.com/desperate-obama-campaign-puts-its-own-workers-in-jeopardy/] And if you believe that, I have this bridge I'd like to sell you...although that one might be under water at the moment... Then of course everyone's playing the video of Romney's opinion on FEMA and government assistance in a disaster. Awwwwkwaaaard. I guess it depends on your definition of "immoral"... Hey, privatize disaster relief. Look how well it worked with Blackwater! By the way, if nobody'd noticed, there was your October Surprise. And:Quote: 03.35 The New York Times's Maureen Dowd has been mulling Gov Christie's praise for the president in the aftermath of Sandy. She says even White House officials are "flummoxed by Christie's bearhug." "The dramatic homestretch ad for President Obama, running on every network and in all media markets, is a home run, devastating for Mitt Romney. And, best of all, the president didn’t have to pay for it, or even say, “I approve this message.” It was a total gift — and from a Republican and top Romney surrogate." Even on FauxNews (notice they cut the end of what he said):
Quote: 03.35 The New York Times's Maureen Dowd has been mulling Gov Christie's praise for the president in the aftermath of Sandy. She says even White House officials are "flummoxed by Christie's bearhug." "The dramatic homestretch ad for President Obama, running on every network and in all media markets, is a home run, devastating for Mitt Romney. And, best of all, the president didn’t have to pay for it, or even say, “I approve this message.” It was a total gift — and from a Republican and top Romney surrogate." Even on FauxNews (notice they cut the end of what he said):
Wednesday, October 31, 2012 4:08 AM
JONGSSTRAW
Wednesday, October 31, 2012 4:44 AM
BYTEMITE
Wednesday, October 31, 2012 5:00 AM
MAL4PREZ
Wednesday, October 31, 2012 6:06 AM
Quote:Originally posted by MAL4PREZ: Jong - yeah, it's a no brainer to get the aid out ASAP, declare disaster, tour the sites, etc. So how come it took Bush so long after Katrina? Why was it so hard to do when poor black people were the ones in trouble? Before anyone starts whining about Bush finger-pointing, that ain't the point. It's not about blame, it's about learning from the past and making better choices.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012 7:36 AM
KWICKO
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." -- William Casey, Reagan's presidential campaign manager & CIA Director (from first staff meeting in 1981)
Wednesday, October 31, 2012 7:42 AM
Wednesday, October 31, 2012 8:55 AM
STORYMARK
Quote:“Here’s my concern … People in the northeast are already beginning to blow it off…. [New York City Mayor Michael] Bloomberg has shut down the subway…[launched] evacuations…. I don’t object…they should be doing all of that. But in the meantime, various news commentators…[and others] in New York are shrugging their shoulders, saying, ‘What’s this all about?’ It’s premature [when] the brunt of the storm won’t happen until later this afternoon.”
Wednesday, October 31, 2012 9:02 AM
M52NICKERSON
DALEK!
Quote:Originally posted by MAL4PREZ: Fivethirtyeight says it better: http://www.electoral-vote.com/evp2012/Pres/Maps/Oct31.html#item-1] Just a quick thing, that is not a link to Fivethirtyeight. I do not fear God, I fear the ignorance of man. A warning to everyone, AURaptor is a known liar. ...and now a Fundie! http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.aspx?tid=53359
Wednesday, October 31, 2012 9:20 AM
Quote: In mormon-ville over here, charity and relief efforts do tend to mean canned food, blankets, and clothing donation drives. Could be Mitt just assumed the Red Cross works the same way.
Quote: The Red Cross does not accept clothing but we do have a partnership with Goodwill Southern California. Clothing donations to Goodwill Southern California are converted into clothing vouchers for victims.
Quote: no one bothered to check on the details, because none of them actually do stuff like this. You know, real actual useful charity, rather than throwing money at their mother cult church.
Quote:The campaign removed all campaign-themed signage from the event, instead hanging one large American flag from the ceiling and posting information on donating to the Red Cross on two large TV screens hanging in the arena. Romney stood in front of several tables lined with food, bottled water and other necessities like toilet paper, flash lights, batteries, and blankets.
Quote:the event still had some of the trappings of a rally, including rounds of chanting for the candidate by those in attendance and a few campaign-related t-shirts (including "Obama: You're Fired!" and "Don't tread on me!"). In addition, the organizers played a video biography of Romney that is a staple of his campaign events. Top Romney strategist Stuart Stevens, asked by NPR if the video blurred the line between storm relief and politics, said "I agree" that it did and added: "I don't know how it happened." http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57542599/romney-turns-ohio-rally-into-storm-relief-event/] If he was being honest, good for him. I just have my doubts. I'm not completely dissing Romney; he deserves some points for doing it, and it makes sense that it's a way to stay in the limelight while Obama has the power to do so much more. But I do see it as opportunism. "Everything Jong said"--I too watched in horror, which turned to smoke coming out my ears as so much wasn't done or was done wrong, etc. And I agree that nailed it...I agree to the point of wnating to quote him:Quote:In Ohio, Romney was pepperedby reporters with 14 questions about his statement earlier this year about abolishing FEMA. He refused to answer. When independent voters see Obama working with FEMA to help people get on with their lives and then hear that Romney wants to abolish the agency, it can't be helpful to Romney. So far, federal officials have gotten good marks for their relief efforts. Even Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ), a Romney surrogate, has said: "The president has been outstanding in this." Obama and Christie will travel together toinspectthe storm-damaged New Jersey shore today. Why are they working together? For Obama, this is an implicit appeal to those voters who see bipartisanship as the holy grail of politics. For Christie, hanging out with the President gives him some national publicity, which people may vaguely remember in 2016 if Obama wins and Christie runs for President in 2016. Romney is going to start campaigning again today, but Obama is going to own the news cycle today no matter what Romney does. Romney has to be exceedingly careful not to attack Obama while Obama is out there "helping" people (as if walking along the beach with Christie helps anyone). Romney would be advised to be positive today and talk about how he managed crises in the companies Bain owned, but being positive does not come naturally to him. While Obama can't campaign now, he has a not-so-secret weapon: Bill Clinton. Clinton--who is more popular than Obama is--is free to continue campaigning since Clinton has no official duties. Clinton is also a master at "I feel your pain" campaigning and can explain in simple terms that Obama can't campaign now because his top priority is helping people. Romney has no official duties, either, but if he campaigns aggressively while people are suffering, the optics looks bad. If there are no major slip-ups and Obama gives the impression of working 24/7 this week to help people, the storm may end up being a net plus for him. But he has to avoid mistakes at all costs since they will be magnified immensely.More at link posted by Jong All that is absolutely on point. And while I fully understand Romney's refusal to answer the questions about FEMA, I think that hurts him too, with that video out there all over the news. For me, the difference between Bush's seeming indifference and slow response to Katrina stands in stark contrast to what Obama is doing, whether it helps or not. And it DOES help; people in the position they're in get a mental boost from seeing their leader caring and determined to "help". It remains to be seen how effective and coordinated the government's response will be, and what, if anything, Obama can do himself, but if he doesn't fuck up, I'll be glad on behalf of all those affected. As for Christie, I fully agree that his going around everywhere praising Obama is unnecessary, and may be at least partly because of the reason Mal4's article suggested (and yes, it's not 538). One appearance saying what he did would have sufficed; showing up virtually EVERYWHERE, as he has in the past 24 hours, is over the top. Christie is smart and canny; I'm guessing he's milking it for all it's worth. But I still admire him for being right there right away and doing his job. Mal4, I really hope you're right and the response is about learning from the past. That would be encouraging, given the horrors of Katrina. By the way, along with the other asinine "tip" I posted, this makes me sick...once I got through shaking my head and laughing:Quote: As Hurricane Sandy blasts the eastern seaboard just over a week before Election Day, a number of conspiracy theorists have decided President Barack Obama engineered the mega-storm to secure his re-election. InfoWars.com, TheIntelHub.com, and ConsfearacyNewz all posted stories over the last several days alleging that the The High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program, or HAARP, helped the president engineer Sandy. conspiracy theorists have blamed HAARP for a number of natural events over the years, saying the government uses the Alaska-based program to manipulate the weather with the help of electromagnetic waves. "Following the 'perfect storm,'" wrote Infowars' Kurt Nimmo, "the establishment media will naturally provide all the propaganda Obama needs to sweep the election on Tuesday, November 6, a week after the hurricane is projected to hit." As proof, Nimmo noted that HAARPStatus.com, a site that claims to detect frequency on the ionosphere, is reporting unprecedented levels of HAARP frequency above the Eastern coast. HAARPStatus.com appears to be a site not actually associated with HAARP. http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2012/10/29/conspiracy-theorists-say-obama-engineered-hurricane-sandy PN, how'd you miss this one? Or are you in an affected area with no power? That's the only reason I can think of that there's not a post about this from you, with one of your amusing titles (I can guess what they'd be, but I'm not going to bother typing it). Most of all, I just hope the relief efforts go smoothly and help as many people as possible as effectively as possible. Tit for tat got us where we are today. If we want to be grownups, we need to resist the ugliness. If we each did, this would be a better reflection on Firefly and a more welcome place. I will try.
Quote:In Ohio, Romney was pepperedby reporters with 14 questions about his statement earlier this year about abolishing FEMA. He refused to answer. When independent voters see Obama working with FEMA to help people get on with their lives and then hear that Romney wants to abolish the agency, it can't be helpful to Romney. So far, federal officials have gotten good marks for their relief efforts. Even Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ), a Romney surrogate, has said: "The president has been outstanding in this." Obama and Christie will travel together toinspectthe storm-damaged New Jersey shore today. Why are they working together? For Obama, this is an implicit appeal to those voters who see bipartisanship as the holy grail of politics. For Christie, hanging out with the President gives him some national publicity, which people may vaguely remember in 2016 if Obama wins and Christie runs for President in 2016. Romney is going to start campaigning again today, but Obama is going to own the news cycle today no matter what Romney does. Romney has to be exceedingly careful not to attack Obama while Obama is out there "helping" people (as if walking along the beach with Christie helps anyone). Romney would be advised to be positive today and talk about how he managed crises in the companies Bain owned, but being positive does not come naturally to him. While Obama can't campaign now, he has a not-so-secret weapon: Bill Clinton. Clinton--who is more popular than Obama is--is free to continue campaigning since Clinton has no official duties. Clinton is also a master at "I feel your pain" campaigning and can explain in simple terms that Obama can't campaign now because his top priority is helping people. Romney has no official duties, either, but if he campaigns aggressively while people are suffering, the optics looks bad. If there are no major slip-ups and Obama gives the impression of working 24/7 this week to help people, the storm may end up being a net plus for him. But he has to avoid mistakes at all costs since they will be magnified immensely.More at link posted by Jong
Quote: As Hurricane Sandy blasts the eastern seaboard just over a week before Election Day, a number of conspiracy theorists have decided President Barack Obama engineered the mega-storm to secure his re-election. InfoWars.com, TheIntelHub.com, and ConsfearacyNewz all posted stories over the last several days alleging that the The High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program, or HAARP, helped the president engineer Sandy. conspiracy theorists have blamed HAARP for a number of natural events over the years, saying the government uses the Alaska-based program to manipulate the weather with the help of electromagnetic waves. "Following the 'perfect storm,'" wrote Infowars' Kurt Nimmo, "the establishment media will naturally provide all the propaganda Obama needs to sweep the election on Tuesday, November 6, a week after the hurricane is projected to hit." As proof, Nimmo noted that HAARPStatus.com, a site that claims to detect frequency on the ionosphere, is reporting unprecedented levels of HAARP frequency above the Eastern coast. HAARPStatus.com appears to be a site not actually associated with HAARP. http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2012/10/29/conspiracy-theorists-say-obama-engineered-hurricane-sandy
Wednesday, October 31, 2012 9:42 AM
Quote:Originally posted by m52nickerson: Quote:Originally posted by MAL4PREZ: Fivethirtyeight says it better: http://www.electoral-vote.com/evp2012/Pres/Maps/Oct31.html#item-1] Just a quick thing, that is not a link to Fivethirtyeight. I do not fear God, I fear the ignorance of man. A warning to everyone, AURaptor is a known liar. ...and now a Fundie! http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.aspx?tid=53359 Doh! I have two online political Bibles: 538 and electoral-vote. I said the wrong one. Will correct...
Wednesday, October 31, 2012 9:55 AM
Quote:Originally posted by Niki2: But in other ways, it was still a political rally:Quote:the event still had some of the trappings of a rally, including rounds of chanting for the candidate by those in attendance and a few campaign-related t-shirts (including "Obama: You're Fired!" and "Don't tread on me!"). In addition, the organizers played a video biography of Romney that is a staple of his campaign events.
Quote:the event still had some of the trappings of a rally, including rounds of chanting for the candidate by those in attendance and a few campaign-related t-shirts (including "Obama: You're Fired!" and "Don't tread on me!"). In addition, the organizers played a video biography of Romney that is a staple of his campaign events.
Quote:By the way, along with the other asinine "tip" I posted, this makes me sick...once I got through shaking my head and laughing:Quote: As Hurricane Sandy blasts the eastern seaboard just over a week before Election Day, a number of conspiracy theorists have decided President Barack Obama engineered the mega-storm to secure his re-election. InfoWars.com, TheIntelHub.com, and ConsfearacyNewz all posted stories over the last several days alleging that the The High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program, or HAARP, helped the president engineer Sandy. conspiracy theorists have blamed HAARP for a number of natural events over the years, saying the government uses the Alaska-based program to manipulate the weather with the help of electromagnetic waves.
Quote: As Hurricane Sandy blasts the eastern seaboard just over a week before Election Day, a number of conspiracy theorists have decided President Barack Obama engineered the mega-storm to secure his re-election. InfoWars.com, TheIntelHub.com, and ConsfearacyNewz all posted stories over the last several days alleging that the The High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program, or HAARP, helped the president engineer Sandy. conspiracy theorists have blamed HAARP for a number of natural events over the years, saying the government uses the Alaska-based program to manipulate the weather with the help of electromagnetic waves.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012 9:57 AM
Wednesday, October 31, 2012 10:00 AM
Quote:Originally posted by Niki2: Hmmm, I'll have to check that site more often, given you said what you did about it and Fivethirtyeight. I put a LOT of weight on Silver, as I've written before, and given I respect him so highly and your mention of his blog and electoral-vote, and I respect you, maybe it's worth paying attention to, as well. Tit for tat got us where we are today. If we want to be grownups, we need to resist the ugliness. If we each did, this would be a better reflection on Firefly and a more welcome place. I will try.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012 10:02 AM
Wednesday, October 31, 2012 10:39 AM
Quote:Originally posted by Jongsstraw: I'm sure Christie really does care about his NJ residents and their communities, and wants to do everything possible to help the state recover from the disaster as soon as possible. And I believe that Obama wants the same. But the politics of it is something else. Something that wouldn't even be an issue except for the pending election. It's bizarre, and it will likely change everything... Christie's been out there for a year trashing Obama's 'leadership' while campaigning for Romney. Despite everything prior, he knows NJ cannot fully recover without massive Federal assistance. He gets three phone calls from Obama offering full federal support and probably his prayers. So Christie is so touched, so moved, so happy, so grateful, so somber, so focused on the task ahead that he then goes on every news program ever invented to sing the praises of Obama? And praise for what really? Is it really so hard for a President to declare a disaster? I mean really, is it like writing the Declare -ation of Independence or something? And three phone calls? Is that so hard to do? I'm getting ten calls a day at home in Florida from the RNC.
Quote: As if Obama wasn't going to declare NJ a disaster area? As if Obama wasn't going to be as supportive as possible this close to the election? What would Chrisite have said then as he made his rounds on tv? Would he have said Obama hasn't even called, and we're having trouble getting through to FEMA?
Quote: Score : Obama + 3 Christie + 1 Romney - 2 And after a few helicopter rides around the devastation and some more speeches? Final score : Obama gains back enough women and independents to defeat Romney rather handily.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012 10:45 AM
Quote:Originally posted by Storymark: Wow. Brownie says that Obama responded too quickly to this storm.... Quote:“Here’s my concern … People in the northeast are already beginning to blow it off…. [New York City Mayor Michael] Bloomberg has shut down the subway…[launched] evacuations…. I don’t object…they should be doing all of that. But in the meantime, various news commentators…[and others] in New York are shrugging their shoulders, saying, ‘What’s this all about?’ It’s premature [when] the brunt of the storm won’t happen until later this afternoon.” Right, wait untill there's more destruction before doing anything - look how well that turned out last time! He then goes on to imply that Obama is only dealing with this storm to cover for Benghazi. Amazing. http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2012/10/michael_brown_fema_obama_hurricane_sandy.php "We will never have the elite, smart people on our side." -- Rick "Frothy" Santorum "Goram it kid, let's frak this thing and go home! Engage!"
Wednesday, October 31, 2012 5:06 PM
Quote:The plan was for supporters to bring hurricane relief supplies to the event and then deliver the bags of canned goods, packages of diapers, and cases of water bottles to the candidate, who would be perched behind a table along with a slew of volunteers and his Ohio right-hand man, Senator Rob Portman. To complete the project and photo op, Romney would lead his crew in carrying the goods out of the gymnasium and into the Penske rental truck parked outside. But the last-minute nature of the call for donations left some in the campaign concerned that they would end up with an empty truck. So the night before the event, campaign aides went to a local Wal-Mart and spent $5,000 on granola bars, canned food, and diapers to put on display while they waited for donations to come in, according to one staffer. ... As supporters lined up to greet the candidate, a young volunteer in a Romney/Ryan T-shirt stood near the tables, his hands cupped around his mouth, shouting, "You need a donation to get in line!" Empty-handed supporters pled for entrance, with one woman asking, "What if we dropped off our donations up front?" The volunteer gestured toward a pile of groceries conveniently stacked near the candidate. "Just grab something," he said. Two teenage boys retrieved a jar of peanut butter each, and got in line. When it was their turn, they handed their "donations" to Romney. He took them, smiled, and offered an earnest "Thank you."
Thursday, November 1, 2012 3:46 AM
GEEZER
Keep the Shiny side up
Quote:Originally posted by MAL4PREZ: So how come it took Bush so long after Katrina? Why was it so hard to do when poor black people were the ones in trouble?
Thursday, November 1, 2012 6:24 AM
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